Living the Masquerade (A Word to Christians)

We wear our “Christian” masks on Sunday.

Our “work/professional” masks on our jobs throughout the week.

Our “worldly/carnal” masks on social media.

Our “political” masks every 2 and 4 years when it’s election time.

Our “hypocrisy” masks when witnessing(if we even do that anymore)

Our “holier-than-thou” masks when helping someone in need.

Our “God is not done with me yet” masks when caught in our sins.

Our “prayer/fasting” masks when we are in trouble or sick or need God’s help.

Our “self-righteous” masks when speaking to and trying to correct other Christians.

Guess what?

God sees who we really are because he’s not looking at our face, but our heart.

Take off your mask and let God deal with you.

In fact, the only “mask” we should be wearing is LOVE. And not the “love mask” we create, but the ONE that God has given us. And actually, this is less of a mask we wear than who we have been transformed to resemble.

Believe it or not, there is a difference in being a “Christian” vs being “Christ-like”.

Don’t let your mask fool even you.

Romans 12:2 NKJV

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Fear.  We all face it at some time or another in our lives. Somehow, somewhere, somewhen, we learn to be afraid.  I don’t know exactly when this occurs, but I believe our first encounter with it is in our early childhood. As I think about my own life, I can remember being afraid of many things. Whether it was the dog down the street, the spider on my bedroom ceiling, or the late night “creature feature” shows on tv, I came face to face with fear in my life.

But before I get too far with this, let me share the definition of fear from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:

Fear: noun

1a: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger

2: anxious concern

Fear: verb (feared; fearing; fears)

1: to be afraid of: expect with alarm

Fear has many different names and as I mentioned earlier, comes in various forms.  Fear also affects each of us in different ways. For example, fear causes some to become paralyze to a point they can’t do or say anything. For some, fear causes them to react violently to either protect themselves or others or vanquish whatever it is that has frightened them. For many, removing themselves from the object or environment or situation that causes them fear is of paramount importance or simply, the first priority. And still, there are others who receive a sense of exhilaration and stimulation when facing something they are afraid of.

The emotions and actions or reactions that fear often produces has been studied by many. One thing that I have experience in my battles with fear is that once it takes hold of your thoughts and emotions, it inevitably produces anxiety which produces stress which produces frustration, anger and/or apathy and depression.  Which also leads to hopelessness and possibly, suicidal thoughts.

Unfortunately, when we allow fear to take us on this dark journey, we resort to various ineffective means to eradicate it from our lives. Some find false courage in illicit, ineffective substances, illegitimate relationships in others that we believe will make us safe and false doctrines/philosophies.

One of my favorite quotes regarding fear, comes from a movie in 2013 titled, After Earth. Where the actor Will Smith, playing a character named Cypher Raige, was telling his real-life son, Jaden Smith, who was playing his fictional son, Kitai, during one of many intense scenes, the following:

“Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me danger is very real, but fear is a choice.” – Cypher Raige

Fear is a Choice

When we stop and really think about it, is there some validity behind this statement?  Do we actually choose to be afraid? Is it in our power not to be afraid?

This line of questioning takes me to my foundation of truth, which is the Word of God. Here I find the very first introduction of fear into the life of mankind.

In Genesis 3:4-10 NLT 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So, they hid from the LORD God among the trees. 9 Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

Here we find that due to the choice of Adam and Eve, not only did sin enter the lives of man, but fear came along with it.

The Spirit of Fear

I know, I know.  We don’t like to talk about spirits. Even us Christians feel uncomfortable when this subject comes up. Whether its discussions about the Holy Spirit and His power and purpose in our lives. Or the Fruits of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22). Or especially the “evil spirits”, for example: Matthew 8: 16 That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.

The Spirit Realm is simply something we tend to ignore or rationalize away because it’s hard to grasp those things that we cannot see or outwardly control.

However, the Bible clearly points out that there is an “unseen” world that we are participants in, whether we believe it or not.

Ephesians 6: 10-12 NLT 10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

And in another situation, the Bible states that God, Himself can remove His Spirit from an individual that is disobedient and refuses to no longer follow Him and replace it with a tormenting spirit, that will fill that person with depression and fear. (1 Samuel 16:14-15 NLT)

And yet to those who remain with God, we are reassured that God gives us His Spirit that doesn’t cause us to fear, but provides power, love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)

