Afflict the Comfortable and Comfort the Afflicted

2 Tim 4:2-5 NLT

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage the people with good teaching.

1. Preach the Word.

Matt 4:4 KJV

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

People love to hear stories, they enjoy funny fables, and they often will applaud a dramatic and well prepared performance. Of course, when speaking to our friends we may include any or all three of these methods, but the most important thing is that we communicate the Word of God. The Word of God contains within itself the power to change people and situations.  The Word of God stands forever.

Isa 40:8 NIV

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

2. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not.

Have you ever run into someone- at the mall, the post office or the grocery store- and they wanted you to pray for them, or give them a word of encouragement right there on the spot?  Were you prepared or were you in your "off" mode?

The account of Philip in Acts chapter 8 is a great example of someone being ready to go, ready to preach, and ready to lead someone to the Lord.  He didn't know where he was going, or to whom he was being sent, but he stayed prepared.  When that Ethiopian eunuch, a man of great importance, came across Philip's path, Philip was ready!

3. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage!

One very experienced Pastor put it this way:  "Our job is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted."  That pretty much covers the correcting, rebuking, and the encouraging, doesn't it?  But we're not supposed to correct, rebuke and encourage any old way, we are to do it-

 Patiently

1 Peter 5:4 NIV

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

4. Give the people "good teaching."

That takes us right back up to the top of the list, "Preach the Word."  Word based teaching that is properly prepared, rightly divided, and patiently presented IS GOOD TEACHING.  It will always bring forth fruit.  Just like the snow and the rain that water the earth, you can know that the Word of God, faithfully preached, will accomplish and achieve much in the Body of Christ today.

Isa 55:10-11 NIV

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Afflict the Comfortable and Comfort the Afflicted

What’s your take on this?

Breaking the Bondage of Debt

There's really only one way to Break the Bondage of Debt! We just need to do the things we know the Word of God is already telling us! As in the last blog Basics of Biblical Finance, it is foolish for us to continue to spend, spend, spend more than we make.


I'm going to challenge you this day. If you haven't already, go back and read The Basics of Biblical Finance and then sit down and do what it says. I had a few conversations with folks this week concerning the subject of finance. One gentleman said, "Pastor Al, you should of have done these messages about five years ago, we would all be a lot better off today!" Another said, "We sat down this week and put a budget together and found that we do have enough money to pay tithes and even save some money." Wow, you're kidding, Dave Ramsey is right? Hmm, I would say it might be a great idea to listen to what he has to say! Just Sayin!


Here's a link http://podcasts.jlmalive.com to listen to the message in it's entirety. To those I spoke with above - imagine where you will be five years from today. Imagine actually paying your tithes and saving money all this next year, wow! You are about to have the best year of your life! At the link above you will also find a link to our LifeGroup study sheets so you will be able to follow along while listening to the message or JUST READ IT, it's very informative as to the direction you need to be going, to Break the Bondage of Debt!

Basics of Biblical Finance

Copy and paste this link to  you browser podcasts.jlmalive.com for our podcast on this message, you can listen to the message or if you like you can download the message. You will also find a link there for our LifeGroup series papers.

Money's tight all over right now! Everyone is having some money issues of some kind, no matter who you are a little more money would be nice, for some, let's be honest a lot more would be nice. Now I'm not talking about being in love with money, I'm talking about the Basics of Biblical Finance! This blog is from a study we had at our church from Dave Ramsey. So I've made sure to add a few extra things to ensure you have all the tools needed to make this work. Money is the number one reason for divorce in America and also the number one reason why couples fight, so you might want to get all the info you can! What you're about to receive is 20% head knowledge and 80% action. This means that you must take action! Some of this we already know, I mean, it is in the Bible, so we have read it before, we just aren't doing it. So get ready to take action in you finances!

1) Get Out of Debt!

I owe, I owe, I owe, so off to work I go, is NOT a motto you should have in your life! Where there is debt there is always risk involved! Did you know that all foreclosures were only done on home that carried a mortgage? OK, now think about that! That's the risk! If you don't have a mortgage than you have no risk of losing your home! Just Sayin! Stop being a slave, you know you work just so you can pay your debt! Slaves don't get to make choices in life, they are told what to do! Imagine what you could do if you didn't have payments?

