5 Things For Thursday

God said, "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore I WILL..." (Psalm 91:14–15)

1. Deliver him.
2. Set him on high.
3. Answer him.
4. Be with him and deliver him.
5. Honor him.

Is there something you want God to do for you? According to His Word, there are several things God wants to do for you...good things that we all desire. So what's the catch? The condition is that you must set your love upon Him.

Countless BLESSINGS!

Deuteronomy 28:2
"And all these BLESSINGS shall come upon you and overtake you…"

God loves to bless you. He has even declared that “blessings shall come upon you and overtake you”. This means that you can’t run fast enough to escape them! When you turn one corner, there is a blessing waiting for you. When you turn another corner, you run smack into another blessing!

Now, you may think that you don’t qualify for God’s blessings, because of the preceding verse which says that these blessings will come to pass only if you diligently obey God’s voice and keep all of His commandments. You know that no matter how hard you try, you just cannot keep all of God’s commandments. In fact, the Bible says that if you fail to keep just one commandment, you fail to keep all. (James 2:10)

My friend, I have good news for you: JESUS is the one who qualifies us for every single blessing because He has kept all of God’s commandments. When He died for us on the cross, He not only FULFILLED all of God’s commandments, He also REDEEMED us from the CURSE OF THE LAW. (Galatians 3:13) Note that He did not redeem us from the blessings of the law, so the blessings are still ours today!

As you read the list of blessings in Deuteronomy 28, starting with “Blessed shall you be in the city…in the country…the fruit of your body…your basket…when you come in…when you go out…” (Deuteronomy 28:3–13), I believe that Jesus is saying to you, “Like the blessings? Then take them by FAITH!”

You may say, “But I don’t deserve them.” Yes, you don’t deserve them, but you still get them because of JESUS. That is God’s GRACE! The law says, “You must deserve the blessings.” But THE LAW is NO LONGER HERE. Grace is here. So take the blessings by grace through faith. Believe God for the blessings.

Today, it is no longer a question of how much or how well you have kept God’s commandments. It is a question of how much you can believe God for His blessings. All the promises of God in Christ are “Yes”, and because YOU ARE IN CHRIST, you can say “Amen!” to His blessings! (2 Corinthians 1:20)

5 Things For Wednesday - Encouragement

1. God uses encouragement to strengthen us, when we're at the part of our journey where we think He's lost sight of us. #HeSeesYou

2. When the pressure is on you'd better not be hung up on titles/status, because God will use ANYONE He chooses to send you help & encouragement.

3. Some people have no concept of encouragement. They miss the purpose of their ministry call. They're UNDERTAKERS, not UPLIFTERS.

4. You have an opportunity to plant powerful SEEDS of encouragement today. Speak answers kindly. Don't magnify the problem. #GraceWords

5. People are starved for encouragement. The Bible said this would happen in the last days. Be an ENCOURAGER! Criticism takes no effort!

10 Things About Offense

1. SECRET OFFENSE is a lethal relationship killer. Maturity says, "If someone offends you, go to them". Don't harbor it!

2. Offended people often lose the ability to FOLLOW. The spirit of offense tells them, "Only you are fit to lead you".

3. It's unrighteous & immature to "TAKE OFFENSE" with someone who has done you no harm, then demand an apology to make you whole.

4. Your offense with a minister or ministry doesn't qualify you as a voice. Bitterness isn't a VOICE; it's a VICE. You need to be healed.

5. Don't miss church over someone else's offense. Let them work it out. YOU GO TO CHURCH!

6. Don't let another person's offense become yours. Don't be offended WITH them, AT them, FOR them, or BECAUSE of them...NO OFFENSE!

7. Offense is caused by UNMET EXPECTATIONS. Ironically, the people we expect something from never know it, until we become offended.

8. God doesn't lead us by our offense. And even if we deny we're offended, every tree we plant in that offense will sprout DIVISION.

9. Unrighteous conspiracies never work out as planned. Agreeing to sabotage a VISION because you're nursing a secret offense is WICKED.

10. Improperly processed offense will UPROOT YOU from your set place & position you in a distant land to be sifted by the devil.

Say Amen - The Hyltons @ Bfwc Christmas Muscial

10 Things About Selfishness

1. The leaders that God has set over you will irritate your immaturity & assist you in dethroning your selfishness. #EmbraceTheProcess

2. Selfishness has its own perspective. Those committed to a "love life" rarely understand it. It can see only ME in each moMEnt.

