Extinguish
45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, face the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest land in the Negev, 47 and say to the forest there: Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am about to ignite a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be extinguished, and every face from the south to the north will be scorched by it. 48 Then all people will see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it. It will not be extinguished.” Ezekiel 20:45-48
To put out a fire, to wipe out from existence, to annihilate are all definitions of the word extinguish. Is there something in your life that you wish to extinguish? We all have fires burning inside us, some of them good and decent, and some are filled with passion. There are other fires that are not so good and they have the enemy pouring an accelerant on them to keep that fire burning stronger and wood is placed on them to keep the fire burning longer in us to hopefully make us fall away from the Lord. There is only one individual that can extinguish these fires within us, and it isn't us. We need the help of our Lord and Savior to extinguish the enemy's flames. The problem we have is that we tend to like the warmth of the flames sometimes, and we don't think of the burning that is taking place is impacting anyone. The fires that should be burning inside us, are those that we should help fan with the power of righteousness. When we fan those flames, they can overtake the flames of the enemy that tend to burn and not heal. The flames of righteousness can hold a barrier between you and the enemy's flames, and maybe those are the fires we should be focused on. I don't know about you, but I would rather see the fire that cannot be extinguished which protects us than a fire that consumes us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, October 18, 2019
Friday, October 11, 2019
Fantastic Friday #702 - Tongue
Tongue
5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6
This last week in church we discussed many aspects of the tongue, but this one section of the description of the tongue really struck me. We think the tongue is a small part of our body and we don't often think of how the tongue impacts people if we use it to gossip or talk about others. We don't realize the hurt we cause others, but we definitely don't think as Christians of how others view us when we are talking about folks. Are we truly a Christian when we use our tongue to knock down people or speak negatively? This kind of violates God's commands of loving others. We don't want people talking about us not being a true Christian, so why do we think it is OK to speak about others behind their back. We need to focus on our tongue just as much as our actions, it is not easy but God provides a way out of negativity and hatefulness. We just need to remember that God always has us, we just need to turn to Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6
This last week in church we discussed many aspects of the tongue, but this one section of the description of the tongue really struck me. We think the tongue is a small part of our body and we don't often think of how the tongue impacts people if we use it to gossip or talk about others. We don't realize the hurt we cause others, but we definitely don't think as Christians of how others view us when we are talking about folks. Are we truly a Christian when we use our tongue to knock down people or speak negatively? This kind of violates God's commands of loving others. We don't want people talking about us not being a true Christian, so why do we think it is OK to speak about others behind their back. We need to focus on our tongue just as much as our actions, it is not easy but God provides a way out of negativity and hatefulness. We just need to remember that God always has us, we just need to turn to Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, October 4, 2019
Fantastic Friday #701 - Frame
Frame
24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. 25 Make a three-inch frame all around it and make a gold molding for it all around its frame. 26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners at its four legs. Exodus 25:24-26
What do you think of when you hear the word frame? Do you think of a house being framed, do you think of a picture frame holding a precious memory, do you think of the frame of your body or do you think of framing an opinion? So many things come to mind when I hear the word frame. I mainly think of framing as an object that provides a support system for something to stand on its own. What about you? What do you have to support you, or do you have system of friends in place that can support you? We often don't think of how we can stand up to the enemy's schemes, but with the proper support structure in place, we can stand up to anything. If you think about how God created your bone structure to be the frame that supports your body, you can see that He took His time to take care of His precious creation. Just like when He gave direction on building the ark of the covenant, He made sure it was properly framed and supported. We just need to make sure our frame is a strong one that can withstand the pressures of the enemy, and know that our creator is the maker of that frame.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. 25 Make a three-inch frame all around it and make a gold molding for it all around its frame. 26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners at its four legs. Exodus 25:24-26
What do you think of when you hear the word frame? Do you think of a house being framed, do you think of a picture frame holding a precious memory, do you think of the frame of your body or do you think of framing an opinion? So many things come to mind when I hear the word frame. I mainly think of framing as an object that provides a support system for something to stand on its own. What about you? What do you have to support you, or do you have system of friends in place that can support you? We often don't think of how we can stand up to the enemy's schemes, but with the proper support structure in place, we can stand up to anything. If you think about how God created your bone structure to be the frame that supports your body, you can see that He took His time to take care of His precious creation. Just like when He gave direction on building the ark of the covenant, He made sure it was properly framed and supported. We just need to make sure our frame is a strong one that can withstand the pressures of the enemy, and know that our creator is the maker of that frame.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 27, 2019
Fantastic Friday #700 - Alarmed
Alarmed
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the Lord.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge. Psalm 14:4-6
What alarms you or overwhelms you? We know that daily the enemy works in secret trying to figure out ways to make us feel dread in our life. Whether it be an illness that seems to not getting better, an important meeting or project at work that seems daunting or an exam coming up that you know there is no way you can handle all the information you have on the test. You can just feel the negativity of that last sentence and how the enemy works to make you feel like you can't do, know, or become who God wants you to be. If you are in the present company of God, how can the enemy touch you with this doubt and dread? The enemy cannot and therein lies the secret. Be ever-present with God in your life and these daunting tasks will seem much more manageable and clear. God loves you and will frustrate the enemy's plan. Live in Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the Lord.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge. Psalm 14:4-6
