Let him lead

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Romans 8:6‭-‬8 NLT
Ever felt like there was no pleasing some folk? Ever felt like no matter what you do they will just never be happy? I mean you can pull out all the stops and even go the extra mile that you never thought you would, all to get this person’s attention, to let them know your doing all you can to please them? Some of us have done that for a family member. Some for a friend. And some of us have tried to make that relationship work that just was not in God’s plan anyway. We sometimes allow other people to control us and we don’t even know it. I know I know, there is nobody controlling me Rev. B. Well not entirely true because truth is we all ha e been there. Spending money we didn’t ha e. Wasting gas to travel. Being places we normally or shouldnt be. Even doing things for and with people we know we have no business doing.

HERE IT IS…

Let go… that’s it. That’s the answer because we will continually and constantly mess things up using pur own thoughts. Let the spirit take control of your thoughts and your mind and lead you. We always like to try and tell people, I got it. When in fact you s houldnt. We all should be able to allow God to lead and guide us in the direction we should go. Doing it your way will not ever please God. Allowing him to lead you is like being on auto pilot and letting him take you over all the mess to your next destination. 

Adjustment

All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ”

John 3:20‭-‬21 NLT
When I wake up in the morning my eyes seem to adjust quickly when I turn the light on. It hurts for a moment but then after that initial shock I am fine. My wife on the other hand, needs at least 5-10 mins before the light comes on. Even when it does come on the it still takes her a moment to adjust to the light. When the light comes on it causes sensitivity to the eyes because the eyes have been closed and in darkness for so long that the light becomes brighter than before. The same light that we see day in and day out often times creates pain for us for a second because we were so used to darkness for the moment.
HERE IT IS…
When you have been doing wrong for so long, it’s hard to flip that switch to do good. It seems like it’s more work to do good than it was not to. The truth of the matter is that if we choose to do good and stick to it the light, the ability to do it becomes easier. 

Is it hard to keep doing it? 

Yes. 

Is it hard not to give someone a piece of your mind when they come off wrong? 

Yes. 

Is it hard not to get revenge on someone that hurt you? Yes. 

However, the only way to get used to the light of the world and do good is to practice it over and over. Ask yourself, what affect will this have? What pain will it cause if I lose it right now? What will I gain to do this? It takes time to get adjusted to the light but when you do, it feels good.

Discernment

Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.

Psalms 119:125 NLT
Discern;

a :  to detect with the eyes discerned a figure approaching through the fog : 

 to detect with senses other than vision discerned a strange odor
The second definition describes our spiritual senses. To detect with senses other than vision, is a broad statement especially using the word senses there. This implies that we are using our senses that are connected to our physical bodies. It tells us that we use our sense of smell, touch, taste, feeling. What if we were so connected to God, and our ears were so close to his mouth that we were able to hear, listen and trust his voice? When things arise we are able to immediately refer back to his word to be able to know which decision to make. Where we can be able to know without saying a word about things that approach us and come to us to recognize our direction.
HERE IT IS…
The writer ask that God gives him discernment to understand God’s laws. What he is asking, what we all should ask, is that we become so in tune with God that we know his word, his presence, and his direction. When it’s there. We have to be careful that we don’t become so self righteous and prideful that we think we know everything and end up cutting God out the equation. Ask God for his discernment and wisdom to be able to know understand and obey his laws. 

Rest

I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.

Psalms 119:147‭-‬148 NLT
I cannot stand when I am soooo tired and cannot go to sleep. When your eyes are heavy and your body is weary but your mind is racing. You have so much on your mind and can’t figure out how to clear your mind. The moment you think you are about to go to sleep your mind hears or thinks of something. It’s hard to get rest when your worried about something. Your mind won’t let you rest. Your mind won’t stop moving enough for you to close your eyes. You try t.v. you try soft music, counting sheep. I just won’t work.
HERE IT IS…
The bible says to meditate on his word day and night. Sometimes the stuff that’s keeping you up at night may not be the right stuff. The stuff that’s got your mind racing is not the stuff that should be in your mind at night. I know what your thinking. How can I get rest and meditate at the same time? His word has to be in you. The word brings you peace and passes all understanding. Your late nights should be filled with praise not worry. 

Never dies

The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:8 NLT

When we lived back in Illinois my mother planted some flowers in our front yard right around our front door. This was the first time I seen my mother get down and dig in dirt and take such good care of planting these flowers. She always had a green thumb and could care for plants to make them grow. I don’t know anything about plants at the time and didn’t realize that she planted year around plants. So I thought that she was the greatest when I saw these things grow. After the winter they came back and bloomed just like she just planted. 

HERE IT IS…

When the winter comes the flowers fade wither and die. Even though they are designed to bloom back again, they still end up dying. So in the coldest time and the time where it would seem to still hold on it can’t with stand the coldest days and has to die in order to bloom again. But thank God for Jesus that we do not have to worry about a seasonal God. We have a God that is with us through it all. Even when it feels like he is not there he is. Even when it feels cold he holds us. Even when we feel alone he is there. Even though my mother was a great gardener she could not resurrect the flowers in the winter. Trust God because his love and his word never fails.

Follow the leader

Those who follow the right path fear the Lord ; those who take the wrong path despise him.

Proverbs 14:2 NLT
Remember the game follow the leader? The object of the game was to do what the person in front of you did. Depending on the actual amount of people that you have the motion can be quite different if your the last person. By the time the last person gets to perform it it may not be right. Just as we played follow the leader then, it’s the same now. You have to be careful who you follow because by the time you receive what your supposed to do it looks, feels, and sounds different. It tells us here that when we follow God we fear him. We don’t want to have God tell us to do something and then we do something different. Bible teaches us that our steps are ordered by God. This means that he has already planned out what you should be doing. Will you make a mistake? Yes! Will you miss a step? Sometimes! We have to make sire that we follow his lead where ever we go.
HERE IT IS…
Proverbs is not talking about missing a step or 2 or 55. What it is letting us know is that we can not become so proud and become so conceited that we turn away from his path completely. We all have come short of the glory of God, however we must find out way back to the path of righteousness. Don’t feel that you can handle this on your own and don’t need anyone to help you. That is when we have taken God’s plan for our life out of the equation. Follow his plan, follow his word, follow his voice.  Hold on to God’s unchanging hand. 

Missing something

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:3 NLT
Missing something? Is there something that your missing in your life you feel or think you need? What is it that you have been asking God for that he hasn’t allowed you to obtain? Is this what God has for you or just something you see that will fit your life? Questions we all should ask ourselves when it comes to looking at the things we want or need in our life. Those things we feel will make us a better person. Based on what merit? Truth of the matter is we have all we need to have and lead a successful life as followers of Christ. It would be nice to have other things, material things, be better when it comes to our attitudes, and thoughts. We already have all we need.
HERE IT IS…
It’s by God’s power that we have these things. The very first thing that’s said to us in this scripture is that by God’s divine power we have all we need. How do I get it if I’m missing something? Well it’s by knowing who he is. Getting to know Jesus bestows on us the very ability to live a complete and happy Christian life. We have to come to know who he is to be able to receive what he gives us. Think about what was going on before you met him, and think about what you have now. It’s all in knowing where your power comes from. My help comes from the Lord. Knowing Christ is what propels you higher, all because he has all that you need. 

Wilderness CPR

I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land.

Hosea 13:5 NLT
Wilderness or desert, these 2 words are what brings to mind the things and issues the children of God had to go through. These things let you know just how hard it was for them. It shows you just what they had to go through. We often think of a dry and Barron place. No water, heat, no food and most of all no shelter or trees. It seems to be a place that we all can think of in our life. Where we just felt like God was not with us. We felt like we were uncovered, and we felt that we had to survive on the bare minimum. Ever felt like God had you in a place where you you were struggling to the point that everything you did had to be held on to to save it, and ration it out?
HERE IT IS.. 
The Hebrew word for wilderness or desert is midbar, which shares the root word diber which means, holy of holies. So just when you think your in a Barron wasteland. You think that your left out by yourself. You think that you are uncovered. That’s the very place where we meet God. Your wilderness is not your dying place, but it is in fact the place where you receive spiritual CPR. This is the place you receive Christs promise of Restoration. You receive your CPR in your wilderness. You receive healing in the wilderness, you receive his love in the wilderness, you receive all that you could ask or think in your wilderness. 

Running, why?

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

Psalms 139:7 NLT
I have tried multiple times to get away from some things. I have escaped crazy women. I have escaped danger. I have escaped from being shot. I have escaped being arrested. I have TRIED to escape this call that I have on my life to preach, didn’t work. But I have escaped a lot of things, but never, not never have I escaped from God. I can remember asking my dad about how you know your called to preach, he simply said without cracking a smile, RUN. He went on to say that if allowed to get away then I know. Well as fast as my little feet could carry me I ran. Physically I am fast, physically I could maneuver out of things. Spiritually when God has his hands on you no matter where you try to go he has you. 
HERE IT IS…
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

Psalms 139:8 NLT
The fact is that no matter what you try, no matter where you go or do, he is there. Drinking, won’t work. Smoking, wont do it. Sex won’t make it go away. Your life has been ordered by God and his hands won’t let you go. This is one battle you won’t win ,I don’t know what call your running from, but God said he will never leave you nor forsake you. So when your deciding to run, your trying to escape. Remember that your going to meet God where ever you go. So instead of running away from him, try and run to him and see the difference it makes in your life. 

Do right

He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

Romans 2:7 NLT
Sounds good right? This scripture shows the love of God if we just obey him. It shows how faithful he is to us and how much he loves us. It says as long as we continue to seek for his glory and honor. That’s what we have to do. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added onto you. Matthew 6:33. But why is it that we don’t talk about what happens if we don’t. We, at times, make God out to be this parent that will give you what you want even of you mess up. Truth of the matter is that God does give consequences and punishment.
HERE IT IS…
 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.

Romans 2:8 NLT
But if you refuse to serve the Lord , then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord .”

Joshua 24:15 NLT
Who will you live for?