Devotion: God Is Good

Scripture upon scripture, we find that our God is good all the time.  We see that God is good to everyone and that his tender mercies and his compassion are involved in all that he does (Psalm 145:9).  We find that God is good and so full of mercy that he is ready to forgive all that call upon him (Psalm 86:5).  We are told that God is good and that his mercy is everlasting, extending to each and every generation (Psalm 100:5).  Surely, our God is good all the time.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.  O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: the sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: the moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: and brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: and made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.  To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: and slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: and Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: and gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: and hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.  O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalm 136:1-26).

Today’s inspiration message focuses on the goodness of God and how wonderful it is to know that he is good.  As always, we pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Choose Life Words

There is a phrase that people say when they have finished complaining about something or when they want to complain but choose not to say anything that goes something like, “But why complain, no one listens anyway.”  We have been cleverly trained to speak certain negative catch phrases that actually speak words of doubt, fear, sickness, and even death and many of us have no idea that we are speaking such things into our lives.  We recently learned that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggested that the words we say can actually affect our life.  We also learned the words we speak are like seeds that are planted in the ground and from those seeds; we reap a harvest from what we have sown or in this case, spoken.

However, we have a bigger problem; there is someone actually listening for those complaints.  We have an adversary, who “wanders back and forth about the earth walking up and down it (Job 1:7) like a roaring lion, seeking those that he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  As we have mentioned many times before, the fact that he is seeking or looking for those that he may devour means that he does not have the right or the permission to devour anyone.  Guess where that permission comes from?  We know that many believe that the permission comes from God (Job 1:8-12), but it is actually the words that we speak that gives him “permission.”  Scripture tells us that we have been trapped by what we say, ensnared by the words of our mouth (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).  It just goes to show that the words you speak are more important than you may have thought.

The Bible tells us “neither give place (opportunity) to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27), but those negative catch phrases that we speak actually give him place or opportunity.  It is the permission that he needs to do what he does best, which is “to kill, to steal, and to destroy” (John 10:10).  We need to be very careful with what we say, careful to choose life words because there is a little more riding on those words than our reputations.

As you read today’s inspirational message, reflect on those negative catch phrases that inadvertently come out of your mouth and remember that there is someone who is just waiting for you to speak them.  We pray that you will be blessed, informed, and all the better for having read both, the commentary and the message.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Fear Of The Lord

During the days of my youth, I remember that “fear of the Lord” I had when I first heard the story of the flood and the stories about the fire and brimstone.  Those stories made me absolutely petrified of God.  I remember thinking that one disobedient act on my part would cause God to punish me for that sin.  Because of my youth and my understanding of what was being said (taught) and/or my misapplication of what I heard, I believed God would strike me dead, raining fire and brimstone on me as punishment, when I committed a sin, because in my mind, immediate death was associated with a sinful act.

As I look back at the fear that I had for God then, I realize that that kind of fear was not the kind of fear I needed to have for God.  It was extremely unhealthy and gave me the wrong impression of who God truly is.  Though I was taught to never question God, the pastor, or any adult leaders in the church, I could not help but wonder why the God everyone told me loved us so much could be so cruel and mean.  Today, my definition of fear as it pertains to God is completely different.  Instead of being petrified, I now have a reverence for God and a desire to do all that I can to please him.  Funny how your opinion of God can change when you “diligently seek to truly know him” (Hebrews 11:6).

A Psalm of David.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.  When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.  When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.  Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:1-14).

We pray that today’s inspirational message will give you a new perspective on what it means to have “a fear of the Lord.”  As always, we pray that this commentary along with the devotional will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If you are blessed by this message, please share it so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Claim Prosperity!

It is so amazing that when there is talk about good health (III John 1:2), wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), and total life prosperity (Joshua 1:8), the nay-sayers come out of the woodwork to denounce these messages.  They believe that as children of God, we do not have a right to these things.  They claim that if these things were “of God,” then there would be no sickness, no poverty, or the like.  They do not acknowledge the fact that there is a thief, an adversary, that is come to kill your good health, steal your wealth, and to destroy your total life prosperity (John 10:10).  If these be not those things, then what be the things that the thief is come to kill, steal, and destroy?

According to scripture, God has given us or provided for us, everything we need.

“So don’t be proud of following the wise men of this world.  For God has already given you everything you need.  He has given you Paul and Apollos and Peter as your helpers.  He has given you the whole world to use, and life and even death are your servants.  He has given you all of the present and all of the future.  All are yours, and you belong to Christ, and Christ is God’s” (I Corinthians 3:21-23 TLB).

