Faithful Servant

Jesus says that a "faithful" and "wise" servant is the one who gives his Master's household "food in due season".

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing."
Matthew 24:45-46 NKJV

There is another place where we hear Jesus driving this point home. After Jesus had been denied by Peter three times He comes to visit with him after His resurrection. He doesn't and him to go build a church, or to go do something to redeem himself. Rather Jesus tells him to "Feed His sheep".

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep."
John 21:15-17 NKJV

If feeding His sheep is so important, and feeding those of His household is what makes us a faithful servant, it is important that we know of what He is speaking. What is this "food" we are to "feed" His sheep?

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:4 NKJV

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV

It is the Word of God which is the "food" we are to "feed" the household of our Lord.

Where Do Our Thoughts Rest?

We know that the place where our thoughts constantly return and rest reveal what our treasure really is.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:21-23 NKJV

We are to constantly turn our thoughts back to Jesus, our God, and find our rest in Him.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:2-3 NKJV

Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on  You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord , is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 26:2-4 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Psalms 91:1-2 NKJV

Our faith is made real as we take each thought captive, returning our mind to Jesus when the "many waters" of the enemy comes against us.

Jonah

You cannot read a single chapter in the Bible without seeing God's sovereign hand. Jonah thought he would go his way and do his thing, but guess what? Jonah ended up doing EXACTLY as God pleased.

Even to the point that God had "prepared" a great fish to accomplish this purpose.

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah...

Jonah 1:17 NKJV

I have heard people say "If you don't do perform the task God gives you, He will find someone else to do it instead." Well, that is a load of crap. Read Jonah. If God gives you a work to do, it was given unto you from the foundation of the world and it WILL come to pass.

Remember... "It is hard to kick against the goads."

Forgotten My First Love

Over the last few months as I have been deeply engaged in defending the faith, I have been convicted of a hardened heart. I have forgotten my first love.

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;  and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
Revelation 2:2-4 NKJV

The reminder is that all I do must flow forth from my relationship with Jesus, but that I have erroneously focused on my "doing". In doing this I have become clanging brass, for I can of myself do nothing.

It breaks my heart that have strayed from things that I know and preach, and so I receive this correction with sorrowful humility. A fresh I throw myself at His feet, empty of anything I may think I add to Him.

Lord forgive me of my pride, and take me entirely once again as a broken vessel entirely dependant upon Your grace. Truly I am nothing without You. Have Your way, Your will, in my life, and keep me in my humble place. Give me a clean heart Lord. Holy Spirit come and consume me as a fire, burning away all remnants of self that still plague me every day. Thank you that You hear me. Come Lord Jesus, come.

Quit Being a Coward

Listen. IF you are a Spirit filled believer, then know that God has done this not for you, but for all who are His. We are sent forth IN the Name of the very creative power of the Universe. What are you afraid of? Those people you are scared to offend are those who lie on the other side of the gate of Hell, and they need your courage to crash through those gates to save them.

“The Spirit of the Lord God  is upon Me, Because the Lord  has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those  who  are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
Isaiah 61:1-2 NKJV

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:19-20 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:17-18 NKJV

Lord God Almighty

The angels around the throne of God say day and night forever and ever (unless you deny the eternality of God and the meaning of aionion) how "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHICH WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME.

Revelation 4:8 KJV

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Hmm... I seem to remember reading about who He is WHICH WAS, AND IS, IS TO COME earlier in the revelation. Oh yeah!! It was the Almighty again, Jesus. Strange how He is called "Lord God Almighty" by the angels.

Revelation 1:8 KJV

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.