If You Are Still Living: Then Disappointment Is Inevitable! Disappointment Does Not Cancel Your Assignment. Disappointed With Those You Look Up To: Disappointed In Those You Live With: You Are Disappointed In Those You’ve Poured Your Life Into:

Proverbs 13:12, “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a…good break can turn life around.”  People of God, disappointment does not cancel your assignment—nor does it close the door on God’s presence! So, go forth, even during disappointment and do what He sent you to do! 

If you are still living, then disappointment is inevitable! Disappointment does not cancel your assignment – nor does it close the door on God’s presence! You are disappointed with those you look up to. You are disappointed in those you live with: You are disappointed in those you’ve poured your life into: You’re disappointed in those you work with and depend on: Disappointment in ourselves! 

Webster defines disappointment as, “When expectations fail to be met, producing anger, frustration, sadness, and discouragement.” With that said, here are some examples to help you when:

1.. YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THOSE YOU LOOK UP TO: Think of Samuel and Eli (1 Samuel 1-4). Samuel’s mother entrusted her child to Eli the High Priest, confident he would mentor and prepare him for God’s service. But Eli had a serious character flaw! He was a weak, passive parent who stood by while his own sons abused their priestly privilege, bringing shame and disrepute to the family and ministry! There is a very befitting quote that says, “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” (Author Unknown) I believe it is fair to say that Eli was “…only taking a walk.” I mean with a “mentor” like Eli, who would have even blamed young Samuel for taking a nosedive right into the very heart of immorality, when the man he looked up to failed him so badly?! But no, instead he fielded his disappointment and kept his eyes on God: The Bible says, “…Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him.” (1 Samuel 3:19). And as a result, God turned him into one of Israel’s Greatest Prophets! Henry Ward Beecher accurately stated: “Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointment.” Well Done, Samuel, Well Done!

So, how are we to deal with the disappointment we feel in those we look up to, that let us down? Because it is bound to happen at some point in life. Whether it is a parent, clergy, family, friend, business associate, spouse, governmental official, etc., we are bound to be let down by those we look up to. But does that give us license to lower our standards because they did not raise theirs. Absolutely Not! Samuel grew and the Lord was with him. You see, even when Eli messed up his Role, Samuel maintained his Character. He never attacked Eli, he did not bash him, he did not talk about him, he did not spread rumors, lies, gossip or even truth about him. No, Samuel just lived the life of a good leader, which reminds us that we can point fingers and lay blame, but where does that get us, even if we are in the right?! The better bet is to take the high road. Live right, think right, speak right, behave right, no matter how wrong your surroundings or the people in them. So, the next time someone you look up to lets you down, keep them in prayer and be a mirror to them showing them the reflection of what good (not perfect) looks like. Why? Because Eli died and missed out, but the person you look up to does not have to. So, share your heart with them gently and honestly, then whether they agree or disagree, you move onward showing everyone that you can learn a good lesson even from a bad example! Do not judge them, just refuse to make the same errors in judgment. You can do it; I know you can!

2.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU LIVE WITH: If anyone would not let you down, surely it would be your family, right? Wrong! Just ask young Joseph. When his father favors him, and God promised him a big dream, you would think his own blood brothers would celebrate him and celebrate with him! But instead, they responded with jealousy, anger, spite, bitterness, ridicule, and resentment, while dropping him in a pit, then selling him into slavery! Far from friends and home he languished in prison for a crime he did not commit! What an invitation to bitterness, and an opportunity to rehearse the wrongs done him while plotting his revenge. But if he had done that, he would have died an innocent, unknown convict in a foreign jail! Instead, he allowed God to vindicate him, using his circumstances to position, prepare and promote him to being Egypt’s Prime Minister—now that is how you deal with disappointment! Robert Kiyosaki said: “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” Well Done, Joseph, Well Done!

So, how do you deal with family, your own blood, that stabs you in the back? What happens when the attack is from an assailant under your own roof? What do you do when it is your sibling that drops you in the pit, or your cousin that sells you out, or your auntie that lands you behind bars?! How do you recover when it was a relative that inflicted the hurt?! You do as Joseph did, you trust God throughout the entire process! Nowhere do we read that Joseph cried out ‘why me God’; he did not blame dad for not being there to protect him; he did not retaliate against the cupbearer who forgot him; he did not get angry with the whole world and try to issue his own form of the big payback. As he went from disaster-to-disaster God never left his side. In every bad, God produced something good. Now, is it easy, especially when it is blood, to just trust the vindication and vengeance to God alone? No! But it is the best way to handle it, to put what you will mishandle in the hands of God!

In the end, those same relatives had to come and bow before Joseph, will that happen with you, probably not, but isn’t it worth it to trust God and let Him work? Maybe, just maybe, you will at least get the apology and more importantly, you will get the reconciliation. Take the high road my friends, even when it is family that is trying to drive you off course!

3.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU WORK WITH AND DEPEND ON: To succeed, you need people; you cannot make it without them! And when those people fail you, it is painful. Imagine Moses’ disappointment. He leaves his brother Aaron in charge while he attends a summit conference with God and receives the Ten Commandments. Returning, he finds Israel in anarchy, idolatry, and unspeakable perversion! And where’s Aaron, you ask? Leading the Rebellion! When Moses needs him Most, Aaron fails him Miserably! But watch Moses, true leadership shines even in darkest of disappointment! He confronts Aaron, takes the mess to God for resolution and prays forgiveness for Israel! God listens, then reminds Moses of his assignment! [It is disappointing, Moses, but…]– “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” (Exodus 32:34 NIV). People of God, disappointment does not cancel your assignment—nor does it close the door on God’s presence! So, go forth, even during disappointment and do what He sent you to do! “Man must be disappointed with the lesser things of life before he can comprehend the full value of the greater.” (Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton). Well Done, Moses, Well Done! So, leaders, dare I even ask if you have ever been disappointed by your leaders? Surely you have, many of us have. But that does not mean you disown them; you do not give up on them; you do not give them the cold shoulder; you do not attempt to replace them; you do not ignore them; and certainly, you do not retaliate tit-for-tat with them!