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 22:7

 2) Act Your Wage.

You need to learn to live off less than you make! You don't work for congress! lol

A foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20

If you spend everything you make, according to scripture you’re a fool! Don’t get mad at me, God said it! This is where 1Timothy 6:6 comes to good use! But godliness with contentment is great gain. You need to work with what you have, don't spend more than you make!

3) Get on a Budget!

If you owned a company and you had someone handling the finances the way you do... Would you fire you! I know I would fire me! This is one that we all know we need, but just don't do it! We need a plan of action, you wouldn't let a contractor build you a house who had no plans or blue prints! If you would than you have bigger problems than I thought!

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? Luke 14:20

 4) Save and Invest!
What do you need to save for? LIFE! Life is coming at you much quicker than you could ever imagine and when it happens, we're never ready! Here's three reasons to save!

• Emergency Fund, there's an emergency coming! Water heater, transmission, injury, etc... Life is coming, are you prepared? Dave Ramsey says we should have three to six months in savings! This would protect us in many cases and give us some piece of mind!

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil. Proverbs 21:20

Debt is not a sin, but it is Biblically stupid! Just sayin! That's what I just read! Come on, don't be mad at the messenger!

• To Spend Cash, Studies show that if you spend cash for stuff, you spend less! You ever carried a few 100 dollar bills around? You get attached to them boys! When you go to pay for something and you have to break that 100 dollar bill, it hurts!

McDonalds did a study and found that those paying with a credit card spent 40% more than those using cash! Hey we love our cash; credit lets us make payments that are smaller! With credit card we pay for others lunch as well as ours, but with cash, we hit the dollar menu and everyone pays for their own! lol Studies show that people spend 12-15% less when using cash!

• To Invest, did you know if you invested just the amount of money you spend on pizza and coffee, until you retired you would have over a million dollars? Invest for your Kids College, for your future! If you don’t learn to save you can’t invest! Invest in your future, no one else is going to do that for you!

 5) Give!

Giving is fun! Of course you already know about the tithe!

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Malachi 3:10

I’m talking about something broke folks can’t do! We like to pay for people we’ve never met and leave some big tips at times. We have paid for people at restaurants, and then left! We would talk about how supprised they must have been to have that done for them. We have had it done for us and it feels great! We pay for folks stuff at convenience stores, gas stations, wherever God directs us! 

If you follow these plans, you can set money aside for just such things. When you become a giver, that's when it all starts to come together and really begin to be about God! God gave for us on the cross and for us to truly be like Him we need to learn to give! God has all this in His Word because He cares about you and loves you, you are that important to Him!

God Bless and take care

Toxic Words

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. 


This is truly a lie! We teach this to our children, but it is NOT true! Sticks and stones may hurt for a short time and may even leave a few bruises, but words can damage a person forever! Many people are still carrying past hurts with them that someone said or called them as a child! Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "The tongue has the power of life and death…" God created the world through words! Simple words can place a persons life on halt for years.

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18                               

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4

 

Can you remember a time when someones words crushed you, I mean really tore you down? Maybe it was "you make me sick! You'll never amount to anything! You're nothing but a looser!"

Words can also be uplifting, "You're great! You did a great job! You look great in that dress! (that one always goes over well with your wife guys, just sayin!) You are the answer to my prayers!" Angela and I send little text messages back and forth all day, I guess you could say, we have a great text life. lol This is the point... words can make or break your day!

There are words that we speak and then there are words that we hear. We really don't have any control over the words we hear, but we do have the ability to control how we take in what has been said. Here's what Proverbs 4:20, 23 tells us - My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words… 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Above all else, guard your heart! Now that's great advise! There's a list of people who have an opinion about me, I think they may have even started a club by now. I see that they usually will become friends right after they join the "We have an issue with Pastor Al Club"! lol Some are reading this now, just because they want to examine my words and try to catch me saying or doing something! Well that's what they did to Jesus too, so I guess I'm in great company! lol 

When someone leaves a church they always have a list of things, hmm who do we know that holds a list of wrongs against the Christian? Oh, that's right, Satan! Sorry if you're one of them, just something else you can add for the weekly meeting! lol

I have learned to protect my heart. I know that Jesus is leading me and therefore I just keep pushing forward. It also helps that Jesus spoke to me very clearly once and said "since when does what you think about you weight more than what I think about you? You are who I say you are, Not who man says you are!" You must guard your heart!

We need to be speaking life changing words every chance we get and to do this you may have to bite your tongue sometimes. You will be tempted to speak and puke out negative things, but don't do it! Try to find the positive and when you do... Speak it! You also must continue to speak into your own life as well. Stop speaking negative junk into your life!

We need to stop talking about the mountains in our lives and start talking to them! Back up and repeat that last part, you need to say it again! Start talking to your mountains about God and watch the situation change! When everyone else was saying how big Goliath was and they were afraid! David steps in and says, this is awesome! This guy's so big! How can I miss him? Someone give me a rock and then he walked out and begin to talk to the giant about God! Whoop Glory! I'm about to come out of my chair right now!

You are who God says you are, Not who man says you are! Remember this and don't let mens words change what the WORD of God has said concerning you!

Blessings, and take care!

Toxic Relationships

We already know that there are folks in our lives that get us into that negative mojo! Right now you may be thinking of that one family member that always seems to bring down the party, and that's OK, because everyone knows that every family has at least one psycho in it. If you can't think of anyone, maybe someone's thinking of you right now! lol

Toxic Relationships? You may be saying right now, come on P. A. you can't be real! But people do carry something with them that is very TOXIC! Sin! And when it get's a hold of you, it just doesn't want to let you go! 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."  

Why do we think that our good character will override someone's bad. You already know that only Holy Spirit can pull someone out of their funk, you don't have anything to do with it. You're just a tool that God may choose to use, but God is the cure. Ever notice that someone with a bad attitude can turn a whole room upside down? Here's a list of some Toxic Company, in a minute we'll discuss how to deal with them!

THE CHRONICALLY NEGATIVE
Judgmental, critical, looks down on folks, complainers, looking for the bad in everything, nothing's ever good enough, whining all the time, something is always wrong.

THE CONTROLLER
Over bearing, manipulative, might use fear to intimidate you. Always makes you feel guilty and you don’t want to make them upset, so you just do things their way!

THE TEMPTER

This could be your boyfriend or girlfriend, who is always tempting you sexually! Or maybe you want to meet a great Christian boy or girl, but your friends keep going clubbing and they want you to go! Maybe it’s some guys from your job, like the ones from my construction site. I want to keep my mind only on my wife and they talk wrong and even tricked me with a dirty book, by placing it inside a Home Depot magazine cover. Maybe it’s to spend money; every time you’re with this certain person you spend a lot of money! These people can be more than just annoying, they Can be Toxic!

These types of people can slowly pull us away from where God wants us to be. But let's be real for a moment... we can all be Toxic at times. So we can't just run from everyone including ourselves, right? So what needs to take place is, we need to handle our business so as to be able to help others. Ever heard the saying, Clean up your own yard before trying to clean up your neighbors? How about pull the log from your own eye before trying to pull the splinter from a friends? This just makes sense! Even while flying on a plan they tell you "in case of an emergency, secure your own mask first and then you can help others." So let's look at how we can Manage Toxic Relationships!

1)   SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES.
A boundary keeps the bad out and the good in. It doesn’t mean we have to be unloving! Actually Jesus did it! He didn’t have 200 disciples, He had 12. He would heal a few people and then He left! He would leave those close to Him so as to spend time with God! He would explain to people in parables, He didn’t always give the whole story. He would tell the Pharisee’s straight out, what you just said ain’t right! Even with Peter!

Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:23
 
Think about this for a minute! Jesus just said that Peter was a stumbling block! To put it plan and simple Jesus told Peter. You are trying to take me off my game! I’m focused and you’ve come in to lead me astray! I came here for a purpose and you are a stumbling block to me! You're tripping me up! You need to Stop! I could go with this forever, but I think you get the picture! Here's what you need to tell people in your life who do this to you!

