Father Knows Best
JULY, 2008
MY PRAYER FOR YOU: Father, in the Name of Jesus, I thank you that after reading this message, the people will call on You first before calling on anyone else in Jesus Name – Amen.

MESSAGE
Let’s establish up front how well God knows you, and then compare it with others you know.   Once you understand how well He knows you, then you’ll understand that getting advice from Him is much better than any advice you’ll receive from anyone else.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  (Amplified)

What friend, parent, relative, acquaintance can say that they “knew” you before you were born?  They may have thought about the day you would be born, but they didn’t “know” you.

Matthew 10:30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  (KJV)

Listen, your beautician may color your hair, the barber may cut it, but none of them know the number of hairs on your head.  So as you comb your hair and hairs come out in the comb, God says “that’s number 10, 250, 11,251, 12,252.”  If you’re bald, He knows how many you had before you went bald.

Isaiah 65:24  “And it shall be that before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear.”  (KJV)

There are some people you’ve asked to do a favor for you and they still haven’t given you an answer and that was a month ago.  You can talk to folks right next to you and they pretend like they don’t hear you, but God says, I heard you before you uttered a word.

Hebrews 13:5 “. . . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (KJV)

Do you know of someone who didn’t keep their promise?  Folks say, “I got your back,” but when you need them they are nowhere to be found.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 I am everywhere -- both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from me. (Contemporary Bible)

God is trying to tell you that there is no place you can go where He is not.  Do you know of anyone else who can follow you everywhere you go?  He’s with you as you praise alone; He’s with you as you read your Bible.  He’s with you when you’re having sex with someone you’re not married too!  He’s was with you when you lied on that person.  He’s there in the bathroom with you as you sit on the porcelain throne, be it for one or 10 minutes. 

But by the same token, He’s with you when you’re alone and the tears are running down your face.  He’s with you as you sit with a gun in your hand because you’ve lost all hope.  He’s with you when they give you a pink slip and you’re no longer employed.

In all of the instances above, God is with you.  Call out to Him.  Ask for His help.  He knows what’s best for you and He will help you.  Remember what he said above in Hebrews 13:5.

Listen, I’ve been there when it seemed all Hell had broken loose.  When I prayed and asked God to help me He did.  Nothing changed in the natural right away, my life was still a mess, but there was a peace on the inside that let me know it was going to be alright and I wasn’t alone.  Guess what, I made it and you will make it too.

God can not only get you another job, but He can get you a better one.  Don’t pull that trigger!  God has a purpose for your life.  Wipe your tears, and allow the comfort of God’s arms to hold you.

Your Heavenly Father Knows Best, because He knows you!   Help is not on the way, it’s already here.

What Are You Doing With Your Inheritance – Part I
August 2008

My Prayer For You This Month:  Father in Jesus’ Name, I pray that everyone who reads this message will take a look at their lives and honestly answer the question of “What Are They Doing With Their Inheritance.”  If they are squandering what has been given to them, may they repent, turn in the opposite direction and begin to live the good life in Jesus Name – Amen.

This month we are going to begin a Two Part Series and we will start by looking at a passage of Scripture most people refer to as “The Prodigal Son.”  Because I believe this is such an important  lesson, I am going to give you Scripture, because if you don’t have a Bible, I want you to be able to see what the Word says on this issue.  Luke 15:11-24 reads. . .

11And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons; 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.  13And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.  14And when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.

15So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.  16And he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better]. 17Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!

18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.  19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.  20So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently].

21And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!  22But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet. 23And bring out [e]that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us]revel and feast and be happy and make merry, 24Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry. (Amplified)

This  son walked away from a good life because  he thought he had a better way of doing things.

He knew his father well enough to know that he had an inheritance.  He knew his father was a savvy businessman.  Yet he thought he no longer needed to be under the covering of his father.

As you can see from the text, his way of doing things, led him down a road laced with destruction.  How about you?  Have you strayed from the teachings of your earthly parents or guardians?  Have you become rebellious and distant – no one can tell you anything?

Please don’t mistake this lesson for someone 20 and under in age.  I’m ministering to you even if you’re 80.

Please know that it is never too late to admit that you made a mistake.  If you’re not living the good life, why not start now.  Begin to do the right thing.

Next month, we’ll continue with this lesson and will focus on your heavenly inheritance.  If you didn’t know it, you do have one!   So stay tuned and until then.  Help is not on the way, it’s already here.

September -
What Are You Doing With Your Inheritance – Part II

My Prayer For You This Month:  Father in Jesus’ Name, thank You for the inheritance You have given us through Your Son Jesus.  May those reading this message come to know Him as Lord if they haven’t  already and may they take advantage of the inheritance we have through Him in  Jesus Name – Amen.

Last month’s focus was on our earthly inheritance.  If you read the message and thought to yourself “I don’t have a earthly inheritance,” that’s okay, I wasn’t left one either.  But the good news is we all have a heavenly inheritance that will also produce earthly blessings.

Genesis 17:6-8 6I will give you a lot of descendants, and in the future they will become great nations. Some of them will even be kings. 7I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants, because I am your God and their God. 8I will give you and them the land in which you are now a foreigner. I will give the whole land of Canaan to your family forever, and I will be their God.  (Contemporary Bible)

God was talking to Abraham here, but the Bible also goes on to say in Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (KJV)  The Contemporary Bible says it this way. . . So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, [a] and you will be given what God has promised.

So, the first question would be, “Do you belong to Christ?  Have you made Jesus Lord?  If not, it’s a simple decision, just go to the tab on my website and click on Receive Eternal Life.  Say the prayer and mean it and then you’re in the family.  Is it that simple?  Yes.  You just have to mean it with your heart, because you can’t fake it with God.  He if you’re for real.

Now that you know you belong to Christ, you now have access to your spiritual inheritance.  Just read the will – you may call it the Bible, to find out what your spiritual inheritance is.  Also learn how it transfers into your earthly blessings.

One piece of advice, don’t throw your inheritance to the swine.  You have a wonderful Heavenly Father.  When He blesses you, don’t take the blessings of God and go and party with the world forgetting Who it is that has blessed you.

This young man who thought he could take what his father had given him and do better, saw his life unravel before his very eyes. Sin makes us think we can do better without  God.  We don’t say that in words, but our actions speak loudly.  And like this young man’s father, God will give you your freedom if you want to distance yourself from Him. 

Making decisions and not including God is saying, “I can do this better without God’s help.  I can pick my own spouse.  I can buy my own house. “

Just like this young man, we don’t value our Father’s counsel.  We have that attitude that says “Give me my blessings and let me handle things.”

 Do you think at some time this young man thought his father had forgotten him?  Sure.  But he hadn’t!  The young man just wasn’t in a position to hear!  He had walked away!

We, like that young man, need to be under the watchful eye of our Heavenly Father.  You see the far country for us represents the world and all they have to offer. . .but it isolates you from God!  When we have tried everyone else, God is still waiting in the wings with outstretched arms.

It’s time to soften your heart and run towards God.  Time to fess up and repent and tell God, “My way of doing things is not working.”Luke 15:18 says “I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.  Even if you’ve spent all you have in the world, as you seek God and do what’s right, in due season He’ll replenish the inheritance you spent.

It’s time for you to come back to your Heavenly Father and restore the broken fellowship.  Allow the Holy Spirit to restore you.  Go back to church if you’ve stopped going.  Begin to read your Bible again.  If you don’t have a church home, find one, God will lead you to where He wants you.