Tell The Recession Where To Go! Pt.2

Last time, I talked to you about tithing and the importance of tithing and how the tithe is Gods door to bless us. I want to talk you know about another aspect of telling the recession where to go. That aspect is your authority in Christ. 

Ephesians 6:12 says, 

          " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. "

Notice that it says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. Another way to describe wrestle is a struggle. When two people are wrestling, each person is struggling against the other to try and overcome them for the victory. Now, how often do you feel like you are struggling, whether it be physically or financially and feel as though you are overcome? Now, notice again the verse says, " against flesh and blood ". That means that our real enemy, the ones we wrestle/struggle with for the victory are not people. Yes, that co-worker that continuously ticks you off is not your real enemy. That family member that you don't seem to get along with is not your enemy. Those in the government or wall street or whoever that allowed the economy to get in to the shape its in are not your enemy. Satan and his demonic spirits that tempted, manipulated, and worked through those people are your enemy. Now, I will say this, I don't believe there is a demon behind every bush, but I do believe every bush has the potential of having a demon behind it. This is where discernment and wisdom come in. 

You may say, well brother your right I do feel like I do an awful lot of struggling, but I feel so powerless to win. Let me help. Let's take a look at another scripture.

Luke 10:19

       " Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. "

The word power in the beginning of the verse, in the original Greek, means authority. So, what Jesus was actually saying was that He has given us authority over the power of the enemy. 

Now remember who our enemy is. Not people but Satan and his demons. Jesus gave us authority over the power that Satan and his demons had to hurt us with. Now does that mean we won't get hurt at all? No, we live in a fallen world and deal with an ungodly, unrighteous world system and ungodly people who are led by it. The truth is that when circumstance and issues come at us, it is our response to those circumstances and issues that determines who takes the victory.  

Remember when I said we don't see the things Jesus did because we don't do what Jesus did? Jesus walked in authority and stood firm and confident in it. He cast out demons, he healed the sick, he multiplied a couple of fish and loaves of bread to feed over five thousand people, and then He gave us the power to do the same things. 

Well brother isn't that like trying to be Jesus. No, it's trying to be like Jesus. Christian, Christ-like. It means walking in the power and authority that God has given us through Jesus to take dominion over the circumstances and issues we face, such as the recession. When Jesus spoke to a fig tree and commanded it to die, it was whithered up the next day.  When Jesus cast Legion out of the man from Gadara, He told the demons where to go. Likewise we must do with our circumstances. Take your place of authority in Christ Jesus and tell the recession as far as your life is concerned where it can go. 

In Christ, 

Kevin

Tell The Recession Where To Go! Pt.1

Have you ever had one of those moments where you have a thought to do something kinda out of your normal routine, like go into a store you don't normally go to or take a different route somewhere? You might have thought that it was nothing special until God shows you something and then you realize it was Him leading you. Well, I had one of those instances on my way home from work one afternoon.


It was a normal day, nothing spectacular. On this day I didn't have to pick up my daughters from daycare. The thought crossed my mind to take a slightly different route home on the interstate. I didn't think much of it, just a change of scenery. Well, driving along my attention was drawn to a billboard with a beer advertisement on it. The sign said, " Tell The Recession Where To Go" and had a picture of a particular brand of beer beside it. God got my attention with that sign. The advertisement was suggesting you to drink the problem of the recession away. Now I know and hopefully you do to, that drinking isn't going to make the recession or economic problems to go away and I know that's not what God was saying. But, here is what I believe and know He is saying to me and you.


Do you realize that in America, the "free world" that we are not really free? There is one thing that dictates to us our lives and how we live it. Not our boss', not our spouse', not the government or President. It's money. Money is the one thing that tells us where we can go, what we can drive, what we can wear, eat, drink, and even who we can be with. Money is the one thing that touches every part of our lives. Think about it.


I believe this is why God said in His word that we should tithe.

" Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Proverbs 3:9,10

When we tithe, we are allowing God to touch the one thing that touches all areas of our lives and bless us in each of those areas. God has sustained me and my family through some economically tough times. Yes, we have had to tighten up here or there at times, maybe not spend as freely or frivolously as we have, but we did not hurt or lack in anything. When gas prices went up and fear began to grip the nation, I was confident and stood firm on God's word. His promise of provision and the covenant I have with him through Jesus Christ and being a tither. Did the fear and worry ever cross my mind? Of course, but I would not give in to it, because I knew if I did my faith would fail and God could not bless me.

We as Christians do not realize the power and authority that has been given to us through Jesus. Remember the " What Would Jesus Do " phase? Well, what would Jesus do? When the storm threatened him and the disciples, he spoke and commanded it to stop and guess what, it did. When money was needed to pay taxes, he told his disciples to look in a fish's mouth and guess what they found, a coin to pay the tax with. We do not see the things Jesus did or experience the things Jesus did, because we don't do what Jesus did. Jesus was acting on the word of God and the revelation he had of who he was. Who are we, but sons and daughters in Christ.

We as Christians also do not realize what we have through the covenant. Some of us do not realize we even have a covenant. When we act upon Gods word and stand on His promises we put our covenant into action. Giving our tithe puts that covenant into motion and God is waiting to do his part. All we have to do is ours. When we do we are telling the recession where to go.