No, you follow Moses’ example. Take the issue before God! Let Him tell you how to handle it, not your ‘inner circle’; not your clique; not your buddies and pals; not people you know do not like them; and certainly, you do not attempt to get back at them from over the pulpit! Moses took the issue he had with Aaron his leader, to God. And God could have told Moses get rid of Aaron, you do not need him, you are the key person to this assignment anyhow. No, He simply tells Moses to not focus on the attack but on his assignment, “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” Leaders, I do not have to tell you just how difficult it is to lead people, especially those who are stiff-necked, hardheaded, and rebellious! But do you get to retaliate? Nope! You are still held accountable for your leadership, your life and lifestyle and your responses to offense. Your character and integrity must remain intact.

You must still be above reproach, even when those you lead keep falling under it! Yes, disappointment hurts, but you cannot let the wound infect your assignment. Do what Moses did, take it to God, receive His directives, and continue. Why? Because God said, “…go, lead the people…” which means others will be affected by how you respond when disappointed. Do not let childish immaturity be the only way your followers can describe your leadership. Handle it, rise above it, and keep moving the people forward! Do not mess up your ministry because you are mad!

4.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU’VE POURED YOUR LIFE INTO: Let us check in again with Moses, Founding Pastor of the First Church of the Critical and the Ungrateful, a congregation of former slaves, delivered, abundantly blessed, in route to the Promised Land, but without a shred of loyalty or gratitude for the man who put everything on the line to make it all possible! Fresh out of Egypt they turn on Moses, accusing, blaming, and berating him (Exodus 14). Was Moses disappointed and hurt by it? Sure, who wouldn’t be? But each time he wanted to quit he would discuss it with God, pray for his complaining flock, receive fresh orders from headquarters and return to work! It is what “God-Called” men and women do when they are disappointed and feel like giving up! “If you use disappointments as sort of mid-semester exams, for learning, you will learn that every disappointment you overcome makes you stronger—and wiser. The greatest success stories have been lived by those who had to grow strong and wise in that very way.” (Loretta Young). Once Again, Well Done Moses, Well Done! Leaders, once again I want to encourage you, because it is not easy to take one vision and try to get an entire house to see and follow it. I know it would be wonderful to have the whole house on the same page, however, realistically, our churches are family trees with a whole lot of mixed nuts! One person wants the school; the other person thinks the school will not work; the other person does not mind a school, but does not like the blueprint of the school, and all the while you wish you could throw all of them in detention and keep building the vision by yourself. But unfortunately, pastors, it does not quite work out that way.

We are a part of One body with many members, and every member is vital to the health and wellbeing of the whole. So even when it seems like you cannot get one good solid supporter, remember you always have God and with Him you are in the majority! Moses led a frustrated, frustrating bunch of complainers, but did he throw in the towel? No, and neither will you. Like it or not, but you will pour even more of your life into the people, and some of them have eternal leaks, but that is not your problem! Their capacity is for God to handle, you simply pour of yourself into them. God will never allow you to dry out and die, He will continue to replenish you, His Chosen Vessel of Honor. Therefore, understand that disappointment will visit, but do not let it move in! Stay the course, God has got you!  

Now take a moment and look at 1 Samuel 15:10-12, “…God spoke to Samuel: “I am sorry I ever made Saul king. He turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night…” (MSG). As already stated, if you are still living disappointment is inevitable! But might I add, it is not ‘Impregnable’, which means ‘Unable to Overcome’! You see, when anger and disappointment threatened Samuel, he fought back in Prayer! If you are smart, you will do the same!

Disappointment only delivers a death blow to those who do not fight back! You can literally read those verses and feel Samuel’s anger, after all, do you know how mad you must be to pray angry and disappointed…All Through the Night? But sometimes prayer is the best thing, because when you are hurt, angry and disappointed, your mouth runs faster than your mind. So, you tend to say some things that you meant to say and a whole lot more that you did not! But when you empty all of that out to God in prayer, He is a master-sorter, He knows how to pick through that prayer for what is really needed. Therefore, no matter how great the disappointment, take it to God FIRST in prayer, even if you must enter your prayer closet hurt, disappointed, bitter, angry, confused, rejected, abandoned, used, betrayed, lied on, suicidal, take it all to God in prayer, even if that prayer will last long into the night!

Thank God, He never sleeps or slumbers! Take it to Him, then rest in Him, knowing He is going to bring something good out of your something bad! Now, we have talked about disappointment with those we look up to; those we live with; those we work with and depend on and those we have poured our life into. But there is one last disappointment I want us to dig into, and that’s:

5.. DISAPPOINTMENT IN OURSELVES! It is potentially the most debilitating kind of disappointment because it can throw you into a downward spiral that is hard to stop or recover from! Rollo May said: “Depression is the inability to construct a future.” And for most of us, who can tell the whole truth, we have had so many little disappointments along the way that we cannot even fathom a pencil- sketch of a big future! Well, there’s an even better quote that I want you to hold on to by Albert Ellis, he said: “You largely Construct your depression. It was not given to you. Therefore, you can Deconstruct it.” You see, mounting disappointments are a map with all directions pointing towards the destination of depression! But remember, anything you can CONSTRUCT, you can also DECONSTRUCT, or cause the destruction of”. The other definition I like is, “to dismantle and expose the workings of.” If you have built up and constructed disappointments in your life, you can also grab your toolkit and deconstruct those same disappointments. Take them apart, dismantle them and expose the works behind them, so you can ensure that what worked before in building that disappointment, will not ever work again! And even if “YOU” brought discouragement, disappointment and depression to yourself, there is still a way to recover! JUST ASK PETER! Peter had sworn undying love and fidelity to Jesus. “Lord, everybody else may abandon you, but not me! I’m yours till death.” (Read—Matthew 26:33- 75). And he meant every word of it! But under the pressures surrounding the crucifixion, he yields, and three times denies knowing Jesus. Later, remembering Jesus’ words, “Before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times,” Peter, heartbroken BY HIS OWN DISMAL FAILURE, “went outside and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62 NIV).

Have you ever been there, asking: “God, how can You possibly use someone as messed up as me?” I lost the job; I flunked out of school; I had this baby out of wedlock; I have a prison record; I fell off the wagon again; I’ve destroyed my finances; my health is falling apart; my marriage is on life support and we’re both ready to pull the plug; I can’t even remember the last time I prayed or fasted or studied Your word; I can’t remember the last time my hands clapped, my feet danced or praise was on my lips and worship in my spirit. Lord my family is a feuding mess; the loans were denied; the bills are about to drown me; there is so much to pray for regarding my kids, I do not even know where to start; my parents are getting sicker; God I cannot get two sentences to make sense in my head, Lord, why are you still trying to use me?!

Listen, Peter failed to meet his own expectations, but Jesus was never shocked! He was aware of Peter’s flaws when He called him into the ministry. He knew that His blustering, outspoken disciple had a tender heart, so He extended grace to him rather than remove him from office! And as disqualified as you may feel from all your disappointments in life, God is not going to remove you from office or your assignment either!   When Christ gave post-resurrection orders to “…tell His disciples and Peter…” (Mark 16:7 NIV) to meet Him in Galilee, He reaffirmed His choice of the failed disciple! The rest of Peter’s story is New Testament History!

So, yes, You Can Recover Even from Disappointment in Yourself! Never forget, God is the Master Potter, and no matter how many times we His clay become marred in His hands, He never throws us away! We are never discarded! He simply molds us again into another vessel He can use again.

You are not strong enough on your worst day to dismantle God’s assignment on your life!  Every day He gives you brand new mercies, and not so you can keep going over old disappointments. Friends, if last night was not your LAST night, God still has much in store for you! So, stop beating yourself up, sometimes God uses our greatest disappointments as reappointments to life and ministry! He has not given up on you, so do not give up on yourself! It is a new day, make a renewed you and fulfill your purpose in life! God is waiting to hand you your next assignment, now get back to work!

We Are three months before we enter a new year, you can finish this year by overcoming and surviving every disappointment!

“It is how you handle your disappointments that defines you as a person. If you get up after the fall or just lay, there in defeat.” (Author Unknown)

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointments, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.” (Paulo Coelho)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

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God Has Given You Money, Therefore He’s Given You Resource! How Are You Managing His Resources? “Money Speaks Only One Language. If You Save Me Today, I Will Save Your Tomorrow.” Good Financial Planning Is A Part Of Wise Stewardship!

God Has Given You Money, Therefore He’s Given You Resource! How Are You Managing His Resources? If People Were To Look At Your Financial Lifestyle, Would They Say You Could Be Trusted With A Full Storehouse? “Money speaks only one language. If you save me today, I will save your tomorrow.” Good financial planning is a part of Wise Stewardship!

To be a truly effective steward, you must believe unequivocally that the Money being managed is Someone Else’s Money – GOD’S! You do remember that the Bible says, ‘The earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s’ (Psalm 24:1, “The earth and everything it contains are the Lord’s. The world and all who live in it is His” GWT). Every resource, even money, is His, and you are simply stewards of His resources!

Having this perspective gives a person the freedom to use finances as a tool to accomplish God’s purposes, recognizing that no one comes into this world with any possessions, and certainly no one will leave with anything (Ecclesiastes 5:15, “They came from their mother’s womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won’t even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work” GWT). So be careful about trying to make you rich! Be careful about trying to increase your bank accounts for the sole purpose of saying “I have…” You cannot under any circumstances take one red cent with you when you go! Therefore, you must save money, for the Right Motive!

“Money speaks only one language. If you save me today, I will save your tomorrow.”

“How important are money management and finances in marriage and family affairs? Tremendously. The American Bar Association recently indicated that 89% of all divorces could be traced to quarrels and accusations over money. Another study estimated that 75% of all divorces result from clashes over finances. Some professional counselors indicated that four out of every five families wrestle with serious money problems.” (Jeffrey R. Holland)

In addition, money is something that God uses to test your ability to handle properly the other gifts He desires to give you (Luke 16:11, “Therefore, if you can’t be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real?” GWT). The Message Bible says it like this: “If you’re honest in small things, you’ll be honest in big things; if you are a crook in small things, you’ll be a crook in big things, if you’re not honest in small jobs that will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He’ll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can’t serve both God and the Bank”.

So, if people were to look at your financial lifestyle, would they say you could be trusted with a full storehouse? Or would you be more likely to empty it out instead?

Listen, one day God will ask for an accounting of how you managed the resources He has given you. Do your spending habits say you will pass the test or fail?

