June 2011 – Page 2 – Serminutes

Blessed or Blissed?

June 19, 2011R. Mangold

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

It is a gross misconception when we equate God’s blessings with God’s sanctioning. Even Jesus decried this delusion when he said, “For he (God) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45).

False teachers presume to preach a gospel of prosperity and mislead millions into believing if you’re blessed you must be pleasing to God and conversely, if you’re not blessed, you must not have enough faith. This is a miscarriage of the Gospel that Jesus taught…Blessed are the poor, the mournful, the meek, the merciful, and the persecuted! (Matthew 5)

This list reads like a “who’s who” of mistreated, brokenhearted, and the socially outcast of our day. What the world views as weakness, God sees as a trust in His Strength that is made perfect in weakness. What the world sees as poverty, God sees as being an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven.

God does indeed bless His people in so many ways, but if we’re so infatuated with the blessings rather than the “Source” from whom all blessings flow, we’re in extreme peril of being “blessed” rather than “blessed!”

For an expanded version of this post please visit Rodger’s Rants, Writings, and Rambles

“Serminutes” – Sermon in a Minute. A one minute spiritual pick-me-up for busy Christians! Visit this POST for details on what exactly that is. Thank you for visiting today! May the Lord richly bless you. Rodger Mangold

"Timely" Advice from our Biblical Ancestors

June 18, 2011R. Mangold

Time is priceless yet it costs us nothing.

You can do anything you want with it, but you can’t own it.

You can spend it, but you can’t keep it.

And, once you’ve lost it there’s no getting it back.

Our biblical ancestors have some “timely” advice for us…

David resigned himself to the fact his “times” were in God’s hands. (Psalm 31:15)
Queen Esther convinced she had come to the kingdom “for such a time as this,” risked execution to save her people, siting, “if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:14)
James postulates our lives are just a vapor appearing for just a “little time.” (James 4:14)
Paul admonished the Ephesians to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

Only God occupies all space and time…we don’t! Our days are numbered. If you’re delaying your decision and postponing your purpose, remember, you’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Don’t wait any longer! God can do more with what’s left of your life than everything you’ve accomplished up to this point!

No one knows the day nor the hour of Christ’s return. We must be ready at a moment’s notice…He came for someone today!

Power of the "Moment"

June 17, 2011R. Mangold

¹³Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: ¹⁴Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ¹⁵For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. James 4:13 – 15

There is within each of our lives “that moment,” that defines us. “That moment” which forever etches into our lives, a pattern. It’s “that moment” that forever alters the direction our life will take. Our first love, first kiss, first child, and even our first encounter with God are just such moments.

Sometimes we live in anticipation of “that moment.” We feel it will be the crescendo, the climax, our arrival on the scene. Ironically, if we’re not careful we can live in such anticipation of “that moment” – our graduation, our wedding, our new home; that we dismiss those precious moments in between.

Just as important as “that moment” are those seemingly inconsequential “moments” that have just as much merit and purpose. For without those “between moments” developing the story and its character, there would be no big climactic “moment.”

For David the “between moments,” the bear, the lion, the attempts on his life by King Saul, led to his “crowning” achievement as King of Israel!

Don’t be quick to dismiss the seemingly mundane moments of life in pursuit of the glory moments. There’s life to be lived in the “between moments” that powerfully sweeten our “moment” in the spotlight!

Let There Be

June 16, 2011R. Mangold

¹In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.³And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4

“Let there be…” God spoke into nothingness and created everything. He had no base with which to start; no form, no light,…nothing. Before words were even words, God’s Eternal Word authoritatively commanded the heavens and earth into existence.

Perhaps as you read this, you’re feeling like it’s been an eternity since there’s been “light” in your life. Quite literally you have more dark days than light. I have great news friend, God’s Word continues to speak light and life into existence – He’s still saying, “Let there be light!” The only hindrance to the achievement of God’s purpose is simply us drawing back the curtains of our life and “letting” the light of God’s unconditional love to shine its warmth in places we never thought possible.

Initially our response to light may be to squint and might even burn our eyes a bit. But once our vision adjusts, we’ll see by “letting” in light, we let in life and love! No longer will you feel empty, helplessly flailing around in darkness wondering if God even cares.

God saw the light that it was good; so will you. Won’t you let HIM speak the words, “Let there be light” into your life?

STIR IT UP!

June 15, 2011R. Mangold

In 2 Timothy 1:1-6, Paul tells Timothy, the faith that was in your Grandma, and your Mama….I now see is also in you! So this is a gift…passed down from generations. Someone said, “If you ever see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he didn’t get there by himself”.

None of us started out with our own ‘stuff’! Just like the son of Aaron the High Priest. The only anointing upon him was what soaked into the clothes he now wore…FROM HIS FATHER IN MINISTRY! Only AFTER you walk under HIS anointing, do you get your own anointing! That’s where “double portion“ comes from! Nobody can pray it on you! You receive it by manifesting as a faithful son in ministry!

There are gifts passed from generations, deep inside of you…It was there when you were born! You’ve been studying generational curses; you NEED to study generational BLESSINGS!