In Christ
Kevin

The Seven Men A Man Has To Be Pt. 7

7. The Lover

A real man has to be a lover. A lover of life, a lover of his children, a lover of his wife, and most of all a lover of his God. As the lover a real man isn't afraid of tender things and doesn't shy away from romance.
In today's society, the enemy has so distorted and warped the perception of love, that many men have forgotten what it truly means to love. Pride keeps them from trying. Lust and greed capture their attention and steal it away. As a result, young people never learn and understand what true love is.
We as men sometimes think it unmanly to delight in the love of tender things or show tender emotion. The idea of the hopless romantic has all but become a thing of the past. I used to be a hopeless romantic. I thought often of being in love and tried to imagine what it would be like. I found out love wasn't all I thought or imagined. It's not the butterflies in the stomach or the oogly googlies. It's commitment and sacrifice. It's doing when you don't want to. It's giving and getting at the same time.
The lover has to for love's sake ignore society to be the real man his wife and children need. It's not abnormal to love one woman and it's not weak to show it. I made my wife a mix cd. Back in a day it would have been a mix tape. I gave it to her for Valentines day one year. I titled the cd " A Little Bit of Me ". It was songs that through the music and lyrics said and showed things I wanted to say. She smiles and gets the oogly googlies whenever I play it.
Being a good parent is showing your children strength in love, with love, through love. Sometimes it's hard to correct your child when they are very young, because when they cry you feel bad. When our oldes child who is three dis-obeys, we spank, then we help her understand why she got a spanking and last we hug and kiss and say I love you. She will hopefully understand correction is not because we hate her but because we love her and not despise it and us.
Have you noticed that lots of things revolve around love. I love this or I love that. Doing what you love. Loving someone. Being loved by someone. Love by far is not an outdated concept. Love was created and put in motion by love Himself. Love gave love as a sacrifice for love. Tina Turner once asked " What's Love Got To Do With It ? ". Everything Tina, everything.

In Christ, Kevin

The Seven Men A Man Has To Be Pt.6

6. The Knight in Shining Armor

When little girls dream of knights in shining armor, they think of a handsome young man riding on a white horse coming to take them away to a life of love and romance. When little boys think of knights in armor (notice I didn't say shining) they think of sword fights and defeating their enemies in battle.
I have alaways loved fantasy stories and movies, especially if they are medieval fantasy like Lord of the Rings or King Arthur, The Three Muskateers. My wife also shares my interest in these things also. Not so much the movies, but her interest is of course on the romance side. She surprised me on one of our vacations to Orlando by taking me to the Medieval Times dinner show.
A man has to be both types of knight in shining armor. The one little girls think of and the one little boys think of. He has to be capable of showing his love for his maiden and his valiance for fighting and vanquishing his enemies. The knight in shining armor has to be a hero to his children and a hero to his wife. He has to stand and fight for truth and honor in the service of his king.
Sometimes people make the statement that chivalry is dead. I don't so much think it is dead as I think that there has been generations of young men raised without being taught chivalry, truth and honor. They are not taught to stand for truth and justice. They are not taught honor and commitment. Young girls are not taught to look for these characteristics in boy, nor are they taught how to be honorable ladies.
Men, your girlfriend or wife should never walk behind you like a servant or a dog. They are to walk beside you in that place of honor which is rightfully theirs. Be gentleman at all times. Hold the door for a lady and open the car door for yours.
Ladies, learn to be a lady. You don't have to dress and act like a hooker to hook a real man. My wife caught my heart by what was in hers. Proverbs 31.
The true warrior, the true knight in shining armor serves. He serves his God and king, fighting for love, truth and honor. He will not love nor serve any other.

In Christ, Kevin

The Seven Men A Man Has To Be Pt. 5

5. The Construction Worker

The fifth man that a man has to be is the construction worker. Raising and providing for a family can be a lot like construction work. The construction worker has to clear land, lay foundation, and build his family's home and keep it up.
I briefly worked with a great man of God who has a buisness of remodeling homes. I also have a freind who at one time was a home builder. I never thought of myself as having the skills or know how to be a construction worker, but the short time I was employed by the man who owns the remodeling business, I found that I actually enjoyed the work. Not to knock anyone who isn't a construction worker, but it made me feel like a man and that felt good. Not that I didn't feel like a man before, but you understand. I always enjoy construction projects even though I don't get to do them often.
The construction worker labors to build the perfect dwelling for his family. He has to clear away the brush and unwanted timber and dig into the earth to lay a good foundation that will support his family. This is like teaching your family the Word of God. A firm stable foundation is necessary.
The construction worker has to take the time to calculate and measure for the size of the structure. He has to put the best materials he can into the building to assure its strength and resistance. If he doesn't do the job right and he tries to cut corners, he risks an unsound building that will eventually give way. Like the story in the bible of the two men who were building houses. One man build his house upon sand and the other upon rock. When troubles and bad circumstance came the house built upon the sand or weak foundation collapsed, but he house built upon the rock stood firm.
Being a construction worker is not a totally hard job, but neither is it a totally easy one. Even if you have not been the best construction worker you could, you can still remodel and repair.

In Christ, Kevin