Where Praising God Comes Natural!
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Event: See You At the Pole (Sept 27, 2017)
God Inspires would like to encourage everyone to join hands around the flagpoles at your local schools, churches and places of business and pray on September 27, 2017.
New Christian Connection: Mission America Coalition
The Mission America Coalition (MAC) is an alliance of leaders in evangelism and discipleship who have prayerfully come together to mobilize the Church to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in deed and word.
Born in 1995 as the United States' Committee of the global Lausanne Movement, the Mission America Coalition has had high level involvement from 81 denominations, over 350 ministry organizations, dozens of national ministry networks, hundreds of citywide collaborations, and now over 600 individual evangelism leaders.
The newest initiative of the Coalition, quickly becoming a movement in the Church, is LOVE2020. It’s vision is that EVERY person in America have the opportunity to be authentically loved by at least one committed follower of Jesus Christ within this decade.
Check out Mission America for yourself by clicking HERE!
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Dried up Souls...
Read 1 Kings Chapter 17
Elijah the Tishbite of Gilead told Ahab, "As the Lord God lives, there shall not be any rain for years. There will not be any dew, either." Then, God told Elijah, "Go and hide by the brook Cherith.
He did, and the ravens brought him meat morning and night, and he drank from the brook until the brook dried up because of the drought.
Then God told Elijah to go to Zaraphath in Zidon, "I have commanded a widow woman there to care for you." So he went.
When he got there, the widow was gathering sticks, so he called to her, "Could you get me a drink of water?" When she went after the water he called after her, "I'd like something to eat, too!"
She turned around and said, "I barely have enough for one more meal. That is what I was fixing to do, gather sticks and cook one more meal for me and my son and then we were going to die."
Elijah said, "Don't be afraid. Go and cook your meal, but cook mine first. God has said you will not run out until it rains." She did as she was told and they all ate well until the drought was over.
Then the woman's son got sick and died. She took him to Elijah and demanded, "Why did you come here? Did you come to call my sins into rememberance so God would slay my son?" So he took the boy to his room and stretched over him three times, praying, "Why did you slay this woman's son? She has been nothing but good to me! Please bring life back into him!" And God heard him and He did.
Elijah took the boy to his mother and said, "He is alive." She then said, "I believe you truly are from the Lord, now."
**************
Elijah did everything the Lord asked him to do; so, when Elijah prayed, God listened. This is probably why God wanted Elijah to go and hide after delivering His message to Ahab. Ahab knew that Elijah had the Lord's ear. If he had kept Elijah there, Ahab may have forced Elijah to pray for rain, and God would have heard and done as He was asked. God didn't want that to happen.
In Genesis, Chapter 18, the Angel of the Lord came to Abraham and told him what He would do to Sodom and Gomorrah. He also told Abraham that if there was just one righteous man there, he would spare the cities. So, Lot had to leave. This time it was Elijah leaving.
The woman's son became ill because, after all the woman had seen, she still did not believe. Elijah bringing him back was God's way of saying, "Yes, Virginia, I do exist."
Sometimes God uses tragedy to prove His presence, because that is the only way He can get our attention. He wants us all to know, "Hey, I'm right here!"
Elijah the Tishbite of Gilead told Ahab, "As the Lord God lives, there shall not be any rain for years. There will not be any dew, either." Then, God told Elijah, "Go and hide by the brook Cherith.
He did, and the ravens brought him meat morning and night, and he drank from the brook until the brook dried up because of the drought.
Then God told Elijah to go to Zaraphath in Zidon, "I have commanded a widow woman there to care for you." So he went.
When he got there, the widow was gathering sticks, so he called to her, "Could you get me a drink of water?" When she went after the water he called after her, "I'd like something to eat, too!"
She turned around and said, "I barely have enough for one more meal. That is what I was fixing to do, gather sticks and cook one more meal for me and my son and then we were going to die."
Elijah said, "Don't be afraid. Go and cook your meal, but cook mine first. God has said you will not run out until it rains." She did as she was told and they all ate well until the drought was over.
Then the woman's son got sick and died. She took him to Elijah and demanded, "Why did you come here? Did you come to call my sins into rememberance so God would slay my son?" So he took the boy to his room and stretched over him three times, praying, "Why did you slay this woman's son? She has been nothing but good to me! Please bring life back into him!" And God heard him and He did.
Elijah took the boy to his mother and said, "He is alive." She then said, "I believe you truly are from the Lord, now."
**************
Elijah did everything the Lord asked him to do; so, when Elijah prayed, God listened. This is probably why God wanted Elijah to go and hide after delivering His message to Ahab. Ahab knew that Elijah had the Lord's ear. If he had kept Elijah there, Ahab may have forced Elijah to pray for rain, and God would have heard and done as He was asked. God didn't want that to happen.
In Genesis, Chapter 18, the Angel of the Lord came to Abraham and told him what He would do to Sodom and Gomorrah. He also told Abraham that if there was just one righteous man there, he would spare the cities. So, Lot had to leave. This time it was Elijah leaving.
The woman's son became ill because, after all the woman had seen, she still did not believe. Elijah bringing him back was God's way of saying, "Yes, Virginia, I do exist."
Sometimes God uses tragedy to prove His presence, because that is the only way He can get our attention. He wants us all to know, "Hey, I'm right here!"
