God Of The Next Level

Lately in my prayers, I have been talking with God about going to the next level in my Christian walk. While watching a Christian program the other day, my prayer was answered. The Pastor was talking about going to the next level in Christ, which is just what I was talking with God about, so I knew this was for me.  He said that you should start your elevation by asking God and yourself four very important questions:

1.                 How shall I live? Romans 3:21-26

We as Christians sometimes tend to think that once we become Christian we have to stop everything we do. We have to stop dancing and singing, stop going to concerts, stop hanging out with our closes friends who are Christians, but not as deep as us, stop dating or going to lunch with friends, stop watching crime shows and dramas, and stop going to the movies to see adventure of futuristic films, because these things are not Christ like. Who says they aren’t?

Jesus eat and drank with prostitutes and drunkards, He hung out with a loud mouth know it all and two momma’s boys. One of His best friends was a liar and a thief who betrayed Him, and He had a fish fry with His boys on the beach. I believe Jesus enjoyed life and had fun, but the thing that we must remember in all this is that, He did not allow these things or His friends to change Him from who He was and what He came to do. He stayed focused on His task and His purpose. If you are living a godly life in which God has called you to and the righteousness of Christ lives in you and you are fulfilling the will of the Father for your life, enjoy it.

2.                 Who shall I love? John 3:16

We are to love God, others, and ourselves as God loves us. We are to love all people, but the thing in loving all people is that we are to love them the way God wants us to love them, not the way we want to love them. You ever give someone a gift that you wanted them to have, because you like it for them? It might not be something they want, but it’s something you want them to have.

That is how most of us love others, we love who we want to love the way we want to love them. We don’t love them the way they need to be loved, but the way we need to love them. We have to learn to get out of ourselves and find out exactly what people need from us, so that we are truly loving them with purpose, compassion, and truth. Jesus loved us unto death, because that was what we needed for eternal life.

3.                 How can I serve? Galatians 5:13

I saw a video about a little boy who stole some bread from the store to feed his mother. When he got caught, the store owner wanted to call the police on him. A man off the streets who saw what happened asked the boy why he stole the bread and after finding out, he paid for the bread. Some years later the man who paid for the bread got very sick and his family could not afford to pay his hospital bill. One day when the man’s family came to the hospital they were in awe to find that everything had been taken care of. At the end you see the Doctor who operated on the man as the little boy who stole the bread.

That is how you serve, you give what you can to someone in need, you give a little food, some clothes, some money, a prayer, a help across the street, a smile, a shoulder to lean on, a story to a child, a blanket to someone in the cold, a pair of shoes to someone with none. Be a servant to as many as you can, in any way you can that is all God is asking of you. Jesus came as a servant to the lost and the needy. He is the greatest Servant who ever lived and He is requiring the same from us. Be a servant today and make a difference in the life of God’s creation.

4.                 What shall I give? 2 Cor. 9:7

Paying tithes is still one of the biggest issues plaguing the church today. People just don’t get it. They make up all these excuses as to why they shouldn’t have to pay tithes; they argue that it is not New Testament truth, or that God is ok with us giving what we feel like. The tithes belong to God, period. Obedience to God in paying tithes belongs to us, period. It is not for you to question what the church is doing with God’s money that is for Him and Him alone.

The Bible says that a man has robbed God when he does not pay his tithes, it also says that God will open a window of blessing when you do, and again it says that those who give to the poor will be blessed. The tithe is a 10^th of your treasures, a 10^th of your time, and a 10^th of your talents. This is required to grow the kingdom of God here in the earth realm. How do we grow without the help of the righteous who are already in Christ? We grow by helping one another with whatever means we have. Jesus paid His tithes, but He paid it with 100% of His life, not 10%, and He did not complain, question, or disobey. He gave Himself, period. Thank you Jesus.

 

 

Come As You Are

I’ve sat in Church’s where this phrase is used many times to express, that God does not care how you come to Church as long as you come. Although there is some truth to this, this phrase is nowhere in the Bible. Now before anyone gets bent out of shape, yes God wants you to come to church, but not with the wrong mindset and motive. Let me explain: Last week, my oldest granddaughter went to Bible study with her house shoes on. I did not see this until after Bible study, so I did not confront her until then. Then on Sunday, her sister went to Church with jeans on that were ripped at the knees (they were not purchased that way). The older of the two said, “God don’t care, He said come as you are.” I was upset to say the least, but if she has not been told the truth, she will believe that this is okay. I pulled the both of them to the side and explained to them that, that is not true and that people have taken that saying, (because that’s what it is, a saying) and turned it into something meant from God, yet there is no actual godly validity to it.

When I read the Bible I see how God wanted the Tabernacle and the Temple to be constructed and adorn. When the Israelites where getting ready for the Great Exodus from Egypt, God told Moses to ask the Egyptians for all their wealth, specifically silver and Gold, “Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor articles of silver and articles of gold (Exodus 11:2).” Then Moses told them again, and the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth (Exodus 12:35-36)! These items were used to make beautiful the Holy place where God would dwell among His people.

Then again when you read the book of 1 Kings 6 and 7 you see how the Temple was built with detailed instruction on the outer and inner materials to be used in its building. Again, silver, gold, and bronze, and other articles of finer quality were used to adorn it in beauty. This tells me God likes to be adorned with beautiful thing around Him. So why then do we as His people feel that we can go to the house of the Lord any old kind of way? The Church is the one place that we should give honor and glory to reverence the Lord. Would it hurt us to put on a nice dress, skirt and blouse, a suit and tie, and a clean pair of shoes, just one day out of the week? If you don’t have it for some reason or another, that’s fine, but if you do, don’t be lazy and disrespectful about it. Some of us will buy a new outfit to go to a dance, a club, a concert, even to a special dinner, but do you buy one to wear to Church? Hum, I wonder. Look at this story in the Bible, “Then he told his servants, ‘we have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren’t up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.’ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled. When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn’t properly dressed. He said to him, ‘Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!’ The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, ‘Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn’t get back in. That’s what I mean when I say, ‘Many get invited; only a few make it (Matthew 22:8-14 MSG).’ The banquet guest are us, church members, the under dressed person is the person coming to church with the wrong mindset or attitude in their relationship with the Lord.

Yes, there are occasions where God tells us to come. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).” Or “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free (Isaiah 55:1)!” Or, come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world (James 4:8). Or, then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matt 16:24).” We are to come before Jesus with a pure heart, whether broken, hurt, ashamed, lost, depressed, fearful, hopeless, or helpless, we are to come, but come giving thanks, glory, and honor in your dressing, reverencing Him, for His is the house of the LORD.