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

Devotion: Words Steer Your Life

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.  Did you know that the words that you speak will produce a crop much like that of the farmer who plants a field?  If you plant death, then death is what you will reap, in its full measure.  And if you plant life, then life will be what you reap, in its full measure.  If you plant sickness, then sickness will be what you will reap or if you plant health or healing, then health or healing will be what you will reap, all in their full measure.  The words that we speak are like seeds that are planted in the ground.  And from those seeds, we reap that for which we have sown.  This is why the words that we speak are so important; they really do control the things that happen to us.

Most people do not believe that we choose what happens to us.  And regardless of how things appear in the world, the truth of the matter is that we do choose what happens in our life through the words that we speak.  We know some of you will find this notion of words controlling what happens to us hard to accept and unfortunately, we do not have enough room to fully cover the topic here but consider this.  If it be possible “for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth” (Romans 10:9-10) not to forgo the believing in the heart part, then do you think it be possible “for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well,” provided the belief in the heart is there?  And we know that people don’t believe that such a negative belief exist in their heart, but according to scripture, “of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).  So, whether it be good or bad treasures that are stored in your heart, what is stored there will eventually come out through your mouth.  And when it comes out, it will bring forth that which is good or that which is evil.

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.  However, more interesting is the power that our tongue has (James 3) in this system.

“You have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).

Scripture tells us that we have been ensnared by the words the come out of your mouth.  In simpler terms, we have been trapped by what we say.  And you still think what you say is not important.  There is more scriptural evidence that bear witness to a system that hinges on what you say, be it saying something good or be it saying something bad.  But we do want you to know two things; death and life are truly in the power of a person’s tongue and “words steer your life.”  So give care to the words that you speak, they do more than you think.  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: Why?

We know that this commentary is going to stir up the proverbial pot, but it cannot be avoided.  And while it is not our intent to create controversy, we do however seek to find truth, which will, in itself, take us to places that are not comfortable and sometimes controversial.  However, in order “not to be tossed about by or with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), we must question some of the traditional beliefs that have been passed down through the generations.  And while many traditions have just been accepted, without question, when one creates a controversy such as this one, then it needs to be thoroughly examined, not by the so-called religious leaders, but by you as an individual because you will ultimately decide what is truth by what you accept or reject.  In order to do this effectively, you must look at all of the available evidence to draw your conclusion.  This is not about leaning to your own understanding, but about “studying the word of truth” for yourself and then being able “to rightly divide this word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).  That way, you can get the revelation knowledge directly from the source itself and not from another’s interpretation.  If not, then all you do is accept the conclusions that are drawn by others, which could very well be wrong and/or misguided.

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that one has to do, which is a problem for many who profess to be Christians.  They seek God’s wisdom, but usually they find the wisdom of the world and do not realize that this is what they have done or what they are doing.  God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know, somewhere in his word but we, with our finite worldly wisdom, have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to comprehend that which we really do not understand.  This is not a play on words or a manipulation of words.  This is all about us being manipulated by a worldly wisdom that has limited our ability to understand the thoughts and ways of God.  It is about us not recognizing the revelations that God has given us because they, the revelations, do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  This is about us not accepting those things that God has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can explain or understand the things of God.  If this be true, that no one can understand the things of God, then why do those same people try to explain those things that they, themselves have just said no one can understand?  Do they have some special connection with God that allows them to exclusively explain what cannot be explained?  We think not.

God has told “us” to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions.  God has also told “us” to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things.  Once we have gotten all that we have been told to get, it is then that the revelation knowledge comes.  And when it comes, this revelation knowledge, we will have to be ready to receive it.  In order to receive this knowledge, we have to be ready to accept it.  But before it comes, we have to first do our part.  We have to get all that we are told to get (Proverbs 4:5-7) and we have to seek all that we are told to seek (Proverbs 4:20-22).  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

Today, this controversy is neatly interwoven into a very traditional message pertaining to an entity that we believe has been misidentified.  This simple misunderstanding of who this entity actually is, has led to some very creative responses from those trying to answer the question, “Why?”  Since the devil has already been defeated and we have gained all the blessings the Bible tells us about, through the actions of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, then, “Why?”  Why is the devil allowed to continue to attack and persecute “the so-called bride of Christ?”  Or is the devil persecuting “the church, also known as the body of Christ” instead and not “the bride of Christ?”  It would appear that in order to answer this question, we must first discover if it is “the church” or if it be “the bride” that is being persecuted.

