GodTalk Daily Blog

This is per an excellent suggestion by Schubomb (in the Open Discussion group).  He suggested that, instead of starting new forums for every GodTalk post, to create a centralized forum in each group, and post daily within that forum.

I found that to be an excellent idea, and I am beginning a new forum in each group called "GodTalk Daily Blog".  I look forward to more excellent, friendly and fresh discussion in each group!  I really am excited about the progress we have seen with GodTalk - over the past 2-3 months, we have seen the Facebook membership grow to almost 130 people, plus we share our blog on my homepage, and 4 other groups on Facebook.  Here on chess.com, it is shared on my personal blog, plus 5 groups (Open Discussion and 4 different Christian groups).

To everyone who has contributed - thank you very much!  I look forward to more fruitful discussions in the future!

BTW, don't forget to check out my main hub for the blogs at http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/ - God bless!

02-28-12 - Ye Are A Peculiar People

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-28-12-ye-are-peculiar-people.html 


1 Peter 2:9 - "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar

people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness

into his marvellous light;"

What once was in style will not always be in style - if you always seek to fit in with what is happening

in the times, you may never find your own identity!  

"19 SOMETHING" by Mark Wills

Lyrics to "19 SOMETHING" by Mark Wills

http://www.lyrics007.com/Mark%20Wills%20Lyrics/19-Something%20Lyrics.html

What an interesting topic today!  What is up with the tie-dye clothes and the country music?

Today's theme is about always trying to fit in.  What concessions do you make in life to "fit in"?  To

what lengths will you go to "fit in"?  

If you look to mankind for your standard in life, you may find that the standard you choose shifts from

day to day.  One minute, a certain celebrity is setting the trends for us - the next, it is another

celebrity.  Music styles, clothes, cars, haircuts...things change with the times.

With God, it is not this way.  He has created you as a unique individual with awesome gifts to be

used.  He did not make you to be just like everyone else - YOU ARE UNIQUE.  We read in 1

Corinthians 12:21 - "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again

the head to the feet, I have no need of you."  In like manner, you cannot always seek to be just

like everyone else - you are unique in your own regards.

Of course, reviewing this from a Christian standpoint, we are advised not to always seek the world's

standards, but God's standard.  He says we are "peculiar" - this comes from a Greek complex word

"eis" and "peripoiēsis", which means you are purchased!  You are bought by the blood of Jesus - you

no longer belong to yourself.  Christ wants to shape your style, your way of thinking, your personality,

into "the stature of the fulness of Christ"!

The next time you think you need to make concessions to fit in - remember - GOD MADE YOU

SPECIAL!  No need for the tie-dye!  

God bless!

02-29-12 - The Race Is Not To the Swift

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-29-12-race-is-not-to-swift.html 


Ecclesiastes 9:11 / I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the

battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding,

nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 

"I NEED YOUR HELP" by Dietrick Haddon

Lyrics to "I NEED YOUR HELP" by Dietrick Haddon
http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-need-your-help-lyrics-deitrick-haddon.html 


If you judge your success based on how you feel from day to day, you may not feel successful each

day.  


Let's take a look at this from a business standpoint.  You are starting in a new sales company.  Your

job is to round up new clients for your business, and you must go out and tell people about your

business.  Why you?  Why your business?  When you first begin, things may look rough.  You are

going to have to go out and hustle hard.  Shake hands, say hi, offer aggressive prices.  Be willing to

offer the best pricing, the friendliest service, and give it 110%.  


In life, you cannot look on other people and say, "Well, they are more talented than me, they are a

better speaker than me, they are better looking than me, etc." - you are YOU.  You have the ability to

step up to the plate and get the job done.  As it says in Ecclesiastes 9:11, "the race is not to the

swift, nor the battle to the strong".  You can never judge your opposition, no matter how tall, and

assume that it is impossible.  The person who watches the wind blow and refuses to work will never

gain any business.


Now, fast forward - you have established your business, and you are doing well.  However, you are

having a bad day financially and mentally.  You are under stress and the customers just are not

biting.  Does this mean that your business has flunked?  NO!  It simply means you need a moment to

regroup.  You can never judge your business based on personal emotions - you need a driving force

to help you when you feel like you cannot continue.


This may be an analogy for business, but it relates to life.  We all have low moments - that doesn't

mean that we are a failure.  We often fall in life, but what makes the difference is he who gets back up

after falling.  I encourage you, don't look on your current circumstances and think that you are

finished.  God has a plan for your life - let Him have His way with your life, and in the midst of these

storms, you will be able to fall back on Him for refreshing.  From there, you will be able to go back

out and grab the bull by the horns!


God bless!

03-01-12 - Be Not Conformed To This World

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-01-12-be-not-conformed-to-this-world.html

Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

"I'M NOT WHO I WAS" by Brandon Heath

Lyrics to "I'M NOT WHO I WAS" by Brandon Heath

http://www.anychristianlyrics.com/index.php?cmd=6&recid=51

This message is a shout-out to my good friend Nic, also known as "greatexcalibur" on chess.com, and the founder of The Saving Word, a Christian group on chess.com that focuses on a daily scripture post for reflection on God's Word, the Holy Bible.  It is an extension of our message from 2-28-12, "Ye Are A Peculiar People" - he mentioned the above scripture as one of his favorites in the Bible.  It is a promise that we don't have to worry about fitting in with what the world deems as acceptable, because God is constantly working within us to create a new nature - A TRANSFORMATION.

Consider the butterfly for a moment - how one minute it is a simple caterpillar, crawling, inch by inch upon a treelimb, searching for a place to make a cocoon.  Once it creates this cocoon, it goes through an extremely amazing process.  This is an excerpt from http://www.squidoo.com/caterpillar-to-butterfly:

When the caterpillar is ready to shed its exoskeleton for the last time it will find a place on a stem or branch and attach itself by spinning its own silk. Most caterpillars will hang upside down but a few (Swallowtails) will attach along side of a stem and use a silk sling to hold themselves in place.

After the caterpillar is firmly attached, about 24 hours later it will wiggle like crazy and shed its exoskeleton revealing the chrysalis beneath. Although the chrysalis appears to be motionless, inside tremendous activity is taking place. The caterpillar anatomy is being chemically disassembled and reconstructed into the adult butterfly. Amazing!

In about 1-2 weeks the adult butterfly will be ready to emerge.

In like manner, I want to encourage you that our Christian transformation is a lot like that of a caterpillar to a butterfly.  We hang powerless in the balance, suffering transformations, hanging on for dear life sometimes.  This may sound gruesome at first, but when you consider that in the transformation process, some things are cut off to make room for the new to grow, it makes more sense.  God begins to sever our ties to emotions, activities and people that harm us, seperating us so that He can do a "cut and paste" operation.  He "cuts" out that which is cancerous (sinful) to "paste" in that which is holy.  This does not happen overnight, and the in between can often be painful.

Biblically, we would refer to this as the "hills and valleys".  When we are on a hill, it is part of the growth process where we feel like everything is going great - then suddenly God takes us into a valley.  These are painful areas in our lives where God begins to deal with weaknesses.  What we are going through is not a punishment - rather, it is a refining.  It exposes our shortcomings, so we can bring them to God humbly, and so He can begin a transformation in our lives.  It must first begin with repentance.  HE CANNOT CUT AWAY THAT WHICH YOU REFUSE TO LET GO OF.

