3 Things you must Understand - #3 Your Voice Has Power!

In the NASB version, God used approximately 208 words to create the entire universe. What else would he have used? What else was at his disposal. If His words did that then, why wouldn’t they do that now?

Jesus was sent to earth and said, I do\speak what I see my father doing\saying?
Then Jesus says to us, go do\speak what you hear me telling you to do\say.

John 14:12
“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do;

Do you see the authority being passed down from God the Father to Jesus His son and to those who believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit now lives in us, along with His authority. When you hear Jesus ask you to say something, and you say it, you are speaking life. It also means you can speak death over someone. Our words are very powerful.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

The author of Hebrews continues the passing down of authority from the Father, to Jesus, to the Apostles, then to those who followed them.

Hebrews 13:7
Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their way of life, imitate their faith.

Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 11:1
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

Concider the following verses about the power of the tongue

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
(Prov. 10:20-21 NIV)

31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.
(Prov. 10:31-32 NASB)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.
(Prov. 12:14 NIV)

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
(Prov. 16:24 NIV)

Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances.
(Prov. 25:11 NASB)

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
(Prov. 15:1 NIV)

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
(Prov. 25:15 NIV)

Now, ask God if there is something He would like you to say to your spouse and speak those words to them. Please let know how it went.

For no word from God shall be void of power.
(Luke 1:37 ASV)

My Relationship with Jesus

I have always believed in God. Always. I knew there was someone who was over everything. I just could wrap me head around His role in mankind. I grew up Catholic but could not get a peace or understanding what they were saying. My parents made me go through confirmation even though I was not ready to make that kind of commitment. After I “graduated” 8th grade from St. Theresa catholic we stopped going to church. I was okay with that.

I started playing soccer when I went into high school and tore my ACL my sophomore year. We moved to Atlanta made the team at my new high school where I tried tore it a second time. I was pretty messed up during this time smoking pot pretty much every day and drinking. I was confused, angry and lonely, I really wanted a God I could believe in so I prayed one night. “If you are real, can you make the swelling in my knee go down before I wake up. I don’t need it healed, just please make the swelling go down.” I woke up and nothing had changed. I decided there was no God I was my own god. If I wanted something to happen, it was up to me. I was totally lost, with no real friends. Just those I smoked with, which increased and I started dealing. My senior year, I ended up in a rehab for drug addiction.

They told my to find a higher power. I didn’t know who God was so I started praying to IZ. I stayed sober for 13 years still not feeling like I belonged to anything or fit in anywhere. I wasn’t really sure I was a drug addict\alcoholic, I just know my life was better. Eventually I started calling him god but he was still a figment of my own imagination.

I loved to talk to Christians and sow seeds of doubt about how ridiculous I thought they were believing in the God in the Bible. I would do this every chance I could. In college I would go to their “If you died today, do you know where you would go?” booths and make fun of them. I was actively fighting against Jesus. One night I was at an AA meeting and went up to someone I knew was a Christian and asked him if he really believed in that crap in the bible. He asked me if I had ever read it. I replied, “of course not, why would I do that?” He responded that he not would argue with me because I was ignorant of the topic. As I was walking away, he invited me to his house that Friday as he was starting a bible study. We would read the bible and he would answer my questions. I asked him if he was just going to preach to me for 30 minutes and pass around a basket. He said, “I invited you to my house, I will feed you good food, then the word of God and we can fellowship as long as I wanted to stay. I will never ask you for a dime” and I said “Ok”.

Did you catch that? Within the span of 60 seconds I went from telling him he was a fool to being interested in what he had to say about Jesus.

I went for 6 months and went the book of John. Every week they would ask me to go to church with them, I declined every time. Until one day, I said yes. So, I went that next Sunday and the service was really good. At the end of the service he invited me to say a prayer with him, only if I could repeat it with sincerity. It was very simple. He didn’t use and churchy words like, sinner, salvation, repent, or saved. He just spoke about a broken relationship that needed to be fixed.

I believe that you were born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on a cross to pay the penalty for my disobedience. I believe that on the third day you rose again and defeated death. I would like to know you better.

I said the prayer, and then he asked for those that did to come and meet him. Keep in mind the last time I went to a Baptist church I walked out when they passed the basket. I had no idea what an alter call was so when they asked me to come down, I did. I nudged my wife to let me by and asked me what I was doing. I said, “the guy asked if I said the prayer, he wanted to talk to me. So I am going to meet him.” I had no idea I was getting saved.

I got into the isle and paused for a second, for some reason I checked the back door to see if I could get out. I could, there were no guards so I continued down the isle. Just before I got to the preacher, checked the side doors, no guards there either. I really had no idea why I thought there would be, I just wanted to make sure I could leave if I wanted to. I believe now that the Holy Spirit was making sure I knew it was my decision, that I wanted to know Jesus better. Twice I had confirmed, yes I want to do this, still not sure what “this” was. When I got to the preacher, he reached out his hand and asked what he could help me with. Now I am really confused. Why else would anyone come down unless they said the prayer. I told him I sincerely said the prayer and I am here because he asked me to come down. He smiled and congratulated me, then said he wasn’t ready for me yet and asked me to sit on the front row. Now I am really confused and even a little embarrassed. I heard a voice ask me “Are you sure this is what you want?” The third chance to run away. I though about it for about two seconds and said yes, this is what I want. A peace come over me that has not left.

That next Friday we discussed what baptism was and I got baptized that next Sunday.

Marriage - Husbands, choose your wife!

From the beginning of time, every decision Jesus has made, He chose His bride.
Jesus came to earth because He loved His bride and He came for her.

When Satan tempted Jesus with being over the whole world, Jesus choose his Bride

When Jesus asked his father if there was any other way His father said no, and He choose to die for His bride. With every punch, lashing whip, the crown of thorns, every step with the cross, the nails, his last breath, he chose His bride.

In Ephesians 5:20, he tells us to love our wife as He loved His.

Besides, weren’t you the one who invited her?

My First D&I Meeting

After about 15-20 minutes and a couple short stories from attendees, I was reminded of a message I heard several years ago. Do you remember the movie Black Hawk Down? The movie is about a raid the US was leading to capture high ranking officials in the opposing government. In the process two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and what was supposed to take 1 hour turned into an all night battle.

At one point, the US forces are regrouping, gathering the dead and wounded. The colonel asks a sergeant to drive the truck carrying the dead and wounded soldiers. The sergeant replies that he has been shot implying that he is not able to drive. The colonel, not so politely, reminds the sergeant that everyone has been shot and to drive the truck.

Here are my questions. As humans we all experience situations that result in emotional pain. Is your pain the same as mine? I get that at times emotional pain is situational but how can it be quantified? How can I say that when my wife left me it hurt more than when your wife left you. How is it possible to say that my hurt was X times more relevant than yours? AND to what point? Who cares who got hurt more? Is life a race to a bottomless hurt pit as who got hurt more?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9OM1m0XPf8

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.