God has already made provision for us in every area of life.  He has prepared and given us everything that we need or will ever need.  Scripture says that we have the whole world to use, but for some reason, some teach that we are supposed to live in a state of poverty and humbleness.  God created enough abundance for all mankind.  While we see many believers struggling with financial problems, health problems, and your basic life problems, we must understand that these issues have little to do with God himself.  We have to know that God is not withholding anything from us.  However, our problem is a two-fold one.  First, we are being “destroyed because we lack true knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) about our new covenant promises, which by the way includes prosperity, amongst many other things.  The second is that we fail to remember that we have an enemy that wants to kill us, an adversary that wants to destroy us, and a thief that wants to steal our covenant promises.  We need to fight to keep all of our covenant promises, once we find out what they are.  By faith, we need to take our good health, our wealth, and our total life prosperity just like we would reach up and take fruit off of a fruit tree.  God has provided all of these things, this fruit, in abundance, and it is your responsibility to take or claim it as yours.  Do not allow your lack of knowledge or your adversary, your enemy, or the thief to keep or take it from you.  It is yours, so claim all of it.

Keep in mind that Paul said it was “no great thing for men to appear as false apostles, workers of deceit who were able to transform themselves to appear as Apostles of Christ.”  He told us that even “Satan himself is able to transform into an angel of light, so it is nothing for his servants, his ministers to transform into ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:12-15).  It is these servants of Satan, these ministers of righteousness and Satan, himself that have deceived the many.  We will be the first to admit that there have been many who have abused “the so-called prosperity message,” but should the behavior of these abusers be used to invalidate the truths contained in God’s word?  We think not.

As you meditate on today's inspirational message, do not allow the mere mention of the word “prosperity” to affect your ability to remain open-minded either; for a closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.  This message is a little different from most messages on this topic, but we believe that you will enjoy it and that it will minister to you if you allow it to.  Amen.

If this message has been a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: To See God, Look At Jesus

Recently we talked about God raising up a prophet from among the Israelites saying, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18).  This prophet that God raised up would later tell us that he has not spoken of his own authority but on the authority of the Father who has sent him and that he speaks all that the Father has commanded him to say (John 12:49-50).

We found that knowing this prophet, “the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11), would enable us to also know God.  According to scripture, the prophet tells us that he can do nothing of himself, not one thing in relation to himself, but does only what he sees the Father doing and that he does everything in the same manner in which the Father does because it is the Father who shows or reveals to him all these things that he himself, the Father does (John 5:19-20).

With all that said, there is still one interesting point that is seldom mentioned in our efforts to know God.  Scripture tells us that “God was actually in Jesus Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” and that it was God who gave us “the wonderful message of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:19).  This passage really does give a completely new meaning to these words spoken by Jesus, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words I say are not my own but are from my Father who lives in me.  And he does his work through me” (John 14:10 TLB).

So, if you really want to know God, then all you have to do is to look at this prophet that he raised up because it is through him that you can truly know and see the Father.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).

We pray that this commentary will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Is Like Jesus

Moses spoke these words to the Israelites: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken… I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:15-18).  The prophet Moses spoke of is “the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11).  We know that some will disagree that this is that prophet, but so did the people of Jesus’ day.  Many said he was “the Prophet,” (referring to the prophet spoken of by Moses), while others claimed him to be the Christ, and yet others questioned if the Christ would come out of Galilee, thus causing a division among the people because of him (John 7:40-43).

According to scripture, Jesus tells us that he can do nothing of himself, not one thing in relation to himself, but does only what he sees the Father doing and that he does everything in the same manner in which the Father does because it is the Father who shows or reveals to him all these things that he himself, the Father does.  He goes on to say that it is the Father who will show or reveal to him greater works then these (John 5:19-20).  Jesus also tells us that he does what the Father has taught or prepared him to do, for these are the things that he speaks of.  And because the Father is always with him, he always does those things that pleases the Father (John 8:28-29).  Last, we find where Jesus tells us that he has not spoken of his own authority but on the authority of the Father who has sent him and that he speaks all that the Father has commanded him to say (John 12:49-50).

Jesus stated that he speaks all that the Father has commanded him to say, which is interestingly a reference to what God said in Deuteronomy 18:18.  More interesting is the fact that all of this was done because the people of Israel, in the day of assembly in Horeb desired this of the Lord, saying “Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not” (Deuteronomy 18:16).

We pray that this commentary will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God's Word Makes You Free

Every product that we purchase normally comes with an instruction manual, designed to tell us everything about the product.  In this manual, we find the manufacturer’s best practices, a list of do’s and don’ts to efficiently operate their product safely and to maximize the life of their product so that we can fully enjoy it.  In following these instructions, the manufacturer offers a warranty, a certain guarantee that their product will function accordingly and that we will be pleased with its performance.

God tells us to “study to show thyself approved” so that we can “rightly divide the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15), but most of us do not adhere to this command.  This word of truth is given to tell you what to believe (for doctrine), what is wrong (for reproof), how to correct wrong (for correction), how to live (for instruction in righteousness).  You are to rely on the word of truth because it includes everything needed to grow in maturity, to be perfect (meaning proficient or capable), and to do what God wants (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The idea that we are to “attend to his words” holds little meaning for some because just carrying a Bible with them fits the commandment.  When we attend to his words, we learn that “they are life unto those that find them” (Proverbs 4:20-22), meaning, “God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.”  This is why there is more to knowing God then just opening the book, reading a verse or two, and coming out with an opinion about the entire plan of God.  We must immerse ourselves in his word; we must hunt for, look for, and seek the answers that he has provided us through his instruction manual.

