THE CHURCH OF THE CASUAL CHRISTIAN!!

Praise the Lord everybody, let everything that has breath praise His holy name!! I can't thank God enough for His grace and His mercies that are new every morning. He who has ears, let him hear, and he who has eyes, let him see.

Those of us who have our spiritual eyes and ears open realize that God is moving in a mighty way in the Church. God is getting His body in order as a "bride" for her wedding. and He is pulling off covers and exposing the transgressions of each and every church just as He did in Revelations chapter 3.

First, the Lord admonished the Church at Sardi and then went on to the Church of Philadelphia and addressed it's infractions. None was blameless but both had some redeeming qualities, then He came to the Church at Laodicea, and this is what God said, Revelations 3: 14 to 18   14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

God is sickened by "lukewarm" Christians and even though Sardis and Philadelphia had their issues they were not casual about their faith as were the Laodiceans. They put their trust in their wealth and possessions and saw no need to trust Him. A lot of Christian "elitist" are that way today, they tell other more devout Christians "that's good for you, you need to hold on to your faith like that because of where God has brought you from." they look down on those of us who God has delivered from drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, gambling, and homosexuality, etc. To them, God is just something or someone to fall back on when their own plans don't work out.

The Church at Laodicea along with the others needed an attitude adjustment and Jesus went on to say in verses 19 - 22   19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

God desires a zealous church, a church willing to confess and repent from sin, A Church that realizes that God chastens those He loves. To the body of Christ, I say Jesus is standing at our doors and knocking. What will He find when He walks in your church? Will there be casual indifference or holy ghost fire?

 God Bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

HOLY GHOST POWER: THERE IS NO APP FOR THAT!!

Praise the Lord everybody!! The Lord is in His holy Temple! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name! No matter how many times the devil attacks my body, no matter the pain, I will never turn my back on God because He has never turned His back on me. You see no matter what the enemy says, I know from whence cometh my help, my help comes from the Lord!

The Lord opened up something to me while I was reading one of my favorite scriptures the other night. It was Psalm 24: 7-10 7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

The Lord was showing me that His people were no longer looking to Him for answers nor to supply their needs. We have turned to ourselves and the wisdom of the world in our times of need. We see the world with all of it's fast growing technology and we are amazed and we are sucked into it's "we have an app for everything" mindset. Who needs the Holy Ghost when we have "google" and "Siri."
Many Christians feel that depending on God has too many requirements to be met before you can get your problems resolved and you have to do too much "waiting on Him" in this microwave world. "God is too slow," they say. The world cries "Seize the day!" without acknowledging the God who made it. We should know better. David said in Psalm 121: 1+2   I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

We must lift up our eyes like David said and seek the one who made the heavens and the earth. Psalm 24 tells us to " Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." God, by His spirit, wants to come into our lives and be an ever present help to us, but first, we must lift up our heads and seek His face, invite Him in and look to him for all our needs.

God wants us to look up so He can lift us up. Next time we find ourselves in a situation where our anxiety levels are rising as we struggle trying to find a solution on our own, let us lift up our heads in complete surrender and let the King of Glory, with His holy Ghost power, come in and handle the problem.
Jesus said in Revelation 3:20    20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

Man may have the APPs, AI and robotics to call on but we have the creator of creation to call on, Jesus Christ.

    God bless you all, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

TAKING OWNERSHIP OF OUR GOD GIVEN POSSESSIONS!!!

Praise the Lord everybody!! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name. God is clearly doing great things these days as He prepares for these last of the last days. He is getting His people into their proper places in the body of Christ so they can be at their most effective in these final days of the harvest.

God has given us who are saved and under the blood of Jesus the power and the weapons, in His word, to take back from Satan what He stole from us from the beginning in the Garden. Satan became the Prince of this world after Adam and Eve were hoodwinked by Satan, and Satan wasted no time establishing his dominion over it.
In Job 1:6+7 verifies this   6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

There was Satan basically boasting about how he had been on earth doing just about anything he wanted to do in it. Satan shows that he has no problem exploring his boundaries and the full extent of his power. Satan is fully aware of who he is and the extent of his power.

We as Christians must stop shortchanging ourselves. We have to remember God's promises and start taking possession of our possessions. We need to study God's word and learn what our inheritance is in Christ and like satan begin to walk "to and fro" and "up and down" in them. Preachers need to preach, teachers need to teach, prayer warriors need to pray and soldiers have to keep on soldiering. We can't be afraid to get in the devils face because he's not afraid to get in ours.

The word of God says in Proverbs 28:1  The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.  

We have to know that when we go out into the world we do not walk alone we are working on Holy Ghost power. we have weapons at our beck and call, God's word which is filled with His promises and God is not slack concerning His promises. It is time to put our gifts to work, in their fulness, for the Lord. It is time to rebuke Satan and call out demons, heal the sick and open blind eyes. We need to Stop using our gifts to win awards and adulation from men and the world and start using them to touch and change the hearts and minds of the lost and the saved. WALK UP AND DOWN IN WHO AND WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO BE!

God bless you all, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

GOD SWEATS THE DETAILS!

Praise the Lord everybody, let all who have breath praise His holy name!! God has put me in a situation where I'm either going to trust Him or trust myself. God has been showing me that I just don't trust Him enough when it comes to certain situations that I have found myself in. I find myself falling into the trap that many of my fellow Brothers and Sisters have found themselves in. We try to take control of our own destiny instead of waiting on God for His instructions on how to handle the situation. We do not believe that God is concerned enough about us to get involved in our day to day living.
David said in Psalm 8:4 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Even David, who has been called "a man after God's own heart," could not fathom God's concern and interest in us. But from the beginning, God displayed His concern for His creation. Genesis 2:18 - 20   18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam, there was not found a help meet for him.

God has always been concerned about His creation, whom He made in His own image and gave dominion over all his other creations. Our comfort has always been "job one" with Him. He gave us Woman when He saw we needed the companionship of a helpmate. When we fell from grace He made a way for us to get right with Him. David said in Psalm 139:14 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

God cared enough to give us the best anatomy systems. Systems that no matter how much we try to understand and reproduce them, man cannot recreate the genius of God's intricate design. Jesus even tells us in Matthew 10:29 - 31   29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

God has numbered the very hairs on our heads! How great is that? I get angry when I hear nonbelievers and even believers, say to other believers "who do you think you are?"or "what makes you think God has time to deal with your daily issues? God doesn't care whether you get to work on time or not" I feel for those who feel that way, they don't know the God that I know.
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6+7  6 Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Paul said "in everything" not just what we decide is "important," In everything, we should pray and ask God with thanksgiving to help us with whatever it is that concerns us. In 1st Peter 5:6+7 it says
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

We have to truly humble ourselves under Gods hand and realize we can't fix anything without His help, casting all, yes all our cares and concerns upon God because He does care for us. Jesus said in Matthew 11: 28 to 30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

So let us unburden ourselves of worldly concerns and anxieties and put them where they belong, On Jesus Christ our Lord.

  God Bless you all, Brother Darrell, Speaking off the wall.

IN CHRIST BY AFFILIATION!!

Praise the Lord everybody! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name! because He alone is worthy of all our praise. I love what the Lord is doing in my life right now. I can't tell you how important it was for me to totally submit myself to God's plan for me so that I could finally grow into the man of God I am called to be.
This is not a one-time submission, this is a lifetime submission because I am ever evolving into a higher position in Christ. God is concerned that a large number of Christian are becoming "lifers", meaning those who claim to have been "saved for years" but have not grown one inch since that day. They have become stumbling blocks and "millstones" around their own necks and those who are new and are trying to grow in Christ.

 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees of yesterday and today when He said in Matthew 23:1-13    Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Today a lot of Christians want to be affiliated with Jesus without becoming too involved. They don't want to get involved in the following doctrine or the process of sanctification and living holy. They just want to be seen in church on Sunday and do their own thing the rest of the week. They don't want to be totally washed clean by the blood of Jesus, they just want a little "sprinkling" so they can say they had the experience. 