Luke 19:11-26, “While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God’s kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:  “There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, He Gave Them Each a Sum of Money, and instructed them, ‘Operate With This Until I Return.’  “But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: ‘We don’t want this man to rule us.’  “When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, He Called Those Ten Servants To Whom He Had Given The Money To Find Out How They Had Done”.  “The first said, ‘Master, I doubled your money.’ “He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been TRUSTWORTHY in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’ “The second said, ‘Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.’ “He said, ‘I’m putting you in charge of five towns.’ “The next servant said, ‘Master, here’s your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don’t suffer fools gladly.’ “He said, ‘You’re right that I don’t suffer fools gladly—and You’ve Acted The Fool! Why Didn’t You At Least Invest The Money In Securities So I Would Have Gotten A Little Interest On It?’ “Then He Said To Those Standing There, ‘Take The Money From Him And Give It To The Servant Who Doubled My Stake.’ “They said, ‘but Master, he already has double.’ “He said, ‘that’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.” MSG).

So where have you invested the money God has given you? Who have you invested in? How much have you invested?

God has given you enough resources, so have you put money away for your children’s education? Have you put money away for retirement? Have you reexamined your finances and rid your budget of non-essential expenditures? Have you been faithful to give your tithe and offering? Have you sown finances in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and foreign missions? Have you funded orphans and widows as the Bible charges us to do? Have you put a plan in place to get yourself out of debt? Do you know what your credit score is? When was the last time you checked your credit reports? If in debt, what steps have you taken to repair your credit? Are you wearing more than you’re saving?  Do you even know what a stock, bond, 401k, IRA is?

Do you have a savings account for “just in case?” What’s that you ask? Well, that’s money you put aside and save ‘just in case’ the car breaks down; the kids need braces; the plumbing has a leak; an unexpected lay-off takes place; you, your spouse or child becomes long-term sick, the rent goes up etc…You Need a “Just In Case” Fund!

And even things that may seem a little less important, but are not: Have you and your family gone on vacation together? Do you and your spouse have play money set aside for date night? Do you have change for the kids to go to summer camp instead of hanging out in front of the television all summer?

God has given you money, therefore He’s given you resources! How are you managing His Resources?

Also, it’s important Ladies, to note, that a Wife who manages resources wisely is a blessing to her husband and family:

Ladies, did you catch some of those highlights? Her husband trusts her without reserve and has no regret! Why? Because she knows how to manage her household…and that includes Managing Money! The Scripture says she “…shops around…” sounds like bargain hunting to me! A good woman who is a good steward shops around for the best bargain for her family’s budget! She also “…looks for a field and buys it…with money she’s put aside…” Sounds like a savings account to me! For instance, you may come across a foreclosed house or a car for little of nothing, but if you’ve not put aside some money…someone else will enjoy that blessing! Then she also “…plants a garden” …with the “…money she’s put aside” You take seed to plant, and then you wait, and then you reap, then you sow, then you wait, then you reap, then you sow, then you wait, then you reap…are you getting this?! She makes sure that her harvest always comes around again because she’s smart enough, diligent enough…to keep putting money aside! And she’s not selfish either because “…She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor…” Would people agree or disagree that that’s your testimony?

Remember this: “And [God] Who provides seed for the Sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]” 2 Corinthians 9:10 AMP) In other words, He Only Gives Seed To Those Who Have Sown! Maybe that explains why your barn is always empty! Proverbs 3:5-12, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God With Everything You Own; Give Him The First And The Best. Your Barns Will Burst; Your Wine Vats Will Brim Over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under His loving correction. It’s the child He loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this." (MSG)

In conclusion, People of God, avoid an overly consumptive lifestyle! The Bible teaches us to be temperate in all things: (1 Corinthians 9:25, “Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself Temperately And Restricts Himself In All Things…Amp). “Temperate” means “Showing Moderation or Self-Restraint”. Ladies, Good Stewards Exercise Moderation and Self-Restraint even when the shoes are buy one get one free; the dress is 50% off or the pocketbook is 2 for the price of 1! Listen, you don’t have to Like me, but make sure you Learn from me!

Good Stewards, even know how to pass up a good thing for a better one. For example: Yes, you’ve saved enough for a new car, but your son graduates high school this year, so is this really the right time or not? Good stewards walk in wisdom and discernment!

And Whatever You Do, Avoid Debt! (Proverbs 22:7, “The poor are always ruled over by the rich, So Don’t Borrow And Put Yourself Under Their Power” (MSG); Romans 13:8, “Don’t Run Up Debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other… MSG).

Grab hold of the Wisdom of the Proverbs: Proverbs 12:11, “Those who work their land will have plenty to eat, but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense” CEB). Surely You Don’t Want To Be Known As A Saint With No Sense?

Personal Experience: One of the things I do all the time is drop lose change in a jar I keep on my desk at home. Recently, both jars became too full to add anything else to them. So, I took a Saturday and just sat at the island counter in my kitchen rolling up the coins. All I kept saying was, 'how much can this really be? It's just a bunch of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.' Well, once I was finished with my little weekend project, the total amounted to $540! I was amazed! Just saving a few coins amounted to that much of an unexpected blessing! Now, that may not be much to some, but that was a pretty penny in my book! In a nutshell, you don't have to do anything drastic to start saving, you just need to start saving! It takes 100 pennies to get one dollar bill, so every penny is of value! Therefore, if you must start with a penny, it's a good place to start!

An Important Scripture I Want to Leave With You Is: Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just” The Amplified Bible says it like this: “A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up”

Two things I want you to take note of:

1) The Inheritance that’s Left is “…moral stability and goodness…” the Inheritance that you leave them has nothing to do with money! Does that mean you shouldn’t have life insurance? No! Don’t be stupid! Take care of your family! But note that the Biblical Inheritance is “…Moral Stability and Goodness” that’s Real Wealth! And.

2) You don’t have to be wicked to Attain Wealth! You do not need schemes and under-handed tricks! The Bible says: “…the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous…” Why? Because it’s for whom it was laid up”. In other words, God already has a plan in place for your prosperity! No matter how much Wealth the Wicked has, it will eventually flow our way! It has no choice but to because it was already intended for us to have! It was already laid up for us!