The manufacturer of the heavens and earth has given us an instruction manual, designed to tell his best practices, that list of do’s and don’ts that allows us to efficiently operate safely and to maximize life in this world’s system.  It is in following these instructions that we get certain guarantees, those promises that only he can honor.  As you read this inspirational message, we pray that you will understand why reading, studying, and following this instruction manual is so important, it will, as the scripture says, “make you free” (John 8:32).

We pray that this message will be a blessing to you and that you will share it so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Is Dependable

Recently we spoke about the sovereignty of God and how God’s capabilities and abilities are mistakenly confused with the characteristics that makes God who he is.  We mentioned that the capabilities and the abilities of God speak to his sovereignty and that God is the supreme authority, an omnipotent or all-powerful entity, who operates totally independent of any part of his creation.  We also mentioned that there is absolutely nothing that God does not have the capability or ability to do, and that just because God “can do” a particular thing, does not mean that God actually “does” that particular thing.

We went on to mention that God has the capability to be unfair, immoral, unrighteous, and to do evil and bad things; the ability to change anything that he chooses to change, especially his mind, if he chooses to change it; and the ability to lie as well, if he wants or chooses to.  We then mentioned that God has chosen not to make these characteristics part of the distinctive qualities that makes him who he is, choosing to have absolutely no injustice, immorality, unrighteousness, or wrong doings with him.  All of these things speak to the very nature or character of the God we serve and what he wants man to know about him.

Can you imagine serving a god that is unfair, immoral, unrighteous, and does evil or bad things?  What about serving a god who had respect of person or whose favor could be brought for a price?  How about serving a god who constantly changes his mind or one whose mind could be changed at all?  And while we cannot speak for any of you, we can answer each of these questions with a great big “YES.”  Yes, we can imagine serving a god such as this because once upon a time we served a so-called god just like that.  Yes, we are speaking of the one called “the god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4) or “the prince of this world” (John 12:31).  However, after discovering the truth, we are truly thankful that these are not the characteristics of the sovereign, omnipotent God of all creation that we now serve, who has chosen not to make these characteristics part of the distinctive qualities that makes him who he is.  If you think about it, it would be extremely hard to please a god who changed things all the time, especially one who changed his mind, much less trusting one who was unfair, immoral, unrighteous, and did evil or bad things.

If we had to sum up God’s character or nature in one word, “integrity” would definitely be at the forefront.  “Integrity” is defined as “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards; uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty; or the state of being complete or undivided.”  Integrity is definitely the one word we would choose to sum up the very character or nature of the God we serve.  God tells us that he is God and that “there is none else besides him,” (Deuteronomy 4:35) for there is no one else like him.  God tells us that “he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath,” for there is no other god than him (Deuteronomy 4:39).  God has chosen to be “the One of integrity” as a way to set himself apart from all other gods that man could claim to serve (Exodus 20:3), that way, his children would recognize him over all others.

As you read today’s inspirational message, we pray that you will be inspired as well as understand why “God is dependable;” it is one of those characteristics, that distinctive quality that makes God who he is.  As always, we pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: How Do I Get Faith?

Faith, how does one get faith?  Scripture tells us “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  And while some translations may use the phrase, “a measure of faith,” we know that God, who is not a respecter of person and treats everyone the same (Romans 2:11), would not give everyone “a,” (an indefinite article) random or varied amount of faith but “the,” (a definite article) same amount of faith.  But you may ask, “Why do some people appear to have more faith than others?”  The answer is exercise.  You can build up your faith by exercising it, like you would when building up your muscles, through exercise.

Your faith must grow in order for you to profit from having it.  Your faith must be developed.  To develop your faith, it must be fed, for nothing grows unless it is fed.  If you feed your faith “you may grow up into Him” (Ephesians 4:15), “grow up in the fullness of your salvation” (I Peter 2:2), “grow in spiritual strength (grace) and become better acquainted with our Lord” (II Peter 3:18).  The only way to increase your faith is through the knowledge gathered through the word of God (Romans 10:17).  But know this, Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2), so look to Jesus as the food to feed your faith, as the source to grow your faith, and as the example to exercise your faith.  He revealed to all, the trail of faith.