3. Irreconcilable differences don't kill relationships. Unrelenting selfishness does.

4. Incessant absent-mindedness, determined selfishness & consistent callousness are incompatible with "I LOVE YOU!"

5. If there is any concealed or unnoticed selfishness in your heart mentorship will draw it out.

6. Moodiness is an immature/selfish way to do relationship. No one should have to figure out which YOU you're going to be each day.

7. Jesus told his followers they can't follow Him & be selfish.

8. Unintentionally hurting the ones you love is so easy to do. All it takes is an absent mind, a selfish motive, or an errant word.

9. Teaching Christians FAVOR before they understand grace, produces selfish saints who suffer from a spirit of entitlement.

10. Selfless is greater than Selfish.

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

The Value of my Spiritual Father - Ray Hylton

Today, my father, Ray Hylton, celebrates his 73rd Birthday.  One of the things I have valued most in my life is the role my father has in my life naturally and spiritually.

Serving with him in ministry has been a pure delight. As my father, pastor and spiritual father, I've gleaned so much from his wisdom, tenderness, love, care, manners and teaching. 

When I need ENCOURAGEMENT, he's there to say, "You can do this. I believe in you."

When I need CORRECTION, he does it in love, integrity and privacy.  He's corrected me many times, when I didn't want it and when I needed it, and I'm so thankful that my heart wasn't hardened to receive it.  It has made me a better man.

To have the BLESSING of a spiritual father is IMPACTFUL! Something as simple as a word of encouragement has given me a new level of determination to pursue God's will and call on my life.  I honor my dad as a spiritual father in the faith.  Not only is he a great leader, he is humble enough to encourage me and others to live for God with all of our hearts!

A VERBAL BLESSING from your spiritual father has a tremendous impact in your life, no matter how old or young you are.  I have had several spiritual fathers impact my life. Some were seasonal and some were merely positional.  I've gleaned from all of them.  Mostly, I would like to thank my father today for imparting BLESSING, WISDOM, DIRECTION, ENCOURAGEMENT and STRENGTH into my heart.  I have learned several things from him...and mostly what it means to be a TRUE SPIRITUAL FATHER.

SPIRITUAL FATHERS 

BLESS INTO FULLNESS

True spiritual fathers will BLESS and ENCOURAGE the call that God has on your life. They are concerned with identifying God's purpose, gifting and unique calling in their sons and blessing them into that fullness.

I've also learned that a TRUE FATHER will cover you, steer you and help you both naturally and spiritually.  They are sensitive to the times and seasons of your life and know how to speak to those seasons.  No matter how old I am, I will always need the undergirding of my spiritual fathers.

Not only will a spiritual father help you succeed they will also have an eye to DISCERN when their son may be slightly veering off the right path.  When a parent is motivated by love, they can speak CORRECTION and WISDOM into their child's life and teach them from lessons they themselves have learned.

I am so grateful for the moments spiritual leaders have spoken into my life, making me aware of things I may not have seen or realized in the moment.  Some things are TAUGHT...some things are CAUGHT.  If we listen with our eyes, ears and our heart, we'll learn what to do even when it's not being directly communicated.

SPIRITUAL SONS 

GIVE BACK

As a spiritual son, I also realize that not only does my spiritual father play a role in my life, but I also play role in his.  As a son I have the OPPORTUNITY to show HONOR, RESPECT and LOVE to my spiritual father.  

I enjoy the moments where I get to encourage him and serve him.  This can be done in ways as simple as carrying his bag or helping him when the opportunity arises.  Also respecting his OPINION and being THOUGHTFUL to have a LISTENING EAR shows him that he is NEEDED and VALUABLE in my life. 

I also think it's very important to always ACKNOWLEDGE the role and IMPACT a leader has had on your life and thank them in practical ways beyond your words.  Unexpected GIFTS, NOTES, a TEXT MESSAGE to them know you love them, are thinking about them and are appreciative for their life can minister JOY to their heart.

Spiritual fathers are a GIFT from God.  Spiritual sons can likewise be a gift back.  TREASURE and CULTIVATE these relationships.  As the generations LOVE and HONOR one another, God releases a blessing and together the Kingdom is advanced forward.

Today, I give honor to my pops...Pastor Ray Hylton.