If what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins on this path.  On the other hand, if what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be not the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins here on this path.  Both quest will take us on a journey, but only one will take us to the truth.  But we have to ask ourself, when we get to end of our journey, will we recognize the truth from the fiction?

In an effort to find the truth, we looked into the controversy itself and we invite you to read the results as they may help in understanding this controversy. You can find this information in our blog post titled “The Church, The Bride, and You.”  We also offer these passages, (I John 3:8; I Corinthians 15:22-28; Hebrews 2:14; Matthew 28:18; Luke 10:19; and Hosea 4:6), which when compiled, just might help answer the question “Why?”

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, 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.  We have been given the great privilege and the opportunity to know Jesus Christ and to become like him; just make sure that it is truly him that you come to know and that is truly him that you become like and not the copy claiming to be the real deal.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Amen

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Change Your Name

Did you know to that “change” is defined as “to become different, or to make something or someone different?”  Did you know that man, more specifically Adam, changed the original creation, the original nature of mankind?  Yes, that be correct.  It was Adam and not God, who changed the nature of man.  We know that when Adam fell, he changed the course of mankind.  In truth, his disobedience changed the very nature of man, making him a new creation.  No longer was he morally and spiritually innocent.  He became a creature with a sin nature, knowing good but unable to do it and knowing evil but unable to resist it (Genesis 3:22).  He became sin conscience, morally corrupt, and spiritually dead.  He became alienated and separated from God.  Death came into the world because of what one man, Adam did (Romans 5:12).  Everyone dies because we are all related to Adam, all members of his sinful race and wherever there is sin, death is the result (I Corinthians 15:22).

But God had a redemption plan in place from the very beginning (Ephesians 1:3-5).  God knew from the beginning that those who came would have to conform to the likeness of the last Adam (Romans 8:29-30).  Like his counterpart, the first Adam, the last Adam (I Corinthians 15:45) had the government of mankind upon his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6).  Because of his obedience, the last Adam was able to restore all that was lost by the first Adam (Luke 19:10).  Because of what this other man, the last Adam, has done, there is now resurrection from the dead, for all who are related to the last Adam will rise again (I Corinthians 15:21-22).  Through his death and resurrection, the last Adam changed the nature of man, making him a new creation yet again.

It has been God’s plan, hidden since the beginning of time, to reconcile mankind back to him.  And it was God who reconciled his creation back to its original state, not a new state.  Actually, the truth is that God was in the last Adam, reconciling the world back unto himself (II Corinthians 5:19).  Yes, folks, that is stated correctly.  God was in Christ, restoring mankind back unto himself, even when we were yet still sinners (Romans 5:10).  Through what the last Adam did, God made peace and brought us back to himself (II Corinthians 5:18).  And in doing this, God gave us the ministry of reconciliation, entrusting us with his message of reconciliation.

Now, if a man be in Christ, he be a new creature, redeemed from his old sinful nature to a new nature for him, the nature of the original man, before the fall (II Corinthians 5:17-19).  You are no longer a part of Adam’s sinful race, a race that has a fixed moral nature in sin.  No, you are now part of a new race, a spiritual race, created solely by the last Adam, by Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection.  And this new spiritual race has a nature that is fixed in righteousness.  No longer do we know good and are unable to do it.  No longer do we know evil and are unable to resist it (Ephesians 2:1-3).  We have been given a second chance (Ephesians 2:4-6).  We have been delivered out of the dominion of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Jesus (Colossians 1:13).  This be the ministry of reconciliation, the renewing of that relationship that existed with the original man before his fall from God’s grace.

So, if you be in Christ, then you be a new creature, a new creation.  You be changed.  You may also want to “change your name” in the process.  By that we mean, as a new creation in Christ, you have to start seeing yourself as God sees you.  As a new creation in Christ, you have to see yourself as “a child of God” (Galatians 3:26).  As a new creation in Christ, you have to see yourself “adopted into the family of God” (Ephesians 1:5).  You have to stop seeing yourself as you use to be and start seeing yourself as you have become.  You have to see yourself as a born-again child of the Most High God and as his righteousness.  Yes, that’s right, you now have a new identity, so consider calling yourself by your new identity and let go of the old one.  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 Is Not Your Problem

Read an interesting story the other day involving a good man who had an incredible reverence for God, so he stayed far away from evil.  He had a huge family consisting of seven sons and three daughters.  He was extremely well off because of the gigantic ranch that he had.  This ranch had all kinds of livestock; including cattle, sheep, and donkeys, just to name a few.  The ranch also employed a great number of people to help him tend to the needs of the ranch.  Some reported that he was the wealthiest man in the entire region.

