How Much is Enough

This morning I have been meditating in the word and saw something that really spoke to me. 1timothy 6:9-10 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Wow, how much is enough and where does it end? Do we give God Glory with everything that we own or do we say this is for God and this is for me and my selfishness. Please understand that God does give us possessions for our enjoyment and to spread his kingdom. Do you desire to be rich? Well then this is what you should expect. 1)temptations--not that we don't already have temptations, but the ones that get you in debt, distracted, and are selfish. 2) a snare--simply a trap. We fill our houses with things to make us feel great or buy things to impress others or think we need, but it's all a trap because in the end none of these things work. 3)foolish and harmful lusts--what we see and think we need, the latest this, that or the other. Foolish, the word in proverbs refers many times acting like a child and in all the cases they do not enter the presence of God. 4) to drown in destruction and perdition-- think about it, if you desire to be rich you will be drowned in destruction and perdition. Your destiny is not heaven it is torment and everlasting hell. Jesus told his men, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25 NKJV) 5) the love of money has strayed them from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Do you desire to be rich then expect the piercings of being filled with grief. It comes down to greediness. The question again is, how much is enough? How many cars are enough, how many houses are enough, how many shoes are enough, how many dogs are enough, how many tv's are enough, how much jewelry is enough, how many guns are enough, how many games are enough, how much ______ (fill in the blank) is enough? Please let me help you to understand that it's not that God will not provide for you. It is not that wealth means you are evil or even having money makes you evil. Listen to this verse. Mark 10:29-30 NKJV So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But the key is this. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 NKJV) Please listen to what I'm about to say and examine yourself. I have to daily because I have been blessed to have lived in a great country where we have a buffet of liberty and choices and selection of commerce and opportunity to live the American dream. If you make more than $2 a day you are richer than 1/3 of the world. That sounds crazy. You may step outside of your house and maybe not believe it, but you are. I am not saying giving your money to the poor is your ticket into heaven, works can't do it for you; only Christ, his blood and him crucified. If you think about it and look around your house you are probably like most of us and see you got more junk and stuff you don't use and probably pay storage fees for things you will not go through again. God has blessed us to be a blessing to others. Show that today. What can you do with what you already have to change this world and to bring the gospel to the at least 4.5 billion of people who don't know Christ. That is 4,500,000,000 people! It is our responsibility to do it.

JOSE

Ruined, Stripped Bare, Destroyed, Shriveled, Gone

God spoke to me today about his pattern and principles in his word through today's reading.  Joel 1:10 When the revelation of the Lord comes into someone's life it is so transforming that you see yourself as you really are. 
Ruined—un-fathered.  The birthright is so valuable in the life of a Christian.  When we become born again we receive a new birthright and become joint heirs with Christ.  For those that continue to walk in sin are as John 8:44 states and act as their father the devil and destined for ruin.
Stripped bare--uncorrected.  Without the father a Christian is stripped bare to the very core of sin.  Even in the natural world if someone will continue to break the law they will be ultimate stripped of every right they have.  Therefore as proverbs 3:12 and Hebrews 12:6 states the Lord chastens those he loves.
Destroyed--unfruitful.  Continuing to live a life that is not glorifying the father will lead you to a life that is destined to be destroyed.  Jesus states in Luke 13:6-8 that his desire is for us to bear fruit and anyone that does not will be cut off. 
Shriveled--unhealed.  The natural tendency for a malnurished child is to be shriveled, weak, and defenseless.  They will not live up to their full potential because there is something that has not been cured.  In Mark 3 Jesus approaches a man with a shriveled hand and brings restoration. 
Gone--untaught.  Psalm 27:11 the Lord teaches us how to live, to neglect his teaching is setting themselves up for a rude awakening in that the father's will was not done as in Matthew 7:21-23
Repentance and Restoration
Such a great pattern of regaining relationship with the father.
1) He calls to you turn to me Joel 2:12
2) its in your heart return to me Joel 2:13
3) he is eager to relent Joel 2:13
It humbles me to know that even in our repentance he is desperate to seek us out and longs for us to be right with him.  Even in his anger he still loves us and wants us to be in right standing with him.  He sets us up for victory even in our lowest points.
In God's restoration it will be visible and the blessings will be seen that those that follow his pattern will understand how great he is and how awesome and greatly to be praised he is.   His loving-kindness will be demonstrated to all who seek him and his faithfulness will be shown to all who humble themselves before him.
My prayer today: Joel 2:28 Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy.  Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.    Thank you Lord for your Holy Spirit that comes in power, and fire, and truth. 