I won’t let you talk to me or treat me that way.

Excuse me, you’ve come into my life and seen this one thing and now you think you know my whole life? You’re not allowed to put your finger in my face or my direction! Any of them! Lol These people will pick a life to pieces because they feel as if they know what's best for the vision that God has given you! You just got to make a stand & say, No! Enough!

I’m not going there with you.

Don't go to the bar, you’re sober now, so don’t go! I’m not going to be around when you smoke weed. Maybe it’s someone from your past who wants to get together for lunch. NO! You tell them "If you liked it, then you should put a ring on it! It's Too Late! You Can’t touch this! Keep Healthy Boundaries! Do the right thing and honor God! Watch what God does when you begin to honor Him with your life and relationship! Blessings will flow!!!!

Some people will continue to push in on you, and may even make fun or talk bad about you. This next part can be very difficult and you may disagree, but I stand firm on it!

2)    CUT OFF THE TOXIC RELATIONSHIP.
I am not talking about divorce! Repeat this section out loud! I will not divorce my toxic spouse! Lol If you have a Toxic marriage, it’s because you’re both toxic! It’s a sickness and what do you do when you’re sick? You go to the doctor, get some help! Not a family member either!And do not write off your kids or your parents! You only cut these off for abuse or danger!

Let’s look at what I am talking about!

Paul and Barnabas parting ways (Acts 15) – they couldn’t agree about one guy, things got heated and they went separate ways. They cut off the relationship and continued their ministries in their own directions. Staying focused of what God had given them!

Do not marry those who follow false Gods (Deut 7) – this could lead you astray!

Avoid being unequally yoked (2 Cor 6:4) – you want as many Christian friends as you can get! It’s OK to have some that need Jesus, but don’t be unequally yoked! Try to keep more on the Christian side. You’ll have a better chance of helping those friends if you have a lot of Christians in your corner to help. Just Sayin! 

I have decided to only do business with Christians; you can’t change my thinking on this! There are integrity and character boundaries that have been crossed to many times! I know what this scripture means now! I have plenty of friends who need Jesus, but I have good healthy boundaries with them!

In Genesis, Joseph was always there for Potiphar and his family. He would do whatever was needed of him. Until Potiphar’s wife crossed a line with him!

(Potiphar’s wife) caught (Jospeh) by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. Genesis 39:12

 Notice he didn’t sit down to try to help her through her tough time, he didn't say "you need prayer dear!" No he got out! Sometimes we get so caught up in others stuff! If someone's Sexting you, tell them to stop, Now! A business partner is being unethical? Sell out to them or buy them out! Someone keeps flirting with you? Tell them you've had enough! Your dating a jerk? Make it plan! I will not be treated this way!

If you have to Cut it off, then do it! You don’t need anything causing you to be unfocused on what God has called you to do! I stay focused, even if it hurts!

Let’s ask God to help our TOXIC lives!

Toxic Influences

I wonder if we realize that movies, games, TV, books, etc... are influencing us? We might not think so, but I know that when I first starting watching MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) I was grossed out by many of the things I seen. These days, after years of watching it, I'm like yelling at the guys on the TV. "Punch him in his face, you can take this guy." I have become desensitized to the violence involved in it.

How about the Twilight series? I have watched those and have become a fan of them, I consider myself team Jacob. If you haven't seen them, you don't have any idea what I'm talking about. With the Twilight series we have chosen the lesser of two evils! You will find yourself on one side or the other. You will either be on the side of the Vampires, or the Werewolves. I remember when I was a kid and both of these were considered bad. Now we have come to a place in culture that we will pick sides with the evil that we think is nicer.


Proverbs 25:26 reads "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked."


I know, I know... it's just a movie or a TV show or a book, etc... But don't let yourself become desensitized. I have three things for you to keep in mind so as not to be influenced. Remember!

1)      A LITTLE BIT OF POISON GOES A LONG WAY.

Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast — as you really are. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7

Paul was talking about sin. I'm not going to tell you that all movies and TV is filled with sin. But just remember the more you watch it, you may begin to be influenced! Just Sayin'! Doesn't take a lot to get people going, my son watched one superhero movie and now he wants to be one. We were watching a show with my daughter and all the sudden she swore, we asked her where she heard such language and she said from the show we were watching. We rewound the video and sure enough there it was, we had missed it! 

1)      JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES IT, DOESN’T MAKE IT RIGHT.

Do not become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops a well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2 Message

I know at this point you think I'm starting to sound like your mom! But hey, maybe mom was right! Would you jump off a bridge just because everyone else was doing it? Make sure you keep in mind the things that are of God while watching TV or reading a novel!

2)      JUST BECAUSE I COULD, DOESN’T MEAN I SHOULD.

"Everything is permissible for me"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

We have really been given a lot of freedom in Christ! I mean it! You could speed down the freeway at 90 miles an hour and God is still going to love you. I could eat everything on the buffet and God still loves me. You could go into debt up to you ears and still go to heaven. Does that mean we SHOULD do all these things just because we can? No, of course not!

So what we need to do is test ourselves to ensure that we are not be desensitized and moving further from God! 

Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Now you can't just go by what the culture says either. If you say I just won't watch Rated R movies anymore, you will miss some great movies, like "The Passion" yep! You wouldn't have wanted to miss that one, right? And I have seen some PG movies that were questionable, so you can't just watch everything PG. Some movies you will just know, if the title of the movie is "Debbie does your home town" it's not a good one. But sometimes you must be a good judge for yourself and just make wise decisions. You can use this to help!

• AM I BEING ENTERTAINED BY SIN?
• IS THIS PLEASING TO GOD?
• DOES THIS LURE ME AWAY FROM CHRIST?

May God bless you richly as you serve Him and may He help you to make choices that are pleasing to Him.

Toxic Thoughts

Wow, this week has been a little tough. After ministering on how to reject Toxic Thoughts, I find out that one of my best friends past away. Don't you love it when God test your own message on you?


Toxic—anything containing poisonous material capable of causing sickness or even death.


I used to have a huge issue with this, I would go over and over my message and evaluate it. Beating myself up on what I said or what I should have said. And then I would let criticism get the best of me every time! It took me a while to learn that a good message is suppose to stretch the hearer and may even make them angry. The Word of God will either convict or enrage it's hearer, many were saved when Paul ministered but many were angry and wanted to harm him.


We need to learn to guard our thoughts as the Word of God tells us in Proverbs 4:23 and even be able to capture our thoughts as we find in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5! Many are held captive by their thoughts instead of capturing their thoughts and this will hold you back from the greatness that God has for you!


You know you will always find what you're looking for, if you're looking for negative you will find it! A humming bird gets up every morning and goes out looking for nectar and he finds it! But do you know the buzzard finds what he's looking for every day as well, you will find what you're looking for! Ask God to test your thoughts and help you to straighten your thinking!

Yet you know me, O Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! Jeremiah 12:3

Replace your thoughts with good thoughts!

…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true… noble… right… pure… lovely… admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Philippians 4:7-8

Once you let this start to happen in your life you will be following the words of Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

You will always have Toxic Thoughts, but what you do with them is the question. Take time to think over your thoughts each day and use God Word to help take them captive.

Blessings and take care!

 

Passion for Ministry

This was passed out by Fernando a while back. Very simple and straight to the point, found it on my desk while cleaning up. Thought is was worth posting!

PASSION

P - Position yourself in the church for a ministry, ANY ministry!


A - Act upon that position. Take action to excel with a positive attitude!


S - Study to show yourself approved before your leaders and peers!


S - Submit to God's will by your obedience to the leaders of your church!


I - Invest yourself into your church through your time, energy and finances!


O - Open yourself up for constructive criticism and wise direction!


N - Never allow yourself or the enemy to come between you and the vision God has given you!


Some can let this be a new guideline for ministry and for the rest of us... let's try and keep this in remembrance as we push forward at JLM Alive!