We pray that this message will be an inspiration to you as well as a blessing and that you will be the better for having read it.  Please share this message so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Keep Your Word

When Paul set Timothy as the overseer of the church at Ephesus, he gave Timothy detailed instructions for the care of the church and his conduct as the overseer.  One of the things Paul told Timothy was to “let no man despise or look down on him because of his youth, but instead be an example of the believer in word, in conversation or conduct, in charity or love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity” (I Timothy 4:12).  Please notice the first thing Paul told Timothy to be an example of the believer in, was “in word.”  Yes, that’s right; it is “in word.”  Paul is telling Timothy that if he wants people to respect him and not despise or look down on him, he needs to honor his word by being consistent in all the things that he says.  Interesting thing to have first on the list, isn’t it?

This same notion of honoring one’s word also applies to so-called born-again believers.  The born-again believer needs to be in a position where his or her word counts for something.  A truly godly person will not say one thing and then in turn, do something totally contrary or opposite to what was first said because suddenly it becomes inconvenient or there is a change of mind or heart.  “A godly person will honor his or her word no matter what, even to his or her own hurt” (Psalm 15:4).  As you read today’s message, we pray that it will be an inspiration to you as well as a blessing.  Please share this message so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: What You Say Is What You Get

Words are so powerful, more powerful than many realize.  We so often say things without really given any thought to what we are actually saying and giving even less thought to the effect of those spoken words in our lives.  The Bible tells us “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth, an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.

Many are not aware that God has built a system that works based on what a person says, which is an interesting thought in itself.  Scripture tells us, “that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Hebrews 11:3) and “by the word of God the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6).  Basically, “he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9).  However, more interesting is the power that our spoken word or our tongue (James 3) has in this system that is activated by words.  Scripture tells us “you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).  In simpler terms, we have been trapped by what we say, by the words that we speak.  And you still think what you say is not important?  So, give care to the words that you speak, they do more than you think.  Amen.

We pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: I Don't Agree With Other Preachers

In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it, provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism or denominationalism.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  Interestingly, this lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.  That’s right, there is no shortage of knowledge that is destroying us, but it is our own rejection of knowledge that is doing it.  Because we are quick to dismiss all, including those preachers, teachers, and evangelists who do not align themselves with our beliefs, we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.

If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possible know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.  Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding “to rightly divide the word of truth” and pick the harmful item out of the ocean of knowledge.

We should learn to listen to everyone and learn from everyone because nobody knows everything but everyone knows something.  None of us are perfect nor do we have a perfect understanding of all of the scriptures.  So many of us are at different levels of understanding in our walk to discover the truth about the things of God that we should not discount anyone’s ability to help propel us to the next level or to give us a different perspective on things.  Limited knowledge leads to a limited life.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.  There is an ocean of knowledge available to each of us, do not limit yourself to the boundaries of one cup of knowledge.  Explore the endless possibilities contained within the entire ocean.

Today’s message is short, but we wanted to share some thoughts on the limits we impose on ourselves when it comes to gaining knowledge, especially when it comes to the things of God.  We pray that the message will be an inspiration to you as well as a blessing.  Please share this message so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Do You Know God?

“Do you really know God?”  We all have relied on traditional teachings to provide us with spiritual knowledge, the kind of knowledge that brought us closer to God.  We have put our faith and our trust in these teachings because that was and always has been the accepted practice.  We have been taught to never question the things of God or anything that we did not understand.  Over the years, man has either forgotten or just plain ignored the words of God.  Man has even forgotten or misinterpreted the teachings and sayings of Jesus Christ about God.  And to beat it all, man does not truly seek to know God much anymore, forgetting how to walk and to talk with God.  Man has become totally dependent upon the church leaders, television, books, the Internet, and other various mediums to teach them the truth about God and his word.  We currently have a belief system full of contrary beliefs, misguided values, unethical practices, and overstated theologies.  This belief system has made it hard for many to take hold of the truth, especially when one does not recognize it.  The truth has become so distorted that it is easy to see why man has a hard time identifying with the things of God and even God himself.  However, the bottom line is, “Do you really know God?”

Everyone has an opinion or interpretation as to whom they believe God to be.  But none of that matters; it only maters what God says about himself.  And if you want to know him, if you truly what to know who God is, then you will have to search the scriptures yourself to find him.  According to scripture, Azariah gave us these instructions; “If you seek him, he will be found by you” (II Chronicles 15:2).  We found the prophet Jeremiah agreeing with Azariah’s instructions, but offered one clarifying fact, “God will be found by those who search for him with all their heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).  Then we found in the book of Hebrews, where the author agreed with both Azariah and Jeremiah, saying, “God will reward those that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).  If you diligently seek the one true God with all of your heart and all of your soul, you will find him.  As you draw near to God, he will reveal himself to you.  God does not hide himself from those who truly seek him with all of their being.  And while the devil and his entourage of naysayers may adamantly denounce this principle, do not be deceived; they only come against the truth and never bother with the lies.