Jose’s Daily Thoughts December 2nd

1John 2:12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
      because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.[c]
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith[d]
      because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
   I am writing to you who are young in the faith
      because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
      because you know the Father.
   I have written to you who are mature in the faith
      because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
   I have written to you who are young in the faith
      because you are strong.
   God’s word lives in your hearts,
      and you have won your battle with the evil one.
God's children, young in faith, and mature in faith
My thoughts:  We all start somewhere.  God spoke to me today that we all begin somewhere in our Christian walk, but God does not want us to stay there.  The maturing process isn't necessarily on how much more we can put on our plates instead it is how much more we can trust in him.  God showed me that initially we need to understand that Jesus has washed us from our sins in such a way that we do not sin.  We keep in mind that if we do sin he has already made atonement for us; but he does not want us to stay just in that revelation.  We need to understand that there is a battle and winning in that battle means that Christ is growing in our lives.  This understanding is strength in our lives because we no longer rely on ourselves but on him who continues to make intercession for us.  Finally there is a level we can call mature faith.  In this level we not only know Christ as savior, but as Lord and we begin to see his nature and his unchanging love toward us.  John writes that we know Christ is the same as Adam knows Eve and is intimate with her.  We too need to become mature and know Christ in such a way that we are in Christ and know that we have been chosen from the beginning. 
My prayer today: 1John 2: 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Daily Thoughts “My Light”

Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine;

For your light has come!

And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,

And deep darkness the people;

But the LORD will arise over you,

And His glory will be seen upon you.

3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see:

They all gather together, they come to you;

Your sons shall come from afar,

And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

5 Then you shall see and become radiant,

And your heart shall swell with joy;

Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,

The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

As I read this morning I begin to understand that darkness, deep darkness is what covers the earth. The strong man oppressing Peru is not a lack of men; it is a strong man of Machismo and Matriarchy. Let me explain

When the Spaniards came over to Latin America it was not a migration full of families coming over together to start a new life, it was a conquest and for 200 plus years all that came over to this land were men. What began to be a common thing is that the men would kill the Indian men and then begin to have relations with the Indian women. Because the children being born of these relations would be despised of their fathers and rejected of their fathers they would come under the protection of their mothers. The children being left without a father would grow up only being cared for by a mother. So as it continued for over 200 years those children boys would grow up and instead of defending their mothers would actually reproduce what their Spanish conquistador fathers would do. This vicious cycle of conquest would make the men reproduce a machismo attitude that would enjoy the pleasure but would never take the responsibility of a father. This epidemic today is evident all over Latin America. Boys are not raised by a father but instead a mother takes all the Responsibility. It is evident on the streets and in the church. The men do not hang out with their sons, the moms or even in most dual working families the female maids take care of them.

I am so privileged to grow up in a church that has actually began to reverse the curse of fatherlessness. I was mentoring my timothy yesterday and as I was sharing with him our vision and mission here it became evident how we should see this work. We are ambassadors not only of Christ but our spiritual father and family back home. We came as Acts 17: 6 “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” How evident it is that we bring something that is so foreign even to Christians here. The Fathers affirmation! I have had the opportunity to affirm about 4 men here so far and they are sticking to me like nothing before. They don't receive it, that’s why they don't do it, and that’s why they don't reproduce it

Daily Thoughts "My Word"

Isaiah 55: 10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens

and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow,

producing seed for the farmer

and bread for the hungry.

11 It is the same with my word.

I send it out, and it always produces fruit.