False Evidence Appearing Real – Zig Ziglar

If we don’t realize that this life carries with it opposition, then we have ignored reality or simply in denial. The Bible also states in John 8:44 NLT when Jesus was speaking to the descendants of Abraham, He told them: 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Fear takes things we hear, see, feel and maybe experienced in the past, and presents it as real right now or in the near future. We are convinced that whatever it is will hurt us or at the very least, make us too uncomfortable to function.
These effects might not be harmful but should be kept acheter viagra pfizer under the tongue and it starts giving benefits. The development of sync-sound technology and new, lightweight 16mm cameras allowed documentarians like Maysles to get canada generic viagra up close and personal with their subjects and take their audiences behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in erectile dysfunction management is currently having more and more regular clientele from its rivals every month. shop viagra They provide medicines so that you can enjoy sex life harmoniously. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is generally cialis professional for sale referred to as juvenile onset and maturity onset diabetes, respectively, due to different periods of commencement.
Bottom line, we mostly surrender to fear due to our selfish desires and behaviors.  What I mean by this is that if we weren’t so concerned with our well-being (safety, protection, comfort, happiness), or with our desires (lusts, pride, power, control), what would we be afraid of?

Overcoming Fear

“Christians ought not to be smothered in fear. There is a spiritual readiness, where we return to having the peace of God…” —Henry Blackaby

The simple solution to overcoming fear is to cease relying on one’s self and to begin trusting in and upon, God. This can only be done, in my opinion and supported by the Word of God, through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  For you can’t know God without knowing His Son, Jesus.

Matthew 11: 27 NASB 27 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

And it is in this knowing Jesus, that we are able to receive His Word in which we learn to surrender our ways to His. Therefore, coming under God’s peace, protection, security and love. Receiving victory over sin, which as I mentioned earlier, carries with it…fear.

His Word speaks of this victory

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

And,

1 John 4:18 NLT “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

And,

John 14:27 NLT Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

And,

Joshua 1:9 NLT “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

And,

Psalm 23:4 NLT “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

And,

Philippians 4:6 NLT “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

And lastly,

Isaiah 41:10 NLT “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

We can continue to choose to be afraid about the things that life brings. Or we can choose to trust God. We can’t trust God if we don’t take the time nor make the effort to know Him. And we can’t know Him without recognizing His Son, Jesus.

Let me just say the most obvious thing:  This is not simple. This will take commitment. This will take believing in something more than ourselves and our selfish needs. This will be a day after day, situation after situation, trial after trial, continuous decision.

My question I ask myself each day is, “am I tired of being afraid”?  The specific thing doesn’t matter. That’s not the point. The issue is being controlled by fear.  The answer is, I don’t have to be.  And neither do you.  God doesn’t want us to and has provided a way to overcome fear.

We can be victorious in this area.  We can be free of fear. It’s simply how bad do we want to be.

God bless.

Like most Christians, I want to go to Heaven when I die.  I know, I know…that’s really one of those “Captain Obvious” statements. However, have you ever asked yourself, why do you want to spend eternity in Heaven?  Is it just a better alternative than Hell?

I write about this today because you see, I once thought for sure, that becoming a Christian, was all about getting that, “get out of hell free card”.

Many, many years ago, I was “witnessed to”.  I was asked that profound question, “If you were to die right now, do you know if you would go to Heaven or Hell”?  Of course, I didn’t have a clue and answered, “no”.  So, as you can guess, the very next question was…say it with me…” Do you want to know how to be sure you can go to Heaven”?  That’s right and yes, I took the bait and said, “sure”.  I was then shared how sinful I was, and that sin separated me from God.  And if I did not repent of my sins and died, I would go to hell.  But God sent Jesus to die for me and cleanse me of my sins, if I believed He was the Son of God and asked Him to be my Lord and Savior. Then if I was to die, I would have a secure place in Heaven.

This sounded simple to me. So, I said yes again, and prayed the prayer to receive Jesus into my life.  I was then instructed to get into a bible study and attend a good, bible believing church, in which I did.

Now this method of “witnessing” has been successfully taught all over the world and for a long time.  Converting many “sinners” to Christianity.  It gets folks in the Christian door you might say. I don’t see anything wrong with that. It worked on me and it has worked for many of hundreds of thousands. The thought of not going to Hell and spending eternity in Heaven was absolutely wonderful!!

In fact, the very first scripture I memorized was John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

To me, this was a no brainer.  It solidified in me that to believe in Jesus was to win eternal life.  This was a prize that no one else or nothing else had ever presented to me. So, my Christian journey began.

But little did I realize or understand, that it was based on a hidden premise. One that I would struggle with for a good part of this journey and from time to time, even today.  That premise was, “Believe in God, do what He says and get stuff from Him.” 

Anyone else thought or think this way? No, probably just me then.

WORSHIPPING THE GIFT MORE THAN THE GIVER

Based on this premise, it was easy to begin believing that life would be so much easier, now that I was a Christian.  All my desires/dreams would come true and my problems would go away.  All I had to do was make sure I made it to church occasionally, especially on Easter, stop doing a whole list of “bad things” and try to do more “good things”.  Oh, and don’t let me forget the importance to memorize a few scriptures, the books of the bible – in order, and a few phrases of “Christian-speak” to show that I was truly…religious.  You know those phrases like: “God is good all the time and all the time, God is good” or my personal favorite: “I’m blessed and highly favored.”

I did this for a long time.  All the while thinking and believing that this is what being a Christian looked like, sounded like and acted like. After all, sad to say, that is what I was taught, this is what I witnessed.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3, 6 ESV  1 But I, brothers could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh.

Now, I get it.  I was simply an immature Christian.  Just like an infant, toddler, or even a teenager, who must be taught and experience life for themselves. In order to grow into adulthood, I had a lot of spiritual growing up to do, to understand what it truly meant to follow Christ.

So, when I continued to experience life’s challenges, such as failed relationships, financial struggles, unsuccessful plans, physical and emotional pains, I concluded that this “Christian-thang” wasn’t working out the way that I thought it should. I had to decide, should I give up on all this church-going and watching what I say and being nice to people and trying to be good. Or, stay the course in hopes that if I try harder to be a Christian, by praying more, giving more, reading the bible more, doing more Christian things, God would finally see and hear me and give me the things that I require for my life to fall into place as I desired.

With these pills, you can also take help of some music, lighting or fragrance that can evoke your mood and take you away from stress. cialis purchase online It’s a PDE5 inhibitor that counteracts the effects of erectile dysfunction medication, which is why they effects of cialis know exactly which medicine to prescribe for whom. Say by to stress:- Lots of tensions can give rise to a number of extremely efficient therapies are obtainable. cheapest levitra online Dr.Todd Heatherton, the Lincoln Filene Professor in Human Relations in the department of psychological and brain sciences and a coauthor on the study said that “using brain action to estimate a consequential behavior outside the scanner is pretty novel.”Scanning of the brain region attached to both pleasure and addiction could help estimate whether http://canterburymewscooperative.com/membership.html purchase viagra online a person will put on bodyweight or have sex in the next six several. Jeremiah 51:17-18 NLT 17 The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power. 18 Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies!

My version of Christianity in those early years and I must admit, I struggle with at times today, is an idol of sorts of my own making.  You see, when I settled on receiving from God versus surrendering my life to Him, I’d created a version of God that was based on my wants, my needs and my comfort and not on the truth of God, that is evident, throughout His Word.

This version of God and my identity as a Christian was a powerless image that I worshipped. I would bow down to this image daily, sacrifice to it with religious do’s and don’ts, all the while waiting for “good” things to happen for and to me.

Many Christians do not see it this way, but nevertheless, the results are the same. A “rollercoaster” life filled with temporary victories one moment only to be followed by depressing defeats and feelings of hopelessness the next.

But the Word of God is clear when it states in 1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV …but thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What I am trying to point out is that being a Christian isn’t a thing you become. Is not joining a religious group or church or ministry. It’s not about doing a whole bunch of “do’s and don’ts”.  It’s not even about getting to Heaven or avoiding Hell.

It is coming to the realization that God wants you, me, us, to be in relationship with Him, as when He created us in the beginning. But because of our choice to disobey Him, sin entered our lives and separated us from Him.

Initially, God gave us His Commandments and Laws to show us just what it would take, to be in His presence again.  However, this only pointed out our sinful nature, but did not redeem us nor restore us into a right relationship with God.

Hebrews 7: 19 NLT …for the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

And,

1 Peter 2 NLT 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles this world. 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

To my Christian brothers and sisters, I leave this with you:  I would highly recommend taking the time to ask yourself, what is it that you are really wanting from God?  Is it His promises or is it Him?  There is a difference believe it or not. One ensures freedom and eternal victory.  The other keeps you on that “spiritual rollercoaster” that breeds doubt, lack of faith, worry and anxiety.  It can even lead to fear and unbelief, which hurts your true “witness” for Christ.

And to my non-Christian brothers, sisters, family, friends, etc., etc.,

Heaven is a byproduct of a right relationship with God through surrendering your life and agenda to Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the goal, not eternity in Heaven nor the fear of Hell.

May God bless you and keep you until the day of Christ’s return.

What ultimately defines whether you are a Christian or not, is not what Denomination you belong to, but whether you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in your heart. – Ravi Zacharias

Romans 10: 9-10 NLT If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

What God is requiring from us is very simple in my opinion:  Confession and Believing

Everything else is us, going through the motions of trying to live a life pleasing to God, without doing what He has asked us to do.

1 Samuel 15: 22 NLT “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

When I read this scripture, it was like a glass of ice-cold water had been thrown on me. For so long, it was my understanding from past teachings, sermons, personal observations of others, or, my ignorance, that to be a Christian, one must do all the right things. And what were those right things?

All the “Don’ts”.

You know: The “don’t” do this and the “don’t” do that. “Don’t’ be bad, cuss, steal, gossip, lust, sin, etc., etc., etc. Now before you get the wrong idea, and think that doing these things are okay, I’m simply saying that NOT doing them, does not make one a Christian.

So, what makes one a Christian? As mentioned in the scripture above, it is “confession” and “believing”.

Confession: acknowledgment; admission. (from Dictionary.com) But acknowledgment or admission of what exactly? Two things come to mind. First, admission that we are sinful. This to me is the biggest struggle that most people have. Oh, we easily state that we are not “perfect”, but we all believe that we aren’t as bad as the next person or that we inherently have some good things about us, that doesn’t quite add up to being “sinful”.

Yet, God’s Word is clear on this. For in Romans 3:23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (NIV).

Second, is admission that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He is Lord. And that only through Him, are our sins forgiven. This one also is troubling for most people, because this takes control over our lives and destiny, out of our hands…so to speak. What I mean is, if we all are honest, we struggle with someone else, determining the course and direction of our lives…even God. So even if we admit that we are sinful, admitting that removal of those sins can only come through one means, is problematic for most.
We can’t help but to think that we have the ability, the strength, the knowledge, the means, the experience, to live a good, prosperous life, without the help of anyone. And this my friends becomes a huge obstacle to living the abundant life promised by God. Which is a topic for a future discussion.

Then we come to the issue of “believing”.

Believing: to have confidence or faith in the truth; to have confidence in the assertions of (a person). (from Dictionary.com). So here again, confidence or faith in what? What truth? Confidence in who?
In the real world, there pfizer viagra 100mg is health problems for both men and women. Such equipment is mainly used by athletes discount cialis twomeyautoworks.com and chiropractors. The outcome it gives is more buy cialis pill than 4 hours, individuals have to seek medical assistance at the right time can offer help to some extent except the exceptional medical conditions that occur along with spinning sensation. A number of youthful cialis pills wholesale adults do not show indications of maleness even after striking teenage years.
Well the simple answer, especially if one is wanting to be a Christian or calling themselves one, is having confidence or faith the “TRUTH”, which is the Word of God (the Bible). And the “person” the “truth” speaks of, is Jesus. Without believing that the Word of God is true and that what it speaks of about Jesus is true, then it is impossible to be a Christian. At least not the Christian that Paul speaks of that will be saved.

In closing:

It really doesn’t matter what we tend to label ourselves. Mankind has been doing that in some form or another for centuries. It’s like we must call ourselves something so that we can belong to something bigger than ourselves. Even those who pride themselves on being loners. When you press them enough, they will associate themselves with some type of label…even “Loaner”.

But the bottom line comes down to what you confess you are and what you believe which will dictate truly how you live your life.

So many so-called, “Christians”, look, sound, and act like everything but what Jesus Christ’s life, teachings and actions, demonstrated while on this earth. Nor do their lives resemble what the Bible describes a follower of Christ (Christian) life should be.

But if we honestly examined our lives, we would clearly see the things we believe in, because our lives and actions show it. Not just when we are around a certain group of people, say on Sunday mornings, but each and every day.

Jesus said in John 14:12 NLT, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

Ha, there it is again…’truth’ and ‘believes’.

I’m a Christian, not because of what I do or don’t do. But because I know/confess that I am a sinner that has been saved by grace through the sacrificial life of Jesus. I believe that the Word of God is true and that it states that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe this and live my life according to this truth. Yes, I sin. I don’t desire to, but I am under constant attack by the enemy, even my own fleshly desires and wants. This too is for a discussion for another time. But I believe the Word of God that states in 1 John 2:12 NIV, I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

Whose name? Yes, Jesus’ name.

Being a Christian is more than going to church. It more than doing “good” things or not doing “bad” things. It’s more than repeating a few words at the end of a prayer. It’s more than reading the Bible. It’s more than talking to others about the Bible.

It’s about acknowledging that our sin has separated us from the presence of God. It’s about confessing those sins to the only One, Jesus, who can forgive us of our sins. It’s believing that Jesus is exactly who He says He is and who the Bible tells us He is. It’s believing that to be restored into a right relationship with God, can only be done through knowing Christ and being known by Him.

I pray that we realize what it truly means to be called Christian and the heavenly and eternal responsibility that name carries with it.

God bless.

One of the most devastating and powerful lies the enemy uses against men and women of God is in the area of knowing and understanding our TRUE WORTH.  Not only when it comes to our place in this world, but especially in the eyes of our Creator, God.

Whether we admit it or not, how we are viewed and how we are seen by others, is extremely important to us.  Our self-image drives just about everything we do. It determines what relationships we enter in and out of, what friends we have and even what careers we choose.

