The End is Greater than the Beginning....

Not long ago, one of my good friends lost his father after a prolonged illness. Although I did not know this man on a personal level, I was listening to my friend tell about his father to me. He explained that the man was a good father, BUT he recounted to me of the man's avoidance in walking with God altogether.

For years, the man dealt with issues of unworthiness of God's love and mercy in his life, and he never made any move towards a life of service towards God for years!
But as the man's illness began to incapacitate him, he realized his need for God in the short remainder of his life. As the days passed, the man grew weaker physically and the years of life not serving God had seemingly caught up to him. To a casual observer, one could think that God had forsaken this man and his final days. But during a family prayer on the man's death bed, he began to repent of the sin in his life and asked God, who it seemed had deserted him, for the saving power of the Holy Ghost to fill him. And God DID! He had already been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ earlier in life and was filled with the Holy Ghost a few short days before he passed on from this life. This life transitioned into another that will be filled with the endless day with the Creator, Savior, and Friend, Jesus Christ!

"You see..." my friend explained, "...during most of his life it seemed to never make sense to him. He could never find the joy that the Holy Ghost could bring him because he always tried to find it in a bottle or somewhere else. But when he realized he came as far as he could go on his strength, he turned to God!"
And while he said these things to me, I thought..."his end was greater than his beginning!"

Notice however, the only caveat is that the end will be greater only with Jesus Christ at the center of one's life can they truly embrace this promise! I've often thought if only everyone could realize the same golden opportunity that is available to has to make their "End greater than their Beginning!"

In the Bible, Job said that a man that is born of women is "few days and full of trouble". I guess that covers everybody, huh? We are trouble, and in trouble, and cause trouble...BUT God is not, nor shall He ever be, confounded by trouble! Moses, David, Job, and Peter all experienced inadequacy and failure during their life and ministry...i.e TROUBLE. Their failures could have defined them forever...but you see, their ending was greater than their beginning!
       
** Moses, after killing the Egyptian, went to the back side of a desert, heard the call of God at the      Burning Bush, and became the leader God chose to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt!
**David, a poor, unregarded shepherd boy not even validated by his own father, was anointed to be king over the nation of Israel, failed with Bathseba, became known as one of the greatest kings in Israel's history and was instrumental in preparing for the Temple of Solomon to be built...by who else? Solomon...David's son!
**Job, who lost it ALL, endured physical affliction and anguish from his wife and peers, and was faithful throughout for God to bless him double and greater from his previous losses!
**Peter, who knew what it was like to hear and see the Master minister to the needy and unsaved, knew what it was like to hear the voice of God, denied his walk with Jesus! Through it all....through later repentance and remorse, became the mouthpiece to trumpet the Message of Salvation to the history of the World!

All of these experienced and could tell you today that their End was Greater than their Beginnings!!!

Whether we want to believe it or not, every soul will spend eternity somewhere. Heaven should be our destination focal point! A life free from the addictions to the flesh and sin can be anyone that desires that change towards God! Why not go about making the right decision and change your spiritual destiny...let God change your direction!

You too, regardless of your spiritual level or vantage point, can experience this great opportunity! All you have to do is give it to Jesus, surrender your life to Him, obey Acts 2:38...and watch God make your endings better than your beginnings!

The Good that comes from your Storm!!

It's tornado season in Indiana and with it a great potential for devastation can happen! Storms and their wake have impacted our great nation over the last few years as well (Hurricane Katrina). Although the damage of a storm can be considerable, there is always something positive that comes from storm!?! I know, crazy as it sounds...it is TRUE!

It was inspiring that many across the nation united to help those in need...many left their homes and their jobs for the purpose of giving aid and comfort to the displaced residents in New Orleans a few years back. But the underlying messages that I received from this was that Hurricane Katrina 1) exposed weaknesses in the levee that needed strengthening; 2) woke up the need for better application of aid and response for the future storm; and 3) reminded us once again to appreciate what we do have and that we are not alone before our storm, in our storm, and after our storm!