Today, be determined to start putting a plan in place so your financial stability can stop staggering and stagnating! Your present and future self (and generations) will thank you for it!

 “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know and start charging for it.” (Kim Garst)

 “When you’re having money problems the first thing to do is quit spending on all things that don’t produce money.”

“Hope is not a financial plan.”

“Money without brains is always dangerous.” (Napoleon Hill)

“Too many people spend money that they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people that they don’t like.” (Will Rogers)

 “No one’s ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that’s abandoned by February.” (Suze Orman)

 “You must gain control over money, or the lack of it will forever control you.” (Dave Ramsey)

“Money is usually attracted, not pursued.” (Jim Rohn)

 “If you are born poor it’s not your fault. But if you die poor, it’s your fault.” (Bill Gates)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

If God, Of All People, Doesn’t Keep A List, Why Do You Allow Others, And Yourself, To Keep You Stuck In What You Did, Where You Were, Who You Were With etc.…? God Himself Said “…I DON’T KEEP A LIST OF YOUR SINS” So Throw Your List Away.

If God, Of All People, Doesn’t Keep A List, Why Do You Allow Others, And Yourself, To Keep You Stuck In What You Did, Where You Were, Who You Were With etc.…? God Himself Said “…I DON’T KEEP A LIST OF YOUR SINS” So Throw Your List Away And Throw Away The List Others Keep Trying To Keep On You As Well!

The first recorded question God ever asked was, “[Adam]…WHERE ARE YOU?” And it’s a question you need to stop and ask yourself today: “Where Am I…Honestly?” If you don’t know the answer, or you do, but you don’t like it, then today’s devotional is for you!

When God asked Adam, “Where Are You?” he responded by saying, “I HEARD YOU in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid” (vs. 10 NIV). The New King James Version says it like this, “…I heard Your Voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I HID MYSELF”  

I find it amazing that USUALLY when we get into trouble, God’s Voice is the Only One We Want To Hear!  When we’re sick, in danger, need protection, feel confused, lonely, depressed, discouraged etc.…the First Thing We Cry Out Is SPEAK LORD! However, that wasn’t the case with Adam…not when he messed up! And just like Adam, many of us go into HIDING when we mess up! We ran away FROM instead of TO the Voice of the Lord! If we could only reach a place of understanding that God is NOT LIKE MAN, we would learn to take our mess to Him instead of trying to hide it from Him (as if that were even possible!)  For even the Psalmist declared:  “Is there ANYPLACE I can go to avoid Your Spirit? To be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute – You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness, and light, they’re all the same to You” (Psalm 139:7-12 MSG)

Sorry, But There Is Absolutely NO Hiding From God! So, Give It Up!

He Sees You…All Of You…And Yet, Loves You Still! The Bible says, “Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented Himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. BUT GOD PUT HIS LOVE ON THE LINE FOR US BY OFFERING HIS SON IN SACRIFICIAL DEATH WHILE WE WERE OF NO USE WHATEVER TO HIM.” (Romans 5:6-8 MSG)

He Loved You BEFORE You or I Did What We Did, BEFORE We Said What We Said, BEFORE We Thought What We Thought! AND HE EVEN LOVED US AFTERWARDS! He Simply Loves Us…All Of US…Mistakes, Mess and All! So, Stop Trying To Hide From Him! Please understand, God is NOT LIKE MAN!

Man will bring it up again; hold it over your head; brow beat you to death with it; belittle you by it…BUT NOT GOD! HE HAS SAID: “If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—HE WON’T LET US DOWN; HE’LL BE TRUE TO HIMSELF. HE’LL FORGIVE OUR SINS AND PURGE US OF ALL WRONGDOING. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of Him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.” (1 John 1:8-10 MSG) Beloved, God Is Ready to Forgive You, Purge You and Clean You of All Wrongdoing! So Why Are You Still Trying To Hide From Him? Isn’t Forgiveness and Cleansing What You Want? Well, You Can’t Get It From Him While Trying to Hide From Him!

Listen To How Much He Loves You: “BUT, I, YES, I, AM THE ONE WHO TAKES CARE OF YOUR SINS – THAT’S WHAT I DO. I DON’T KEEP A LIST OF YOUR SINS” (Isaiah 43:25 MSG). Now that’s what you call Simply Amazing! If God, of All People, Doesn’t Keep a List, Why Do You Allow Others, and Yourself, to Keep You Stuck In What You Did, Where You Were, Who You Were With etc.…? God Himself Said “…I DON’T KEEP A LIST OF YOUR SINS” So Throw Your List Away And Throw Away The List Others Keep Trying To Keep On You As Well!

Now, this does not in any way give us a clean slate just so we can dirty it again, for the Word of God Declares:  “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So, take your stand! NEVER AGAIN LET ANYONE PUT A HARNESS OF SLAVERY ON YOU” (Galatians 5:1 MSG) The Amplified Bible says it like this: “In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off]” (AMP) In other words, He didn’t Redeem You for You to Return to Mess! The Bible says, “As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness” (Proverbs 26:11 MSG) When He Restores You…Don’t Recycle Your Silly Ways! When He Redeems and Restores You…DON’T RECYCLE YOUR REFUSE! And “Refuse” is defined as “Matter Thrown Away As Worthless” It’s Old French Origin “Refusè” Literally Means “REFUSED”! So, Unlike What the Sanitation Department Would Say: I’m Telling You DO NOT RECYCLE! OR BETTER YET, REFUSE THE REFUSE!