A wrong or damaged self-image can and often does, cause significant negative consequences to those around us. It affects our families, loved ones, community and most importantly, OURSELVES.

When our image of ourselves is low, we lack the ability to live out our God-given abilities, gifts and talents.  When our self-image is too high, we fall into the trap of being someone or something that we were not created to be. Believe it or not, with a high self-image or self-importance, it is easier to believe that we don’t need any one, and that unfortunately includes God.

THE PROBLEM – Non-Biblical

In my opinion, our self-value is formed at a very early age. I’m not going to go into the details of this, but I just ask you for the moment, to imagine some of the things that you may remember as a kid.

Personally, I remember watching TV Westerns with my grandfather. Shows like the Lone Ranger, Cisco Kid and Rifleman.  They were my first male heroes that always came to the help of others, beat the bad guys and save the day.  Then came the War movies where strong courageous men had to overcome extreme odds to win the battles and the war.  I then found my way to the wonderful world of comic books.  Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Captain America.  I remember taking one of our metal trash can lids, and painting it red, white and blue. Then making a mask out of one of my t-shirts and subsequently getting a butt whooping by my mom, for cutting up one of my shirts.

My point is that at an early age, how we thought about who we wanted to be or how we viewed ourselves, came from unrealistic models.  They were all external images. Whether we pictured our future selves like we pictured our parents, a fireman, a policeman, an astronaut, entertainers or something else, we never were told how to be ourselves.

As little boys, we are told not to cry.  To be strong, run fast, jump high, make the team, hit the winning shot. We always had to be better than the next kid, to be the best, to win the trophy.   All so we could just feel good about ourselves.

And I truly believe that this idea, this mind-set, continues today.

Job titles, corner offices, large portfolios, expensive cars, large houses, tailored clothes, six-pack abs, super-model wife or girl-friend or both, are all used to describe the successful man today.  A man of worth. A man of value.

And unfortunately, we find ourselves expending a lifetime of resources, energy and time, trying to obtain these things so that we can be somebody in the eyes of others, ourselves, and the world.  Often at the expense of those around us.

“Men get their self-worth from what they do, not who they love. “– T.D. Jakes

THE PROBLEM – Biblical

The Bible tells us in John 10:10, that “the thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy… “

That thief is of course Satan.  And in my opinion, he has developed a strategy to steal our identity, kill our spirit and destroy the relationship that God wants to have with us.

Satan is a liar.  He has been very effective at convincing us to chase after these worldly things to define ourselves…our manhood…our identity and our place in this world.

He does this by keeping our focus on the external and not on the eternal.  

When we look outwardly to be what the world says we should be instead of finding out what God says who we really are, then our identity is stolen.

And if we don’t know who we are or who’s we are, then we have no real chance of being what God created us to be.

THE ANSWER

The answer lies in hearing the truth about who JESUS says you are.  Because, let’s face it, the world doesn’t love you, never has and never really will.

Oh, you may have your name up in lights for a time. Or one day, you may accomplish some great, wonderful thing for you, your family and maybe even society as a whole.

But no matter what you do, what you accomplish or achieve, there will always be someone that has something negative to say.  There will always be someone to find fault in you or your achievements.  Not everyone is going to love you. And because of this, you will never find your true worth from the world.

But God’s Word says, in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

This is a basic, clearly identified and substantiated fact that God truly loves us.  We must get past all the brain-washing and lies of the enemy, the world and even ourselves, to accept this fact.  God loves us unconditionally.  God loves YOU unconditionally!

Yes, we may have made mistakes. Yes, we may still make mistakes.  But this will never change God’s love for us.

LIFE BECOMES REALLY REAL

How do I know this to be true?

Well, let me share with you some of my story.

You see, like many, I got my identity from the world.  As I mentioned earlier, whether it was from heroes in the movies and TV or from characters in books. To those boys and men, I interacted with in real life.

I came to believe, that a man wasn’t supposed to be sensitive. He was to never back down from a fight, never cry, had to show toughness, never any weakness.

A man was one that only saw girls or women as something to acquire.  In fact, the way I found my way into a church was because my buddy at the time said that there were a lot of pretty girls there.  I couldn’t wait for Sunday to come.

I sought promotion after promotion on my job. I worked and sacrificed my health, my time and resources to meet the standards of the world to be somebody that others would look up too and that I could be proud of.

What was sad about this was that this all occurred after I became a Christian.

I never fully understood what God wanted from me other than to believe that Jesus was His son and that He died as a sacrifice for my sins.

I call this Head Knowledge.

It wasn’t until after I had an encounter with Jesus Christ that I finally understood, how much I meant to God.  That my worth or value wasn’t in what the world said but in how God saw me.

