How do you Smell?

    There are two types of people in the world. One, is person that carries and aroma, and two, a person that carries an odor. How do you know which type of person is which? A person that carries an odor, is someone that nobody wants to be around. Their words are filthy because everything they say is negative and profane. This person is everything you don't want to be like. This person is someone people try to avoid, because their words bring you down, their actions dissapoint, nothing good can be expected of this person.

    On the other hand, we have the person that carries an aroma. This person is someone people look up to. Someone you admire and love to be around. This type of person is someone who has the Holy Spirit. Why? When you are around someone that is of God, their presence alone, blesses you. Everything they say gives life, gives hopes, and even renews you spiritually. A person that is of God has an aroma, in such a way, that you want to be around them as much as possible. When this person speaks their words transmit life to those who hear them.

Which person have you been?

GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         But I call to God, and the Lord saves me.
                                       Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,
                                                     and he hears my voice.
                                                                                       Psalm 55.16-17

           I remember a few months ago, I watched this video clip in the church and it came to my mind while I was meditating on this verse. Every day it seems as if we go through battles and tribulations. It seems that when one problem is solved another one appears. But when we are going through these hard moments, moments when all seems to be lost and everything seems to be going wrong, God is only a call away. It does not matter who you are, the mistakes you've made, nothing. When we call out to our God, He is quick to attend His children.

           If you pay close attention to this video clip, what happened? The bear cub was far away from its mother. We can say, this cub went his/her own way and wondered off. When we are far from God what happens? We are unprotected and an easy target for the devil. Remember this verse:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour. 1 Peter 5.8

            So, after the bear cub was chased and at the point of death, it cried our for its mother and the mother quickly came to attend its baby. When you feel that you are at the bottom of the pit or in a situation that seems to be slipping out of your fingers, call out to God and He will answer.

The House

  

“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

                            Haggai 1.4-6

Many people find themselves worried somuch about their lives, their personal needs. So much to the point that obeying God is not a big deal. Because of their worries an anxieties they settle for very little. They stay comfortable with the house they have, while the Holy Spirit is seeking a place to dwell.

When a person does not have the Holy Spirit they never see the fruit of their work: economically, spiritually in proposals, etc. Why? Because they are working with their own strength. However, when the person has an encounter with God, they receive wisdom and now the person is not fighting alone, but now with God on his/her side. 

When a person has not received the Holy Spirit, they fill themselves with so many things: friends, pleasures, everything that makes them "happy", but at the end of the day when they are alone in their room, they feel empty, unsatisfied. They even ask themselves, "Why do I feel this way?" "Something is missing..." 

Now, let's take a look at the last part of this verse:

. . . You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.

Who places their wages in a purse that has holes in it? Logically, no one. So, why would a person do this? Most likely, the person does not realize there are holes there because a person with intelligance will normally place their wages in a place they know and they trust will be safe. What am I trying to say with this? When a person places their trust in their friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, even family members, they are let down. At some point the person they thought they could trust and count on let's them down or back stabs them. Yes or no?

But when our trust, our life, is in God's hands we do have to be worried, anxious, nor afriad, because God Himself is now in control of your life and every situation you will face. 

If you look at the picture above, could it be that your interior has been this way? Dead, empty, without life? God is looking for those who want a new life; those who want to know what it means to live, to be happy. 

The first thing He wants to do in your life is not bless you financially, in your love life, in your family, no. The first thing He wants to do is MAKE you the blessing which can only occur when He comes inside of you.

If you are ready for a new life in this new year of 2014, then take advantage of this Wednesday to seek His Spirit. God does not come over the anxious, but rather, those who are thirsty. Thirsty for a new life, thirsty to finally meet the God that you have read about and heard about up to now. 

Are you ready for a new house?

Blameless

Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must blameless-- not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkeness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.   
                        Titus 1.7



   Those of us who pretend to be of God and desire to serve God, need to be blameless before God's eyes, and of course, of those around us. This verse gives us perfect examples of how we need to be blameless:

not overbearing, not quick-tempered:

           In other words, we need to be blameless when it comes to our attitude or character. When people look at your attitude, do they see Jesus?

not given to drunkeness, not violent,

           These are examples of things we do; the choices we make. Have your actions been blameless or have you give reasons for your family members to talk?

not pursuing dishonest gain

           Finally, we need to be blameless with our intentions. Sometimes we do things for others, but, we do these things for the wrong reasons. Sometimes do things expecting something in return or, we do things to please others.


If you examine your character, actions and intentions, have you been blameless?

Get out of Bed!

  The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than whenwe first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

           Romans 13.11-12



       You ever have those days where the blankets seem softer and the bed couldnt be any more comfortable? The same thing happens in regards to our spiritual life. Many times we are sleeping which makes us an easy target for spiritual destruction.

       When a person is not vigilant, the devil patienly works to destroy our life with God. How? The devil does not pull the rug at one moment. He works slowly. First, he puts in your mind that you don't need to be reading the bible every day. So, the person begins to read it less. The person who used to pray right when he/she woke up, now prays if they have time during the day. Little by little we stop taking care of the little details that are a BIG part of maintaining our life with God. 

     As soon we begin to slumber, that is when the devil comes and pulls the rug from beneath you. Suddenly, you feel far from God even though you're not living in sin. You still go to church you may even help out with the things of the church, but it's not the same. It feels like you are on auto pilot. You pray but you don't feel like He is listening. You feel spiritually weak, and ask yourself, "what happened?"

     If this has been you, it is time to wake up. Remember from where you fell, and return to the first works. Clothe yourself with armor of God. 

Are you ready to get out of bed?

               

Who's Message?

     

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know 

when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?"

If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord

does not take place or come true, that is a message

the Lord has not spoken.      

                                                           Deuteronomy 18.21-22      

When I was reading this passage, I was thinking about the members of the church. Every time we go to church, the pastor preaches the Word of God. He explains the promises, the benefits that we receive when we surrender ourselves to God. While the pastor is preaching the promises of God, many people do not believe. They go to church just to fulfill a religious tradition. They hear about the wonders of God, yet they don't believe it can actually occur in their lives. The person lacks faith.

How do we know if God's Word is true? How will we know if what is written in the bible will actually happen? According to this verse, IF the message does not take place/come true then it is not from God. So in other words, this verse is saying that when the Lord speaks, when He says something will happen, it has to happen.

When I started coming to the Universal Church and the pastor was talking about the Campaign of Israel, I told God this: "If what the pastor is preaching is true, then I want to see it". I said this because God cannot lie, He is not man to let us down. 

However, many people lack this Spirit. If they see God's promises amen, if they don't, "Oh well". If we want to take possession of God's promises, we have to use our intelligent faith.

If what is written in the bible is God's word, then it will happen in your life. If not, then it is not His Word.

Amen?