I also find it amazing the lengths we will go to to “HIDE”! We’ll bury ourselves in work, or get involved in an affair, or build a wall around our hearts, or leave a marriage, leave a job, leave a ministry – anything but face the truth! And that’s not what God wants you to do! After all His Word says, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NLT) So Why “HIDE” From What You Need To Set You FREE?! Truth and Nothing Else will set you free! And whether you are Embraced or Embarrassed by it, if you acknowledge it, you will be set free! Some will talk, some will speculate, some will add scenes to your story that were never part of the plot…but THEY are not the focus…. You and Your Truth Are! Man Does Not Have a Hell To Put You In Or A Heaven To Keep You Out Of…SO WHY LET THEIR OPINION CARRY SO MUCH WEIGHT?!

REMEMBER, THE BIBLE SAYS: “But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll ALL have to face God, regardless of our conditions. WE will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to US because of OUR actions, either good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10 MSG) Did You Catch The Bonus In That Scripture?! It says “…WE’LL ALL HAVE TO FACE GOD, REGARDLESS OF OUR CONDITIONS. WE WILL APPEAR BEFORE CHRIST AND TAKE WHAT’S COMING TO US AS A RESULT OF OUR ACTIONS, EITHER GOOD OR BAD” Saints, NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE GOD! SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE ATTEMPTS TO BRING UP YOUR STUFF…REMIND THEM THAT THEY HAVE A DATE OF ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE GOD TOO! DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT I DID, WHAT I’M DOING OR WHAT I WILL DO…JUST MIND YOUR OWN STUFF! 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, “Stay calm; MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS; DO YOUR OWN JOB. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts…” (MSG)

IN ADDITION…THE BIBLE SAYS, “So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves us looking silly—or worse. Eventually, WE’RE ALL GOING TO END UP KNEELING SIDE BY SIDE IN THE PLACE OF JUDGMENT, FACING GOD. YOUR CRITICAL AND CONDESCENDING WAYS AREN’T GOING TO IMPROVE YOUR POSITION THERE ONE BIT. Read it for yourself in Scripture: “As I live and breathe,” God says, “every knee will bow before Me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God.” So, tend to your knitting. YOU’VE GOT YOUR HANDS FULL JUST TAKING CARE OF YOUR OWN LIFE BEFORE GOD.” (Romans 14:10-12 MSG)

That’s a Good Spot For a Praise Break! Now, After You Sit Down and Pull Your Neighbor Down, The Lesson Continues:

You see, God wasn’t trying to find Adam; He just wanted Adam to find himself! Yep, that’s it! God Is Simply Trying to Get You To Be Honest About Where You Really Are and What You Really Did! And not so He can hold it over your head, but so you can finally come to full Maturity! After All, Accountability is the Basis of Maturity! You can’t be trusted with More Until You can be trusted to be honest about the Least You Already Messed Up! Yes, You Get a Second Chance…But Do You Realize If You Keep Starting Over…You Never Get Farther Than The Spot You Messed Up In?! Can you imagine your church transitioning every 5 years, losing, and gaining the same folks as recycling? How is that growth? The same goes for you! You must Gain Ground Then Establish Your Footing! Psalm 18:33, “He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble]; He sets me [securely] upon my high places.” (AMP); Habakkuk 3:19, “The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet and makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].” (AMP); 2 Samuel 22:34, “He makes my feet like the doe’s feet [firm and swift]; He sets me [secure and confident] on my high places.” (AMP) God has already done His part in securing our footing on high places, according to the Word of God, so we can confidently walk forward! Therefore, why are we constantly walking backwards or in vicious cycles to nowhere?!

Look at it this way: If you were given a Billion Dollars in your bank account, and had only 5 minutes to get it out and your bank is across the street, but you only run in place…what’s going to happen? The truth is, you were given the blessing, it’s yours, got your name on it and it’s even in your bank account, and you have the bank card and access code! The only problem is you must leave where you are and take steps (progress) across the street to attain it! If not, you can’t complain that you never received the blessing…you just didn’t progress in steps to take hold of it! Maturity is the same! You must gain ground by taking steps towards Accountability for your deeds, words, and speech! “Adams”, you must grow up and not point fingers at Eve! Likewise, let God take care of your haters, gossipers, talebearers and the like! You Are Responsible For YOU and Accountable to GOD! That’s What Matters! So Come Out Of Hiding and Be Truthful to You! Even If Your “Truthful” Is Painful and Not So Pretty! Until you do that, you’ll remain where you are, running in place and gaining muscle and strength that is applied to absolutely nothing!

Another problem is when you "HIDE" you become a "PHONY"! And the word “Phony” is defined as “To Be a Fraudulent Person”. And “Fraudulent” means “To Be Dishonest”. Going back a bit, remember John 8:32? “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”? That’s Your Hindrance Right There! Being Phony! Because Being Phony Is Being Fraudulent and Being Fraudulent Is Being Dishonest! And Dishonest Means “Not Honest, Trustworthy, Sincere, or Truthful”! In a Nutshell: Hiding Leads to Phoniness That Causes You To Be Dishonest With Yourself, Others and God! And the Danger of Your Dishonesty Is That It Keeps You From Being Truthful…And Only TRUTH CAN SET YOU FREE! Are You Getting This? UNTIL YOU’RE TRUTHFUL YOU WILL NEVER BE FREE FROM THE TRAPS OF SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE?! And besides that, do you have any idea how much emotional and mental energy it requires of you to keep up a Charade for others? Only two things are worse: being a phony with yourself and being a phony with God! Furthermore, you’ll find it difficult to be honest with others or look them in the eye. Why? Because you’ll be afraid, they might investigate your heart and see the real you! Is that where you are today? Afraid to investigate your own heart? Or afraid someone else will? 

Well Today, STOP IT! Be Truthful With You, God and Others and then MOVE ON…

Look at it this way: Neither God, Adam, Eve or Even the Serpent Stayed in the Garden After the Fall! There Was Far Too Much of a Story That Had To Continue to Be Lived and Written! Everything Didn’t Stop In the Garden When Adam and Eve Fell, And Your Whole Life Has No Reason To Be Put On Permanent Pause Because of Your Failures or Falls Either! So, Keep Moving! There’s More Story To Tell! The Good News is, Adam was naked, but God clothed him; he was guilty, but God cleansed him; he was anxious, but God comforted him. And if you come to Him today God will cleanse you, clothe you, and comfort you too! He’s just waiting for the opportunity to do it! So, when are you going to finally give it to Him?

Yes, You Messed Up! Yes, You Got It Wrong! Yes, You Were Disobedient, Sinned and Broke Commandment and Covenant! But Is It Fatal? NO! Your Failure Does Not Make You Illegitimate! You Still Belong to the Body of Christ! Yes, Adam messed up, but how wonderful to know that he was only the First Adam!

Romans 5:12-21, “You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we’re in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So, death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. Even those who didn’t sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. BUT ADAM, WHO GOT US INTO THIS, ALSO POINTS AHEAD TO THE ONE WHO WILL GET US OUT OF IT. Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man’s sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, JUST THINK WHAT GOD’S GIFT POURED THROUGH ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST, WILL DO! There’s no comparison between that death-dealing sin AND THIS GENEROUS, LIFE-GIVING GIFT. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; THE VERDICT ON THE MANY SINS THAT FOLLOWED WAS THIS WONDERFUL LIFE SENTENCE. If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE BREATHTAKING RECOVERY LIFE MAKES, SOVEREIGN LIFE, IN THOSE WHO GRASP WITH BOTH HANDS THIS WILDLY EXTRAVAGANT LIFE-GIFT, THIS GRAND SETTING-EVERYTHING-RIGHT, THAT THE ONE-MAN JESUS CHRIST PROVIDES? Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, ANOTHER PERSON DID IT RIGHT AND GOT US OUT OF IT. BUT MORE THAN JUST GETTING US OUT OF TROUBLE, HE GOT US INTO LIFE! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; ONE MAN SAID YES TO GOD AND PUT MANY IN THE RIGHT. All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call GRACE. When it’s sin versus grace, GRACE WINS HANDS DOWN. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. GRACE, BECAUSE GOD IS PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AGAIN THROUGH THE MESSIAH, INVITES US INTO LIFE—A LIFE THAT GOES ON AND ON AND ON, WORLD WITHOUT END.” (MSG)

In other words, ‘Adam’s, the whole world does not cease to exist because you messed up! If you have JESUS, there is always recovering grace just waiting to grasp you! No matter how bad or how hard your fall is, you don’t have to hide! You Are the Heritage of the Lord…So Stop Hiding…Come Out And Reclaim Your Proper Place In the Kingdom! Don’t Allow What Happened in YOUR Garden of Eden to Make You Forget What Happened in HIS Garden of Gethsemane! YOU ARE GRACE COVERED…SO DON’T HIDE, BE HONEST, AND BE HEALED!

Jeremiah 23:23-24, “I am everywhere – both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from Me.” (CEV)

Job 34:21, “God watches everything we do.” (CEV)

“The person who surrenders absolutely to God, with no reservations, is safe. From this safe hiding-place he can see the devil, but the devil cannot see him.” (Soren Kierkegaard)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday morning at 5:30 AM CST & 6:30 AM EST on The Now Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org

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Listen, Jesus Left Heaven To Get To Us, Satan Left Hell To Get To Us, And Yet We Will Not Leave The Church To Get To Them. In Order For You To Taste Salt, It Has To Touch Something. In Order For Salt To Change Something, It Has To Touch Something.

Listen, Jesus Left Heaven To Get To Us, Satan Left Hell To Get To Us, And Yet We Will Not Leave The Church To Get To Them. In Order, For You To Taste Salt, It Has To Touch Something. In Order For Salt To Change Something, It Has To Touch Something.

Matthew 5:13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.” (MSG)

In the past week, God has placed on my heart the urgency of the hour. My readings may reflect that. As children of God, we must get serious, we must surrender all to Him. We must get about our Father’s business because we are living in the End Times and it is urgent that we try to reach the unreached for many are lost. The whole reason we’re here is to be 'salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth'. But if the salt never touches anything, how does it change anything? This makes me think of the evangelism that has so greatly halted in our churches. Oh, we go to church week-after-week, Sunday School; Sunday worship; prayer; bible study; meetings; rehearsals; revivals; special services and the like, and we’re quite comfortable sitting in our sanctuaries (a.k.a. “saltshakers”), well contained! Problem? Salt is touching salt but touching nothing else. 

In Order For You To Taste Salt, It Has To Touch Something. In Order For Salt To Change Something, It Has To Touch Something. For Us Salty Christians To Change Something, Or Someone, We Have Got To Touch It And Them! We Can’t Remain In The Saltshaker, Where We’re Useless Because We’re Touch-Less And Tasteless.

Therefore, we can’t sit in our churches and complain about the world and the way it is, while we sit in the salt-shaker sanctuary touching nothing and nobody. We could just imagine if we left the salt-shaker sanctuary and went to shake some salt in the nursing homes, in the hospitals, at chemotherapy, at dialysis, in the prisons, in the homeless shelters, at the soup kitchens, in the cancer centers; what change might we bring about if only we’d leave the salt-shaker sanctuary? What if we shook some salt while standing in the grocery aisle, in the barbershop, or at the nail and hair salon? What if we shook some salt at our jobs, in our families and in our communities? What if we shook some salt in that drug-infested park, or gang-infested territory? What if we shook some salt as we walked the streets with our masks on from day-to-day, passing countless ‘tasteless’ individuals on the way? I mean after all, the Bible says that’s what we’re here for, right? Isn’t that our purpose? Isn’t that our charge? Isn’t that our call; to be the salt of the earth?