The Church is in need of more members with the spirit of Peter who expressed how he felt about following Jesus in John 13: 3-9  3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that, he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Peter was all in!! Peter wanted all the Jesus he could get. If it meant getting closer to  Jesus then Peter wanted to be totally washed and submerged in Christ. We all need to wash the world off of us and out of us as we walk this walk with Jesus. We are in the last of the last days and there is no time for looking back into our past lives and holding on to those things that pleased our flesh.

We can no longer be Christian by Affiliation only, we must now be in Christ by not only Affiliation but also by facilitation and consecration. We must remain in constant fellowship, we must do what we can to help facilitate the spread of the Gospel of Christ while remaining a holy and consecrated example for the world to see and follow.

God bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall  



 

DYING, AND LOOKING GOOD DOING IT!!

Praise the Lord everybody!! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name!! I will bless the Lord at all times, His praises shall be continually in my mouth. I am in the middle of a fiery trial right now but I am going to praise God anyhow!! I know from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord!!

I am late with blog post because of technical problems with my computer, I need a new one but God allowed me to get this one repaired. Now my air conditioner, which is only a year old is blowing hot air in the middle of a historic heat wave. I do not do well in heat!! but I trust that God will bring me through this. God cannot and will not fail me in my time of need. Hallelujah!!

More and more I have learned to die to self. The flesh and self, go hand in hand. My flesh, my selfish desires are what always get me in trouble. When I was using drugs it was one of the most selfish times of my life, I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it and nothing and nobody else mattered. When I finally realized that God was more important to me than drugs, that's when I was able to quit. Paul said "...I die daily" in 1st Corinthians 15:31, something I am still learning to do on a daily basis. Paul also stated in Romans 8: 12-14
 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Every day I fight a life and death battle with myself in hopes that I die, to myself. I have to completely die so that Jesus can completely live through me, and so I can have a closer relationship with God.When Jesus tells us we must "take up your cross and follow me" He is reminding us that we must die in the flesh daily, the cross being a reminder of how He suffered and how we must also suffer in the flesh.

The bible says "no flesh shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" so now my goal is to kill my "self" and let the beauty of Christ shine through me. I no longer want to be stained by the ugliness of sin, I want to be marked by the beauty of holiness. Living holy sounds "pretty" but it is not for the faint at heart but compared to the ugliness of sin, Death looks good on me.

            God bless you all, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

CHRISTIAN CARBS: THE PROMISES OF GOD!!

Praise the Lord everybody! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name. God has been so good to me, His grace and His mercy toward me have been indescibable, what more can I say, other than "oh taste and see that the Lord, He is good!"

I think that we can all agree that we are living in the last of the last days. If your spiritual eyI es are open you can see this for yourself. As we get closer and closer to that "great gettin' up morning" more and more Christians are experiencing anxiety and some are even abandoning their faith. Some have expressed a feeling of despair and a lack of hope. They are like marathon runners who run out of energy in the final leg of the race.

God's word says in Hebrews 12:1   Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

In the world, marathon runners "carbo load" the night before the big race, meaning they eat big plates of pasta for its carbohydrates which they burn for power and endurance during the race. As Christians, we also have a race to run. It is a spiritual marathon and the bible says in Matthew 12:12-13  12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

In order for us to endure, we must also "carbo load." Christian carbs consist of God's word and His promises. God has given us His word for such a time as this. We must load up on these things if we expect to finish this race in the winners circle. If you are not aware of God's word and it's promises, you have nothing to call on when the going gets tough and you're running up "heartbreak hill trying to make the finish line".

The bible is filled with God's promises, such as Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Titus 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

The bible is filled with God's promises, this was just a very small sample. The bible also says in 1st Corinthians 9:24  Know ye not that those who run in a race all run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain it.

If you want to run this race and win, you have to be fueled up with the word of God. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him" another of God's promises designed to help us to run and endure this race till the end.
        God Bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall