Why look to this world, or within.. to yourself, or to your company or boss as your prime source ..and then become depressed? If you look to the Lord you'll be at rest.

Uhh, did we like give the tent permission to alter or change itself.. whenever?

Oh, Mr. Tentmaker...

It was nice living in this tent when it was strong and secure and the sun was shining and the air was warm.. but, Mr. Tentmaker, it’s gotten a bit scarier at times.

My tent is acting like it’s not going to hold together. The poles seem weak and they shift with the wind, a couple of the stakes have wriggled loose from the sand, and worst of all, the canvas has a rip. It no longer protects me from beating ran or stinging flies.

It’s scary in here, Mr. Tentmaker. Last week I was sent to the repair shop and some repairman tried to patch the rip in my canvas. It didn’t help much, though, because the patch pulled away from the edges and now the tear is worse.

What troubled me most, Mr. Tentmaker is that the repairmen didn’t seem to notice that I was still in the tent. They just worked on the canvas while I shivered inside. I cried out once, but no one heard me.

I guess my first real question is, “Why did you give me such a flimsy tent? I can see by looking around the campground that some of the tents are much stronger and more stable than mine.  Why, Mr. Tentmaker, did you pick a tent of such poor quality for me and even more importantly, what do you intend to do about it?”

“Oh, little tent dweller,” as the Creator and Provider of tents, “I know all about you and your tent and I love you both.

I made a tent for myself once and lived in it on your campground. My tent was venerable too, and some vicious attackers ripped it to pieces while I was still in it. It was a terrible experience but you’ll be glad to know they couldn’t hurt me. In fact, the whole occurrence was as a tremendous advantage because it is this very victory over my enemy that frees me to be of present help to you.

Little tent dweller, I am now prepared to come and live in your tent with you, if you will turn and invite me.  You will learn, as we dwell together, that real security comes from my being in your tent with you.  When the storms come, you can huddle in my arms and I’ll hold you. When the canvas rips, we’ll go to the repair shop together.

Someday, little tent dweller, your tent will collapse (for I’ve only designed it for temporary use).  When it does, you and I will leave together. (I promise not to leave before you do.) Then, free of all that would hinder or restrict, we’ll move to our permanent home and together forever rejoice and be glad!” ~ by Anon.

Uhh, did we give the tent permission to change itself.. unexpectedly, randomly? It sure wasn't originally designed to become so weak and temporary -- the Tentmaker wasn't the one who chose to take a stride from the Master-plan, to rebel. Grateful to God we all can know Him, serve Him -- still get around here for all that. Has it been a bit scarier than before, for ya? Sorry 'bout that. Hate to see others here so often fearin' the future, not knowin' what'll happen to their beloved tent.. as it's baldin', wrinkling, shrinkin' or shrivelin', just wearin' out. The important thing is to make sure you have the Tentmaker not just near, but livin' on the inside. I've got a mansion-builder. Some say that mansion is the radical upgraded new body with Him.  

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2

"For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1

"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." 2 Corinthians 5:9  Facebook.com/shareJesus

Yeah, I miss him already, but I don't have to live missin' his smart personal rules.

He's Home Now.  Miss Him Gobs, But I Still Love Billy Graham’s Rules. 

They are so relevant for our day, and don't need to be applied weirdly. You remember how VP Pence got so mocked for applying these rules. I'm sure he applies them wisely.. that's noble.. so then he became a joke on late night TV. The world and small worldly peeps do that sort of thing -- shows us they're really good personal rules against sexual immorality and weirdness. We don't want what they have, so why do what they do? So many divorced and hurting. Go check the stats.

The rules are good for ministerial integrity inside and outside of churches, and yes, basically really good for all believers. Hey, it's about love and protecting, not legalism. Keep that in mind. 

I challenge you to be faithful in Jesus 24/7 wherever you go. Are you spiritual or carnal?.. a straightforward rep, a reborn disciple dash disciple-maker?

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?" Proverbs 20:6

That verse says these type of men are rare. Billy was faithful, a good example for us. Let's choose to be one of these kinds of people. The Lord was and is. 

We all saw what he did publicly, but what did he not do? Graham famously did not dine alone, or travel in a train car or other car alone. He didn't meet with alone, or hang long at work afterwards, or outside there afterward.. with a women who was not his wife. Dude, ladies.. his personal principles are smart for our day! I say watch your eyes, your mind, and your heart ..as well.. like he did. But why merely keep rules on the outside, but be perverse and lustful on the inside?.. that'd be super-dumb. Billy didn't do that, cuz that would lead to pain and destruction.

Billy chose to never be alone with a woman who was not his wife cuz he really loved his wife – was not alone in a vehicle alone, or in an elevator alone, or at any lunch meal alone. He believed this was a good way to help guard his marriage, and his ministry. Sure, and worked well -- helped him! And though he was a mere man not to be worshiped or palatalized (never would have wanted that), Billy simply finished well. He maintained a good testimony -- he glorified God a whole lot. Here's a few more for ya...

* Don't go visit the opposite sex at home alone, or counsel em alone, or more than once counsel em without their spouse there. Why do that?

I'm certainly no Billy Graham, but before college days in Dallas Liney and I both had secretly chosen to only go out with growing born again believers. That helped. Ya normally end up marrying etc some ya go out with. In college Liney wasn't ever allowed in my apartment with others not there, nor was I allowed in her flat alone. It our roommates were there, but got up and left, we did too with em. Right then, simple as that. It helped us cuz I'd be warm to her form otherwise and never wanted to fornicate. Felt there'd be multiple unforeseen consequences with that. And there would have been.  

* Don't lunch alone with her, you know like a secretary "to continue working" (you don't need to be working at lunch), or even stop for a woman on the roadside to give her a ride (stop to help when she's in real trouble? Sure, especially if injured, otherwise just call the police to help her).

* Don't be into kissin' people other than your wife, husband. Wat, why make it a habit, are you French? (..or say kissin' other than the Lord in worship if ya will. Psalm 2:12 says, "Kiss his son.." That's indeed good -- He is your first love). In this day and age, I should also say this to be clear.. not even kissin' a guy, dudes.

* Don't share or discuss sexual details with the opposite sex or any of your marital problems with one of the opposite sex. Liney and I when single, would pause and pray before going out for dinner--was good. God would so bless our fellowship and time with friends. But some ministers foolishly pray all alone or long with other that their spouse. Why not women just pray with women or with a group, and men with men?

I say avoid all flirting (with your words eyes, touch, texts, pics, emails--keep your hands to yourself when with others. It's good for a man not to touch a woman..unless she's your wife). So don't rush things. Avoid flirting, and avoid what could be perceived as that or more than that.

Avoid working late or hanging out at work afterward with the opposite sex. Invite em first. When they invite you to a bar after, take a group to a restaurant instead.

Brag on Christ and her -- convey your love for your wife and family members. Love your wife enough to lead well..biblically. Always be lookin' out for integrity. I hope I don't miss some of his, but here's some other rules. 

* Operate with financial transparency.

* Avoid even the appearance of sexual immorality.

* Avoid criticizing other pastors and churches.

* Be painstakingly honest in all publicity.

In Proverbs 4:23 we are advised to “guard our hearts..” and isn't that really were it all starts?

Need some hope? You know we’re all flawed, easily influenced in different directions, but there's indeed a way that we Christians can consistently walk in victory and make an impact workin’ together.

Ever been workin' with a local church and then seen or encountered some hypocrisy, rudeness, weird power struggles, or outright meanness? Sorry about that. I hope not.. or that you reported it if a crime was committed. Some churches sadly think it's their place to deal with crimes committed on their properties. Wrong!  

Do we throw out the baby with the bath water so to speak when so called religious peeps or believers sin? Do we forever bail out on all churches? No, but God is pure and does want you with pure motives active in a healthy, forgiving church.. yes, biblically worshippin' Christ and making an impact in the community for His glory. But how do we get along ..long?  

We choose to..daily, "..bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." Colossians 3:13

God gives us hope. He loves us so and He can take care of you believers. He can help us work together, and when alone. His grace is so strong, His wisdom is so great -- just request and inquire of Him. Let Calvary not be in vain for you! Decide today. 

The unity of real love we experience in a praying local church is SO powerful a witness ..sure, in any community!

Bein' patient, forgiving and gettin' along as you work together ..it's so important.. while not feeling like you must always remain silent if or when you see an injustice done.  

I say.. pray harder, study deeper, appeal wiser, understand better, serve smarter. Brag on Christ -- go boldly share His Gospel -- go global via His grace. Diligently seek Him and tactfully seek to win people to Jesus, not to you. 

But..  what do you do when you somehow become bitter or unforgiving in your attitude toward someone in your life? Don’t need a root of bitterness -- can you bail on all that? 

Many times in the Bible, it says that if we forgive others, we will be forgiven ourselves. Who do you currently need to forgive?

What does this topic really mean for you? How do we wisely apply the word when so many misapply? Forgiveness is simply releasing your inner resentment, totally releasing your "rights" and reflecting on the character of Christ. What can help? Memorizing Scriptures or passages on this. Meditating upon them too. 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 

I feel sorta _____ when someone forgives me for something I've done to them -- something wrong. 

I feel _____ after I chose to go against my fleshly nature, the demands of this world's system and just forgive someone for something uber-lame that they’ve done to me in the past.

"In him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," Ephesians 1:7. I love reading the context -- that’s important too.  

Is there a feeling with it? Perhaps sometimes, oftentimes not. Who cares about that as long as we are forgiven? Feelings are fickle, they come and go -- we don't need to go by them. Hear the facts and walk by faith instead of by feelings. 

We all sin even when we say we’ll never sin again. All really? That means two things: we will sin against others, and others will sin against us. What do you think prevents you from forgiving others when they sin against you?

We’ve all, at times blown it, and hurt the Lord via sinning. How many days can we go without sinning? Perhaps a couple, it's different for different people. But who is good? Our parents and teachers have told each of us that we are good, but the Lord is the One who is good. We've have all strayed at times.. a little bit, a lot.. some of us more than others. I've done a whole lot of sinning and some of it was intentional. We’ve all rebelled against God in different ways, and we continue to fall short, it's more serious than people realize. Yet He loves you..loves us and can still give us mercy and forgiveness one by one. No charge for that. Just pray honestly and repent. Sorry, means to change. Praise His name for His full cleansing and patience today!

We are supposed to forgive others. But why...cuz He says to? And He's like that. Did you decide to follow close and rep Him? There is a lot at stake here, there's closure on the Great Commission and not gobs of time to fulfill the mission! 

There are so many reasons to, but in Matthew 6:14, the Bible says that we should forgive others so God will forgive us, as well. Why do you think that is? We need to see ourselves as we really are -- we need motivation to do what's right. Be inspired in the word of God!  

You first freely receiving can indeed help. Yes, in order to receive forgiveness from God, we must be repentant of our sins. That’s the key, admit it and quit it -- the life of sinning. Believe and receive, not believe and start earning the cleansing or favor. It’s means we see our own depravity first and then admit to God that we have done what is evil in His eyes. We’ve fallen short of His Holy Standards seen in the word. Is this hard for you? Ask.. why do I think I have trouble repenting.. turning and trusting... Him? 

Come to.. or come back to Jesus. Don't stay and decay or fray, come back all the way!

Have you stumbled, or fallen? Are you curently backslidden spiritually? Need a second chance to, a brand new beginning today? Need God, cuz hope is lost?

What does it mean to confess our sins to God and to others in a biblical manner? 

"I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." Psalm 32:5

You can forgive people in your heart today, right now.. doesn't mean you need to go tell the unbeliever you did that when they still think they've done you no wrong. It's a choice foe you--a smart one to forgive. Sometimes we just don't need to tell them that we forgave them in our heart.. might just be time to share our own story and the Gospel with them.  

A brighter day might just be from a little encouragement in the Way. I call it Contagious Love. Know someone who needs some of that? Many of the worst need that the most You can be used of God! Perhaps you've been forgiven by Christ, feel curious about impacting others, and really would like to make your life count for eternity. Christian, would you like to learn more about serving the Lord as an online missionary volunteer? I challenge you to pray about joining Global Media Outreach. I feel blessed, touched and humbled every day watching and hearing how God uses online missionaries to win people to Jesus Christ!

Originally posted by headlikealamb

Let's choose to, and keep on forgiving. It's like a process. The Lord like casts our sins into the sea, not to keep bring em up. Mr. Lu-Cifer and his gang are the accusers of the brethren. They love to point the finger of condemnation. God ain't about that -- never has been. "'Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.' Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin." Hebrews 10:17-18 nkjv c-context.

God convicts His kids when we sin or try to hide it all, remember King David? It's better, it's sweet not sour like condemnation. We just quickly run to God, and tell on ourselves. He cleans and embraces us once again -- yup, changes us from the inside out -- matures us more and more. Facebook.com/shareJesus

Be still and hear from Him -- hear how and then build.

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." Psalm 37:7

You'll be so glad you did.. I promise, you'll be glad you did.

Remember the last time you did something important and then you were like totally stoked out that you didn’t forget to. Wait on the Lord -- not worth forgetting. 

When the wall is lying in rubbel, rust and ruin... so broken burned out and with lots of weeds everywhere.. know that there's always a right man for the job.

Remember Nehemiah the builder, The protector, the man of God? He needed a lot of money to repair, restore and rebuild the wall... perhaps he could have started a GoFundMe page? Naw.

Listen, when you're doing God's work you're going to face mocking maligning meanness and perhaps mushrooming opposition ......and it might cost a bit of money too.

But where God guides.. he provides, where he leads.. he feeds, where his finger points.. his hand of abundant provision opens. We don't need to resort to worldly manipulation or corrupt Telethon Tuesday TV evangelists ways.

We can pray and obey -- God will provide. Your part in building matters -- you matter to God and so do your friends. Your family does too! Every one of us has a part to play so to speak.

Be still before Him -- before God!

As you live your life of intimacy with Christ, there will of course be times to be busy working smart, building.. as well as daily times to be still alone with Him. His Love and mercy never run out. They are new every morning -- He loves you regardless of your performing.

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth to strengthen the people God wants to work through. Would you be that person? Would you go tell, invite, and bring a friend to where they really need to be?

Lord, I pray right now that You will bless HarvestAmerica.com on June 10th at 7 pm at AT&T Stadium -- I want the people radically blessed! Thanks for filling it to overflowing last time. The Cowboys football field could not contain the responders coming to You, in the fire chief had to turn them away to another place. Please prepare the hearts right now, of those who will go. Please bless all the bands as well. No matter how many people are there or hear the Message there or when it's streamed live.. let the Message bring glory and a harvest to You, Lord.

Lord, what we know not.. teach us. What we have not.. give us. What we are not.. make us. So many lives need Your rebuilding.

Time to build... up people.. and all that helps em.

Remember when Nehemiah basically said, we’re going to build the wall and you’re going to pay for it.

Whenever believers say let's rise and build, yeah let's rise and fix.. to help and protect. The enemy (Mr. Lu-Cifer) is there to say, No way, let's rise and impede, let's block. 

He’s only come to kill, steal and destroy -- the ultimate hater. Christ came to seek and to save, to give life, and life more abundantly -- wants to build you up -- came to destroy the negative works of the enemy.   

Remember Nehemiah and those unbelieving people.. haters in his locale.. that Satan sent to mock, to harass, to stop, to fight against the work and against Nehemiah.

Originally posted by just-usmadd

What was involved with Nehemiah in the Bible? Investigation, cooperation, determination. Defeat is not an option! Great attitude!

Satan hates what he did. He hates what we do too -- he really hates gospel preaching in love... from a believer walkin’ the walk. 

Hey, God can use you. You’re preachin’ doesn’t need to be pushy and preachy or condemning. We’re here to represent well and tactfully deliver Someone else’s important Message. 

Whenever, wherever there is potential to build and glorify the Lord to succeed ...there's also potential to fail. We all need Jesus.

People can be restored, companies can be, churches can be too -- you can come alive. 

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.." 1 Peter 4:10 

If a company is goin' whack, it needs the living Word to lead -- that’s Christ. Yes, with His principles to wisely apply, it can work. If a church is coming apart, the individuals pretty much need to turn and come apart from all the activity just to be with the Head - Jesus. It’s time to pray. It's always good to forgive and pray and seek Him. He has answers -- He is the ultimate Answer. If a marriage is comin' apart, the husband and wife also need Jesus—let Christ and His love be the glue if ya will.. that unblinds from all the destructive habits and it’s His love that binds us together in agape passion. It can work. Let’s lead, feed, build and protect people -- let’s win them to Christ. 

Pray, Invite, Serve, Fetch, Expect, Bring, Rejoice!

Time to build! 

Here’s a gig we’ve been working on -- HarvestAmerica.com with @GregLaurie. It’s at 7 pm at AT&T Stadium on June 10th, 2018. Yup, will be streamed.  

One Day, One Purpose, One Aim, One Church, One Message -- When So Much isn't the Answer Guess What... Jesus Christ Is Indeed The Answer.

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124.8  KurtwVs Insta 

“Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be you valiant..” 2 Samuel 2:7

“Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our..” 1 Chronicles 19:13

“Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was..” 2 Chronicles 32:5 

“Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”  
Ephesians 6:10

“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”   
Philippians 2:13

“Then I said to them, ‘You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.’ I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us arise and build.’ So they put their hands to the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, ‘What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’” Nehemiah 2:17-18 Facebook.com/shareJesus