Is it possible that people haven’t tasted God because we haven’t touched them with Him? With His unconditional love, His sufficient grace, and new mercies. With His forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and encouragement. With His protection, provision, and presence. With His unspeakable joy and reassuring peace.

I reiterate, is it possible that people haven’t tasted God, because we haven’t touched them with Him?

Psalm 34:8, “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes, and see – how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him.” (MSG)

But how can people “taste” how good God is, if we are His salt, but we never leave the saltshaker?

I am sure God would love to hear His salt getting out of the shaker more often! After all, the work salt is supposed to do is not inside the saltshaker, all clustered together with the other salt. It's supposed to get out and change the flavor of something!

Matthew 28:18-20, “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually – regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (AMP)

Now, how are we to make disciples 'OF ALL NATIONS', if we never leave the pulpit or the pew?

How is it God said 'GO', but we have YIELDED to the point that we have STOPPED?

How can we 'MAKE' something without ever touching it?

How are people to 'LEARN' of our God if we’re the TEACHERS who are never in CLASS with our STUDENTS?

How can they 'BELIEVE' Him if we don’t tell them ABOUT Him?

How can they be expected to 'OBEY HIS WORD', when they haven’t HEARD HIS WORD?

Romans 10:14, “But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?” (AMP)

Furthermore, how are they to be 'BAPTIZED', without us touching them?

According To Jesus, "You Are The Salt Of The Earth…” Not Of The Sanctuary! But Of The Entire Earth! This means we must leave from within the church walls.

We must operate outside of our comfort zones, our pulpits, and pews. We must leave the meeting and the auxiliaries. We must leave the Fellowship to go Fellowship before they all Drown!

Can you imagine the horror on the face of an individual who’s fighting with all their might, absolutely terrified that they may die any minute while trying to stay afloat in the troubling waters of life…and yet, we, the church, Jesus’ Life-Guards, are standing on the shore, watching…equipped to help…but just watching…knowing how to save…but choosing to just watch…having the Word that will deliver from destruction…and yet we remain on the shore, still watching. People are struggling at sea because the saints are only concerned with their safety on shore. This should not be!

Listen, Jesus Left Heaven To Get To Us, Satan Left Hell To Get To Us, And Yet We Will Not Leave The Church To Get To Them?

As Christians we were never meant to be all clustered together in a spiritual saltshaker, just salting each other and soaking up more blessings, miracles, and the like for ourselves. The salt's got to be in direct contact with the meat or the vegetables that need it.

Acts 17:6, “But when they did not find them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the Lord’s followers. They took them to the city authorities and shouted, “Paul And Silas Have Been Upsetting Things Everywhere. Now They Have Come Here.” (Cev). They Took The Gospel Message “Everywhere”! And We Can’t Get Folks

“…Paul And Silas Have Turned The Rest Of The World Upside Down, And Now They Are Here Disturbing Our City,” They Shouted.” (TLB) –

Now, When Is The Last Time You Touched The World, And Unbelievers, In Such A Way That You Disturbed Them? Disturbed Their Sin, Their Wickedness, Their Unbelief, Their Habits And Addictions. When Is The Last Time You Disturbed The Devil? When Is The Last Time You Gave Someone A Taste Of God By Giving Them A Touch From God?

When is the last time we’ve made an impact like this on the world, as the church?! When is the last time we went door-to-door letting them know Jesus is King? When is the last time we’ve attacked sin, the very thing the unbeliever holds dear? When is the last time we touched the world in such a manner that they couldn’t deny the taste of God?!

People of God, we must do more than rub shoulders with each other in the saltshaker sanctuary! Think about it, salt on top of salt is dangerous and deadly to our physical health…could it be just as dangerous and deadly to our spiritual health as well?  If the last days are really upon us, what are we doing sitting in saltshakers?

This is what we should be doing in these last and evil days. Preaching the gospel truth message to the masses as God’s servants! Not to each other! But to others! If we don’t touch, they don’t taste, they’ll just settle for tickling! And do you really want to be held responsible for that?

Like it or not, but if your time is pretty much spent with Christians alone, well you're missing your mission! We'll do that in heaven! We'll hang out together all the time, for all eternity! But right now, we have got to be involved with some people who are not going to heaven yet! It's time for you to take all that you've been storing up spiritually and start taking it to places and people where it's really needed.

It is time to look around your community for a place to volunteer so you can be in contact with some un-reached people with some deep needs. You need a community connection, not just a church connection; something that will put the salt of your life in contact with some of the lives that really need the flavor of Jesus! Remember: “…if you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?” They can’t taste godliness without first touching your saltiness. So, are you within reach? Are you still salty? Are you in use? Are you available? Are you touchable?

Let today be the day that you challenge yourself, your family and friends, your community, and certainly your church to come out the saltshaker and touch the world with a taste of God! 'Many' are waiting, but will you be counted in the number with the 'few', who are in fact available to proclaim the message of salvation to the masses? I know for some of us our defense or maybe excuse is a better word is that Covid has us locked in, but before Covid did we ever leave the saltshaker? Or someone will say, she wants us to catch Covid, talking about touching people, being the salt of the earth is not talking about physically touching people, but feeding people God's Word, the Good News, The Gospel, which is not always inside the sanctuary on Sunday's.  Let us mask up and reach someone today or reach them with a word via telephone or text or invite them to a virtual watch party of a church service online if you cannot move around. Remember: Salt With No Touch, Has No Taste! Reach Them Today!  It Is A Time Of Urgency.

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday morning at 5:30 AM CST & 6:30 AM EST on The Now Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org

ROKU, Cable & Online

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