It will accomplish all I want it to,

and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

The word comes down from God and stays on the soil of our hearts watering us. As maturity comes into our lives through discipleship, fruitfulness is the evidence of the word growing in our hearts. The farmer, who is at that time in our lives the beneficiary of the word, can measure and see the good fruit in our lives so that it can be used to benefit others and provide spiritual food for them. I see this time and time again in ministry. I have seen the positive and I have seen the negative. As a positive I continue to watch men of God being matured in a church that loves them and cares for them and disciples them. I see the evidence of their lives because wherever God places them they continue to produce fruit and God confirms it through prospering them in the ministry. Also, the farmer in their lives is like a skilled surgeon knowing the right balance and nutrition so that it produces good fruit that lasts and ministers to many. I have also seen the negative. The word is so powerful and it pierces the heart of the man, but either through not wanting to be tilled or corrected that it becomes more of a pit of hard and unfruitful soil, or it becomes a soil that looks to be muddy or over watered and like any immature person looks for any kind of spiritual teaching and becomes more confused than fruitful. Both do not work and it is sad to see Men of God called to ministry but get brought down because of lack of correction or not understanding the farmer as a tool of God to help them and see them as a lid and not a covering in their lives. In this case too, the farmer needs to truly understand the condition of his soil so that he knows how to treat it or through perversion, passivity or abandonment that soil becomes just another pile of dirt. Help us Lord to be trained up great to be a great soil so that you can fulfill the call in our lives. Also Lord help us when you make us a farmer to be one that inspects what you expect and to be one that is constantly looking to produce fruit through that soil that is healthy to feed hungry people that fill this world.

Ask yourself first if you are being watered by God daily? Are you allowing God to fill your heart with his word so that fruit comes out and helps so many out there. Second are you being a good sheppard? Are you relying on the Lord to help train up others so that his word does not return void but prospers everywhere it is sent.

Daily Thoughts 9/27 My Servant

Isaiah 51:1 “Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance — all who seek the Lord! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. 2 Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” as I read today such a beautiful pivotal point in the bible where Isaiah 53 describes the servant of God, Christ Jesus. I am having such a powerful time in prayer and meditation of God's word about how Isaiah sees our Lord Jesus as the sacrificial lamb for my sins. I don't even know how I could finish this or even start because I know the condition of my heart yet I rely on him so I can truly grasp what it means to be purified by the Lamb of God. It was my weakness, my sorrow, my sickness, my rebellion and my sin that were placed on him as the one and only offering for my sins. Such beauty of scripture yet my heart aches because we do not grasp this reality of how worthy Christ is everyday. Isaiah starts today's reading by saying that we need to remember the rock from which we were cut, to not forget the quarry which we were mined. Such as true today as when Isaiah wrote it. so many times we forget what God uses as a training ground for us to be multiplied. Dr. Cole says that everything in life is according to a pattern based on a principle of the Word of God. to help those that may read this: God tells you to remember. remember that he is using this time to form you (discipleship) where he placed you (church), with who he placed you with (pastor), so that he can use you for greater things (sent out). Three principles that you have to see in your walk with Christ. 1) God calls you 2) God blesses you 3) God multiplies you my prayer today: Lord mercy on us when we do not have a fresh revelation of your total obedience as a servant of the Lord. Mercy on us when we choose to be weak, feel pity, allow sickness, choose rebellion, and commit sin. Teach us to present ourselves in light of Jesus and his commitment level to the Father. God help us!

Daily Thoughts 9/26 Commissioned

1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. 2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.” 4 I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” 5 And now the Lord speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. 6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” 7 The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations, to the one who is the servant of rulers: “Kings will stand at attention when you pass by. Princes will also bow low because of the Lord, the faithful one, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” Oh my Jesus how encouraging are your words that you have commissioned us to bring salvation to your people and the ends of the earth. Today was glorious in the Lord. Church, rest and then celebration time with all the volunteers that helped out with the "save the family conference," that was special. Dr. Cole taught us that we can't push string we have to pull it, and we can't push people, we have to lead them. The Lord has shown me that spending time with men and encouraging them and stretching their faith brings a level of leadership that is so needed in the body of Christ. To help those that may read this: Men you have been commissioned to take this salvation message to those that have fallen away in the faith and those that are perishing. What other words do we need to hear, what other books do we need to read, what new message has to played in our CD players, for us to know that we have been chosen by God! The Holy One of Israel has chosen you. My prayer again is that you may him who paid the ultimate price to bring this message to you and that you would be sent out because you have been commissioned to take this gospel to the ends of the earth. Isaiah in chapter 6 understood three things that made him willing to die to transmit this message. 1. He understood who God was verse 1 2. He understood who he was verse 5 3. He understood the provision of God for him verse 6 Jesus is that burning coal that has taken away our sins. Such a privilege to know that he touched, removed and forgave our sin. Only through this process can you say as Isaiah says in verse 8 "here i am, send me"

