Loving our neighbor as ourselves means that we do unto others as we would want done to us.  So lets say that you had a dire need.  Maybe you lost your job, maybe you have lost a loved one, maybe you are homeless or without food to eat for you and your family.  How would you want to be treated in those situations?  Would you want someone to step up and help you?  I am just guessing here, but my guess is that you would want help.  So the answer to this first part is simple…. if you know of a need, do something about it.  Don’t just say I will pray about it.  Listen to what James says, (James 2:14-16) 14 My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?15 A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food.16 If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing.  Every single one of us is responsible for meeting the needs of those around us.  We must start acting our what we believe, or maybe we already are?

So now that we know what we are to do when a need arises, how do we determine who our neighbor is?  Is it the person next door, a person at work, the man down the street?  Who is our neighbor exactly?  Our neighbor is anyone to whom we come in contact with, either directly or indirectly.  That means, if you are a in a coffee house and you over hear a person crying, you are to address that by going over to that person and asking them what you can do to help them.  That means, when you are living on your social media forums reading all the post in your “Religious Groups” that you are to act when you come across a need.  Love is an action!  Love is not a feeling!  And if we are called to Love our Neighbors as Ourselves, than we must ask ourselves, how would I want someone to love me right now if I was going through that?

For far too long, we have sat on the sidelines thinking someone else will meet that need.  Or I don’t have anything to give right now.  We all have something to give.  And divine appointments happen every single day all around us, we just fail to see them because we are to wrapped up in our own selfishness.  Sound harsh?  Maybe, be it is Truth!  How many of us, including myself, can say that we truly love our neighbors as ourselves?

Now if you are reading this, I am going to give you your first challenge.  There is a dire need for support for our foundation, The Wilson House Foundation.  The Wilson House Foundation is a foundation that helps support the needs of 2 orphanages in Kenya.  For months we have pleaded with the Body of Christ to help us in our endeavor to provide food, clothing, medical and leadership support for these precious orphans and for months we have seen no support, but just from a very few select people.  These children are literally fighting just to survive.  They have literally nothing.  There parents are dead and the sometimes go days without food.  We need your help!  I want to also add this… no matter how little you have, you have more than they do.  And one last thing, always remember you can NEVER out give God!

Application:  Let’s step up!  Let’s take this one challenge and see what God can do through cheerful giving!  Let’s take a stand and truly show the love of Christ by Truly honoring the Second most important command, Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves!

To accept this challenge, whether it is a $1 or $500, please visit www.thewilsonhouse-kenya.org and Boldly show the love of Christ today!

The answer is right before our very eyes, but the darkness of this world often clouds or impairs our vision.  You see God has created each and every one of us with a specific purpose and calling for our lives.  He has given us all talents and gifts that we are to use to honor and glorify Him.  The problem lies in this, we fall into the trap of earthly views of what success is.  We let the world, even our parents, family or friends determine paths for our lives that we should not be on.  God and His Word tells us a different story.

You see, when we focus all our attention on God and put Him first in every single thing we do, it is then that we are in and find His Will for our lives.  The problem that most of us face is that we focus on worldly gain, money, or status to try and find our way.  So we end up still feeling a void when we obtain our goals or the status that we are trying to get.  We were not created for that… we were created to Glorify the One who created us and the ONLY way to do that is to seek Him in all we do.

So, my question is to you… are you seeking God in all you do or is He a after thought that you sometimes remember at the end of your day?  Are you truly being who you were created to be?  Are your goals for your life set by the worlds view of success or Gods view of success?  Is your life bringing God Honor and Glory?  Is your life making a difference by being a light in this dark world, or are you blending in?  Are you more worried about what people think of you or what God thinks of you?

Who are you Supposed to be? 

Application:  Seek God and His plan for your life today.  How?  Repent, ask Him to guide your ways and show you who He created you to be?  Study His Word and ask Him to reveal to you the path He has for you.  God is so very Faithful and He will guide you and direct you.

Psalm 138:8 ~  The LORD will work out his plans for my life for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 ~ I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

The people in the future will serve him; they will always be told about the Lord. They will tell that he does what is right. People who are not yet born will hear what God has done. ~ Psalm 22:30-31

I hope my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock, the one who saves me. ~ Psalm:19:14

While there are many benefits to the way we go about the holiday season these days, there are just as many downfalls.  We get to spend time with our families (for some that is a good thing, while for others, it makes for shortness of breath and frequent chest pains).  For some, it is hardy meals followed by a trip to the store for expandable pants and Tums.  And for the insane folks, it means spending time after your family meal planning a shopping spree that starts a midnight (for these people, there mouths water more over the money they will save, then the endless supply of food and treats in the kitchen).

So where are the downfalls of all of this?  The downfalls, unfortunately come in the same context and events as all the above.  We get so lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday madness, that we rarely just stop and reflect on what God has done for us over the last year.  We loss sight over the blessings, victories and even hard times we have gone through.

