“IMPLANTED WORD!”

James 1:19-21                               (ESV)

“19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the “IMPLANTED WORD”, which is able to save your souls.”

These days it seems that there is an unlimited number of items vying for our attention.  The enemy is doing everything he can to get our focus on anything except JESUS, for HE is the ONLY ANSWER to this world’s chaotic problems!  Even (and sometimes ESPECIALLY) when we are trying to get alone with GOD, the enemy will bombard our minds with a number of worldly distractions to break the fellowship we have with our Heavenly Father.   Satan can’t compete with the peace and joy that comes from ABOVE, so he attempts to keep us so busy with things he deceives us into believing that are important to our existence?  

Only by having the “IMPLANTED WORD” stored up in our hearts and minds do we have a prayer of living for THE LORD.  Psalms 119:11 says “I have stored up YOUR Word in my heart, that I might not sin against YOU.”  John 1:14 says “...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us....”.  Since JESUS is the WORD, shouldn’t we readily understand that the “IMPLANTED WORD” can save our souls???  

Do you recognize why the enemy tries to keep us so busy now?  The clutter and noise of “this world” is just one of the tools satan uses to prevent us from celebrating WHO we need to be Worshipping!  The “IMPLANTED WORD” will NOT return void (Isaiah 55:21), so the enemy wants to prevent us from seeking the “IMPLANTED WORD”.  

Even though I am “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) and fail HIM daily, my prayer is that the “IMPLANTED WORD” will spring forth from my life and JESUS will be made famous!  

“THE HEART OF MAN!”

1 Corinthians 2:9-10                    (ESV)

“9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor “THE HEART OF MAN” imagined, what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM"- 

10 these things GOD has revealed to us through the SPIRIT. For the SPIRIT searches everything, even the depths of GOD.”

The Apostle Paul, in my opinion, was one of the most anointed writers during the times he sojourned on this earth.  His writings were inspired by the Holy Spirit and continue to be used by ALMIGHTY GOD to transform lives today.   So when he writes “THE HEART OF MAN” cannot imagine, to me that infers that human minds aren’t capable of putting into words the things GOD has prepared for we who love HIM?

When I see people grieving because loved ones have gone on to their eternal reward, the thought of 2 Corinthians 5:8 (Absent from the body, present with the LORD) comes to my mind and their loved one praising JESUS around the throne of GOD!  I know when my mother went to Heaven, I was very emotional for a week or so, then It was revealed to me that she was in pain no longer and “THE HEART OF MAN” could not fathom the joy she was experiencing!  Why would I be sad about that???

No, I said many times I wouldn’t wish my mother back to “this world” and all of its troubles for anything!!  Not when she has been where “THE HEART OF MAN” cannot describe.  When will I accept that THE WORD OF GOD is as factual as the air we breathe?  If it says “THE HEART OF MAN” has not imagined what GOD has prepared for us, then believe it!!!

“SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES!”

Acts 9:16-19                                  (ESV)

“16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

18 And immediately something like “SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES”, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.”

There is MUCH discussion these days about why we don’t see miracles like they did in Biblical times?  After all, GOD hasn’t lost any of HIS Power, has HE?  I am of the belief that many times we see someone with an amazing recovery from a serious condition and we attribute it to medicine, or worse, luck!!!  

It is my belief that every time we inhale oxygen and our bodies mix that oxygen into our bloodstream, a miracle is happening. How else can LIFE be explained?  You can give me all kinds of scientific details and explanations, but then you have to explain why some never draw a breath after their last?  

Most are aware of the Brain Hemorrhage I experienced in 2007.  My medical records from September 25, 2007 in part says, “Patient sustained a massive Hemorrhagic Stroke on July 09.  He was in the ICU for over a month and on the ventilator for much of that time..........He had right sided hemiplegia.  However, he has had an remarkable recovery THAT COULD ONLY BE DEFINED AS A MIRACLE FROM GOD!”   My doctors did an amazing job, but this doctor gave credit where it was due!  He RECOGNIZED where the miracle came from and I’m certainly grateful he did.  

A couple of years ago, a 20 year old friend had his aorta rupture at his home.  He was rushed to the hospital and transferred to a big city hospital. Surgery was performed and he is alive today!  Another 17 year old friend came home from a workout a few months ago and complained of a migraine headache.  When her parents (health care professionals) ascertained how sick she was, they rushed her to the hospital and emergency surgery was performed to fix the Aneurysm in her brain!  Without a doubt, both of these patients are miracles from GOD, and those close to their situations RECOGNIZE that!  

Miracles happen every day, multiple times a day!  Being able to SEE them, I believe, is a gift from GOD that not everyone can experience.   In the scripture above, the “SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES” and Saul could see again, when previously he was blinded!  The determining factor was GOD’s timing!  There have been many times when I have been looking at a situation, yet I couldn’t SEE the issue that needed to be dealt with.   It is my belief that GOD causes the “SCALES FELL FROM OUR EYES” exactly when HE will receive glory and honor for our remedial actions?  

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to be ready to be used by YOU to minister to needs that YOU reveal to me, when YOU reveal them to me!  I pray the “SCALES FELL FROM MY EYES” and I will be a testimony for YOU!!!

“THE TREE!”

Genesis 2:15-17                            (ESV)

“15 The LORD GOD took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

16 And the LORD GOD commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

17 but of “THE TREE” of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."”

Having heard these verses from my childhood, I have never “tilled” this ground much, always assuming that man’s disobedience was what should be focused on??  But this morning ALMIGHTY GOD is causing me to look through a different lens as I consider what Adam was offered, and tempted with, by the enemy so long ago.  

GOD “commanded” that man (at the time it was only Adam) abstain from partaking of “THE TREE” of knowledge of good and evil.  HE wanted us to “live by FAITH” (Hebrews 11:6) and TRUST in HIM!   Of course, Adam (and Eve) chose to disobey their Creator (as we most assuredly would have done) and mankind has been living in a fallen state since.   

As previously mentioned, Hebrews 11:6 says “....Without FAITH, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please GOD....”.   Our lack of FAITH displays itself in the way our lives are lived out and the paths we often find ourselves on.   Isn’t it amazing how we were “commanded” to avoid “THE TREE” of knowledge of good and evil, and JESUS has to be suspended on “THE TREE” to redeem our Souls on Calvary?  And the only way we can be redeemed IS STILL FAITH IN HIM????

There are MANY things that this person does not have the answers to, and I am not ashamed to admit it!  But I TRUST in the ONE WHO does have the answers and I am so glad HE paid the price to redeem me on “THE TREE” that wonderful day!  

“NOT BY SIGHT!”

2 Corinthians 5:6-9                                    (ESV)

“6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the LORD,

7 for we walk by faith, “NOT BY SIGHT”.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the LORD.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please HIM.”

Even though we live in “this world”, we don’t have to assimilate to its mandates and principles.  Usually because we REFUSE to BELIEVE (FAITH), we sometimes CHOOSE to abide by the rules of “this world” to attain what we can physically see, instead of the blessings GOD has available to us.  Most of the time we are moving at such a fast pace (to keep up with “this world”) that we don’t/won’t wait for THE LORD to bless us with HIS BLESSINGS!!!

However, sometimes “circumstances” dictate that we have to walk by faith, and “NOT BY SIGHT”!  It seems like the first forty six years of my life I lived by running as fast as I could as long as I had the resources to keep the train on its tracks.  But when GOD decided to make me “pause”, HE didn’t leave me any options.  I couldn’t buy/spend my way out of this condition.  I couldn’t negotiate a better outcome.  GOD placed me into a drug-induced coma for seventeen days, and I had absolutely no input into the decision making process!  

On July 29, 2007 doctors determined that it was time to bring me out of the coma.  Again, no one consulted me before the decision was made.  I was TOTALLY and COMPLETELY at the mercy of someone else!  The darkest valley of my life had been overcome and I most definitely made it “NOT BY SIGHT”!  I made it with as little contribution as I can remember ever having in my entire life.  

Have I learned anything about waiting on THE LORD since?  WALKING BY FAITH is not for the weak in SPIRIT, nor the Spiritually immature.  Most of us want to RUN BY SIGHT and hope and pray that ALMIGHTY GOD directs us down the correct path.  Scripture REQUIRES us to WALK BY FAITH, “NOT BY SIGHT” and TRUST GOD with the results!  FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to WALK BY FAITH, “NOT BY SIGHT” knowing that YOU could lead me to the Red Sea, but YOU will get glory over my adversary if that is what YOU choose!  Just because I can’t SEE a way out shouldn’t make a difference, because I WALK BY FAITH, “NOT BY SIGHT!!!”

“YOU MEANT EVIL!”

Genesis 50:15-21                          (ESV)

“15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and PAY US BACK FOR ALL THE EVIL THAT WE DID TO HIM."

16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died:

17 'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the GOD of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."

19 But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of GOD?

20 As for you, “YOU MEANT EVIL” against me, but GOD meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

There have been many times that I have been done wrong by people who I felt really loved me.  Why did they treat me so badly when the opportunity presented itself to them?  Could they not have been more thoughtful and considerate?  Why didn’t they see what they were doing to me?  

Nobody ever had a better case for revenge than Joseph!  His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery because of GOD’s Plan.  They were going to kill him, (Genesis 37:20) but decided to sell him to foreigners as a slave.  So Joseph went from being a favorite child to a slave all because his brothers were jealous!  And their reasoning was purely self-motivation!!

Probably, if I had been in Joseph’s position, I would have devised a scheme to get even with my brothers, or at least remind them of how much paid and suffering they had caused me.  But Joseph knew that GOD had a Plan and he was simply a tool to glorify GOD!  His “pride” would have to be put aside and GOD would have to be Glorified!!

When his brothers “saw” they had been “found out”, they figured they would have to explain themselves.   But Joseph said “As for you, “YOU MEANT EVIL” against me, but GOD meant it for good”!  Joseph could now SEE that the evil his brothers had performed only led to GOD ALMIGHTY being Glorified in the end!  Sometimes we have to experience “bad times” so GOD can be Glorified!  HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to SEE that my pride isn’t as important as YOU being Glorified, even when “YOU MEANT EVIL” happens to me!!!

“GOOD TREASURE!”

Luke 6:43-45                                              (ESV)

“43 "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,

44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.

45 The good person out of the “GOOD TREASURE” of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Formerly my speech was very harsh at times, maybe even considered mean spirited.  In my younger years, my main goal was to get a laugh out of people, and it didn’t matter who I had to offend.  It became more important to be “the star of the show” than to BE KIND to others around me.  Thankfully, ALMIGHTY GOD wasn’t finished with me, and HE continues to refine me to become more like HIM.

Insecurity and low self confidence were the largest tools used by the enemy to cause me to act as I did.  As I matured and allowed GOD to change my actions, HE has made me to realize that I am not meant to be funny all of the time.  When HE digs down deep inside me, I pray HE finds “GOOD TREASURE” that brings glory and honor to HIS Name!  

While it’s true that HE has A LOT of work remaining to shape me into a vessel HE can be Glorified in, HE hasn’t given up on me and continues refining me.  HE has a lot of weeds to pull from my garden, but I pray HE will find “GOOD TREASURE” every now and then that HE will be Glorified in!!!