During one of the many get-togethers that this man’s many children had, tragedy struck his ranch.  One of his employees came running to him and said, “While the fields were being plowed and all the cattle and the donkeys were feeding, a group of rustlers came and took them all away.  They also killed everyone around, except me, who was able to get away.”

And while he was dealing with the news of this tragedy, another of his employees came running to him and said, “Lighting came down from the heavens and struck the sheep and all of the men that were tending them.  It killed them all up except me, who was able to get away.”

And while he was dealing with the news of this tragedy, another of his employees came running to him and said, “Three groups of thieves came and took away all of the other livestock and killed everyone around except me, who was able to get away.”

And while dealing with the news of this tragedy, another of his employees came running to him and said, “While your sons and your daughters were feasting together at the oldest brother's house, a great wind came against the house and it collapsed, killing everyone except me, who was able to get away.”

And with all of this tragedy, the man, who had an incredible reverence for God, fell to the ground, worshipped, and praised God saying, “I came naked from my mother's womb and I will be naked when I leave: the Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it all away, for they were his to take away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  He never sinned nor did he blame God for anything that happened.

Some of you may recognize this story from the Bible, but if not, you can find it in “the first chapter of the book of Job.”  And regardless which of the many interpretations you have accepted as truth; know that Satan was able to call forth two semi-nomadic groups, the Sabeans and the Chaldaeans; and two natural disasters, the fire of God from heaven and a great wind from the wilderness, all in the same day.  But here is one important fact that you need to know pertaining to Job's famous “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away” statement.  God says, “his gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he never goes back on his promises" (Romans 11:29).”  With this revelation, you may want to rethink who actually causes things to happen in your life because “God is not your problem,” but he is the answer.  Trust God.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: Faith Is A Choice

“Got Faith?”  When was the last time you evaluated your faith?  We know that sounds a little silly, but it is probably one of the most important things you can do.  You see, some people believe that others have more faith than they have.  But this is not the case and it is certainly not close to being true.  Believe it or not, no one has been given more faith than anyone else; we are all given the same amount of faith.  According to scripture, “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  Now there are some translations that say, “God has dealt to every man a measure of faith,” which implies that God has dealt to everyone “a random or varied amount of faith.”  It was Jesus who said, “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).  Do you really think that mustard seeds come in “random or varied” sizes?  If they do, then you cannot tell with the naked eye.

We know that this all sounds like we are playing on or with the wording, but we assure you that we are not.  It is important that you understand the difference between the two translations because the difference will help you to understand the correct amount of faith you have been given, which will in turn help you to honestly evaluate your faith.  If everyone gets “the measure of faith,” that mustard seed amount, then the problem is not with the amount but with what we do with what we are given.

Faith appears to be a measurable quantity, measured by amount, by degree, or by condition, because it has been given to us by measure.  This leads us to believe that one cannot get more than the measure that has been dealt by God.  However, we see this measure as something that you are born with like your muscles.  You cannot get more muscles than those that you are born with.  However, you can build up those muscles, which is the only way to increase your muscles.  You do not get more muscles; you just develop the ones that you have.  Faith works the same way; you can only increase yours through exercise.  You do not get more faith; you sort of develop your faith by building it up.

Everything in your Christian life depends on your faith.  You can develop your faith through knowledge by knowing and understanding the word of God.  The greatest hindrance to your faith is your own human reasoning.  The greatest limitation to your faith is you yourself.  By evaluating your faith, you can develop a snapshot of where you are with your faith.  From there, you can determine the course that you need to take to get you where you want to be with your faith.  We hope today’s message will change your thinking about faith.  Just because someone appears to have more faith than you does not mean that is the case, his or her faith is just more developed.  What you do with the faith that you have been given is entirely up to you, but it is you that must grow it, it is you that must develop it, and it is you that must exercise it, because “Faith Is A Choice.”  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