They That wait,,,

"Go on waiting calmly, my brothers, till the coming of the Lord, like the farmer waiting for the good fruit of the earth till the early and late rains have come." James 5;7

 

 

 

 

A husband and wife walk into a crowded restaurant on a busy Saturday night. As they approach and make it thru the main foyer they are greeted by a hostess whom asks them there name and the number of people in their party. The husband says 'Jones' and it will be two of us; he continues to say 'tonight is our anniversary and this is my wife's favorite place to eat'. A few minutes go by and the crowd in the waiting area begins to thicken as more and more couples and families arrive. Moments later the hostess calls back a couple that arrived awhile after the husband and wife. The wife asked her husband did you see that. I could have sworn that we were here before them. About ten minutes later the hostess returns assuring them that it won't be much longer before they are seated, but in the process she calls another party of two back that and had arrived at the restaurant after them as well. Now the wife is extremely bothered by this and once again ask the husband did he noticed. Not wanting to add fuel to the fire he kind of shrugs it off and tells his wife this is our night so let's not let anything get to us or upset us. "I am waiting for the Lord, my soul is waiting for Him, and my hope is in His Word." Psalms 130:5

 

Finally, and just before the wife is about to explode the hostess comes to seat them. The wife tells her it's about time, because I know we were here before those other people; I didn't think we would ever get seated. As they are walking to be seated they look and see the first couple that was seated before them. They were sitting in a table for two next to the kitchen area which seemed to be rather loud and annoying. Remember this was a very busy night so you can imagine the traffic coming in and out of that area from the waiters and staff. As they proceeded to make their way through the dining area they spotted the other couple that was called before them. The lady was looking uncomfortable as she briskly rubbed her arms up and down in an attempt to warm herself. Her and her husband had been seated by a window, and the chill from the glass and outside elements seemed to be taking a toll on them and the seats they were in. "When I was waiting quietly for the Lord, His heart was turned to me, and He gave ear to my cry." Psalms 40:1

 

Finally they made it to their table. It was in a nice cozy area of the restaurant. It was warm, away from the loudness of the bar and waiting area, not close to the kitchen and defiantly not by the cold window. As the hostess handed them their menus she apologized, explaining that they did not get seated as soon as she would have liked, because she was waiting to prepare a special place for them. 'A special place where they could enjoy the night but also have a little privacy. They wife had to laugh 'feeling a tad bit foolish' in a way at how her impatience almost caused her to miss out on a grand evening or how looking at others being called to the front line before her doesn't not always mean you are being skipped over or being placed last. Sometimes it means where you're going takes more preparation.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Deac. J Jones

I Have Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

 [1] Of David.

37:1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. [2]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord [3] shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree. [4]
36 But he passed away, [5] and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

WORDS of WISDOM

When 'Helping' Is Hurting
Whoever says to the guilty, 'You are innocent,' others will curse... (Proverbs 24:24 NIV)
Ever lied to protect the reputation of someone you love? Or covered up for them? Or rushed in to 'help' without being asked? We're not talking about acts of compassion where help is genuinely needed, we're talking about 'enabling,' which is a destructive kind of helping. It's natural to want to protect a loved one from the painful consequences of their actions. But by letting them off the hook you end up feeling angry and victimized because you did something you didn't want to do; something that wasn't your responsibility.
The Bible says it's a mistake to say to the guilty, 'You are innocent.' By continually rescuing them you lengthen the valley they must go through in order to come out whole on the other side. Paul said, '… Wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?' (Romans 7:24 NIV). Sometimes people have to reach the 'wretched' stage before they acknowledge their need, just like the prodigal hit bottom before he got serious about his sin problem. And his father let it happen. It's called tough love for a reason! 'When [the prodigal son] came to his senses, he said '…here I am starving to death! I will… go back to my father and say… I have sinned''' (Luke 15:17-18 NIV). By crossing the line between caring and caretaking, you hurt the person you're trying to help by implying they can't handle the truth or learn their lesson. So back off, and place your loved one into God's hands. He loves them even more than you do. (~The Vine, Bob Gass)





What's Your Dream? (Part 1)
He dreamed still another dream... (Genesis 37:9 NKJV)
When it comes to dreams, Joseph teaches us two important principles:
1) Keep your dream alive! The story's told of a couple who loved mushrooms and bought several pounds of them from a roadside vendor. They made mushroom omelettes, mushroom salad, mushroom soup, and even concocted a mushroom dessert. Their cat gobbled up the leftover mushrooms. Later the lady went into her kitchen and found the cat lying on the floor, gasping for breath. She immediately phoned the vet who said they'd probably gotten some poisoned toadstools and advised they go to the hospital. After having their stomachs pumped the couple came home expecting to see their cat lying lifeless on the floor. Instead the cat was in the corner with a brand new litter of kittens. What they thought were death pains were just birth pains! When it seems that your dream is gasping its last breath, keep believing God; you're closer to giving birth than you've ever been.
2) Dream again, only bigger! Joseph dreamed a second dream, an even bigger one! '"… This time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me…' (Genesis 37:9 NKJV). If you've abandoned your dream because of discouragement, rise up and reclaim it. If you've already fulfilled it, ask God for a bigger one. You say, 'But the challenge looks too big for me.' It's not too big for God, you'll never out-dream Him. In His Word He asks, 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?…' (Genesis 18:14). You may die with your dream on the drawing board or under construction or left to be completed by another, but you must seek God and dream again! (~The Vine, Bob Gass)

What's Your Dream? (Part 2)
The butler and the baker of the king... had a dream... (Genesis 40:5 NKJV)
When you have a dream:
1) You must cultivate the companionship of other dreamers. By interpreting the dreams of the butler and the baker, Joseph was introduced to Pharaoh, who also had a dream, one that changed Joseph's life. So build relationships with people who also have a dream, who strengthen your faith and shape you into the right person. '… Iron sharpens iron… so a man sharpens… his friend' (Proverbs 27:17 NKJV).
2) You must be both forgetful and fruitful. Your willingness to forgive and forget sets you free from the past; your willingness to try something new opens the door to the future. '…Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,' (Philippians 3:13 NKJV). 'Forgetting' and 'reaching' call for sequential action: forget, then reach! What you refuse to get over, you'll live under. What you refuse to forget, you'll drag like a ball and chain through life. 'But I've tried to forget and I can't.' God will help you! 'Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: 'For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house.' And the name of the second he called Ephraim: '…For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction,' (Genesis 41:51-52 NKJV). Note the words 'God has caused.' God can help you to get over it and move on. 'Does that mean I won't be able to recall the event?' No, that's amnesia. It means you won't want to recall it. God will give you the ability to reframe it, glean wisdom, and become successful because of it. (~The Vine, Bob Gass)

WHO’s Bad

 

 

I surely want everyday I live to be B. A. D.

 
 

While shopping   at a local Wal-Mart, a woman spotted a man with an acronym on his shirt that had
B.A.D.  Being the person that she was (curious), she stopped the man and asked, "What does
B.A.D. Stand for?"   And trust me; you'll be amazed at what his response was. He replied
B.A.D. stands for: "Blessed And Delivered".   That thought stuck with her as she finished doing her shopping that day. So she came up with a little advice for you today.  

1. When the enemy tries to attack you, be
B.A.D.    
2.. When things don't seem to be going right on your job, be
B.A.D.  
3. When things are not looking good in your marriage, be
B.A.D.    
4. When folks scandalize your name, just be
B.A.D. 

 
 

Get with somebody who you know that you can be
B.A.D. With!!!  

May God Bless You And Have A
B.A.D.  Day!  

Any person that can kneel before God can stand before anything.  

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU SHARED THIS WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE A B. A. D. DAY!!!!

WELL, WELL, WELL

Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version)

The Parable of the Talents

 ²³"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!

 

Well done my good and faithful servant is one of those bible verses that have always stood out to me.

As a silly kid always joking around and getting a laugh out of everything, I can remember when I first heard that verse. The first thing came to my mind was STEAK.

I was thinking why make a bible verse just to show us how the Lord likes his steak. Then my smile turned to a frown when I was told no

It's not steak that he wants well done. IT'S HIS SERVANTS. I was baffled,,, thinking He wants us well done,,& this is the same God that took

Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego from the fiery furnace!!! LOL

 

After reading the Parable of the Talents and some pondering on the word I came to the conclusion that he really does want us well done. Not well done in a sense of being cook but he wants our inner works and thoughts to reflect what our outer appearance shows.

I did a little cooking at a sports bar as a younger man and one of our specialities was steak. I knew absolutely nothing about steak at the time other than how to eat it with some rice gravy and cornbread. But, after a few disgruntled customers and a talk in the back office I got it together real fast. One thing I quickly learned is that a steak can look nice and ready on the outside but you cut into it and find that it is no more cooked than when it came out of the package. The only thing now is it has a little seasoning. HMMMM! This reminds me of some Christians today. We have to examine ourselves and ask AM I seasoned or sure.

You see at the sports bar I found that everyone likes his or her steak cooked a certain way, but the father we serve specified, well done.

When the Lord looks at our life and examines use from inside out what will he find?

 

Seasoned or Sure; Just like meat when its cooked can easily give a cooked appearance depending on the temperature its being cooked at and the seasoning.

Most times its not until it is really cut or bite into you can actually tell if its done.

You see its very easy to talk the Christian talk and walk the Christian walk but when the doors are closed lights are off and bible is put down are you still well done or just medium rare.

You know brown on the outside hot and red on the inside but red and pink in the center. Even though medium rare is almost medium well and medium well is almost well done

It's still just almost, and it was specified WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT when the order was placed.

 

Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version)

The Parable of the Talents

 ¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents^[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

 ¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

 ²¹"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 ²²"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

 ²³"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 ²⁴"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

 ²⁶"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 ²⁸" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 

Just like the three men in the parable. Its not what you have been giving that matters but what but what you do with it that counts.

In the end when the Lord opens the book of life we want him to be able to say WELL Done my good and faithful servant. Through thick and thin you have served me and followed my commandments.

No X-ray machine or MRI can look and see what our father sees. A surgeon can cut as deep was they want but only our Father in heaven can Look and say well done.

 

BE Blesses! Deacon J Jones

The Perfect Storm

Matthew 8:23-27 (New International Version)

Jesus Calms the Storm

 ²³Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

 ²⁶He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 ²⁷The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

 

The Lord says if I call will you answer?

If I say Move will you move?

When I say stand will you stand?

 

One clear blue sunny day a vessel sets out on a charted journey. The crew has all supplies needed for the trip onboard. The weather has been verified and it looks like smooth sailing. As the ship gets a few miles out, the bright blue sunny sky begins to look cloudy and grey. Soon those grey skies are echoed by the sounds of thunder and with the sun hidden the only light that can be seen is the continuous stretch of lighting that illuminates the sky. It appears that the plans of the captain and crew may be slightly altered by an unexpected storm. Pretty soon the crew begins to worry and get a little tense asking the captain if he thinks they should turn around and head back. The captain ask the crew member if he has double checked to make sure they have everything they need in case the weather gets more intense. With a strange look, the crew member answers yes but still wondering why the captain has not answered him about turning back and seems to be dead set on continuing this journey.

Filled with fear and anger the crew member goes to his cabin on board and pulls out a small transmitter radio, desperate to get a signal he tries over and over but he cannot hear anyone and it appears no one can hear him. He runs back up on the deck too access the weather only to see that the waves are bigger the storm has grown stronger and it feels as if the boat will capsize at any moment. Every emotion in his body seemed to rush to his head as he stormed back up to where the captain was, asking him what is your problem? Can you not see what you are leading us into? Have you not taking the time to see that this storm can kill us and wipe this boat off the map! Once again the Captain replied 'have you checked to make sure we have all we need. Filled with anger, fury and fear the young crew member began to cry. With compassion and love the Captain let go of the wheel and wrapped his arms around the young man. He asked him, who am I?

Eyes filled with tears the young man gazed up and said what do you mean? Once again the Captain asked who am I? The crew member said you are the captain. The Captain asked how long have I been in charge of this vessel. The young man said well as long as I can remember. The captain asked him,,, is this the first storm I have guided you through a storm or a rough patch? Taking a deep breath and catching his composure the young man said no captain we have been though many storms together. Being as I am the captain of this vessel and everything on it including you is my responsibility, do you think I would lead you into a storm or on a path not knowing how get to our destination in one piece?

You see son before we left you had it all planed out. The weather was nice, water was calm and everything was fine. But I knew about this small rough spot that we would hit. But because I knew we could make it I decided not to go around it but rather through it. It would have been easy for me to re-alter the route but sometimes I just have to see what my crew is made of. I had to see if you trust me and my judgement enough to stand your ground hold up the fort and let me do my job, I mean I am the captain right?

 

Just as the captain finished his statement the sun began to shine rain ceased and waters laid flat. The young man began to cry again feeling foolish for doubting his father who was also his Captain. The Captain told him it was alright and he was not upset at him for his emotion getting the best of him but he wanted him to be mindful that he only has the best interest for him and just wanted him to trust his judgement in the rocky times as well as the good.

 

Just as the Captain in the story we have a Captain in our lives that we have to trust no matter how big the storm may be. No matter what the situation looks like we have to be mindful that he knows what's best for use even when it doesn't seem to make sense. Our father in Heaven loves us. He created us in his own image. So if you really and truly trust him why would you doubt that he would give you a promise only to destroy you. People of God we really have to learn to TRUST STAND Have Faith & Believe.

 

Trust In His WORD

Stand On His Promises

Have Faith and be unmoved

Believe that he will because he can

THERE is no Such Thing as a Perfect Storm Only a Perfect GOD

 

 

 

 

WEAPONS OF WAR

• Prayer
• The Word of God
• Fasting
• Walking in obedience and consecration
• Walking in love, repentance and forgiveness
• Casting out unclean spirits
• Walking in fellowship
• Walking in agreement
• Walking in humility
• Walking in submission
• Holy communion
• Anointing with oil
• Praise and thanksgiving
• Positive confession and guarding the tongue
• Generous giving to the work in the body of Christ
• The name of Jesus
• Faith
• Hardwork
• Persistence
• Planning