Commend Ourselves

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6: 3-4 "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way..." Notice what Paul is saying in these scriptures, especially as you go on and read through verse 10. Paul said "we commend ourselves." The word commend is derived from the Latin word commendare: com- (intensive) + mandare, to entrust. So, to commend means to represent as worthy, qualified, or desirable; to speak highly of (praise); to put in the care of another (entrust). Paul is saying that as servants of God, and we that are saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ are servants of God, are to trust God in every aspect of their lives. Paul said in every way and he list some of the ways: "in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger..." we are to commend ourselves because, by Him, we are qualified and should desire Him, praise Him and trust Him, be servants of God. We have been given all authority over the circumstances that are in our life through the Saving grace of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Ghost!

It's our opportunity to give God praise and trust as being servants of God. We are called to a purpose and that purpose is spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to live sanctified lives by the drawing and convicting power of the Holy Ghost. Are you leading a spirit-filled life? Some churches have it in their "doctrine" that they believe in practicing and having a spirit-filled life but for some reason you don't see any "fruit" from the "gifts" that come with a spirit-filled life! In order to go through and come out on the other side of what Paul was referring to, and we all go through the things that are listed in these scriptures, we have to practice living sanctified and spirit-filled lives, putting all praise and trust in God as His servants!

Commend yourself today and be the best servant of God that you can be!

Spiritual Batteries

Last night my family, along with Mark, Lisa and Haley Gibbs attended revival services at Lakeside Church in Westmoreland where they are hosting Evangelist Michael Willingham. It was great to get there a few minutes early and fellowship with Pastor Leon Graves and Bro. Willingham and all other family and friends that attend that church. It was as a homecoming for me as to Lakeside being the church that I cut my teeth on the pews and ran the halls as a child and even did some "valet parking" a few times (inside story)! Nevertheless, the Presence of God is always felt within the walls and within the people that attend that church.

Worship was GREAT last night as the praise team started out with "oldies" but "goodies"! The Lord's name was repeated in each song reminding us "who" we serve and "who" died for us and "who" is the name above all names! It was a great presence of the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary last night as we began to just "get lost" in worship. Thomas Spears was lead of the Lord last night as well. He was scheduled to sing "a special" and when time came for him to sing he couldn't help himself but to follow the presence of the Lord and sing about the name of Jesus! It's awesome to follow the move of God when he wants to LOVE on us and in return causes us to LOVE on Him!

Brother Willingham was an open vessel as he brought forth a great message to the congregation that was there last night. He spoke about "oppression" and gave a word definition of the subject and really brought out some points that we as Christians need to heed to! We've been "crushed" too long, we've been "crouched down" in hidding for too long! It's time that we walk in what we believe and in what we know is real and allow the "power" within us to move us to another level in following Him! I plan on going again tonight to continue to get my "batteries charged" and I hunger and thirst for a mighty move of God in my own life!!

May God richly bless you today is my prayer!

Compelling love of Jesus

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:14 "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all..." The word compel in the original language carries a sense of being driven on a course from which you cannot deviate. No other options exist. There's no other course possible. Paul's attitude toward following Jesus was right on course because we see that Paul followed Jesus not because of Paul's love for Jesus, but for the love Jesus has for Paul. This is why we should follow Christ, because His love compels us!

Christianity is a course that should not be deviated no matter what the cost or circumstance. Notice what else Paul says in this scripture, "because we are convinced." Conviction! The love of Christ compels us with nothing less than conviction. I believe that conviction is not only for the time that God is calling us unto Salvation, as Christian people we are being convicted everyday so as to live a life full of blessings! Don't turn a deaf ear to the convicting Spirit of God because he just wants us to draw close and grow in him!

This compelling love from Jesus should radiate in our lives so that we live a transformed life in Christ. Our transformation through the love of Christ should cause an unbelieving world to see the glory of God in our actions, talk, business dealings, friendships, etc... Let's follow Jesus fully today and let His compelling love run through our hearts! God Bless!

All County First Team

Bailey's picture was in the paper this week and being the proud dad that I am, I have to put it on my blog (even though she doesn't like this picture). Congratulations on being voted All County First Team 2010. It's hard to believe that her Jr High career is over and that she will be playing high school ball next year!

Undivided Hearts

Last night to begin our Wednesday night services I opened the Bible to Psalm 86: 11-13 which says, "Teach me your ways, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me..." Unless we are taught the ways of Christ we won't know how to walk in truth. Jesus said to "abide in Him" and that's what it takes to have an undivided heart.

If I have a divided heart I am separated into parts or pieces, disunited by disagreement, pulled by conflicting interests or activities, separated by distance (Webster's II dictionary), sadly to say it, but that sounds like the description of some Christian people today. If I allow things of this world to separate me from God I have a divided heart. So many times we find ourselves with divided hearts by engaging in interests other than what God has planned. This sounds only too familiar to me! We must engage in Christ and His truth and that truth is that He gave His life so that we can have life and have it abundantly! We must seek for an undivided heart! We can't let the ways of the world and the schemes of the devil trip us up and trick us into being unfruitful. Let's praise God today with all our hearts and glorify God's name so that we will be united in His love and mercy!

Overcoming schemes

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:10,11)

So many times we look at this passage of scripture, or I do, and we visualize a devil in a red suit with horns protruding from his head and holding a pitch fork. I don't think that Paul visualized the devil in this form when he urged the church at Ephesus to "be strong in the Lord". The battle that we are fighting is NOT against a red suited devil with a forked tongue. Our battle is against "those that allow themselves" to be part of the "rulers and authorities and dark world" that Paul continues to talk about in the scripture. Paul talked about unity in the Body of Christ and that there were some that could not be part of that unity because of the "futility of their thinking that they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." (vs17,18)

I'm mad at the devil because he has launched a warfare on me as to being a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Ghost and I have shaken up some ground that he thought he had firmly settled in on! I have authority through JESUS and the HOLY GHOST to plow up every ground that the enemy has tried to make UNFRUITFUL! It is my job as CALLED from GOD to be so close to him in the Spirit, through prayer and fasting and more prayer and fasting and more prayer and fasting, that he causes me to be as Ezekiel and see the valley of dry bones and prophesy the Word of the Lord!

Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he said this, "I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval." (I Corinthians 11:18,19) Let me give the devil a big black eye here, I'm not so dumb that I don't know you have people settled in the church buildings that you use to playout your schemes. It's not rocket science! That's why I stand firm and I stand strong in the mighty power of God and I put on His armor and I fight against the wiles of the enemy and against the rulers and authorities and powers of the dark world. I am going to JUST UP as a Christian and fight the fight!!!!!

Kempville Chapel Gift

Bishop McKinley has delivered the relief check that God has so graciously allowed the congregation of Kempville Chapel to give. His comments from his daily blog are below:

Today, I was privileged to deliver a check for $2,100 to Bishop David Bryan from the Kempville Chapel Old Time Methodist Church. This love gift is for relief to the people of Haiti


Bishop Bryan, the Director of Global Outreach just returned from Haiti, where he delivered aid.