Why the picture of Optimus Prime?  Who would have known that you could take a toy truck and make it into a person?  Likewise, God takes our mundane life (truck) and transforms it into something amazing (Optimus Prime) FOR HIS GLORY.  NOTE - A REBELLIOUS CHRISTIAN CANNOT GO THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION.  You can get a prescription from the doctor all day long, but until you take the medicine, you will never see improvement.  

God has prescribed some things in our lives that will birth transformation:

- REPENTANCE

- PRAYER

- WORD OF GOD

- PRAISE

These four gifts will help you.  As a side-note on the end of this message - SOMETIMES YOUR SUFFERING IS NOT FOR YOU!  Sometimes God will allow you to go through something, so that even while you are suffering, someone else is watching you praise God through your storm.  That testimony is worth far a lot to a non-believer searching for the truth.  I leave you with 2 Corinthians 1:3-6, a set of scriptures talking about God's comfort amidst suffering.

03-02-12 - Wash You, Make You Clean

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-02-12-wash-you-make-you-clean.html 

Isaiah 1:15-17 /  ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea,

when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

 ¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;

cease to do evil;

 ¹⁷Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for

the widow.

"I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW (WASH ME LORD)" by Tabernacle Choir - Detroit

Many people have discussed the issue of prayer in the Open Discussion group, telling me that they

were interested in stats, even going so far as to claim that scientists (who they also claim cannot

prove God in experiments) have proven that prayer fails.  I find this type of claim incredible (in a very

negative way), since I see prayer answered daily.  Actually, it almost appears like propaganda, but I

recall the Bible teaching that some of us can see, and some of us cannot.  Therefore, how can you

tell a blind person what sunshine looks like, or a cloudy day? 

For those who are earnestly curious about answered prayer, let's take a good look at the above

mentioned scriptures.  I am going to repost them here for discussion.

Isaiah 1:15-17 /  ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea,

when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

 ¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;

cease to do evil;
 ¹⁷Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for

the widow.

How can you expect God to hear your prayers when your hands are "full of blood"?  What is He

talking about?  Anytime that we willingly do evil, we have "blood on our hands".  

Have we lied?  Have we stolen?  Have we lusted after something or someone that is not ours?  God

exposes our faults - it is up to us to choose whether we want to continue in those faults, or grow

above those things in our lives.  

If you want genuine results in prayer, don't ask a theologist - ask a KNEE-ologist.  Someone who has

genuinely spent alone time with God.  Just as I wouldn't go to a candy store for help on getting rid of

a toothache, so I wouldn't go to a scientist to tell me how to pray (unless that scientist is also a

KNEE-ologist).  

However, God gave clear terms for getting prayers answered.  

#1 - WE MUST REPENT OF OUR WICKEDNESS!  We cannot expect God to move mountains if we

don't first allow Him to move mountains in our lives.

#2 - WE MUST COME BEFORE HIM HUMBLY!  God gives us a clue to how to pray in James 4:6 -

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace

unto the humble."

#3 - WE MUST PRAY IN FAITH!  If you don't believe, how do you expect to receive?  Take a look at a

piece of Jesus' ministry - Matthew 13:58 - "And he did not many mighty works there because of

their unbelief."  If unbelief stopped Jesus' hand then, how do you think He can move today if you

prevent Him?  James 1:6-7 /  ⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth

is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

 ⁷For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  Prayer must be backed

with belief - it is the gas that makes the car drive.  IT IS THE FAITH THAT MOVES GOD'S HEART TO

ACT UPON YOUR REQUEST.

#4 - WE MUST PRAY FERVENTLY!  Many pray one time, and then give up.  However, Jesus tells us

that we must pray fervently in Luke 18:1-7 / ¹And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that

men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

 ²Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

 ³And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine

adversary.

 ⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God,

nor regard man;

 ⁵Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she

weary me.

 ⁶And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

 ⁷And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he

bear long with them?

Even Jesus prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane before His betrayal, that He would have

strength to do what the Father had set before Him.

We can seek stats for prayer if we want, but those will change depending on who is your source.  

However, if you want to find out how to pray SUCCESSFULLY, seek those who have their prayers

answered.  They know how to pray - that is why their prayers are answered.

God bless!

03-03-12 - The Good Samaritan

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-03-12-good-samaritan.html 


Luke 10:33 - "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he

saw him, he had compassion on him..."

"TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD" by African Youth Choir SIFA

Lyrics to "TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD"

http://www.lightworkersworld.com/2010/03/together-we-can-change-the-world-song/

Let's take a look at the passage commonly referred to as "The Good Samaritan" passage...

Luke 10:25-37 / ²⁵And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master,

what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

 ²⁶He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

 ²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all

thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

 ²⁸And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

 ²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

 ³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell

among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving

him half dead.

 ³¹And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he

passed by on the other side.

 ³²And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed

by on the other side.

 ³³But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him,

he had compassion on him,

 ³⁴And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his

own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

 ³⁵And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host,

and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come

again, I will repay thee.

 ³⁶Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the

thieves?

 ³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou

likewise.

What began with someone trying to catch Jesus off guard became food for thought for millions of

people around the world.  We see in verse 25 that the man tried to tempt Jesus into saying

something foolish, but that man didn't know that Jesus, as God in the flesh, knew what the man was

thinking before he even opened his mouth!

What made this story so paramount was that Jesus chose a Samaritan for this story.  Jews and

Samaritans do not have the greatest history.  I want to quote just a bit from Bible.org about the

background for the hatred between these two:

"Later, Israel divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom, called Israel, established its capital

first at Shechem, a revered site in Jewish history, and later at the hilltop city of Samaria.

In 722 B.C. Assyria conquered Israel and took most of its people into captivity. The

invaders then brought in Gentile colonists “from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from

Sepharvaim” (2 Kin. 17:24) to resettle the land. The foreigners brought with them their

pagan idols, which the remaining Jews began to worship alongside the God of Israel (2

Kin. 17:29-41). Intermarriages also took place (Ezra 9:1-10:44; Neh. 13:23-28).

Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Judah fell to Babylon in 600 B.C. Its people, too,

were carried off into captivity. But 70 years later, a remnant of 43,000 was permitted to return

and rebuild Jerusalem. The people who now inhabited the former northern kingdom—the

Samaritans—vigorously opposed the repatriation and tried to undermine the attempt to

reestablish the nation. For their part, the full-blooded, monotheistic Jews detested the

mixed marriages and worship of their northern cousins. So walls of bitterness were

erected on both sides and did nothing but harden for the next 550 years."

It is amazing that hatred is not worried about anything more than its selfish, thoughtless reasonings.  

From a root of hatred births resentments, fears, animosities, bitterness, pride, self-righteousness....it

is a pool of negative emotions, constructed into a very strong, unmovable wall.  There is only one

thing that can topple that wall - LOVE.

In our modern-day backdrop, without some historical understanding, we don't know of the seperation

between the Jews and the Samaritans.  In America, it can best be expressed between white and

black people.  Fortunately, America has done a great job mending the racial gap, but less than a

century ago, we still were heavily segregated, and less than two centuries ago, blacks were treated

as slaves.  With this in mind, we can get a glimpse into some of the tension between the Jews and

the Samaritans.  Considering these things that were written, let's take a fresh look at John 4.

John 4:3-4 - "³He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

 ⁴And he must needs go through Samaria."

Samaria was in between Judaea and Galilee.  Jesus had to travel through an area filled with people

that Jews traditionally hold hostility to.  In my town of Louisville, there is an area of town called the

West End.  Some of the people I know talk badly about it, and refuse to go into it.  They speak of the

crime and murders that go on there, and they have a disdain for it in general.  However, there are

people who live there, and Jesus would have gladly taken the time to minister to those in need.  

John 4:5-10 / "⁵Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the

parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

 ⁶Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on

the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

 ⁷There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

 ⁸(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

 ⁹Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink

of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

 ¹⁰Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith

to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee

living water."

The woman plainly states that Jews and Samaritans will not deal with one another, yet Jesus is not

worried about these man-made barriers. He has come to redeem "the lost sheep of the house of

Israel" (Matthew 15:24).

The point can be simply made - if you are only willing to go and reach out to that which you think is

beautiful and easy, you will never be able to say you "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth"

(Revelation 14:4).  Sometimes when you are following Jesus, you will be spending time with 

"publicans and sinners" (Luke 15:1).  Sometimes you will be asking for water from a person

society has disdain for, such as the Samaritan woman in John 4.  And sometimes, you will be

reaching out to help those who traditionally hate you, as in Luke 10.

How can you say you follow Jesus wherever He goes, if you never reach out to help anyone?  Don't

you realize that Jesus went everywhere the Father led Him, preaching and praying for people?  If you

are sitting at the house and not at least praying for someone, how can you be doing the ministry that

Christ has called you to?

I am not saying every last moment must be reserved for reaching out.  We still have fun time with our

families and friends.  But remember - you are first called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to a

lost and dying world.  People are searching for truth, and they are tired of seeing a hypocritical

church that preaches against sin, and then goes out and does what they preached against.  

Sometimes there is less hypocrisy outside of the church than inside, because at least those on the

outside know that they are not perfect.  

It is time for us to get back to basics, and become the Good Samaritan.  Do good unto others - pray

for those in need - tell people about Jesus.

God Bless You!

03-04-12 - Love Your Enemies

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-04-12-love-your-enemies.html

Matthew 5:44 - "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

"JESUS LOVES ME" by Whitney Houston

Lyrics to "JESUS LOVES ME" by Whitney Houston

http://www.metrolyrics.com/jesus-loves-me-lyrics-whitney-houston.html

I just discussed this exact title less than a month ago, but I feel like God keeps coming back to it.  WE, AS CHRISTIANS, have to learn to love our enemies.  This does not mean we have to agree with them, but it does mean that we have to love them.

We have discussed the Good Samaritan yesterday.  This is a story about helping someone in need, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM.

Let's illustrate a powerful parable for a moment.  I want you to imagine the person you hate the most (if you are a Christian and someone immediately comes to mind, then we need some help in the forgiveness department!)  I know I got you a little bit on this one, but let's continue.  Your enemy has been in a bad car wreck, the engine is on fire, and you are there, and you have the ability to set your enemy free.  What do you do?

Don't think deeply about this - what is the first thing that comes to you?  If the idea of watching the vehicle explode and ridding you of your enemy crossed your mind, God still has work to do on you!  You need time on the surgery bed of prayer to get rid of the tumors of malice, hatred, vengeance, wrath...there are things within that God needs to help you through.

I encourage you - PRAY THROUGH!  If you had to run a marathon, you couldn't say you ran 10 miles and then said, "I DID IT!"  Nor 15 miles, nor 20...it is not until you take that last step that you can truly say you have finished a marathon.  In like manner, how can you say you "love your enemies" when you don't go 100% as Christ told you?

I am not telling you that you have to agree with everything they say, nor sugarcoat the truth.  Jesus rebuked people for evil thoughts, and for some he wouldn't say a word.  However - HE PRAYED FOR HIS ENEMIES ON THE CROSS.  HE DIED FOR THEM.

Remember this too - I WAS AN ENEMY OF GOD.  I used to willingly sin, regardless of God's Word.  Now, I strive to do better in life.  I used to have animosity towards people in my heart - now I strive to learn to love them more each day.  I am not perfect, but God is working on me - and He wants to work on you too.

Here is your invitation - if you were able to envision someone immediately when we discussed picturing your enemy, begin to go pray for that individual.  Your prayers may be the very thing that helps them get back on track.

God bless!

03-06-12 - Remember Them That Are In Bonds

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-06-12-remember-them-that-are-in.html 


Hebrews 13:3 / "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with

them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also

in the body."

"A SONG FOR THE SUFFERING" by Unknown

Song provided via http://www.youtube.com/user/Docattwell

Today's topic is on Christians who are persecuted for their faith.  In America, we have freedom to

worship Jesus without fear of persecution.  We should never take for granted that in other countries,

claiming Christ as your Savior can cost you your life.

I have included a video of a man in Malaysia who is threatened for serving Christ.

We should never take for granted the freedoms that we have been given in the United States - there

are many who do not get to enjoy the same privileges we do.  They hold their life in their hands with

every day that they serve Jesus.

http://www.persecutedchurch.org/ 

This link is to a website that promotes various websites related to brothers and sisters in Christ that

are persecuted for their faith.  We need to remember those who suffer daily.  Pray for your brothers

and sisters in Christ daily.

God Bless!

03-07-12 / James the Just

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-07-12-james-just.html 
 
John 7:3-5 /  ³His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that

thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

 ⁴For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known

openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

 ⁵For neither did his brethren believe in him.

 
 
Sometimes even those we love won't see eye to eye with us - how do we handle that?

"OL' SINFUL ME" written by Doug Pinson

Lyrics to "OL' SINFUL ME"

I may be drinkin', but I'm hopeful
I may be doing drugs, but I'm thankful
I know right now I'm sleeping around, 
but one day I'll be able to say that I'm free - ol' sinful me

I may be mean, but I don't mean it
I may even be unclean, but I regret it
I know right now that I'm not much,
but one day you'll think differently when you see - ol' sinful me

Why don't you give me some time?  Why don't you give me a hand?
I need a place to rest - I need a place to stand
Why don't you throw me a line, 'cause I'm drowning in this sea
It's just too much - I've had enough of ol' sinful me

I may be swearing, but I swear I hate it
I may be fighting, but I don't want it
All I want is a change of heart, 
and I know there's just one place to start, and the key - is ol' sinful me

You may not notice, but I'm watching
Everything you do and I'm hoping
That one day I'll be just like you 
I'd give everything I own just to make it true to not be - ol' sinful me

Why don't you give me some time?  Why don't you give me a hand?
I need a place to rest - I need a place to stand
Why don't you throw me a line, 'cause I'm drowning in this sea
It's just too much - I've had enough of ol' sinful me

What is this message about - who is James the Just?  He was a brother of Jesus, and he did not

believe in Him - in spite of the fact that Jesus was able to do miracles!  

How did Jesus respond to this?  We see His response to his brothers in John 7:6-10 / ⁶Then Jesus

said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
 ⁷The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof

are evil.
 ⁸Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
 ⁹When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
 ¹⁰But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but

as it were in secret.

Jesus was not mean to His brothers.  He did not back down from His way of thinking, but He did not

speak against His brothers either.

As Christians, it is our responsibility to speak the truth, which is the Word of God.  How do we

respond to those who reject us?  Do we "turn the other cheek"?  Do we strike back at them for what

they have said against us?

It doesn't defeat what you say when you don't get in the last word.  What does defeat what you say is

when you fail to live what you say.  We are commanded as Christians to love our enemies, to bless

those that curse us, to do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us

and persecute us - this comes fromMatthew 5:44.

Why did I include my song "Ol' Sinful Me" as the song for the day?  The majority of this used to be

my life - I was "Ol' Sinful Me".  If you are a Christian, and you are looking down on "Ol' Sinful Me", it

makes you no different than the Pharisee who looked down on the publican in Luke 18.  God never

called us to look down on someone in their sin.  REMEMBER - WE HAVE SIN TOO!  God is still

working with us, right?

So what ever happened to James the Just?  He later became one of Jesus' followers, and he wrote

the Book of James.  

The point?  Just because someone doesn't see eye to eye with you right now doesn't mean you have

to disdain them.  JUST PREACH THE TRUTH IN LOVE.  It is not your job to convert them - you are

only a witness to the truth.  You cannot convert anyone, even if you want to.  That is in the hands of

God.  

I leave you with one final scripture - Ephesians 4:15 - But speaking the truth in love, may grow

up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

God bless!

03-08-12 / The Apostle Paul

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-08-12-apostle-paul.html 


1 Timothy 1:12-13 / ¹²And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he

counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

 ¹³Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy,

because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

"I SAW THE LIGHT" by Hank Williams Sr.

Lyrics to "I SAW THE LIGHT" by Hank Williams Sr

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/h/hank+williams/i+saw+the+light_20064074.html

Today's scripture is talking about Paul's ministry BEFORE he became a Christian, for those who have

never studied his life.  We first read about him in the first parts of the book of Acts, around chapter 7.  

He is consenting to the death of Stephen, who was a faithful witness to Jesus.  However, you won't

find his name in that part of the Bible.  Who you will find instead is a man by the name of Saul.

We first read in Acts 7:57-58 / ⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears,

and ran upon him with one accord,

 ⁵⁸And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at

a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.  We also read in Acts 8:3-4 /  ³As for Saul, he

made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women

committed them to prison.

 ⁴Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.  And

finally, we read in Acts 9:1-2 / ¹And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against

the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

 ²And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way,

whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

So why, if we are mentioning Paul in the message, are we discussing a man by the name of Saul?  

Aren't these two different men?  As a matter of fact - NO!  They are the same man, believe it or not?  

How do we know that this is the same man?  If you follow the Bible story, you see the transformation

that happens in Paul's life (which we will cover in just a moment).  But let's look at the exact moment

when he was first called Paul.  We read inActs 13:9 / ⁹Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled

with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.  From this moment on, there is never another mention of

the name Saul when we are talking about this individual - only the name Paul.  

There are various theories behind the name change, but either way, it seems befitting to change the

name of a man who went from trying to kill the gospel of Jesus Christ to preaching the gospel of

Christ!  The word "name" also means "nature" in a Biblical sense - often, the name had a descriptive

quality that told something either prophetically or down-to-earth.  In this instance, we are not going

into name analysis.  We are simply making a point that Saul is also Paul here (not to be confused

with King Saul in the Old Testament).  

Saul believed that he was doing God's work in trying to destroy the gospel of Jesus.  Paul KNEW that

he was doing God's work in trying to preach the gospel of Jesus.  And how much so?  The Bible

mentions that God did special miracles in the ministry of Paul, such as pieces of cloth that had

touched his body still carrying the anointing of God to deliver people from sickness and demons.  We

read of this account in Acts 19:11-12.

Could God really choose a murderer of Christians to do His work?  Most certainly!  But until Saul's

eyes were opened to the truth that Jesus really was the Son of God, he could not see.  He thought he

was doing the right thing by trying to destroy Christianity, but he had a personal encounter with Jesus

that changed his life.

We read of this account in Acts 9:3-6 / ³And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and

suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

 ⁴And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest

thou me?

 ⁵And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it

is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

 ⁶And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord

said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

I could imagine the way he felt once he realized that he was wrong to do what he was doing, but he

could never take back the terrible things he had once done.  However, he willingly obeyed what God

told him to do.

Imagine - what will people think?  Those who you were working for - they will not want anything to do

with you anymore.  As a matter of fact, often they tried to have him killed.  

What about the Christians?  How will they accept that he really is saved?  At first, it was difficult for

them to trust him, but they eventually came around to the fact that he was genuine, and they

embraced him as a brother.

Paul became one of the most prolific disciples of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible, and there is one

thing that is outstanding about him.  If God can use a murderer of Christians to preach the gospel,

then anyone is fair game!  But until you are awake to God's reality, you will never know - you must

have your eyes opened to see Him!

Likewise, I had an "eye-opening" experience as a young teen that totally changed my life.  If it had

not been for God's intervention in my life, who knows where I would be?  I can definitely testify that I

have not been a saint in my life!  But God has been gracious to me - He has worked with me day by

day, and I testify not to my perfection (because I have none).  I testify to the perfection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has the power to change hearts and touch lives!


God bless!

03-09-12 - Marital Bliss

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-09-12-marital-bliss.html 
 
Ephesians 5:22 - Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave

himself for it;
Ephesians 6:1 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Ephesians 6:4 - And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the

nurture and admonition of the Lord.
 
 
 
"THE FAMILY PRAYER SONG" by Maranatha Singers

Lyrics to "THE FAMILY SONG" by the Maranatha Singers
http://www.e-chords.com/chords/morris-chapman/the-family-prayer-song-(as-for-me-and-my-house) 
 
Today's lesson is something I learned nothing of in the natural, but rather from the Bible - the lesson

about marriage.  This is a hard topic these days.  Divorces are happening left and right, marriages are experiencing a rash of wounds with no healing in sight, and all that remains are ashes of something

that originally began as a great institution.
 
The Bible teaches that when one man and one woman come together to profess their love for one

another, the LORD sanctifies their vows - they are "one flesh".  This has much to do with God - He is

One, yet He has different manifestations.  However, in the marriage, the husband and the wife now

are as one flesh in God's eyes.  There is a coming together.  


The love that the two felt for one another is a beginning of what should be a lifetime of happiness.  We

all know too well that this does not happen like that much these days.  People get married, and then

they spend the rest of their marriage discussing why they should have never gotten married.  They

fight, they cuss, they break things - is this what marriage is all about?
 
Fortunately, there are still some good examples out there!  But I don't want to discuss individual

marriages today - rather, let's discuss the Biblical concepts of marriage.  
 
FIRST - the first thing the Bible wants to establish is UNITY.  There is a Biblical pattern for leadership

in the home.  We read this in 1 Corinthians 11:3 - But I would have you know, that the head of

every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 

Here is the pattern we see - it begins with the Father, and proceeds downward to Christ.  From Him,

it goes to the man, and from there, it goes to the woman.  
 
This is one of the scriptures that many men who like to push around their wives in the name of God

will abuse.  They will say, "I'm the HEAD of this house, and that's final!"  But God never called us to

browbeat our spouses.  He called us to a godly leadership.  NOTICE - ONE OF THE MOST

IMPORTANT PARTS OF BEING A LEADER IS BEING ABLE TO LISTEN.  God is interested in

establishing a chain of authority, but if you notice, both the woman and the man are subject to Christ,

who is ALWAYS subject to the Father.  If the husband is not acting like Christ, how can we say that

he is accurately obeying this scripture?

In like manner, a woman cannot seek to control her husband.  This is a format for a Christian home,

but in like manner, we even see in nature that the man is designed to be the leader.  In today's

society, it seems to not be this way - but God established a proper chain of order THAT WORKS!