May I say equally that spiritual Storms determine a lot within our lives. Let us be clear at the outset of what spiritual parallel that storms are in our lives….

Storms equate as trials, sufferings, hard times, low times, weak times, trying times, failures, thorns in the flesh, lack of faith, and/or physical – emotional – mental pain!

However, storms don't just reveal things about us, but what is in us!!!

The Bible refers to Paul , regarding his personal “storm” in 2Co 12:7-10 – “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Looking at these scriptures, I can see that there is something good that comes from our storms!!! Paul noticed that his storm didn't cripple him, but gave him strength through the storm! We must remind ourselves that when we are going through a storm, the things that make up our weaknesses are going to change us into something better!

But the problem is NOT THE STORM!!! But it is how we respond to it! We need to change our perspective about Storms!!! In fact, I want to tell you that Storms are Good!!! Obviously not when they are happening, BUT WHAT COMES FROM THEM!!!
BTW...let me just tell you, you’re crazy if you think I am telling you to embrace the Storm and all the negative wake it brings...!!! What I am telling you is to embrace the strength within your storm and the testimony it brings!!!

Hey listen, there are Biblical examples of what I am talking about...I am telling you that there is good that comes from your storms! There are 4 times that tempests/storms are experienced that directly relate to the people of God! (Not talking about rain, but storms!)

THE 4 C’S OF STORMS...

1) CORRECTED: (Jonah 1:11-15, 2:1) Jonah was CORRECTED from his course. We look down on Jonah, but we do the same thing in our relationship with God! It's all about what we want, and not about His will for our life! It is human nature when we lean to our strength and will! We are willful in our desires. Israel has had troubles throughout their history to even today because they consistently strayed from what the Will of God is for the nation! We are the spiritual Israel, we too want to do our own thing! And the consequences are always a warning to change or face judgment! Let's be honest...whenever there is storm trouble in our life, it’s probably because we need a course correction!

2) CONFIRMED: (Matt 14:22-32) Peter was CONFIRMED in his belief that Jesus was the Master of every situation when he called him to walk on the water! Watch this......By stepping out of his comfort zone, Peter’s ability in his walk was changed from ordinary to the extraordinary!!! Did you hear me? His faith and trust was confirmed in such a way that Jesus allowed him to have power over the water! The very thing that threatened to drown him!

3) COMFORTED: (Mark 4:35-41) Disciples were COMFORTED that through their Storm, Jesus was still on the boat! The Storms came, and the Disciples do what we tend to do, they fretted more about the Storms rather than who was on the boat! I find it very curious that the Bible does not record Jesus ever doing the mundane like sleeping except at this place in scripture! He never wasted an ounce of time, so why was He asleep? Why? Think that maybe the fishermen were saying, we got this! We’re fishermen! We can handle this and you can be here when we need you or when we get to our destination!?! We want you on the ship but we can drive it! Interesting that they relegated the Master to the bottom of the boat! But despite all of that, even though they put him on the back burner...Jesus was still present on their boat through their Storm!
When the storm was raging, they knew they couldn’t help themselves and when they got themselves into trouble, they woke Him up! In other words, they empowered Him to move on their behalf! I'm sure they weren't timid or quiet about it either!! IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STORM…WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS WAKE HIM UP IN YOUR LIFE!!

4) CONVINCED: (Acts 27:10-11, 14-15, 21-25, 31, 44) Paul was CONVINCED by an Angel to “FEAR NOT…” during the most fierce storm in his life! We need to understand that there is a God who is concerned with us!

I'm not sure that I can tell you about the why's and the how's so much as to who is in control of them! It is important that we look to Jesus in these trying times and not to our own strength! What comes from our storms is that we have strength in our weakness and we have a testimony at the end that... God is able! We have to be prepared for what we will face in our storms, but we must realize that we can make it through.