You can buy Dapoxetine either over the counter or over the internet. buy sildenafil The medical experts explain that Sildenafil citrate are Kamagra, order cheap levitra Kamagra oral jelly, Forzest. Doses should be taken at least 24 hours online viagra pharmacy http://melissaspetsit.com/ready-key-program/ apart. sildenafil best price There is a chameleon variation to the Sicilian defense, which works as a trick that makes use of the trapping pattern. Because of my warped view of what a man was to be, I struggled through many relationships with women. I got married right after college because a man was supposed to go to college, get a good job and then get married and raise a family.

I had no real clue of what a husband was supposed to be other than pay the bills, provide for my home and take care of my physical needs through my wife.  And if that did not fulfill me, then there were many other options available because that’s what I saw from the images of the world.

So, to satisfy my needs and of course, it was only my needs that mattered, I had the trophy wife, the cars, the house and the career that the world said I should have.

But there was something missing on the inside.

I tried to fill that emptiness with all manner of material things.  New cars, stereo equipment, clothes. I tried to fill it with illicit relationships with women outside my marriage.  I tried to fill it with work and my career.

But nothing, absolutely nothing, could fill the emptiness that I felt inside.

The sense of failure and dissatisfaction with my life and the way I had been living caused me to literally contemplate suicide.

The enemy had caused me to get so far from God, with feelings of failure and unworthiness that I came to believe that the only solution to this pain and misery was to take my own life.

I went to my kitchen with a bottle of pain killers, poured myself a big glass of Kool-aide and poured out the bottle of pills in my hand, and in that moment…Jesus entered the picture.

As I was crying and about to take the pills, I heard my name being called.  There was no mistake to me in who was speaking.

I heard, “Dracy”.

I said, “yes Lord”.

Jesus said, “When was the last time you were happy?”

I said, “when I was with you Lord”.

Then on my left, I saw this split form in the kitchen.  It was the brightest white light that I have ever seen in my life.  Two hands reached out from the white light towards me. And I heard Jesus say, “then come”.

Still crying, as I was looking at these pair of hands reaching out for me, another split formed on my right. This split opened to a scene that looked like the Vegas Strip at night.  It was dark with the sounds of cars honking, laughter and the bright neon lights of the hotels and shops and restaurants.

As I turned to look at this new scene, I heard Jesus say, “this is your last chance, son, to come to me.”

I took one last look at the vision on my right, then back to the hands that were still reaching for me and I said, “yes Lord, I want you”.

At this point, both visions vanished.  I put the pills back in the bottle and poured out the Kool-aide.  I then began thanking God for his goodness and mercy upon me.

My heart became filled with the assurance that I truly belonged to God and that I had been made whole.

What I had been looking for to complete me could never have been found externally.  It could only be found spiritually.  It can only be found in surrender to Christ.

God became real to me that evening.  He was more than stories in 2000yr old book.  He was more than just knowledge in my head, but a love within my heart.

I call that, Heart Knowledge

From that incident to this day, my life has never been the same.

No, it hasn’t been perfect.  I lost a lot of things both materially and relationally, but I have gained more and more of a relationship with Father God in knowing Him, His Son and His Spirit.

He gave me new eyes to see His Word with and there is where I found my purpose and learned what being a man of God really is.

I found out my true worth in Christ.

He showed me that I’m worth dying for.  I realized that I have been reconciled back unto my Heavenly Father.  That I was created not to be a partaker of this world, but to be a light and salt to this world. To be a servant, a vessel, an ambassador, a disciple, a messenger…a son of God.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). 

No more guilt of the past. Because of the blood of Christ, my sins were/are forgiven.  I have a new life.  I am no longer the same.  I am new.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

FINAL THOUGHTS

No greater love will you find, than the love of God.  Nothing will ever satisfy the emptiness that you are feeling inside. No matter how much you achieve in this world, it will never be enough, nor will it ever bring you the eternal happiness and satisfaction you seek.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ … that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–7). 

God is giving us an opportunity each day, to let go of the lies this world has filled our hearts with. For it will never value us as much as God values us.

So, what is your True Worth?

To answer that question, one only must look to the cross.

God bless.

“[King] David certainly was aware that his lust for power had become a barrier to inwardness. Careers, even religious careers, may become little more than forums for our own advancement. But how are we to deal with such ambition? Our longing after Christ must exceed our need for status in the world.”—Calvin Miller

Psalm 42:1-2 NLT 1 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God.

It is in my humble opinion that a “longing for Christ”, must exceed our need for any and every thing.

Now some may say that this kind of thinking is just not practical or too much or the usual religious talk to keep people from being all that they can be.

But I ask you, Have you ever been thirsty?  No, I mean, really, really thirsty that nothing else mattered but that cold drink of water soothing your throat and fulfilling what was desperately missing in your life to keep you alive.