SECOND - God wants to establish COMPASSION for one another.  Let's go back to Ephesians 5 for

just a moment.  Let's take a look at verses 25-28:

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

 ²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

 ²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any

such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 ²⁸So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth

himself.

Many women have no problem being under a man that is compassionate and understanding.  That is

the type of leadership they crave!  They don't want a sissy for a man, but they don't want an abuser

either!  They want someone who loves them enough to step up and be the man of the house IN

LOVE.  

In the scripture we mentioned, the husband has an awesome responsibility.  He has to love his wife

AS HIS OWN BODY!  He has to love her AS IF SHE WAS A LITERAL PART OF HIM!  But what if

she has made him mad?  It doesn't matter - he needs to forgive her, pray for her, discuss with her,

and then the two will be able to operate together as one.  

As for the wives?  We read from scripture in Ephesians 5:22-24 / ²²Wives, submit yourselves unto

your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

 ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he

is the saviour of the body.

 ²⁴Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands

in every thing.  

As I mentioned earlier, most women have no problem being under a man that treats them with

respect and honor.  As a matter of fact, in many ways, that is a turn-on to them.  It makes them feel

safe, respected and loved.  REMEMBER MEN - IT IS YOUR JOB TO LOVE YOUR WIVES!

There are many things we could discuss that God wants to establish in the marriage home, such as

surrender to Jesus, prayer, etc.  However, this is a great start to learning about establishing a godly

home.  

Now, to finish up - what about the children?  We see scripture for edification in Ephesians 6:1-4 / 

¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

 ²Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

 ³That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

 ⁴And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and

admonition of the Lord.

God does not want the parents abusing their children, but rather teaching them the truth in love.  This

does not mean that there will not be discipline along the way - IT MEANS THAT EVEN THE

DISCIPLINE MUST BE DONE IN LOVE.  A child would much rather listen to an understanding,

compassionate parent than someone who abuses them.  Children need parental interaction and

compassion.  LOVE IS THE STRONGEST THING YOU CAN TEACH YOUR CHILDREN.

I know this is such a short span to try to cover something so broad, but it begins an understanding of

the Biblical concept of marital bliss.  The formulas that the Bible provides will help give you wisdom to

begin to apply these building blocks in your marriage, and with a lot of prayer and forgiveness, a

home can come together as one again!

God bless!

03-10-12 - Recanting on my Faith

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-10-12-recanting-on-my-faith.html 
 
Philemon 1:10-11 / ¹⁰I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my

bonds:

 ¹¹Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

 

"SOFTLY AND TENDERLY" by Johnny Cash
 

Lyrics to "SOFTLY AND TENDERLY" by Johnny Cash
http://www.metrolyrics.com/softly-and-tenderly-lyrics-johnny-cash.html 
 
Oh, how I remember like it was yesterday....

"Things change."

Those words came off of my lips, and I began to hear some laughter - ten minutes later, I was high -

again.

What happened here?  Well, let's go back a bit, shall we?

I was in high school at the Hill School.  I may have been in 11th grade, not 100% sure.  I was going

through a rough spiritual battle - a part of me just wanted to give up on being a Christian, yet there

still was a tug of war on my soul to make the right choice.  I had so much anger on the inside that I

never knew how to deal with - so many unresolved issues in my life.  

Let's go back a bit farther, for those who know a little about my testimony.  I received the Holy Spirit

a few years back, around 8th grade.  For a short period of my life, things were great!  It was like being

on a cloud - life was something brand new.  But, over time, the "brand new" wasn't so new anymore,

and those old problems were still there (I didn't realize I still had to overcome them).  Chalk it up to

frustration, desire to do the old thing, my love for heavy metal music...who knows exactly what all

was going on.

Or, as I mentioned, the intense emotional turmoil that went on inside - maybe that was part of it.  I

never tried to show anyone what I was going through - I didn't feel like I was allowed to do such a

thing.  I did visit a psychologist on the school premises about once a week who told me she was

amazed I was doing as well as I was.

I mean, let's take a look on the outside - I got "Joe Hill" at the end of 12th grade!  That award is given

to the student that makes the best out of their time at the Hill!  What was I doing?  Well, in 12th

grade, I took Calculus AB, Advanced US History, English 4 AP, Physics, Philosophy Symposium

(optional class taken on Sunday nights that was awesome!), Glee Club (plus Hilltones all male a

cappella choir), and more.  I cannot remember every class I took right now.  I also played cross

country in the fall, wrestling in the winter and track and field in the spring.  I was part of 2 music

groups on campus - Raki Shaki and the Sunshine Band (reggae) and Numinis (Kid-Rock meets Korn

style heavy metal).  I was also part of Hill Christian Fellowship (which I kind of didn't want to be part

of - didn't feel worthy).  

Honestly?  That still doesn't sum it all up.  I made the most of every opportunity I was afforded while I

was there.  Who would have known all the turmoil that was going on inside?

Let's flash back one year to 10th grade.  I met a great friend (who got kicked out of school pretty

quickly - cannot remember why right now) who was from Virginia.  I went to stay at his house during

one of the fall vacations.  At this time, I really still was holding strong in my faith, but I wasn't mean to

those who weren't Christian.  I remember going to a party with him and his family that night.  They

snuck into the whiskey (I had been able to quit once already by then), but I politely refused to drink

with them.  I remember my friend and his brother both getting pretty drunk at the party!  As a matter

of fact, I even remember my friend trying to ride a horse he had never rode, and almost getting

trampled in the process!

Anyway - on the way home, his father began to lecture the boys for drinking.  There was just one

problem - he was drunk too.  This didn't make sense to me, and so I later got an opportunity to give a

message at the chapel on a Tuesday.  The school is Episcopal-based, and we would meet on

Tuesdays (if memory serves me correctly) and a student would give a message.   It didn't have to be

a Christian message - just something they wanted to convey to the congregation of students.

I gave a message on the father being drunk and jumping on his children for being drunk.  You could

tell this was not a typical message.  Most of the time, people weren't really listening - but this time,

they were.  This hit home.  We all have been through this type of hypocrisy - those who are guilty

pointing a finger at us.  

Now fast forward a year later.  There I am, in a cloud of darkness, just wanting to get stoned.  My

friend had the weed, but I normally kept my desires in check.

"Hey, wanna get high?"

Guess I finally couldn't resist - my desires got the best of me.

"Tell me - what happened to that message you preached a year ago?"

Friend, I am here to tell you that that was the first words that came out of his mouth.  He

remembered a message from A YEAR AGO...

"Things change..."

He smiled a bit, let out a little laugh, and we went into his room to get high.  
 
Let's stop here for one second before we continue...one year later, and those words still struck home

to him.  A message that had such an impact - what was I doing to live up to the words I preached?  I

was slipping away from my faith.
 
If anyone believes in a devil, I am here to tell you that I was talking to him too about the time.  

Sounds crazy for you who don't believe in God, but I heard him tell me that if I abandoned my faith

and I followed him, he would make a way for me in the music.  It sounded good, and so I began to

search out this path.  I even began to study a bit about Satanism.  I learned that it isn't just a bunch

of people cutting off chicken's heads (although there are definitely some such rituals when you get

into it.  I learned one of the mottos of Satanism - Do unto others as they do unto you.  What a slight

twist on an old familiar friend.

It wasn't long until I got hooked up with a music producer in Philly (this was right after graduation in

12th grade).  One of the guys was named Eric Bazillian - he used to be in a pretty popular group

called the Hooters back in the 80's.  You may not recognize him or his band, but he helped with one

of the most popular music songs back when, "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper.  He also helped to

write a Song of the Year, "What If God Was One Of Us" by Joan Osbourne.  

Here is an interesting sidenote before we continue the message.  He wrote that song while hearing

the singer from Crash Test Dummies in his head.  He flew in the singer from that group and had him

demo the song.  I remember his voice on those words as if it were yesterday!  And there was another

song that he had called "Prayers of Dogs" - he was working trying to find the right chords.  As soon

as I heard it, I heard a different chord pattern in my head.  He walked out to grab a Coke (ie to give

me a chance to test my wheels), and he came back hearing my idea and was blown away!  We took

the new chord ideas and made something that really should have been on the radio.

What happened?  The main guy I was working with (not Bazillian) took me on a car ride.  He saw my

talent in writing songs (they were even stealing ideas I had while I was in the studio for their songs!),

but he also knew my band was inexperienced - and he wanted to get me alone.  So, we took a car

ride.  He said, "Listen - I know Guns N Roses drummer (the 2nd drummer), and I know Stone Temple

Pilots lead singer.  I can get you the contacts you need."  He began to tell me about coke, about

having lots of prostitutes any time I wanted...this was my dream.  Getting a chance to get my music

out there.  I really didn't care as much about the drugs or the women - I wanted my music to get out

there.

But - I didn't want to throw my band away either.  I cared about my band members - they were my

friends.  I denied his offer.  Within two days, he told me my stuff sucked and to hit the road.  My

music sucked so bad that he had given me free studio time for weeks, when they normally charged

other $100/hr - yeah, it sucked all right!  :-)

I was crushed.  But I knew God was tugging on my life.  I was at a bad crossroads, and I needed to

get back on track.  Trust me - it was years later that I was finally able to start getting back on track

spiritually.  I had to quit making a god out of the music.  I had to quit making a god out of my

problems.  I had to quit making a god out of trying to make something out of my life.  I had to give my

life back to God - and in due season, God rescued me from myself.

I am not proud of my past, but I will tell you that those experiences have shaped me and molded me.  

I cannot tell you I am perfect - I am not.  But I do serve a risen Lord, Jesus Christ, who is perfect.  

God kept His promise to me that He would preserve me even if I made my bed in hell.  Trust me, I

was there.  I even remember asking God to send me there for just a moment when I was younger just

so I could experience it.  Boy, was dumb prayers we pray sometimes!  :-P

What is this message about?  It is saying that you may be at a place in life where you have turned

your back on God.  I have been there.  Like Onesimus in the book of Philemon, you may have walked

away from the faith for a moment.  Like the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, you may have taken all the

LORD has given you and swindled it for drugs, sex and temporary happiness, and now you have

nothing to show.  

But God is able to restore what the devil has stolen from your life.  He wants to begin by restoring the

joy that has been stolen - the empty place that you constantly seek to fill, but never seem to be able

to.  Why is that empty spot there in your heart?  It is because that is a place that only God can fill.  

Nothing else in this world can fill it - it was never designed to be filled with booze and sex, nor with

loud music and partying.  

Trust me friend, you are never too far away for God to help lead you back home.  If you, like me, have

recanted on your faith and you feel like you are not worthy - you are correct.  None of us is worthy, if

you really come down to it.  But it has nothing to do with us being worthy - it has to do with Jesus

Christ, who loved you so much that He paid the penalty for your sins in your place.  History records

it, not just in the Bible, but also in other accounts, of Jesus' passion and death.  He died because He

loves you, and He wants to spend eternity with you.

I leave you with one final verse.  If God is tugging at your heart, COME HOME.  You don't have to be

perfect - only willing.  Just set your eyes on Jesus, and He will show you the way back home.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever

believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God bless!

03-11-12 / Going On Unto Perfection

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/job-18-8-and-lord-said-unto-satan-hast.html 


Job 1:8 - ⁸And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is

none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and

escheweth evil?

"I WANT THAT MOUNTAIN" Traditional Hymn

Lyrics to "I WANT THAT MOUNTAIN"

http://www.bensonsound.com/lyrics/1410.htm

Today's lesson is about perfection.  Now, we all know that not one of us is perfect.  Not at God's

level, at least.  So how can God speak of Job being perfect to Satan?

This is where it comes down to what level you are in God.  Our relationship with God is kind of like

climbing a mountain.  When you first start, you are at the foot of the mountain, looking up.  The climb

looks extremely high!  Consider what it would be like to stand at the base of Mount Everest and look

up to towards the top.  You would probably feel as if it was going up and up for forever, with no end.  

So, in the beginning, you are travelling the first hundred feet or so up the base, and you realize, "Hey,

this isn't so bad after all!"  They always say the first step is the worst step.  And so, you travel an

additional 100 feet, and so forth and so on.

I cannot say those numbers are accurate - they may be different for every climber.  For a beginner,

100 feet may be a long haul.  For a seasoned pro, 100 feet may be nothing more than a warmup!

But so it is in God - we are climbing up Mount Zion spiritually!  The thing is, with God, going up that

mountain involves both hills and valleys.  When you first begin in God, you begin a "mountain"

experience, and this is often a strong one too!  Just as when you first fall in love with someone, you

feel so overwhelmed with emotion for that person, so in God, you begin on a "spiritual honeymoon",

as it were.  It won't be long before you hit your first valley - this is a period of testing and trials.  This

doesn't mean that you have lost your salvation - it simply means that God is giving you an opportunity

to spread your spiritual wings and learn to fly with the eagles.

After your first valley, you come back to a new mountain experience with God - a little higher up this

time!  This is a time of refreshing, just as the first mountain experience was.  God allows you to get a

breather before you go through your next set of trials.  REMEMBER - THESE TRIALS ARE NOT

DESIGNED TO KILL YOU.  THEY ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU STRONGER!  These trials are

cutting away at the old man, the flesh man, and beginning to make room for the new man, the Christ-

man, who lives within us.

And this pattern continues as we walk with God.  Mountain, valley, mountain, valley, etc.  Is there

ever any progress?  Most certainly - our walk with God is kind of like this:

Now, take that picture and tilt it 45 degrees, so that one end of the wave is lower than the other.  

What you will find, when you do that, is that the low points at one end of the page are higher than the

high points at the beginning of the page.

That is the way it is in God - eventually your valleys become higher than the first mountains you

experienced!  You become more seasoned with God.  

Jesus gave an interesting scripture in Luke 3:5 - Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain

and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways

shall be made smooth;  God eventually wants you to come to a place in Him where, no matter if

you are on a mountain or in a valley, there is peace in your soul.  Remember that old song "I Got

Peace Like A River"?  That peace extends from the throne of God and flows, like water, into our

souls.  The more you get this peace where you are not shaken by mountain nor by valley

experiences, you will become more in unity with God.  You cannot say you are one with Him if you

boast during the high times and cuss during the low ones!  God is still working on you!

Don't let that get you discouraged...it just shows that there is some more work to do in your life.  But

what does all of this have to do with Job being perfect?  Well, getting back to that - Job was at a type

of mountain experience, so to say.  He had lots of children, property, and good health.  Up until the

first test, He had done very well - so well that God dubbed it "perfect".  We must remember that

doesn't mean Job was the spitting image of perfection!  That means that, up to that level, Job was

complete.  He was in obedience to the Father to the full level of his spiritual understanding.  He

prayed for his children, he gave advice to those in need, he said Hi to people - he was genuinely a

good guy.  