As with all that we publish, we ask that you check out the information for yourself, verifying that what is presented, regardless of the source (including us), is not contrary to the word of God.  Never accept anyone’s interpretation for something that you have not investigated yourself.  Words can be manipulated to say many things, just make sure the ones that you accept are those of God and not those of man.  Know this, “A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.”  God tells us, “knowing the truth will make us free” (John 8:32) and hopefully today’s message will help do just that.  We pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Does Not Play Favorites

According to the scriptures, we see that “God is not a respecter of person” (Romans 2:11), which means that God treats everyone the same, that he gives the same opportunities to everyone, and that he does not value one more than another.  And no, nothing has changed, because God says “For I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6), which means that whatever God did in the beginning, he is still doing today.  But traditional teachings have taught us differently.  Some have been and are still being taught that God has favorites.  These traditional teachings show that God favors some more than he favors others.

Traditional teachings have brought us to where we currently are, blindly following traditions without question.  This is not to say that all traditional teachings are in error, nor is it to say that following traditions are bad.  Blindly following anything, be it tradition, traditional teachings, or God without question is not something we are told to do (I John 4:1).  Traditional teachings have always attempted to convince us that we can never understand God.  We have been taught “God’s ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  The misinterpretation and the misapplication of this scripture and others alike have contributed to our “destruction” (Hosea 4:6).  We have been held in “captivity” because we “lack true knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13).  When we lack knowledge, we lack understanding as well.

Therefore, instead of blindly following traditional teachings, question them in an effort “to get wisdom as well as getting understanding” (Proverbs 4:5-7).  Question those traditional teachings that contradict scripture.  We know that there can be none, no contradictions, because “God is not the author of confusion” (I Corinthians 14:33), man is.  Yes, it is highly possible that man has gotten a few things wrong over the years.

God clearly says, “he is no respecter of person,” yet some of our interpretations show just the opposite.  They claim to show that God is a respecter of person.  However, with scriptures like “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16) and “The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9) properly interpreted, it is time that we realize that “God does not play favorites.”  Scripture tells us, “the word of our Lord will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).  Maybe it is time to re-evaluate those interpretations that claim to show that God does play favorites to make sure that they are truly “the word from God.”

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: If God Loves Me...?

Most of you have heard of the story of Job and the troubles that befell him.  And while many believe that God played a role in his sufferings, this is not really the case.  We saw in our previous discussion that the words we speak actually controls what happens to us (Proverbs 18:21).  It was mentioned how we actually give the devil place or opportunity to do what he does best, which is to kill, steel, and destroy (John 10:10).  In other words, we give the devil “permission” to kill our good health, steal our wealth, and to destroy our total life’s prosperity through the words that we speak.  We spoke of a system that is completely activated by what an individual says and is “permission” based.  We used salvation as our example of a system that is controlled by what we speak.  We mentioned how salvation is obtained just by the words we speak or in this case confess – “And with your mouth, you make the confession and obtain salvation” (Romans 10:10).

Then we asked, “If it be possible for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth (not to forgo the believing in the heart part), then do you think it would be possible for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well, provided the belief in the heart is there?”  But what does any of this have to do with Job?  Well, many believe that God gave Satan permission to do the things that were done to Job after Satan issued a challenge to God concerning Job’s faith in God.  This is not exactly the truth, even though this is how the story has traditionally been portrayed.  In the story, we find this statement from Job, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me” (Job 3:25).  We know that as fears and doubts increase, faith decreases proportionately.  So we have to ask, “What was the thing or things that Job greatly feared and what was he so afraid of that caused his faith to wane?”  This confession of fear from Job’s mouth gave Satan the “permission” he needed to do what he does best, which is to kill, steel, and destroy.

We find that Job continually tried to make his sons righteous (sanctified) by getting up early during the days of their feasting to offer burnt offerings for each of them, because he feared that they may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.  This was just part of what Job greatly feared because he tried to sanctify them continually (Job 1:5).  Because Job confessed this fear, he unknowingly gave Satan the “permission” that he needed.  But didn’t Job say, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21)?  So, it was really God who gave Satan the permission for all of this to happen, right?  Not exactly.  Yes, it was Job who made that statement and that is the problem.  Job made that statement, not God.  Scripture tells us, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29).  If this be true and God does not take back anything that he has given us, then this infamous statement that Job made is not exactly true, God does not take away what he has given.”  Imagine that, a statement from Job that has been traditionally accredited to God as something that God actually does.  We find that somewhat interesting, if not totally intriguing.