Our actions and response will determine what we do during the storm, and what will come from it....to illustrate what I am saying...consider the sad outcome of the recent accident of the NFL players. Though these men had sufficient physical power and ability in any other area of their life, when the storm came, they were helpless to the waves. Just having knowledge of a storm and its potential effects would not be enough.

But the message in this sad story was that their anchor got anchored in the wrong place, and when the storm, wind, and waves came, their ship was turned over.

Their anchor was anchored in the wrong place...

Friend, we need to anchor our anchor into the right place...it is found in the House of God, in Acts chapter 2, verse 38. There is good that comes from your storms, but only if you are anchored in the ROCK, Jesus Christ!!!

The Atmosphere that God Moves In. Part 2

THE SHOWDOWN…

It was a day of dryness in the land of Israel at this time, a place where previously lush crops of wheat and barley grew a few years earlier, but now was only dirt! There were no water reserves, because no rain had come for 3 long years! The punishment of no rain came by the mouth of Elijah due to Israel’s king Ahab and his wicked and idolatrous ways! And as no rain did not come and the land began to dry up, God led Elijah to the brook Cherewith to protect him from Ahab's wrath, God sustained him by Elijah being fed by ravens. Finally, after the time had passed, God said “Its time you reveal yourself to the King”

I believe that it is exactly what God is commanding his people to do today! The Bible says in Joel 2:16, “Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.”
I believe in the day of trouble, it is time that we reveal and not be ashamed of who we are! In an environment of dryness and deadness, the time of God’s people is now! We should understand at the time of our unveiling is really the time when we are needed the most!

And when Elijah finally came in contact with Ahab...(after dealing with a sell-out pseudo-Christian...), Elijah challenged Ahab at Mount Carmel by telling him to offer a sacrifice to his god and Elijah would then offer to his God! It was a challenge regarding who was responsible for the current drought and who was the REAL God of Israel! He said we will know who the REAL God is, by how He responds...the "God that answers by fire"!

I've always wondered, if they were suffering from a drought, why didn't Elijah say “the God that answereth by water"? as opposed to fire? If I am in a drought, I'd want water, not more heat!

Well, this what I come up with...I believe if He would’ve answered by water, it would only have placated them until the next watering! But with fire, the impureness of sin and their unbelief can be burned out of them! In other words, water would’ve helped their flesh get stronger but from what I know of scripture… Fire purifies! Most times when fire was sent, it was to consume a sacrifice (repentance)! Therefore, water would’ve appeased the flesh, BUT the fire purified the spirit!!!

3 THINGS ELIJAH DID TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE …

A) Elijah…1) REPAIRED THE EXISTING ALTAR WITH 12 STONES THAT REPRESENTED THE 12 TRIBES.
(I Kings 18:30-32) “And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. (31) And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: (32) And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD:

The ALTAR is a place in the OT used for offering a sacrifice to God to cover sin! May I say to you, The power of Repentance is still as strong as it has been for centuries! The Blood of Jesus is able to cover the sins of mankind! 2Pe 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

When Elijah built the altar, it was very significant! BUT, when he used the representational stones, he was intimating to them that he was not about to introduce any new religion, but to revive the faith and worship of their fathers' God, and reduce them to their first love, their first works.

Elijah…2) INCORPORATED WATER AND PREPARED THE SACRIFICE (REPENTANCE)…
(32) “…and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. (33) And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. (34) And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. (35) And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. Some say that he used the water to eliminate any thought of fraud before the fire came! He could’ve used another way to prove not fraudulent, but whatever the case, WATER WAS USED AFTER THE SACRIFICE WAS DONE!!!

Finally, Elijah…3) BEGAN TO SEEK GOD!!!
(36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

If we desire to draw closer to God, we should be wanting to create an atmosphere in our life that God can move in. If we do this, God will surely minister to our needs, strengthen our resolve, and uplift our faith in the time of trouble! How we do we do this?