All that I can offer you today is that when getting to know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior becomes as great a need as when you thought you were going to die of thirst or even hunger, and you dropped everything or “moved heaven and earth” to satisfy that need.  Then and only then will you truly receive the gift of life, through God’s love, found in His Son.

Generally these medicines mainly dexamfetamine and methylphenidate, are actually therapeutic stimulant medicines. foea.org buy cheap levitra Be it a few crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw, they all viagra samples from doctor need to be straightened in order to give you a radiant smile. Whatever the cause in the dust despair, it is at all times related of your individual state of mind, setting, but cialis discount india also/in addition current circumstance. As cheap no prescription cialis with all joints, the sacroiliac joint is held together by ligaments and muscles. I am convinced that most of us live powerless, mediocre, purposeless, luke-warm  Christian lives, because truly knowing Christ has become either a seasonal thing to do, or a “get-out-of-trouble” safety card we try to acquire.

But it is only when Christ becomes greater than all our other needs, that we are filled with the Promise of abundant, meaningful life, empowered by the Holy Spirit…AND GET THIS…for the Glory of God!

See, that’s the difference.  Longing for Christ is NOT so we can be saved or have eternal life, or get out of trouble or get a job, money, fix our relationships, save our marriages, heal our bodies or be a “good person”.

No, it is for the Glory of God.  To honor Him for who He is. To worship and praise Him with our lives and through our lives.

The real question today is…”What are you thirsty for?”

May you get to know Christ for yourself.

 “The life of faith says, ‘Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word’.” – Oswald Chambers

John 9:6-7NLT Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smoothed the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing! 

There are of course many miracles in the bible that Jesus performed, but this one had always caught my attention. It was not the miracle itself, but how Jesus did it. He could have just spoke to the blind man, touched him, asked for water to make mud, taken the man to the pool himself, etc, etc.  No, Jesus chose to spit in the dirt. Then while still blind, he instructs the man to go and wash in a pool.

To the onlooker and maybe the blind man himself, this seems a little odd if not inconvenient or even harsh to make this man, who has suffered from birth, to have to put mud on his eyes.  Keep in mind that this is mud made from spit.  And then have to find a pool of water and wash the mud off.

Why would God do things this way? Now the scriptures do not say that the blind man or even the disciples ask this question. But more often than not, this is the question or a similar one that we ask when faced with certain choices to believe God or not.

To make a long story short this morning, no matter how it sounds, no matter how it looks or what God instructs you to do, will you do it?  Will you trust Him and have faith?  The end results with the blind man were that after accepting Jesus’ method of healing his eyes and following His instructions, exactly, the blind man could now see.

As we go through this day and remainder of this week, will we listen, hear and obey God to receive our miracle? Or will we continue to question, try to negotiate or simply reject God’s Will and Way?
It can be performed easily at the convenience of your home. cialis without prescription uk There get viagra online can be some unwanted side effects of ginkgo such as nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, headache or an upset abdomen. Available in many forms tadalafil 20mg generic like tablets, jellies and soft tabs. Therefore, it is one of the best herbal supplements for low libido in men. page cialis professional generic
Can you imagine our lives if we would trust God completely, stop questioning His methods and just obey His every Word?  I know…it would be wonderful.  Oh the things we could do for the Kingdom of God when we are no longer afraid and have complete peace and joy, because we know that God truly has our backs.

Here’s one final thing to remember.  The miracles that God is poised to bless those who will trust and obey Him, is not just for our benefit.  They are for our testimony to proclaim God’s power and glory.

There will be many in our lives that will not believe what God has chosen to do in our lives, but we must know that it is the power of God working in us and through us that is the real miracle.

Jesus asked the blind man after-wards if he believed despite what others were saying.  The blind man said, “Yes Lord, I believe” and then he worshiped Jesus (verses 35-38).

The time is now to begin trusting, obeying and worshiping God.  We’ve tried too many other things and people and they have all failed.  It’s time to take and believe God at His Word.

Amen?   Yes, Amen!

“Someday is not a day on the calendar.” – Various versions

2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. 

Today is the day!  Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised.

Today is the day for your victory.
Today is the day that your sins can and will be forgiven and remembered no more.
Today is the day to receive the greatest gift ever to be known by mankind.
Today is the day to know that you are loved.
Today is the day to be saved, sanctified, redeemed and restored.
Today is the day to take that step in fulfilling your created purpose.
Today is the day to take your rightful place in the Kingdom of God.
Today is the day to spoil All of the enemies plans and control over your life.
Today is the day to stand and proclaim the goodness of God.
generika levitra A medicine for erectile dysfunction has to be prescribed keeping that in mind. Express your love There are certain things relating levitra prescription to sexual disorder. If you want to viagra online mastercard know how can you longer up your staying power in bed, read on.* Why is it important to know how to delay ejaculation?1. You will see the result within 4 to 8 weeks that yopur eye lashes are growing discount viagra pills longer, thicker and darker but do not leave it in the middle as you should not suffer the problem alone. Today is the day to let your life bring God glory.

Today is the day to receive Jesus as your personal Savior.

Today is the day to make Him Lord of your life.

Today is the day to be Free.

Today is THE day to be made whole and complete.

Will you seize this moment?  Will you choose today to be on the Lord’s side?  Will you choose today to be the man, woman, boy or girl that will stand and say, ” I am a Child of God”!

Today is the day to enter into the greatest, most intimate relationship that you will ever know and that will last for eternity.

TODAY IS THE DAY FOR JESUS!

“A Christian cannot help being free, because in the pursuit and attainment of his object, no one can either hinder or retard him.”—Lyof N. Tolstoy

1 Timothy 6:11b NKJV … pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

Nothing can hinder us from acquiring these things which we are to pursue with all our hearts and souls.

It’s those other things that capture our thoughts and hearts and leads us to chase after them, that causes us so much frustration, discontent, hopelessness and sometimes despair.

A study conducted among 18-59 year-old American women showed that the problems in the division’s customer service, quality, and productivity could be traced to one cause – the management team was cialis no rx dysfunctional. Moreover, you can also seek consolidation on other debts as well (medical bills, personal loans, second mortgages, etc.) It permits individuals to pay what you can and heritageihc.com discount levitra eliminate the rest. http://www.heritageihc.com/articles/8/ prescription de viagra Czech scientists located also which the drinking water manufactured from your real Karlovy Differ thermal spring salt all over the world. Whatever the reason, the result makes cialis 100mg it worth working out. If you ever said to yourself that you are “tired and fed up” with this world or life in general, then reconsider the things that you are pursuing.

Is it God that you are running after? If not, reset your agenda and/or goals. In the final analysis or judgment, not too many things are going to be of eternal worth than a life lived in and for “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness.”

May you find God for yourself.

“You can always trust God’s heart, even when you can’t understand His hand.” – Dr. Tony Evans

2 Peter 1:2-8NLT 2 May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. Growing in the Knowledge of God 3 As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 4 And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.

We give thanks today for God’s love, Jesus’ obedience, sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. God could have left us in our sins, but instead, He has shown us mercy, given us grace and favor.

Today, we have been given the opportunity to know Jesus just a little bit better than we knew Him yesterday. The more we dedicate our lives to Him, the more of His nature is developed in us.

There is absolutely nothing better than really understanding God’s love for us through Jesus and the comfort and peace provided by the Holy Spirit.

Maybe you feel like this has been the toughest season that you have had to face in all your life. You’ve been through storm after storm. The enemy seemed to have singled you and your family out for numerous and consistent attacks. And you have grown weary and tired of trying to remain faithful to Christ.

This program lasted for 2 years where the men visited the viagra uk nutritionalist and the exercise trainer regularly. These foods naturally boost the production of nitric oxide in the male organ region, which allows the cialis price no prescription actual penile muscles to unwind. Generic drug manufacturers just copy the already approved formulae and produce the best prices on sildenafil medicines.Generic Drug is a widely used medication for treating erectile dysfunction. For fast comes about, tackle a void best price on levitra stomach or after a light meal. Can I tell you that now, more than ever is the time to double and maybe triple your efforts in knowing Jesus? And in knowing Him, you will find your deliverance, strength, endurance, peace and victory that you so very much long for during these difficult times.

I would love to tell you that the storms are over, but not just yet. One day they will be, but until then, get to know Jesus and the promises of our Heavenly Father that is made available to us through Christ. And spend today, this week thanking God for all that He has and will provide for all those who have chosen to receive His son.

Give Thanks. Pray for one another and rejoice always.  Our Heavenly Father knows all that we are going through and have to endure.  That is why He promises to be with us always.

Heavenly Father we pray this morning that as we receive Your glory and power, we draw closer to you. In drawing close to you, Father we pray that we come to know you better and our lives are transformed into lives that you can use to love others through.  Give us strength to endure and to wait patiently on your love to overflow us every time we are in need of remembering your immense love for us.  Help us to face today with a spirit on one accord with Yours, the mind of Christ and a heart full of compassion for those seeking you and those who are lost without you. Let us be bold in sharing the Gospel of Christ and help us to persevere when we are confronted and challenged.  Above all Father, let us be in You and You in us.  We will rejoice today and not complain.  We will praise You today and not despair.  We will love and not hate. Give and not take.  We can do all this in confidence because we do this in the name and love of Jesus, in which we pray.  Amen.