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Our hearts ache, but we are filled with such great joy. We are poor, but have given rich spiritual gifts to others, and we own nothing, but yet, we have everything.”

Submit Yourselves to God, although seems like it would be a simple task is actually one I feel as a Christian man is one of the harder things to do and I am constantly struggling to achieve this. I have to ask the Lord on a daily basis that I be humbled and become more obedient.

I am someone who writes his goals on an almost daily basis, if I am not writing I am definitely thinking about them insistently all of the time. Goals like, I need to make sure I get up every morning and read the word of God and have 15-20 minutes of prayer. I also love to go to the gym and set my goals accordingly. I also set personal financial goals and blog writing goals (”like stay consistent and post at least 3x’s a week). The question I have though, isn’t whether goals are good to write and setting achievements is a bad thing, the question is what is your end result? What is driving you? Why are you trying to accomplish a goal or goals?

James: 4-13-17:
13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

I challenge you all to take the time and set some goals this week, but seek guidance from the Holy Spirit. Find yourself in intense prayer mediating and saturating in the word of God. I can tell you that if you submit yourselves to God that your goals will be achieved beyond whatever you thought they would. God has a plan for each and every one of us.

I still do not fully understand what God has for me, I struggle with submission, but I do know one thing and that is I am a husband and a father of 3. My “PURPOSE” is to be the head of that household and be the best example to my children and show them that I love their mom. I want to do other things, I have desires just like everyone else and they are not necessarily bad, but at this stage in my life, the season that I am in is to be that example and the head of the household that I have been placed in.

I ask that each of you get on your knees and bow your head and ask the Lord to be the center of your everything and submit yourself to his will. Being a follower of Christ is not easy it is painful at times and the world will persecute you at times, but the reward is beyond what you and I can see or imaging.

Submit my brothers and sisters and be a servant to the creator of all things.

Genesis 39:1-12 talks about how Joseph was placed in charge of his masters possessions. During this time the masters wife then attempted to seduce him, but Joseph resisted this temptation on several occasions. When I read this passage I kept asking myself, how was he able to do this? Here he is in his masters care and he is taking care of all these possessions, this women is trying to seduce him into her bedroom yet he fleas. I kept thinking of the verse in Proverbs that says: “Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 and how it talks about guarding one’s heart. I also kept thinking about how Joseph was thinking of his Father in Heaven, his Lord and being obedient. Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as we.

My next concern was about how to guard one’s heart, with all the media and what it portrayals as far as what is acceptable and what is “politically correct” and what has desensitized us. All the violence and sex that is around every corner just gnaws at our souls keeping us separated from the Lord.

When I was in school working on my engineering degree one of the biggest catch phrases I heard was “Junk in, Junk Out” in other words if you were writing a computer program or inputting some commands to an IC chip or whatever and you put in a command or code that was incorrect it would fail or not act as it was intended, hence “Junk in, Junk out.”

Our minds and body’s are no different, from the food we eat to the programs on TV and the radio that we watch and listen to. Whatever goes into the body is going to come out.

Start thinking about the benefits of what you get out of your daily intake and start asking yourself would this further my relationship with Chris and move the kingdom forward. Think about what your kids or spouse are watching.

How can you put the Lord 1st in all you do? How can you start getting the things of Heaven here on earth. I urge each and everyone of you to pray and meditate on the Word of God Daily. Find a way to further the kingdom of Heaven and benefit those around you and lead by example.Be all you can be for the creator of this universe and learn to love one another as he has loved you.

I pray that you all find peace and that you grow in your relationship each day with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Below is a great article I found about “Struggling With Sin”

found here…

“Struggling with sin” is a phrase that is used rather lightly in many religious circles. What does it mean to “struggle” with something? The word “struggle” means to “fight against”; it means to “strive, put forth effort in order to not give in”. It does not mean or imply that the one who is struggling is on the losing side of the struggle. And yet, many believers when they say that they are “struggling” with sin they mean that they are committing sin(s) even while trying not to. They mean that they have struggled and then they were defeated by sin. And so perhaps the word “defeated” rather than “struggling” more accurately describes such people. Sadly, many people accept such “struggling” (actually defeat) as a way of life. They have not truly struggled so hard that they have suffered any great deal striving with all their might not to give in to temptations (Heb. 12:4).

An example would be appropriate here. I have spoken with many young men who say that they “struggle with” lust. Actually, they mean that they fight against it a little, but end up giving in to their lusts. They claim that they are trying not to sin. (See the article, “I Try“.) But in reality they watch commercials that promote lust; they watch movies and television programs that encourage lust; and they listen to music that contains all sorts of sexual lyrics. Can they actually say that they are trying to overcome lust? Will God believe them when they say that they tried? Make every effort to enter the kingdom of heaven through the narrow door, Jesus says, because many will simply try but not be able to (Luke 13:24).

We are not saying that a Christian will have no struggles with temptation. We are saying that when a Christian is tempted, he must love God more than the temptation. Fighting against the temptation must be “worth it” because he would never want to do something to grieve God. A Christian desires to make sure that he is fully submitted to God to resist the temptation; the devil will then flee (James 4:7). For we are promised that no temptation will be too difficult for us because God himself will make a way for us to stand up under every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). We may suffer or struggle and it may be difficult, but we can overcome. There is HOPE! Even Jesus suffered when he was tempted (Heb. 2:18). Remember the Garden of Gethsemane!

Many people lose heart because they have “blown it” too many times. Put your faith in God! BELIEVE that you can and will overcome because of HIM. Don’t rely on establishing a good “track record” before you have confidence. Believe today! Know that your belief entails a love affair with God–so much that you will do ANYTHING for him. But don’t believe the lie that “struggling” is the same thing as “sinning”. It is not true. Struggling against sin does not mean that you are displeasing God. Struggling against sin is one of the main evidences that you hate sin. So, struggle and be victorious through the glorious power of our great and mighty God.

A wholehearted Christian is someone who struggles against sin and then gains the victory through Christ who gives him strength. Christians do struggle with sin…and then get the victory through faith. The “struggle” of the Christian is not a vicious cycle of try-fail, try-fail, try-fail,… No, the struggle of the Christian echoes the sorrowful, yet rejoicing cries of the Apostle Paul, “we faced trials far beyond our ability to endure” (2 Cor. 1:8); “God has delivered us and will continue to deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:10). “Now thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14).

Perhaps you are convicted by God. Perhaps there is sin in your life that you cannot seem to give up. Do not lose hope. (See the article, “If Any Man Sin“.) Rather, repent and get rid of everything that hinders you (Heb. 12:1-2). Ask God to give you a revelation of the LOVE that he has for you. BELIEVE! Truly submit to God. Resist the devil and do not give your temptations a foothold.

As men and especially as Christian Men we are constantly under attack. Pornography is something in today’s society that can really seem to be an addiction and easy to get away with. Before the internet for the most part in order to get pornography you had to go to the store or get it through the mail somehow. This caused a little hesitation because if forced the individual to feel a little embarrassment and/or some kind of shame causing at least somewhat of a hesitation. However, with today’s ability to get just about anything you want in the privacy of your own home (I am speaking of the Internet) it cause quick and easy access with little or no shame involved. With just a few key strokes you can very easily look at the pornography that infests transmission lines. So what can we do to overcome this? Is there a way to prepare ourselves to defeat the enemy known as Satan? I found this article and encourage you to check it out. I pray everyday that you all will overcome addiction and stay in the light. Please know that if you do fail and trust me we all do that Jesus does forgive and know that he will still love you no matter what. He forgives all you have to do is ask him and he will forgive you of all your sins. Keep the faith my brother and sisters.

I am continually shocked to discover that many people who read and study the bible, believe in the existence of the devil and claim to be long-time Christians; fail to strategize and develop plans for standing firm against the enemy.

We are in a spiritual war, and a battle strategy is essential for obtaining victory. This is also supported by Paul’s writings to the churches particularly to the Church in the City of Ephesus, as indicated in Ephesians 6:10-20 with regard to The Armor of God.

Full Story…

If you have been in church for any length of time or if you have been devoted to reading passages I am sure you have heard about the The Prodigal Son, however, I will try and give a brief summary to help those who are not familiar with this parable and then share a real life testimony about how a friend/co-worker is like the The Prodigal Son.

The Prodigal Son is based around 2 brothers who live at home with their father and one of the son’s decides to stay and work at his fathers house while the other so decides to take his fathers inheritance and squabble it away on women and boos. While the son who is spending all of his money loses everything and cannot even get a meal from the pigs trough decides to return to his father and just ask to be a servant, however, his father embraces his son who has come home and puts his best robe around him, places a ring upon his finger, and kills a fattened calf in his honer to celebrate his homecoming. The brother who had been by his Fathers side the entire time becomes bitter which is a whole other lesson within itself and we will talk about this another time.

I have a friend of mine who is also a co-worker and a few years ago we had discussions and even several times throughout the year continued on various occasions these discussion about Christ and his love and kindness that he taught about.

This friend of mine had walked away from the church and even though his mother and father were ministers themselves he just did not want to be a part of that anymore. He did not see any reason why he needed the Lord, the church, nor did he want to have anything to do with it. He was done. However, I just had a recent conversation with him and not only is he committed to church, his adopted daughter and bringing her up in the church, he is also going to get baptized again to rededicate his life to the Lord.

This just goes to show the power of prayer and planting seeds that come from the Holy Spirit. Jesus was a teacher in this. His only commandment was to Jesus said, “Feed my lambs, Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep (John 21:1-17). There is also a Proverb in the book of Proverbs (Chapter 22:6) Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

So take head my brothers and sisters plant those seeds, be diligent and faithful in your prayers, and be an example to those around you and the Lord will bless you and your family as well as those around you.