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Wayfaring Stranger
Genesis 19
1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Three angels left Abraham. Two went to Sodom. Lot was Abraham's nephew. He, too, feared God. He, too, was taught that strangers were to be treated with respect and honor and dignity., not judgment, condemnation or contempt. He offered the strangers a place to stay where they would be safe and have a good meal and be comfortable.
They did not want to inconvenience Lot. They were testing him. Lot, a man of God, begged them to stay with him, "Really! It's no problem! We would LOVE to have you! It would make me feel better to know you were safe here."
These are men; strangers that he didn't even know. How often do we, today, have the opportunity to entertain strangers in such a way? How many times do we "fail the test"?
They finally yielded to him and went into his home, and it was a good thing they did.
Strangers should always be treated as friends you didn't know you had. Just remember, we are all strangers to someone. How would YOU want to be treated?
1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Three angels left Abraham. Two went to Sodom. Lot was Abraham's nephew. He, too, feared God. He, too, was taught that strangers were to be treated with respect and honor and dignity., not judgment, condemnation or contempt. He offered the strangers a place to stay where they would be safe and have a good meal and be comfortable.
They did not want to inconvenience Lot. They were testing him. Lot, a man of God, begged them to stay with him, "Really! It's no problem! We would LOVE to have you! It would make me feel better to know you were safe here."
These are men; strangers that he didn't even know. How often do we, today, have the opportunity to entertain strangers in such a way? How many times do we "fail the test"?
They finally yielded to him and went into his home, and it was a good thing they did.
Strangers should always be treated as friends you didn't know you had. Just remember, we are all strangers to someone. How would YOU want to be treated?
If this has inspired you, please share it!
Monday, July 31, 2017
Pride Rationalizes
Pride is a terrible thing. It makes you rationalize the reasons to remain in the state that makes you miserable.
You can't say you have given it to Jesus to take care of while still feeling angry and miserable. If you feel angry and miserable it's evidence that you haven't given anything to God but words.
Actions speak louder than words. That's not in the Bible...in those words, but it is there:
James 2
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Pray for those who profess to believe, yet doubt their ability to have faith.
If this has inspired you, please share it!
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Chain Breaker (by Shonda Ponder)
Everyone has that one friend. You know, the one who is negative about everything, every day. Nothing good ever happens to them. All they do is complain, and then wonder why no one wants to be around them. They wonder why they are so lonely, or why no one seems to care, or why bad things always seem to happen to them, and no one is there to help pick them up.
The truth is that no one CAN help them. Any attempt to help them will probably get them into the same quicksand. No one likes drama. And, any word of encouragement is met with more negativity and expectation that exceeds anyone's ability.
Many times, the one who claims to hate drama on a regular basis is the one who is most dramatic, in that they refuse to change who they are in order to be who God wants them to be. There will always be drama when you are outside of God's Will for your life.
There is really only one way out of the dilemma that "friend" is facing: Jesus. If they could but put their focus on Him, start doing what He has commanded us to do, then things would get better. They complain that God doesn't care about them, or has never done anything for them. When they do, I am reminded of what Jesus said:
Matthew 13:15:
" For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
A person who claims that God has never done anything for them is one who refuses to let God work in their life. God can't do anything with an unwilling soul. But, if God didn't care, Jesus would have never existed.
In plain English: Some people don't want to hear. They don't want help. They are comfortable in their lifestyle, even though it makes them miserable. After all, if they would only listen to those who have found the joy and peace and love and friendship that they want so badly, they might actually see change in their lives. They might actually look forward to tomorrow with gladness. They might actually acknowledge the Power of God in their lives and be successful, happy, at peace, and realize that nothing makes you feel more loved than learning to love right.
We can talk until our lips turn blue, but most of us stop at a certain point and just sit back and watch...because we feel helpless to help anyone who won't help themselves. The best help comes from the One who gave His life for you.
The truth is that no one CAN help them. Any attempt to help them will probably get them into the same quicksand. No one likes drama. And, any word of encouragement is met with more negativity and expectation that exceeds anyone's ability.
Many times, the one who claims to hate drama on a regular basis is the one who is most dramatic, in that they refuse to change who they are in order to be who God wants them to be. There will always be drama when you are outside of God's Will for your life.
There is really only one way out of the dilemma that "friend" is facing: Jesus. If they could but put their focus on Him, start doing what He has commanded us to do, then things would get better. They complain that God doesn't care about them, or has never done anything for them. When they do, I am reminded of what Jesus said:
Matthew 13:15:
" For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
A person who claims that God has never done anything for them is one who refuses to let God work in their life. God can't do anything with an unwilling soul. But, if God didn't care, Jesus would have never existed.
In plain English: Some people don't want to hear. They don't want help. They are comfortable in their lifestyle, even though it makes them miserable. After all, if they would only listen to those who have found the joy and peace and love and friendship that they want so badly, they might actually see change in their lives. They might actually look forward to tomorrow with gladness. They might actually acknowledge the Power of God in their lives and be successful, happy, at peace, and realize that nothing makes you feel more loved than learning to love right.
We can talk until our lips turn blue, but most of us stop at a certain point and just sit back and watch...because we feel helpless to help anyone who won't help themselves. The best help comes from the One who gave His life for you.
Friday, July 14, 2017
Cattle on a Thousand Hills
My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. I have need of nothing. All I have to do is ask Him for whatever I want, and if He thinks it will serve Him, He blesses me with it.
Psalms 50:10
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
Psalms 50:10
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
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