What alarms you or overwhelms you? We know that daily the enemy works in secret trying to figure out ways to make us feel dread in our life. Whether it be an illness that seems to not getting better, an important meeting or project at work that seems daunting or an exam coming up that you know there is no way you can handle all the information you have on the test. You can just feel the negativity of that last sentence and how the enemy works to make you feel like you can't do, know, or become who God wants you to be. If you are in the present company of God, how can the enemy touch you with this doubt and dread? The enemy cannot and therein lies the secret. Be ever-present with God in your life and these daunting tasks will seem much more manageable and clear. God loves you and will frustrate the enemy's plan. Live in Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 20, 2019
Fantastic Friday #699 - Strength
Strength
11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:11-14
Do you find yourself stating, I don't have the strength. Maybe it is strength to move a box, get through a day, overcome an illness, or move past the personality conflict you have with someone. What does this strength mean? Fortitude, energy, courage are all interesting synonyms to go along with the word strength to accomplish something. Maybe you don't have the courage to face what is in front of you because of fear. We can all combat fear with our Lord leading the way, but we rarely do that. It is amazing to see Gideon's story play out, when he had 300 men that battled 10's of 1000's of enemies and defeated them all, because God was with Him. We cannot doubt ourselves or our God, we need to find our internal strength which comes from the Lord and accomplish His plan. When we doubt what God can do for us, the enemy sneaks in and makes us think we have no strength. Just like with Gideon, God can find a way to strengthen us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:11-14
Do you find yourself stating, I don't have the strength. Maybe it is strength to move a box, get through a day, overcome an illness, or move past the personality conflict you have with someone. What does this strength mean? Fortitude, energy, courage are all interesting synonyms to go along with the word strength to accomplish something. Maybe you don't have the courage to face what is in front of you because of fear. We can all combat fear with our Lord leading the way, but we rarely do that. It is amazing to see Gideon's story play out, when he had 300 men that battled 10's of 1000's of enemies and defeated them all, because God was with Him. We cannot doubt ourselves or our God, we need to find our internal strength which comes from the Lord and accomplish His plan. When we doubt what God can do for us, the enemy sneaks in and makes us think we have no strength. Just like with Gideon, God can find a way to strengthen us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 13, 2019
Fantastic Friday #698 - Let Go
Let Go
3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:3-4
How many of you have heard the statement of Let go and Let God? While well-intended, there is a huge flaw with this statement. Thank you first to my friend Dewayne for pointing this out, we all need friends in our life that show us God's Word and how we can us it in our daily lives. Iron sharpening Iron, I sure you have heard that before. Now back to "Let Go." There is nothing particularly wrong with this part of the statement, because there are many times we need to let go of what we are holding onto, or what circumstances we are in currently. The second part of the statement of "Let God" is wherein lies the problem. As my friend put it, if God is perfect and all powerful, does He really need us to Let Him do anything? The answer to that is fairly obvious. God does anything when He wants to, how He wants to and where He wants to. We have no control over how, when or where God does things. We do however have the ability to release whatever we are holding onto. When we show a true faith in God and His works, only then does the door open for God to do His good work. No matter how hard you think about it, we are not going to let God do anything, but we are going to be open to Him and His blessing. Humble yourself, let go of what you are holding onto and God will be just in His time.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:3-4
How many of you have heard the statement of Let go and Let God? While well-intended, there is a huge flaw with this statement. Thank you first to my friend Dewayne for pointing this out, we all need friends in our life that show us God's Word and how we can us it in our daily lives. Iron sharpening Iron, I sure you have heard that before. Now back to "Let Go." There is nothing particularly wrong with this part of the statement, because there are many times we need to let go of what we are holding onto, or what circumstances we are in currently. The second part of the statement of "Let God" is wherein lies the problem. As my friend put it, if God is perfect and all powerful, does He really need us to Let Him do anything? The answer to that is fairly obvious. God does anything when He wants to, how He wants to and where He wants to. We have no control over how, when or where God does things. We do however have the ability to release whatever we are holding onto. When we show a true faith in God and His works, only then does the door open for God to do His good work. No matter how hard you think about it, we are not going to let God do anything, but we are going to be open to Him and His blessing. Humble yourself, let go of what you are holding onto and God will be just in His time.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 6, 2019
Fantastic Friday #697 - Cry
Cry
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror. Psalm 10:17-18
Some days I wonder if the Lord hears my cry. I want answers but I don't always hear them. People give an encouraging word, yet I ignore it wondering why the Lord is silent. Does any of this sound like something you say? God is always there to hear us, whether we rejoice in His name or cry out to him in agony for relief from something going on in our life. This scripture easily reminds us that the Lord hears us and cares for us. We just don't see it sometimes because we want an answer now! Remember, God does listen, He does respond, it is just only when we are ready to hear his response or He is ready. It may be yes, it may be no, or it may be not yet. Wear this verse on your heart to remind yourself that God does hear us and cares for us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror. Psalm 10:17-18
Some days I wonder if the Lord hears my cry. I want answers but I don't always hear them. People give an encouraging word, yet I ignore it wondering why the Lord is silent. Does any of this sound like something you say? God is always there to hear us, whether we rejoice in His name or cry out to him in agony for relief from something going on in our life. This scripture easily reminds us that the Lord hears us and cares for us. We just don't see it sometimes because we want an answer now! Remember, God does listen, He does respond, it is just only when we are ready to hear his response or He is ready. It may be yes, it may be no, or it may be not yet. Wear this verse on your heart to remind yourself that God does hear us and cares for us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
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