He had a massive valley experience later - two attacks from Satan in a short period of time that

snatched basically everything he owned, as well as his health being attacked.  His rattled his faith to

the core, and he complained that he wished he had never been born.  God was proving that Job still

had more growing to do - God wanted to take Job to the next level!

YOU CAN NEVER JUDGE PERFECTION BASED ON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES!  There may be

people who make it to Heaven who will be much wealthier than you who may have had nothing here

on Earth.  Why?  They didn't look upon earthly treasure - they sought after the heavenly treasure,

which is through Jesus Christ.  The things of this earth cannot compare with what God has laid up in

store for us.  Until we begin to reach forth for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, we

will never really understand what this means.

Today, I encourage you - whether you are in a mountain or a valley, use that circumstance to help

you grow closer to God.  During your mountain moments, begin to praise His name!  During your

valley moments, begin to praise His name!  This consistent act of obedience will begin to wash away

the vanities that control your life and emotions, will make you a stronger person...and will make you

"perfect"!

God bless!

03-12-12 - Whose Feet They Hurt With Fetters

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-12-12-whose-feet-they-hurt-with.html 

^{Psalm 105:17-19}

¹⁷He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

¹⁸Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

¹⁹Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

"GO DOWN MOSES" by Harlem Gospel Singers

Lyrics to "GO DOWN MOSES"

http://www.music-lyrics-gospel.com/gospel_music_lyrics/go_down_moses_586.asp

Sometimes circumstances don't seem fair!  You wake up one morning on the wrong side of the bed,

step on the cat's tail trying to get up to get your morning coffee, and you almost slip on the floor

because the dog missed the pee pad!  Every light on the way to work is a red light, and someone cut

you off in traffic and gave you the bird!  10 voicemails flashing at work, and one of them is the boss

lecturing you about something you don't even remember...

Okay, maybe this is an extreme example of a bad morning!  But we all have experienced pieces of

this type of day, and sometimes the whole shebang.  Even sometimes, it is worse than this - what is

a Christian to do when times get tough?

Yesterday we talking about going up to perfection.  One of the keys of being "perfect", or complete, is

being able to withstand emotional roller-coasters due to circumstance.  What does that mean in plain

English?  It means we don't get bent out of shape when things don't go our way.

One of the greatest examples we can learn from in the Bible is Joseph.  He was promised as a child

through dreams from the Lord that God would favor him, and it made his brothers jealous.  They sold

him into slavery - but he never gave up on the Lord!  Later a woman accused him of trying to sleep

with her, and he was locked in prison - but he never gave up on the Lord!  

As Psalm 105 so accurately states, "...the word of the LORD tried him".  He was tested to see what

he was made of - if he would give up on God in his adverse circumstances.  He did not give up, and

he did get to see his dreams come to pass many years later.

I encourage you to read the story of Joseph as you have time.  Begin in Genesis 37, and read until

Genesis 50.  It is a very moving story of a man who kept God's promise in his heart, not letting his circumstances dictate his level of faith.  I encourage you today - KEEP ON KEEPING ON!  Just

because you may have woke up in a bad mood does not mean that God cannot move.  Praise God,

and get the victory over that mood, and defeat it in Jesus' name!

God bless!

03-13-12 - Tithe In Circumstance, Not According To Circumstance

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-13-12-tithe-in-circumstance-not.html 


Habakkuk 3:17-19 / ¹⁷Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the

vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be

cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

 ¹⁸Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

 ¹⁹The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make

me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

"PRAISE THE LORD WHO HEALS" based on Psalm 147

(Bukas Palad Live at the North Shore Center)

Lyrics to "PRAISE THE LORD WHO HEALS" 

PRAISE THE LORD WHO HEALS (Psalm 147)

Refrain
Praise, praise the Lord Who heals the broken-hearted.
Praise, praise the Lord our God, Who heals the heart full of woe.

1
Give thanks for God is gracious.
Sing out and lift your praise.
The Lord rebuilds all nations
and gathers those astray.

2
The Lord consoles the grieving
and heals their bitter pain.
The stars in night sky shining:
the Lord calls each by name.

3
Great is our God Almighty.
God's wisdom knows no bounds.
The Lord sustains the lowly
and casts the wicked out.

Today's lesson is based on a lesson taught at the Baptist church we visited on Sunday - "Taking

Pleasure In The Lord VS. Taking Pleasure in Circumstances".  The above-mentioned quote was

where he based his message, and the majority of the message was taught out of the book of

Habakkuk.  If you read that book, it begins with a prophet who questions God with questions such as

those found in Habakkuk 1:3 - "Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold

grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and

contention."

Okay - that's a lot of eloquent English!  Let's use a more modern translation for a comparison of what Habakkuk's question was for God.  We are going to use the New International Reader's Version at the

same scripture - "Why do you make me watch while people treat others so unfairly?  Why do

you put up with the wrong things they are doing?  I have to look at death.  People are

harming others.  They are arguing and fighting all the time. "

Habakkuk had quite a cry and a plea for righteousness for God.  As we progress through the book,

we see that he concludes it with one statement: in the midst of God's judgments upon a wicked

people, he would still praise God for His righteousness.  He knew that the same God that wounded

was the same God that would bind up the wounds.  He knew that the same God that disciplined was

the same God that restored what had been taken.

So what does this have to do with "termites"?  Of course, the funny picture at the top of the message

is a play on the widow and the two mites, a story which can be found in Mark 12:41-44.  But what I

want to talk about is what God impressed on my spirit at the end of his message - we are to give to

the Lord IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE, not ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCE.  

What does this mean?  It means that many Christians (and people in general) are willing to give when

the money is flowing in freely, but when times get tough, they refuse to give their tithe to God.  For

those of you who don't know, the Bible commands Christians to give 10% of their gross income into

the ministry.  This does not even count the offerings that a Christian should be willing to give.

Some may say that it is ridiculous for a Christian to have to give money, but I will testify to you that

before I began giving tithes, I lived penny to penny ALWAYS.  When I got back on track with God and

began giving tithes, I had more money afterwards than I did before.  God always made up the

difference, and He has always continued to do so, even to this day.  

This lesson is not just on tithing - I am not going into a big Biblical discussion of why we give 10% to

the Lord.  What I am saying is that THE OBEDIENT HEART WILL NOT JUST BE WILLING TO GIVE

MONEY TO BLESS THE LORD - THEY WILL GIVE FREELY OF ALL THINGS THEY POSSESS.  

This includes their time, for instance.  Do you give your time to help those in need?  

What are things you can do for the Lord?  REMEMBER - JESUS GAVE HIS ALL FOR YOU!  Why

can you not trust God to give Him even 10% of what He has blessed you with?  Think - that 10% may

do some good for you, but it can do a lot more good for someone who is totally without.  And even

more - according to His promise in Malachi 3, if you choose to give to the LORD, you give Him an

opportunity to prove to you how many blessings He can pour down upon your life!  

Today I encourage you - don't give just when things are good.  Be willing to do good at ALL TIMES!  

The Lord will see the sacrifices you have made, and you will be duly rewarded.

I leave you with Matthew 25:23 - "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and

faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will

make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy

lord."

God bless!

Good stuff. Keep it up, bro.

Thank you Loyal!

03-14-12 - Featured Testimony: William Rogers

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-14-12-featured-testimony-william.html

John 4:34-36 /  ³⁴Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to

finish his work.

 ³⁵Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you,

Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

 ³⁶And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he

that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

 

"BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES" Traditional Hymn

Sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford

Lyrics to "BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES"

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Bringing_in_the_Sheaves/ 

Today, I want to feature a testimony of one of our fellow labourers in Christ - my friend William Rogers.  He is known on chess.com as bulletheadbilly, and he is one of the admins of Common Ground Chess Chapel, a group on chess.com that focuses on interdenominational fellowship within the Body of Christ.

"Hello everybody, I wanted to write a small testimony of my life and Christian faith, to break the ice and help encourage others to do so also.  We all, who are saved, have a testimony to tell.  Your testimony will help people who are like you, and my testimony helps knuckleheads like me.

I feel a testimony is somewhat similar to being baptized in the faith, for it is an outward proclamation, to the world, that you are saved, and how Jesus revealed Himself to you.  Now one testimony may not sway someone to believe, but 20-30 of them will get their attention, and that's not to mention, the power of the Holy Spirit. 

I was born in 1963, and was never really religious until I started getting into trouble and went to the County Boys Ranch, when I was 13 years old.  It was then that I asked Jesus into my heart, and soon after was baptized.  It was the Morgan Hill CA Assemblies of God Church, that all this happened at.  I am still to this day an AOG, Assemblies of God, Follower.  But, that was far from the last of my troubles and tribulations.  

I spent almost every high school credit locked up as a kid.  I have 13 credits out of 230 needed to graduate, from the streets.  I also graduated a year early, because there is no summer break in Juvenille Hall, the Boys Ranch, or the California Youth Authority, which is a prison for youths.  I spent 13 months at CYA, but as an adult, I have been blessed not to wind up in prison. 

I am a walking testimony of the power of Jesus, and He has come through for me so many times that I feel, I would be a top candidate, for the King of the Hypocritical Hill.  I thank the Lord for dieing for my sins.

I still go to Assembly of God churches.  I like that they are Charismatic (Gifts of the Holy Spirit).  I think everybody should get plugged into a local church.  One to your own liking, and one when you leave on Sunday, you feel well fed spiritually.  Bounce around like a Pack Rat, Until you find the Church, Where you're packed to the gills, with spiritual food. 

I also feel that volunteering for church needs is a basic element for giving back your time, to the one that gives you the air that you breathe.  I know from personal experience with Christians, that a lot of Christians, feel unworthy, to serve in any demeanor at church.  That is a very real feeling, that most of us feel that do serve.  It is also a very healthy feeling spiritually, and one that the Almight embraces.  Example:

Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

   ¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

   ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It's a long hard road, for some Christians like me.  I think that is why the Road is Narrow and few make it on that road.  Because we all have our own personal walk with Jesus.  

God Bless Everybody...WJR..."

03-15-12 / Worthy To Suffer Shame

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-15-12-worthy-to-suffer-shame.html 



Acts 5:40-42 / ⁴⁰And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten

them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

 ⁴¹And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted

worthy to suffer shame for his name.

 ⁴²And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus

Christ.

 

"BROKEN BREAD AND POURED OUT WINE" Worship Song

I mentioned this scripture yesterday on GodTalk on Facebook, but felt impressed to discuss it in one

of our lessons.  It is something we do not embrace - the humiliation, the suffering and the

contradiction.  We cannot explain our faith to those who refuse to believe - all we can do is be a

witness.  So the question is - DO WE EMBRACE THE SUFFERING WITH THANKFULNESS OR RESENTMENT?

If we embrace it with resentment, we have not yet allowed Christ to birth within us the joy of testifying

to His name.  Often we are afraid to tell others about Jesus, because we don't want to hurt their

feelings, or make them mad at us.  We know that there will be people who will turn away from us.  

They will begin to think we are weird or ignorant.  They will say evil things about us because they do

not understand us.

There is an excellent scripture we will review in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 /  ²⁴And the servant of the Lord

must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

 ²⁵In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give

them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

 ²⁶And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive

by him at his will.  Paul is teaching Timothy that people oppose themselves, yet they do not realize

it.  Knowing this, it is important that we do not strike back at those who strike at our faith.

One of the biggest things Christians must realize is that those who most adamantly make a stand

against Christianity are those who are afraid of it.  They will not admit this, but if they considered it

harmless, they would let it be.  They consider Christianity harmful, and therefore they strike out at it,

not understanding what they are truly striking at.

On a personal note, I have testified to many who have refused the gospel, who consider themselves

"truth seekers", yet I was amazed at how much they embraced the concept of skepticism and doubt,

rather than exploration of what is truth.  However, it is not in my hands, because just as Paul taught

Timothy, these men and women oppose themselves, and they are taken captive to the will of the

devil - AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT!

I will say it again - those who strike against your faith, they do not know what manner of spirit they

are of.  It is not for you to return the favor.  The Bible teaches that God is the ultimate judge, and that

we must put the final say in His hands.  What is our part?  We are to pray for our enemies.  We are

to love those that hate us.  We are to testify to the glory of God, even if it isn't popular.  There is a

dying world that needs to hear the gospel, and for every person that refuses to listen, there will be

another who is sincerely hungry for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today I encourage you - be strong in the Lord!  There are many men and women who counted their

lives as worth nothing without being a witness for Jesus, and they gladly gave their lives as a

testimony to their faith.  I leave you with this scripture - consider that you cannot have both this world

and salvation.

Luke 17:33 / Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his

life shall preserve it.

God bless!

03-16-12 / Featured Testimony - Roy Vandermeere

http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/03/03-16-12-featured-testimony-roy.html 
 
Matthew 25:23 - ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful

servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over

many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

"JESUS REAL LOUD" by Ray Boltz (w/ Dance Skit)

Lyrics to "JESUS REAL LOUD"
http://www.lyricstime.com/ray-boltz-jesus-real-loud-lyrics.html

Today, I want to feature a testimony from my friend Roy Vandermeere (also known as rvandermeere2000 on chess.com).  He is the Head Chaplain for the Common

Ground Chess Chapel group on Chess.com - here is his testimony:

For those of you who don't know me, I am Roy VanDerMeere. I found the Lord when I was

very young but like most people as we grow up we rebel and I left God to the rest of the

world and I went my own way but about 10 years ago I went back to God and I joined a

Baptist church but I got lost in the crowd so it was shortly after I stopped going to church

and then I met someone while I was playing chess online at chess.com and we got to talking

and he asked me if I would be interested in starting a christian chess group where people

of all faiths can come together and find a common ground when talking about our Lord

Jesus christ and the father God. So I opened my heart and mind and waited for the holy

Spirit to talk to me and it did and to this day I have been running the group and just in the

past year I have become the groups Chaplain and I also do a weekly post on God and the

world that we live in today.I never thought that I would be doing this but God gives me

everything I need to carry out his work. God has blessed me with good brothers and sister

like BirdBrain and his wife and family. May God bless you all and always remember that

God loves you. 


I want to continue to encourage you, as fellow believers, to not be afraid to spread the

gospel of Jesus Christ!  Just as my fellow brother in Christ Roy has answered the call

to spread the gospel, let everyone of us also be willing to answer that same call!  Use

the gifts that the Lord has given you to minister to your fellow brothers and sisters in

Christ, and never be afraid to testify for Jesus!  Your testimony may be the very thing

that touches someone's heart.

God bless!