Do what Elijah did and... 1) Make an Altar in our Life, 2) Incorporate Repentance in our Life on a Daily Basis and apply the Name of Jesus through Water Baptism, and 3) Begin to Seek God and Watch what He will do in your Life within the proper atmosphere!!! He will fill you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire!!!

The Atmosphere that God Moves In. Part 1

There are many variables that influences our day! But in my opinion, there is no greater influence than atmosphere or more specifically, how it can affect us.

Let's be honest...one of the first things we do, unconsciously, is that we check the weather to see what kind of temperature or cumulation we will face! And what we hear directly affects how we will dress, how we will travel... how we will drive our car (fast or slow) according to the atmosphere and what route we will take!

And yes, I will admit too that it affects our overall mood towards that day and its schedules!(ouch!)

Isn't it interesting to think about that we can create a certain kind of atmosphere in our everyday circumstances also? For example, if we are having a party, we can create an atmosphere of fun by getting a cake, balloons, party hats and streamers, etc...so that we have the proper atmosphere of fun! (if you don't do this, your parties may not be too fun...I'm just saying...) The same holds true for a wedding...

Or how about the performance of our jobs by cutting out unnecessary distractions at the workplace...Creating the right atmosphere...

Or the overall effectiveness of exercise can be won or lost by what shoes you wear or your overall seriousness to exercise...Creating the right atmosphere...

Or if we are trying to diet, we should eliminate all the twinkies that we have hidden in our cabinets so that we can eliminate the temptations! Creating the right atmosphere...

Such it is in the Spirit, atmospheric conditions within the realm of the Spirit affect us and influence us by what we dress (holiness), how we travel (Godly Service), our spiritual speed to our destination (Spiritual barriers), and it affects how we treat each other (Unity)!!!

May I say to you that WE can affect our spiritual atmosphere!!! Positively AND Negatively!

What is atmosphere specifically? Webster’s define atmosphere as “The weather or climate at some place;” He describes it further as “A particular environment or surrounding influence”
Now understand, we know that when a particular atmospheric or environmental conditions is present, life can begin, flourish, and grow!

I realize that is not very deep concept for some of us…we know that if there is no water or sunshine, a plant cannot sustain itself! BUT NOTICE... (These are only the right conditions, but this isn’t atmosphere conditions by themselves! Just because it rains one day and has sun for one day, makes it the exception and not the rule! In other words, it isn't considered atmospheric!) I mean, DUH, right?!?

Recently, I felt like God was talking to me about spiritual atmospheres, and what happens when we learn to create and dictate atmosphere! So I looked into the word of God…

THERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES THAT ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE THAT GOD THINKS ATMOSPHERE HOLDS IN THE LIVES OF HUMANITY...

First... GEN 1:1-2 : "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

See that!?! God created the heaven (an atmosphere)…then… the Spirit of God moved!!!
Let’s be clear, if we want God to move in our lives, we must learn to create an atmosphere FIRST BEFORE God can be able to MOVE IN!?!

Secondly... GEN. 1; 6-8: - "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. (7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. (8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And from verses GEN. 1:11-30: God made the seed and plant life on the 3rd Creative Day; sea creatures and the fowl on the 5th Creative Day; then, He created animals and Man on the 6th Creative Day!

ALL that life that God created, He did from just committing to make an atmosphere that He could move in!

IF WE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT GOD CAN MOVE IN, GOD CAN MOVE AND HE CAN BRING LIFE!!!!!!!

So I ask you, isn't it worth creating an atmosphere within your life that God can move on your situation and bring life to the deadness within your life???

If you don't have God moving in your life, may I submit to you that you need to create an atmosphere that God can be loosed in your life and how you do that is get connected to the House of God! Secondly, you need repent of your sins and have the Name of Jesus applied to your life in Baptism. And finally, let God fill you with His Spirit...and watch the God move and bring Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Part 2-Next Week)