So am I saying that we should not do these things?  No… I simply want us to take some time this holiday season and really reflect on what God has done for us and what He is doing for us.  You see, many times we pray for God to help us and pour out His blessings on us and we forget to give thanks.  Sometimes, we go through some difficult times, such as a death, a loss of a job, a loss of a home, or maybe a family break-up.  And we forget to give thanks.  What?  Give thanks for all those bad things?  Why would I do that?  God’s Word tells us in all things we are to give thanks.  It also tells us in Romans 8:28, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him.”  You see, God is constantly working in and through our lives, helping to shape and mold us into what He wants us to be in Him.  Sometimes that means going through difficult times in order that we might see and depend on Him.  Sometimes it means He pours out blessings upon us that we may honor Him and give Him the Glory.  But it tells us that we are to in all things give thanks.  Let us remember this, that God loves us far more than we can ever truly realize.  So much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to pay the debt that could never fully be paid without Him.  Let us remember that God owes us nothing, but has given us everything, eternal life for those who know and call upon His Son to be their Lord and Savior.  This should be reason enough for us always to give Him Thanks.

So, with all this being said, it is truly my prayer for us all to stop and just spend some time reflecting on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and give thanks to the Lord this Holiday Season for what He has done for us.  May it not just be in our words, but rather let it break us all over again… let the tears of Thanksgiving pour from our hearts.  Let the joy of victory empower us, embrace us and go with us!  Let our minds be renewed and our souls and spirits be filled with gratitude for ALL the Lord has done for us!

Make this Thanksgiving this best one of your life, as you find the true Spirit of Thanksgiving!

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23

(1-9) That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Large crowds gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat down, while the people stood on the shore. Then Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said: “A farmer went out to plant his seed.  While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it all up.  Some seed fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep.  But when the sun rose, the plants dried up, because they did not have deep roots.  Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants.  Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and produced a crop. Some plants made a hundred times more, some made sixty times more, and some made thirty times more.  Let those with ears use them and listen.”

There have been many times when I have witnessed to people and there have been many more times when I passed the opportunity up, either out of fear of rejection or I simply didn’t care enough (just being honest).

In this post, I hope to give you some encouragement in the area of witnessing and planting seeds.

Often times we come in contact with people and then we get this sinking feeling in our gut that tells us to share Christ with them or maybe just to ask them what they believe.  We fight with ourselves for a moment or two and then we either give into that prompting and obey or we choose to ignore it.  And when I say choose, I really mean that we simply don’t care enough about their eternal future, to get past our insecurities enough to ask.

So I ask this question, why do we get so scared about asking others what they believe or if they know the Lord?  Why do we fight our flesh in those moments?  This should be our encouragement that what we believe is true and God and His Son Jesus Christ really do exist.  You see, in any other instance, we most likely could strike up a conversation with them about anything else such as, sports, the weather, kids, or even our problems.  Yet when it comes to sharing about our faith, we clam up and have this massive internal battle that causes us to break out in cold sweat and/or break out in hives. This should be our sign that we are in the middle of a spiritual battle and that the battle of good vs. evil really does exist.

We must realize that this prompting is from the Holy Spirit, guiding us to plant a seed or perhaps harvest a seed that has already been planted.  We must also realize that it is not our job to save them or beat them over the head with our Bibles, causing a massive dust storm over the area (from our Bibles not the head of the person).  We are to compassionately share with them the love of Christ and share with them what God has done for them through His One and Only Son Jesus Christ.  We must also be willing to carefully listen to them and not shut them down, nor put them down.  Share what God has done in your own life and how you came to know the Lord.  This is also very important to remember, you don’t have to be perfect, nor do you have to have a 99 page power point presentation to show them.  Remember, the Holy Spirit is the guide here and He will speak through you, if you allow Him to.  And finally, remember, they might not accept what you have to say and they might reject what you have to say, but that battle is between them and the Lord.  You can not save them, only God can save them.  All you are required to do is obey the Holy Spirits prompting and plant the seed. If they don’t accept it, ask them if you can pray with them and for them.  Give them your number and tell them to call you if they might have any questions.

And last but not least, you might be the harvester.  The Holy Spirit might be prompting you to be the final piece in the process, meaning you get to see someone come to know the Lord.  So it is always important to follow, trust and obey when we feel that sinking feeling in our guts telling us to share.  All we are to do is to be obedient.  And remember, if you do get too nervous, just share what God has done in your life.  We all have a story that is waiting to be told.

Jesus Explains the Seed Story

(18-23) “So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. What is the seed that fell by the road? That seed is like the person who hears the message about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and takes away what was planted in that person’s heart.  And what is the seed that fell on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and quickly accepts it with joy.  But he does not let the teaching go deep into his life, so he keeps it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching he accepted, he quickly gives up.  And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and the temptation of wealth stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit. But what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and understands it. That person grows and produces fruit, sometimes a hundred times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes thirty times more.”

Reflection: Whether you are planting a seed, watering the seed or harvesting the seed, we must remember that all we are to do is to be obedient to share.  Always listen to the person… listen to their fears, their past, and maybe their present.  And don’t forget to pray for them and with them.  Give them the number to reach you, invite them to church, and follow through!

Challenge:  At what cost will you plant a seed?  Watch this amazing story from One With Them and ask yourself, are you willing to follow no matter what the cost?

Video by OpenDoorsUSA

• Psalm 23:4 NCV
  Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because you are with me. Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.

I have shared with you in many of my past post my failures, the pain in my life, as well as my victories with the Lord.  One of those victories came in one of my darkest days.

I was homeless, no job, 3 shirts and one pair of pants.  I didn’t know if I was going to be able to eat or not.  I was all alone in the darkest place a man can walk.  I could not pray, because I felt God surely had left me and given up on me because of MY CHOICES.  I felt so far away from God, yet was He still near?  No, is the word that kept coming to mind each time I would began to pray.  God doesn’t love you, nobody loves you!  These words rang loud and clear in my head each and everyday.  Where is your God now? See I told you, Gods love is conditional!  You can’t do it, you are what you are… a failure!  All lies that I bought into, straight from the pits of Hell!

One day a friend of mine, a christian friend, came by.  He came and said, “come with me.”  He took me out to lunch and talked to me.  I was honest with him and shared with him what I was doing and what I was feeling.  It was one of the hardest, most embarrassing conversations I have ever had.  However, through that conversation, came a ray of hope through one simple prayer we prayed. In that moment, I prayed for God to forgive me and make me new again.  To restore me, my faith and my walk with Him. At that moment, while I was still in the midst of my valley, God met me there and I felt Him for the first time in a very long time. His was right there!

You see, despite my choices, despite my rebellion, despite me feeling light years away from God, He was still there with me.  He was walking along side me through the darkest valley my life had ever seen.  He was simply waiting on me, waiting on me to turn to Him.  You see, in these moments of our lives that we feel so distant from God, is actually when God is the closest.  He is longing to help us and guide us out of that endless darkness we are in.  However, while He pursues us, He does not force His love, mercy and grace upon us.  It is a choice WE must make.  As believers, God’s Truth is in us the moment we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.  He pours His Holy Spirit into us to make us a New Creation.  However, when we turn from that Holiness, even for an instant, we are opening the door for darkness to creep back in.  And that is exactly what happened to me.

I was trying to fill the void of my brokenness with everything but God.  I was turning towards every worldly treasure I could get my hands on and in those moments, my world became a very, very dark, lonely world.  I had turned away from God without even truly realizing it.  There is an old saying that goes like this, “if you throw a frog into boiling water, it immediately jumps out because it is hot! But if you put a frog into normal water and slowly turn up the heat, it will sit there until it dies!”  The same holds true for us!  We must constantly be on guard in our spiritual walks with the Lord.  The enemy is looking for ANY WAY POSSIBLE to destroy not only you, but your entire family.  If you are saved by the grace of God, then he can not touch your eternal salvation, but he can (and will) destroy your witness, your family and everything you hold near and dear to your heart.

This post is meant for someone, I don’t know who, but I pray that if you are reading this and this is where you are in life right now, please hear these words!  GOD IS WAITING ON YOU… HE LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE… DON’T LISTEN TO THE LIES ANYMORE… STOP RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, TURN AROUND, REPENT AND HE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU RIGHT THERE!  If you think you can control what it is you are going through, you have just bought into another lie from the on who longs to destroy you! Jesus even illustrates this for us in Luke 15:11-32.

God Found me in my Endless Darkness and proved to me His Unfailing Love, He WILL do the same for you!

Prayer:  Father, I don’t even how I got here.  I am asking for you to forgive me, restore me and draw me close to you once again.  Lord, I can’t do this on my own… I need your help!  Redeem me oh Lord!  Amen!

Giving Breeds Love

I had some free time at work and decided to read God’s Word.  This Scripture was the verse of the day and really encouraged me and I pray that if you read this, it does the same for you.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse.  No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs.  Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that selfish voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.

Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.

Reflection:

When we know that someone is need or asks us for help, how are we as Christians to react?  Do we say let me pray about it?  Do we lie and say I just don’t have it right now to give?  Do we just turn away and ignore them?  Do we tell them, I can’t help you right now, but I know someone who can?  Let me tell you this first, I have done all of the above.  In fact, I have done it so many times I can’t count.  Before I laid myself before God and asked Him to search me and try me.  Before I asked Him to make me more like His Son and less like Brad.  Before I quit making excuse after excuse. I had a heart of stone and only worried about Brad and how Brad was going to make it.  It was after all the above took place that God changed my heart and broke my heart for those who were hurting.  This vision of helping people in need came to me about 2 years ago.  And God has laid the path for this moment in time for me to not only help those in need, but also raise awareness for the Body of Christ… to be a voice.

Closing:

Let us stop making excuses and start making a difference.  When we give, we receive.  It may not be a monetary gift back to us, but your gift in Heaven will far out weigh anything you can imagine.  Give freely my brothers and sisters. Give with the joy of the Lord and know you are being Jesus to that person.  We often times hold on to these things that are not ours to hold on too.  God has blessed us to bless others and to spread the Gospel and the Love of Christ to all nations.  It is right there in His Word.

God changed my heart.  See what God does when you open your heart to Him , you can give right now and literally help save lives in Kenya through our foundation.  Choose to make a difference today, click the link below to find out more.