As you reach adulthood, all the gifting that was apparent in you as a child, has a tendency to get covered up with A LOT OF STUFF….THAT’S why Paul told Timothy…STIR UP THE GIFT!

STIR IT UP, CHILD OF GOD!

By Rev. J.S. Willoughby – To read other posts by Rev. J.S. Willoughby visit his blog at http://jswilloughby.wordpress.com

Limiting the ONE Without Limits

June 14, 2011R. Mangold

Yes, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? Isaiah 43:13 (AKJV)

Despite being ALL powerful, even God has a limit. As ludicrous as it sounds, what may come as even more of a shock is what that “limit” is…YOU.

I’m not saying we’re more powerful than God. I AM saying each time we attempt to impose our plan over God’s, in essence we limit His ability to bring about a favorable outcome for us. He will not “force” Himself on us. He may through a set of very undesirable circumstances, convince you His way is superior, but the freedom to choose is yours.

What loathsome ingredient in a man’s character would ever insist his plans are better than God’s? Pride! The very look of which God detests (Pro. 6:16-19)! To the reader of Exodus Pharaoh appears to be withstanding God by holding Israel hostage, but God allowed those circumstances to prove it was in Egypt’s best interest to let HIS people go!

Before we limit God, insisting on our God-given right to choose, let’s humbly submit ourselves to God’s Divine Will. He knows our end from our beginning! Let’s remove our prideful limits off God, allowing Him to “work” an optimal outcome for our blessing and His Ultimate Glory!

"Ain't" – A Boy's Fascination with God's Creation

June 13, 2011R. Mangold

He was just a little boy,
On a week’s first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes through the grass;
He found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
And blew out all the ‘filler.’

A bird’s nest in a tree o’er head,
So wisely placed up high.
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asking where he’d been that day
And what was going on.

‘I’ve been to Bible School ,’ He said,
And turned a piece of sod.
Picking up a wiggly worm replied,
‘I’ve learned a lot about God.’

‘M’m very fine way,’ the neighbor said,
‘for a boy to spend his time.’
‘If you’ll tell me where God is,
I’ll give you a brand new dime.’

Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
‘I’ll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain’t.’

~ Author Unknown

“Serminute” Series – Big Lessons in Small Packages

God Cannot Lie

June 12, 2011R. Mangold

“Let God be true, but every man a liar…” Romans 3:4

Humanity’s first ever encounter with Satan was laden with insidious deceit. He twisted the truth just enough to convince Eve to take that fateful bite. Satan called God a liar then, and hasn’t stopped spreading his despicable delusions since. When will the people of God stand up and bear witness? GOD CANNOT LIE! God’s Word is absolute, infallible, eternal, and forever settled outlasting both Heaven and Earth! God has magnified His Word “above all” His Name. [Ps. 138:2]

Just by virtue of who God is, He is incapable of lying. The Creative Omniscient Power of God is so vast, the moment He spoke what could defy human logic or the laws of physics, it would cease to NOT be true. So incredible is His power, the moment the words leave God’s lips, it becomes TRUTH! Jesus said it best, “With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” [Matt. 19:26]

In the words of God Himself, “So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” [Isa. 55:11]

One Chance Too Many

June 11, 2011R. Mangold

Steve Irwin, or as he was nicknamed the Crocodile Hunter, knew the imminent danger he faced each time he approached a deadly creature. By his own estimate, Steve had been bitten by thousands of animals, insisting it was always his fault, not the animals’.

Steve Irwin died September 4, 2006 while filming a documentary in the Great Barrier Reef, when a barb from a Sting Ray entered his heart and killed him instantly. Ironically, after the thousand or so bites and attacks by much wilder animals, a normally peaceful and not easily provoked creature, the Sting Ray took the daredevil Crocodile Hunter’s life!

Like Steve Irwin, we think we can cheat death, or even punishment. The Bible says, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil [Ecc. 8:11].”

We’d do well to learn from examples of just one offense that resulted in immediate punishment or death – One bite of the fruit (Adam). One glance over the shoulder (Lot’s Wife). One strike of the rock (Moses). One haircut (Samson). One touch of the Ark (Uzzah). One lustful look at a bathing beauty (David).

Some Bridges Are Better Off Burned

June 10, 2011R. Mangold

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [I Cor. 10:13]

We’ve all heard the adage, “Don’t burn any bridges.” Good advice if you want to leave the channels open to perhaps return to some ONE, some PLACE, or some THING. But, when it comes to our past, sometimes burning bridges is absolutely necessary. Those times when the bridge has brought you to a place in God and there’s no turning back are for one-time use only to get you through your trial or test. It was a way of “escape” to endure your temptation, trial, or test, [I Cor. 10:13] but it’s only a one-way ticket.

God immediately caused the Red Sea to fold back on the Egyptians after Israel’s safe passage. Israel’s enemies, their former way of life, and the shame of slavery were literally washed away forever! What God used to bring Israel out, He also used to destroy their enemies! That proverbial “bridge” was better off burned!

Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God [Luke 9:62].” There’s no turning back in God. There’s no second-guessing. God is calling you to move forward, put the past to rest, and let that bridge burn!

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: