God's Favorites

Everyone wants to feel loved. Even the most hardened criminal deep down inside wants love.But not everyone feels love, many are rejected and unwelcome.

Sometimes we are all guilty of favoritism. We tend to judge people by what they have or don't have, skin color, nationality and whatever box we can put them in.

The problem with putting people into categories,it's easy to forget they have feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, just like us.

The bible calls us to love each other and show that love in practical ways. James shows us the biggest road block to showing love...is favoritism.James 2:1-13

The Greek word used for favoritism in James 2:1 is (prospolepsia)=partiality,favoritism, it has the idea of giving judgment on a person based on the outward circumstances, not on inward merits. Or you could say on their appearance rather than content of character.

James 2:4 He says favoritism starts with evil thoughts. It does not matter how you justify favoritism, it starts with evil thoughts. Favoritism always hurts someone...

Romans 15:7 Says to accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.

The Greek word for accept is (proslambano) it means to grant access to your heart

That's exactly what Jesus did for us, He accepted us into His Heart. Even before we changed our behavior. While we were still sinners and enemies of the Cross, Jesus died for you and I. We should accept people (access to our hearts) no matter where they are from or what they have done, Christ died for them too.

James says if we show favoritism we are guilty of sin and will be judged, sinful attitudes hinder our walk with God. Sins of attitude are the foundation for sins of action.

That's why repentance has to do with a change of mind, behavior won't change until we change our mind. What we believe impacts how we behave.

God doesn't look at the outward appearance He looks at the attitudes of the heart.

People matter to God, so they should matter to us.

We are all "God's Favorites"...

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Wake-Up,Take-Up & Shake-Up

It is a fact that the Bible is a huge best seller, it has been rewritten in more translations and languages than any other publication. It can be found in most households around the world.

I remember growing up we had a large decorative family Bible that would take center stage on our coffee table, it was beautiful. But no one ever read it, it just sat gathering dust. It was just a decoration.

A few years ago high school seniors were asked questions about the Bible to find out how much they knew about God's word. Some thought Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers. And the Gospels were written by: Matthew, Mark, Luther and John. Some said Eve was created from an apple. Someone even said the epistles were the wives of the apostles.

Is it any wonder why our world is in a downward spiral?

The nations of the world need to turn back to God and His Word. The Bible is not irrelevant, it's very practical when read, understood and applied.

In the book of James chapter 1:21 he says; humbly accept the word planted in you. The word "accept" in the Greek translation means to; welcome, receive favorably, embrace, approve not reject. We must cultivate a heart and life that welcomes and embraces God's Word.

Its not government that can bring change, its God's Word living in and through His people that will change the world. Its time for the church to WAKE-UP, TAKE-UP & SHAKE-UP our cities with the Word of God.

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Victors not Victims

Asia is experiencing calamity after calamity. Typhoon's and flooding in the Philippines, Vietnam, India, China and Japan. Another major earthquake hit Indonesia and lets not forget the tsunami that ravaged American Samoa.

When you see this mother and child running for their lives in Manila from Typhoon Ondoy, it's easy to understand the the crucial time in which we live.

Are these the birth pains that Jesus spoke about before His return?

We must be vigilant, and steadfast in our pursuit of Godly Wisdom.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him. But when He asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8

This is a call to Faith in God...

Even in the midst of calamaty, we must trust God and not doubt. Doubt will only result in instability. Doubt makes us like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed.

Tossed=Greek_rhipizo=agitate, to disturb, to agitate the mind or passions...

Godly wisdom will give us the ability to contol our emotions so we can control any crisis. Whether it's the storms of life, or an attack from the enemy...

Godly wisdom will give us a clear perspective from His point of view, then we can look beyond the storm.

It's not what we pass through in life that defines us, but how we react to the things we are passing through.

We are victors, not victims...

Flood of Revival

As I think about the recent devastation in the Philippines due to typhoons and major flooding, I can’t help looking at the Big Picture. I believe God is about to bring a flood of Revival through this tragedy.

It’s time for leaders to rise up and bring the multitudes into the destiny that God has preordained for them.

This is our time!

These very same men and women will be sent through out Asia, after all we are the

“Gateway to Asia”…