Daily Thoughts 9/25

Isaiah 45:11 This is what the Lord says— the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? 12 I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. 13 I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people— without seeking a reward! I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” As i am reading today i notice a thread throughout both new and old testament and that is a calling. In the old testament he calls Cyrus a non christian to help the Jewish people and rescue them and to restore God's city for his people. So profound how he calls even though we don't think or understand why he does that except he does things for his name's sake. An applicable example of this in our lives now is our residence here in Peru. We have seen God's hand move here ever since we got to Lima. The home we are staying in belongs to some actress that was popular here in the late 90's. We told her what we were doing here and our mission and brief testimonies. She began to tell us her non christian beliefs, but then quickly wanted to help us. We told her we got here only with our 21 suit cases and that was all we had. She asked about bedding and furniture and we told her that we would get it as we were able to month to month. We saw God use her to bless us, God's people, in that she furnished our home for an extra $200 a month. She said that she would give us the furniture when we left to move to Piura in the north. She also added that she has trucks that go there monthly and that she would be willing to transport all the things when we get there. She told us that the house that we are staying in is made to lease for highly affluent business people who can afford $800 a month more than our budget. But when they showed us the house the realtor said for some reason right now she is leasing it for exactly the amount we had been looking for. SO GOD! We have seen his hand move in our lives and we are privileged to begin this new work in Peru. I truly feel like Israel sometimes that even when we are the guilty ones for disobeying him, rebelling and sinning as Isaiah finishes off chapter 46, God still rescues us for his names sake...Mercy Jesus In the new testament we see Paul begging us to live a life worthy of our calling. So many times I did not understand my Pastor used by God to stretch me because I am called. I have come to realize that if those called could truly grasp their calling we would as Paul says work in such unity, love, and harmony in the body of Christ. It is sad to see members of the body trying to jockey for position and be someone that God did not create them to be. The reason why we raise up other men in the ministry is not so that they can be a clone of us. It is actually the contrary in that the training God has brought through my life and the impartation that is transferred to their life added to the measure of grace of that persons' calling would catapult them to even greater works in Christ Jesus. We see that multiplication in Jesus' group when he said greater works will you do because you trust and believe that I have called you. God help the men in my life to grasp their calling by you so that they can believe and continue what you have done and greater. Listening to Paul explain the reason for the 5 fold ministry gifts it truly blesses me to know I have a pastor, evangelist, teacher, apostle, and prophet on my side that equips me to build Christ's church. It truly blesses me to hear scripture like this: Ephesians 4: 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. To help those that may read this: If you don't know if you are called ask your Pastor, Apostle, Teacher, Evangelist, Prophet. God put him there to help equip you. If you know you are called stop trying to be like someone else and be the best you that God called. If you are not doing your own special work in the ministry your hindering the body from being healthy and growing. Stop, repent and allow that special gift (5 fold minister) to equip you again!

Daily thoughts: Confidence 9/24

^{Isaiah 44:21} "Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. ²² I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free."

in todays reading we see how God says I will do a new thing in you for my names' sake. How awesome it is to know although we fall into the traps of the devil and through rebellion, sin, or unbelief we get trapped, God still has his plans for us.

Three things that come to mind how the enemy hits us he is called the accusser of the breatheren. first he tempts us then he brings us to a place where we feel there is no turning back second he brings us to a point where we believe all the negative will happen third he alienates us to a point that we feel no one can help us that kind of warfare keeps men daily from entering into God's presence, but as Paul says in Ephesians 3:12 only because of Jesus are we priveleged to confidently enter into his presence. I have come to realize that if the enemy can take your confidence in Christ he can wipe you out as a Man of God. I have seen times in my walk with the Lord that no matter how I try to go around or figure out why something happened or how to get out of this hole I dug myself into, the Spirit of God reminds me to just get on my knees and cry out to him the only one that can truly resolve anything in my life. That right there has taught me to break the pride that the enemy uses to pull me away from God's presence.

to help those that may read this, God has orchestrated for his servant (i.e. pastor, apostle, ministry leader, shepherd, spiritual mentor) to help you see the traps and wiles of the devil in your life. To not use him would be telling God we have a better way or method or plan. If the Apostle Paul, who gave his life so that his spiritual sons could have this information to take over their world, did it; how much more do we that allow all these distractions to come against us need it. HELP US LORD!

My prayer today is for those men who are struggling with confidence in Christ to do all he created us to do!

Ephesians 3 ¹⁴ When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, ¹⁵ the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. ¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.