OVERRATED

Believers are not called to live "overrated"or "over-hyped" lives. In other words as a Christian I should not trying to be something that I'm not! I should be living a life that is consistent with what the Word of God in it's proper context has said about me. In fact the Apostle under the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit gives us a list of "Righteous Behavior" on the behalf of the Believer over in Romans 12:16, here's what is says...  

Romans 12:16 (Amplified Bible) ^"Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits".

HERE'S WHAT I'M NOT TO BE...

1. I'm not to be "high-minded" or Prideful

2. I'm not to think I'm too good to associate with people who aren't in high positions or have a lot of money or may reside lower-class communities or those who are the least, the lost or the left-out!

3. I'm never to give a false evaluation of my own life or as the New Living Translation puts it, "...think that I know it all"

PASSING JUDGMENT

In 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 (NLT), Paul reminds us of who our judge is, he says: "My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. ⁵ So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due"

Even with a "clear conscience" Paul still understood that only God could declare him as "right or righteous". This is the reason a person ought not to think of themselves more highly than they should, because the very thing I'm judging someone about could very well be the thing that I one day struggle with, so I must guard my own life and actions at all times! BOTTOM LINE: Let God be the JUDGE!

STAY STRONG!

-- Pastor V.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The HOLY SPIRIT teaches us how to OBEY the HOLY SCRIPTURES! They work hand in hand to empower the Life of the Believer and Convict and Convert the life of the Non-Believer!

FROM DESPERATION TO DELIVERANCE

Every one of us has had a "desperate" moment in our lives where we've anxiously needed a breakthrough as the crisis' in our lives were causing us to literally break down! We have constantly asked questions and searched for answers only to discover that our questions of desperation offered few to no answers.

Well, I want to suggest to us today that the key to going from Desperation to Deliverance is not asking the right questions, but having the right answer in desperate times. Let me show us what I mean...

Over in Mark Chapter 10 there was a man who was blind and he was a beggar, two strikes against him during  the times that he lived. Well, "Blind Bart" which we'll call him in this Blog (short for Bartimaeus), one day was part of a massive crowd that showed up while Jesus and His disciples were in a town called Jericho. Let's pick the story up in Mark 10 beginning at vs. 46...


Mark 10:46-60 New Living Translation (NLT) "Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.

1. HE COULDN'T SEE BUT HE HEARD - VERSE ⁴⁷ "When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  His desperation pushed him to a point of "making his request known to God" (Philippians 4:6) He went from begging for what people could give him to now begging for what ONLY Jesus could give Him.

2. In order to go from Desperation to Deliverance, You have to look past the opinion of people! DESPERATION ONLY MAKES YOU SEEK JESUS HARDER - VERSE ⁴⁸ “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

3. YOUR DELIVERANCE IS IN YOUR ANSWER - VERSE 51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi the blind man said, “I want to see!”. Although this man was in a desperate when it came down to it, it was all about his faith. And Jesus didn't ask this man the question because He didn't know what the man needed, but He asked Him the question to assess and evaluate His level of faith. So He gave Jesus the right answer! "Bart's" answer was "FAITH-DRIVEN" and that was the key in fact...

4. YOUR DELIVERANCE IS DEPENDING ON YOUR ANSWER (YOUR FAITH) - VERSE 52 "And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road." Jesus said, "your faith has healed you" in other words Jesus tells the man, your words have moved me (where were indicative of His faith). Jesus looked at this man's heart which was filled with faith which dictated his "answer" and determined his deliverance. 


So today make up your mind that you're going to give God the right answer. Have Faith in God! (Mark 11:22)

STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

"Revelation Song" - Gateway Worship, Song led by Kari Jobe

I AM A WORSHIPPER

I have a deep love for Worship! I love Worship Music and I love a Christ-Centered Worship-filled environment and atmosphere.  In fact if I wasn't a Pastor, it was always a dream of mine to become a Worship Leader! In fact years ago I took Piano lessons with hopes that one day I would be playing for a Choir or Worship Team leading them and a local church in heartfelt, spirit-filled Worship!

Well, God had other plans and I'm not mad, LOL! I still love to Worship and I still Worship, no matter who's around I still lift my hands, I still bow down, I still let the tears of joy flow and I still lift up audible praise to God. In fact I'm not ashamed to say that it is my DUTY to Worship Christ.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 5:7 (NLT) "Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe". No matter what's going on in your life, don't forget to offer heartfelt, sincere Worship to God! I am a Worshipper, are You?


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

TO WORSHIP YOU I LIVE - ISRAEL & NEW BREED

HELP IS HERE

No matter what you're facing today, the help you to need to face what you're facing comes directly from God! He knows you're pain, He sees your pain and He feels your pain. He's a compassionate and loving God, my pain does not strip or rob Him of his power, He able to help you overcome every obstacle, every set back, every difficulty, every trial, every problem, every pitfall and every crisis!

The Psalmist in Psalm 121 begins to look for help, he found that his help was in God! In fact listen to the way he starts the passage off...

Psalm 121:1-2 (NCV) "I look up to the hills, but where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth"

So the writer shares with us that when he looked to the hills (a sign that he looked upward) he wondered and reasoned within himself where his help was going to come from. He concluded that the help he was looking for could only come from one source and that is THE LORD! He then makes it clear that he wasn't just talking about any "lord" but "the LORD who made heaven and earth"! Then he proceeds to discuss all of the help that God will provide in vs. 3-8.

In fact according to portions of this reading, not only does the Psalmist inform us that God is a Helper, but He is also a Keeper! That's some powerful, reliable and dependable news. So let's continue to look to the Lord to be our Ultimate help in our time of need!


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

STRESS KILLERS

There are two things that will KILL Stress: 1) PRAYER and 2) FAITH!~
MATTHEW 6:25-33 - You can COUNT on that Word!

 -- PJV

Hillsong: "With All I Am" Worship and Praise Song (HQ)

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name" Psalm 103:1 (NKJV)
Enjoy this moment of Worship!

DAY 19 OF 21-DAY FAST

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 19/Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is the longest reading in the bible out of any one Chapter. So I'll be selecting just one verse of reading today! Today I want to look at a familiar passage out of Psalm 119:11 where the Psalmist says, "Your word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against you". Now one of the key words in that passage is "hid" it also means "to store up", "conceal" or "to treasure", it gives the idea of "hoarding" (if any of you have ever seen the TV show "HOARDERS' you'll understand what hoarding actually looks like), the bible speaks of hoarding in the positive sense. So it speaks of laying or storing up God's Word in an very private and inaccessable place, "the heart". And the Psalmist says he has made a permanant deposit of God's word as a preventative measure against a sinful lifestyle. Not that he would be "sinless" but that he would sin less!

So today let's remember the power of God's Word and the incredible life-changing worth and Value it has for our lives.

Stay Strong!
- Pastor V.

Hillsong Chapel - Stronger HD (2010)

WORSHIP AT IT'S BEST! A GLORIOUS SONG TO THE LORD!

DAY 17 of 21-Day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 17/Psalm 117

Psalm 117:1-2  (NLT) ¹ "Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. ² For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD"

I'm so glad that God's love never Fails! His loves never runs or fades out! His love for me is unfailing! Packaged in this short yet powerful passage the Psalmist takes a praise break to bring acknowledgment and recognition to and for the Unfailing Love of God! And he makes it clear that God's unfailing Love is a direct result of the faithfulness of God which is also everlasting! So when we put it all together, God will always faithfully Love you and me! HALLELUJAH!


Stay Strong!
-- Pastor V.