We know that this may be viewed as contrary to traditional religious teachings about this story.  We also know that this very condensed version could not possibly answer all of the questions one may have.  So we invite you to read more about this system that hinges on what a person says and more about the story of Job in our blog series titled, Death and Life Rest In..., which will fully explain all of those things that we have mentioned here.  Before you dismiss or judge this message to be blasphemous or sacrilegious, a total heresy, we only ask that you read the entire message; it truly may surprise you.  It just might help you fill in the blank in the proverbial question, “If God loves me...?”  As always, we remind you to check out the information for yourself, verifying that what is presented, regardless of the source, is not contrary to the word of God.  Never accept anyone’s interpretation for something that you have not investigated yourself.  Words can be manipulated to say many things, just make sure the ones that you accept are those of God and not those of man.  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Allows What You Allow

As a child of God, you have a right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity, which was the plan of God from the beginning.  You have a divine inheritance to the best in life, deserving all the Father has to offer.  And while you may have the right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity there be a thief, an adversary if you will, that is come to kill your good health, steal your wealth, and to destroy your total life prosperity (John 10:10).  He walks about like a roaring lion, seeking those that he may devour (I Peter 5:8).  The Bible tells us not to give place or opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).  Part of the reason for this is because he is seeking, looking to devour anyone who gives him that place or opportunity.  This means that he does not have the right to devour anyone unless they give him place or opportunity.  We really like the word “permission” a whole lot better.  Believe it or not, the devil wanders back and forth about the earth walking up and down it (Job 1:7) looking for those who give him “permission” to do what he does best, which is to kill, steel, and destroy.  And as crazy as this sounds, we actually do give the devil “permission” all the time and the sad part is that we do not even realize that we do this.  Please note that this permission comes from you and not from God.  God allows it because you allow it.

There be in existence a system that is completely activated by what an individual says and is “permission” based.  Now, we know some of you think we are out of touch with how things are, but before you judge, listen to our message.  It might just surprise you.  And as crazy as this sounds, we actually do give the devil permission to devour us without us ever knowing that we have done it.  The Bible tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.  Here is one example of how you can speak life into your life.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

This passage in Romans is a perfect example of what we are talking about.  This passage says that if you confess with your mouth, which involves words that you speak, and believe in your heart, which is accepting as truth, the words that you speak, then you will be saved.  We think the last part of the passage sums it up best – “And with your mouth, you make the confession and obtain salvation.”  It sure looks like the words you speak controls what happens to you.  Salvation is obtained just by the words you speak or in this case confess, well almost.  You must also believe in what you say.  Life is in the power of your tongue.  Basically, your salvation is in the power of your tongue, in the confession of your mouth.

But surely there is not a whole system that hinges on what a person says, is there?  Now that is an interesting thought.  But ponder this, if it be possible for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth (not to forgo the believing in the heart part), then do you think it would be possible for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well, provided the belief in the heart is there?  And if that be the case, then death and life are activated by the words one speaks.  Imagine an entire system that is “permission” based and is activated by the words that are spoken; whether that be something good or something bad; activated by the power of a person’s tongue.  However, we do caution you to use it, that being your tongue, wisely; it controls and allows more than you ever could have imagined.  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Mustard Seed Faith

The King James Bible defines faith this way, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).  The Weymouth New Testament Translation defines faith this way, “Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.”  James Moffitt defines faith this way, “Now faith means that we a confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”  Any way you slice it, faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen and it is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us even though we cannot see it up ahead.  There are many who fail to understand the power of faith and how it works.  Explaining faith to those who doubt the existence of faith can be summed up similar to this, which surprising supports “the existence of faith” that can be found in everyone.

A man (woman) agrees to take a job with a company.  The company tells the man that he will be paid every two weeks.  The man agrees to the terms and accepts the job.  The man reports to work the first day, works eight hours, and afterwards, he goes home.  The next day the man repeats what he did the first day.  The man does the exact same thing for one week straight.  This is a classic example of faith in action.  The man has placed his faith in the company, believing that he will be paid when he gets to the end of the pay period, which is supported by him going to work every day and not getting any form of compensation during the period.  Payday comes and the company gives the man his first paycheck.  Now that the man has his paycheck, he does not need faith anymore because the thing that he had hope for, the thing that he believed he was getting from the company is now a reality.

Whenever there is faith, there is also some type of action involved.  Everywhere you see faith expressed in the Bible, there is some type of action associated with that faith.  Faith is acting, which is the action, upon what you believe.  In our story, the man’s faith is tied to the belief, the well-ground assurance that he will be paid when he is supposed to be paid.  The evidence of his conviction is tied to him going to work every day, even though he cannot see the reality of the thing he hopes to get, which is the pay.  Once the man gets his paycheck, he does not need faith anymore because the thing that he had hope for, the thing that he believed he was getting from the company is now a reality.  So, how is your faith?  Is it possible that your faith be just a little stronger than you first thought?  Now that you know a little more about faith, having that “mustard seed faith” might not be so farfetched.

“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Matthew 17:5-6).

“… for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20).

As always, we remind you to check out the information for yourself, verifying that what is presented, regardless of the source, is not contrary to the word of God.  Never accept anyone’s interpretation, including ours, for something that you have not investigated yourself.  Words can be manipulated to say many things, just make sure the ones that you accept are those of God and not those of man.  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: What Is Bible Meditation?

Do you realize that the Bible is our source of knowledge about the things of God?  Scripture tells us “the whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.  It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone” (II Timothy 3:16-17).  We know that some of the interpretations appear to “split hairs or be trivial” to most but if we do not seek full disclosure, are we doing God a disservice?  Jesus says, “they that worship him (God) must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).  While it is important to know that God created the world; Jesus was born, crucified, died, and resurrected, have you ever wondered why these events were recorded in the way that they were?  If trivial things, those minor misinterpretations of the Scripture, those “lies,” that most believe warrant no attention can prevent one from worshiping God in spirit and “in truth, could they be more important than one might have thought?  After all these years, have we truly been worshiping God according to his instructions or have we been deceived?  Have you ever wondered what God’s plan for mankind is?  Or should we not ask such questions?  If this whole process is so simple, why do you have to “study to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15)?  The Bible is a mystery book until you find the keys that will unlock it and then it becomes a message.

“For the Lord grants wisdom.  His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding.  He grants good sense to the godly, his saints.  He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway.  He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decisions every time.  For wisdom and truth will enter the very center of your being, filling your life with joy.  You will be given the sense to stay away from evil men who want you to be their partners in crime, men who turn away from God’s ways to walk down dark and evil paths” (Proverbs 2:6-12 TLB).

All things are important, no matter how trivial they appear to be.  There is so much information to tell, so much information to share, and still so much more information to find.  So much so that unless you can get all the information out at one time, a lot of it gets lost in the interim.  As we said, the Bible is a mystery book with many secrets, hidden in plain sight just waiting to be found.  The Bible also holds a double meaning, one by which his children can find the true will of God for their life and one that just confuses the naysayers.  There are answers for everyone in the Bible, but many take the Bible at face value, meaning they have some knowledge of the word of God but will accept only those things, which fit into their belief system.  They have not taken the time to truly seek God, to truly find out what he is trying to tell his children, or to truly find the meaning of the scriptures that they read.

God tells us “to attend to his words,” which holds little meaning for many because just carrying a Bible around with them somehow fulfills the commandment.  When we attend to his words, we learn that “they are life unto those that find them” (Proverbs 4:20-22), meaning, “God’s words are full, abundant life unto those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words.”  God wants us to know that there is more to knowing him, knowing about his plan for mankind, and knowing about the things of God then just opening the Bible, reading a verse or two, and coming out with an opinion or an answer about such things.  God wants us to immerse ourselves in his word; he wants us to hunt for, look for, and seek the answers that he has provided us through his instruction manual.  Once we follow these instructions, scripture tells us, “Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different, or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14).

God wants us to meditate on his word.  God wants us to fill our minds with his word.  He wants us to fill our mouths with his word.  God wants his word to fill our very being.  Meditation will help with that, and it will also help us to see things the way God sees them.  Meditation will cause us to focus on God’s thoughts until his thoughts become our thoughts.  As you consider meditating on God’s word, remember to open your mind, open your heart, and to seek the wisdom of God that you may see the truth; the truth that he has been trying to reveal to mankind for many years.  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Rich Man's Problem

The word of God tells us, “God, who is rich in mercy, loves us” (Ephesians 2:4).  Yes, it is true, “God loves you.”  The word of God also tells us, “we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might,” (Deuteronomy 6:5).  But how do we show God that “we love him?”  Is just saying, “I love you God” good enough to show God that we love him?  Or, is there something else that we need to do to show God our love for him?  Notice that we did not say, “show the world” that we love God.  This appears to be what some so-called Christians try to do; they try to “show the world” that they love God.  You see, it appears to be more important to them to gain accolades from their peers and the world than it is to gain approval from God, as if this type of recognition will score “brownie points” (Matthew 7:21-22).  And while this is not intended to speak negatively of anyone, it is intended to strike a spiritual chord with anyone who has an ear to hear the revelation of just how we should show God our love for him.

Scripture tells us, “to continually seek the face of God” (I Chronicles 16:11), where “the face of God” has been generally defined as “the presence of God,” regulating our continued seeking to simply seeking his presence.  So, with this definition in mind, we have to ask, “How does one seek the presence of or seek to be in the presence of a God, who is omnipresent, all-pervading, and ever-present” (Jeremiah 23:23-24).  It sounds a little contradictory, given we are told “to continually seek the face” of a God who has also told us “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5).  Does the question as to how one is to “seek the Lord and his strength” (I Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 105:4), when the ever-present Lord never leaves us nor forsakes us create a paradox?  We are told through scripture, “those who seek the Lord God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, will find him” (Deuteronomy 4:29).  We are also told, “they that seek the Lord will not want for anything” (Psalm 34:10).  And we are told, “they that seek the Lord understand all things” (Proverbs 28:5).  Maybe there is more to seeking God than just seeking “the presence” of an omnipresent, all-pervading, and ever-present God.

The fact that we are to seek God with all our heart and with all our soul should alert us to the fact that there must be more to our seeking then just “seeking the presence of God.”  In the story of Azariah, the son of Oded, we find that he went out to meet Asa and to give all of the people of Judah and Benjamin a warning (II Chronicles 15:2-4).  Asa told them that as long as they sought after God, God would be very near to them.  But should they abandon God, then God would abandon them.  He basically told them “If you seek him, he will be found by you.”  We even found that in their troubled times, as they turned to God and sought after him, they were still able to find him.  We are told when “we draw near or close to God, God will draw near or close to us” and reveal himself to us (James 4:8).  We understand through scripture that “God will reward those who truly seek after him” (Hebrews 11:6).  As we seek after him, God will allow us to find him and as we draw near to him, God will make himself known to us (Jeremiah 29:12-13).  God does not hide himself from those who truly seek after him with all of their heart and all of their soul.

So, instead of seeking his face or his presence, just maybe we need to put a little more into our seeking efforts.  We find it very interesting that we are to seek him with all our heart and all our soul, which be the same that we are to love him with.  Scripture tells us that “the Lord looks down from heaven upon us to see if there are any that be wise, that understand, that want to please him, by searching for and seeking after him” (Psalm 14:2).  Maybe this is why “the rich man’s problem” made so much sense.

There was a rich man who wanted to know whether people loved him as a person, or whether they only pretended to love him in order to receive the benefits he could provide for them.  The rich man had a huge problem.  How could he know that someone loved him instead of his money?  How can he be certain that he was not just being used for what he can provide because of his wealth and power?  God faces a very similar problem as the rich man.  This is why we are told to “Seek the Lord while you can find him and call upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).  When we “truly seek the Lord God with all our heart and with all our soul, we will find him,” then he “will reward those who truly seek after him.”  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Jesus Is The Resurrection

Scripture tells us “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.”  And scripture tells us “no man comes to the Father except by him” (John 14:6).  Scripture also warns us that “there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, who will show great signs and wonders that are so convincing that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).  And deceive us they do and they do it in fine fashion.  The many false prophets and the spirit of the antichrist have become very proficient with their deceptions, especially the devil.  Just look at what he was able to accomplish in his first encounter with mankind.  This group has had many, many years to perfect their skills and we have . . . . , yeah about that many to perfect ours.  Even if we started when we first enter into this world, it still pales in comparison to the length of time they have been perfecting their skills and what they are capable of doing.

Now we know that many of you have been taught or believe that you are the “elect of God” and we are in no way questioning your beliefs.  However, we would be remiss in our obligations as seekers of truth if we did not at least mention this possible deception.  The scriptures warn us of these false Christs and false prophets, who will rise up and show great signs and do wonderful miracles so realistic, that if it were possible, they, these signs and miracles “would deceive, trick, or even seduce the very elect.”  This means that whatever these great signs and wonderful miracles be, “they be good enough to fool the very elect,” if that was possible.  And since that is not possible, then what is possible is for these great signs and wonderful miracles “to deceive, trick, or even seduce everyone who is not one of the very elect.”

While we are not claiming to know whether someone be the elect or not, we do know that there are many false prophets and a spirit of the antichrist that are already come into the world.  And there is our enemy, the devil, who we know is also in the world.  But here is the thing; these guys are not walking around in “red suits with pitchforks.”  Nor are they walking around with “with a big red cape and the letters ‘FP’ (False Prophets) on their chest” like some Superman character.  The scriptures tell us that these guys can transform themselves into “apostles of Christ” and “ministers of righteousness.”  The scriptures even tell us that even Satan can transform himself into “an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:13-15).  These guys are counterfeits, but not your run-of-the-mill counterfeits; they are high quality counterfeits.

Think about a counterfeit $20 bill.  It is designed to like exactly like the real deal, so much so, that it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.  But all counterfeits are flawed and if you know what you are looking for, you can find that flaw.  Those flaws can usually be found in the details of the counterfeits.  This is how it is with the deceptions of those out to deceive the world.  Their messages sound so close to the real deal that it is nearly impossible to detect them.  Think about it, if their message was a bad copy, it would be easily identified and would fool absolutely no one.  Therefore, it has to be really, really good in order to deceive the masses.  So, all of those people that have been fooled and those that are still being fooled, are being fooled by some really good counterfeits.  The only way to counter the counterfeit is to learn all we can about the real deal.  That way, when the counterfeit messages come, and they will, we will be able to detect the flaws and not be deceived.

We wish we had more room to fully cover this topic, but space is limited.  Yes, “Jesus is the resurrection;” he be the way, the truth, and the life and no man comes to the Father except by him; we just need to make sure that the one we follow be the real deal and not a high quality counterfeit capable of showing great signs and doing wonderful miracles.  We need to learn all that we possibly can about the real deal so that when the counterfeit comes, we can recognize them as well.  Keep in mind that “The voice of God will never, never,” and we say again with emphasis, “NEVER contradict the word of God.”  If the voice that speaks to you contradicts the word of God, then “IT BE NOT THE VOICE OF GOD.”  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW