The Focal Point of Unity

The Focal Point of Unity
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

Psalm 133:1-2

The word unity means oneness. Aaron was the high priest, and the oil that ran down his head to his feet was a sign of God's anointing. The anointing is God and His power on you to do what you cannot do. The anointing is burden-removing, yoke-destroying power. The anointing is the manifestation of God Himself, and He says, "Unity is like that precious ointment."

God commanded the blessing where unity operates. Staying in unity and in one accord is the most important thing that we do. Unity does not mean we all feel the same way or that we all have the same opinions. Unity means that we all decide that God's Word matters more than anything else. The Word is our common reference point. The Word settles all arguments. When we move from the Word to our feelings and our opinions, we have left the ground of the anointing and placed ourselves in position where satan gets to divide and conquer.

Unity requires work, and it requires a decision. The longer people are together, the more opportunities there will be for contempt and disagreement. Unity brings the anointing on the scene. Unity brings Jesus on the scene.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I give you glory for your anointing on my life. I praise you for this burden-removing power and for your Word. I ask that a Spirit of unity and the presence of Jesus be the witness of your grace in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

• Genesis 13:8
• Jeremiah 32:39

"Stolen Crown - Part 2"

"Stolen Crown - Part 2"

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11

"That no man take thy crown." Yesterday we addressed this warning not to let any man take (steal) our crown. We said there were two main ways that our crown could be "stolen" from us. The first we talked about was through hurt and offense. Many have turned away from the Lord because of something that someone else did to them and they are blaming God for it.

This morning I want to talk about the second way. Our crown can be taken from us through deception. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1) The devil is a master deceiver- he was at the very beginning in the Garden of Eden and he still will be at the end; the Book of Revelation tells us that. He comes to us with lies that are wrapped up in beautiful packages. Those lies appeal to the flesh- they tell us what we want to hear. They sound like the answer, they sound like the truth, they seem to "make sense" but they are a mixture of what is true and what is false. Therefore, it makes the whole thing false. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9)

Beware of what you hear. It may sound right, but does it line up with God's word. Does scripture back it up? Just because it is a popular teaching, just because it is taught by well known respected people, just because everyone else is teaching it, just because it is the newest thing coming down the pike, doesn't mean that it is the truth. In the Book of Acts it is recorded that when Paul was in Thyatira that a young lady followed them proclaiming that they were sent from the most high God to show them the way of salvation. That sounded good, that was their mission, but the young lady was demon possessed and being influenced by demons. Am I saying that everything we hear is false and inspired by demons? Of course not, but I am saying that it doesn't matter how good or how popular the teaching sounds, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the truth or that it is from God.

We have been given strict warnings in the scriptures, especially concerning the last days, to be on guard and not be deceived. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3,4) If ever there was a time when this was true it is now. So many don't know what they believe, why they believe what they believe, or they believe anything and everything. That is detrimental to our spiritual well being. It can steal our crown of life.

How do we keep that from happening? Jesus said that when we know the truth it will set us free - free from deception. And what is this truth that will set us free? "Thy word is truth".

Have a great day. Don't let anyone steal your crown of life by deceiving you into believing that what is false is the truth.

For further reading:

Acts 16:16-18

2 Timothy 4:1-4

John 8:32; 7:17

Matthew 24:24

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: /www.mastersbusiness.org/">http://www.mastersbusiness.org/">www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.

Please remember to give credit to

About the Master's Business Ministry.

Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.

http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

"Stolen Crown - part 1"

"Stolen Crown - part 1"

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11

"That no man take thy crown". What is this crown that He is talking about? It is the eternal blessedness that will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ- who have endured to the end, who have fought the good fight and finished the race; it is the reward of righteousness. Literally, it is the "crown of life".

Can it be taken from us? Evidently, or He would not have issued us this warning. Since it is possible and we are warned to protect it, just how can our crown be "stolen"? There are two main ways that I want to talk about. I will cover one this morning and the other in the morning (if the Lord is willing and He delays His coming).

We know that the thief is the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. He is ultimately behind the scheme to steal our crowns. The word for "man" here- "let no man"- is translated: nobody, no one, nothing, not anything. So the warning is not to let anything or anyone take your crown- including those people who satan uses to try to do it.

The first way I want to talk about this morning is through hurt and offense. I have seen people who were on fire for the Lord, active in their church, witnessing for Christ, following His teachings and example, turn from God and have nothing more to do with Him because someone in the church said something or did something to them. These people may have talked bad about them, they may have rejected them, they may have been hypocritical in front of them, they may have turned their back on them in their time of need and as a result this person got offended, got their feelings hurt, got angry and no longer attends church or follows the Lord. The have become bitter, resentful, pious and unforgiving. But sadly, they are "taking it out on God" as if He was the one who did it to them. They are blaming Him for what someone else did. They are taking it out on Him by not attending His house any more, by not following His commands, by living in unforgiveness, by no longer worshipping Him.

How to guard against our crown being taken from us? "And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through." (Luke 12:39) First, don't be ignorant- know that offenses are going to come and the enemy is out to destroy you anyway he can. Second, when he does come, realize that it is him and not the person. Thirdly, since we have the responsibility to not allow our crown to be taken, go to God immediately with the offense (don't let it linger), submit the hurt to Him, ask for His strength and grace to "turn the other cheek" (or do whatever is needed), forgive that person, use your spiritual weapons to fight the real enemy behind it.

Are you that person that I am talking about? If so, then you need to return to the Lord. Please don't keep staying away from Him because of what someone else did. Go to Him and ask Him to restore you to fellowship with Him and the body of Christ. Repent for holding on to a grudge, anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. Ask for His forgiveness so that you can be forgiven as well. The bottom line is do whatever you have to do to make it right with God so that your crown of life is not taken from you. Nothing else matters, and nothing else is more important.

Have a great day. Don't let any one take your crown because of hurt or offense.

For further reading:

Matthew 10:22; 6:14,15

Ephesians 6:12,13

2 Timothy 4:7,8

1 Timothy 6:12

John 10:10

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: /www.mastersbusiness.org/">http://www.mastersbusiness.org/">www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.

Please remember to give credit to

About the Master's Business Ministry.

Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.

http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

The Whale

The Whale...

If you read a recent front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.

She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around. She was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.

And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

I pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit

The best part of this story is that it is true!

__._,_.___

The Best Part

The Best Part

by Russ Lawson

What is the best part? I was listening to a coffee commercial and the jingle said, "The best part of waking up is ?" Can you finish the jingle? Granted the "best part" has to be qualified in some way, such as, "the best part of waking up" or "the best part of the day." But if you had to finish the sentence, "The best part," how would you end it? Are some things better than others Yes, of course they are. We often make choices based upon what is better in our minds. The classic example of this is Joshua's challenge to the people of Israel in Joshua 24:15 where he says: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We do make choices.

On the flip side of that thought, we often make the statement of consolation, "It could have been worse, you could have?" In other words, some choices, without a doubt, are better than others. Christ uses this reasoning in the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew 5:29 where he says: "So if your eye, even your good eye, causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."(NLT) I don't believe he is giving us advice to do ourselves physical harm, but rather is making the point that we have the ability to choose and need to choose wisely.

Life is a matter of making one choice after another isn't it, from the time we wake in the morning to the time we go to sleep at night we make decisions or choices. If you had to choose what would be your best part? According to the Jingle I mentioned earlier, "The best part of waking up is Folgers (coffee) in your cup." That may be very good, but I agree with Joshua about what is better, serving the Lord!

as seen in Russ Lawson's "Messages From the Heart" at http://www.mfth.net

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.45

Living A Life of Service

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Living a Life of Service by Rick Warren

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Ephesians 2:10 (NCV) "God did not put you on earth to live for yourself. He created you to be like Christ." There are three things you can do with your life: You can waste it, you can spend it, or you can invest it. The best use of your life is to invest your life in something that will outlast it. The worst thing you can do is to live simply for today and to live for yourself. God did not put you on earth to live for yourself. He created you to be like Christ. We know that Christ came to earth to do two things according to Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45 NIV) As we seek to grow and become more like Christ, we need to learn how to live a life of service. This will help us create a lasting spiritual legacy. Today I want you to take time to meditate on the following verses about God's call to service in our lives. Pray over them and ask God to reveal new ways you can give yourself in service to those around you. "Give yourselves completely to God - every part of you ... you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes." (Romans 6:13b LB) "My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the good news about God's wonderful kindness and love." (Acts 20:24 NLT) "Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live." (Mark 8:35 LB) You will never enjoy life fully - the way God intended for you to live it - until you learn it's not about you. So go, and live a life of service.

The New Missionary

The New Missionary

A new missionary recruit went to Venezuela for the first time. He was struggling with the language and didn't understand a whole lot of what was going on. Intending to visit one of the local churches, he got lost, but he eventually got back on track and found the place. Having arrived late, the church was already packed. The only pew left was the one on the front row.

So as not to make a fool of himself, he decided to pick someone out of the crowd to imitate. He chose to follow the man sitting next to him on the front pew. As they sang, the man clapped his hands, so the missionary recruit clapped too. When the man stood up to pray, the missionary recruit stood up too. When the man sat down, he sat down.

When the man held the cup and bread for the Lord's Supper, he held the cup and bread. During the preaching, the recruit didn't understand a thing. He just sat there and tried to look just like that man in the front pew. Then he perceived that the preacher was giving announcements. People clapped, so he looked to see if the man was clapping. He was, and so the recruit clapped too.

Then the preacher said some words that he didn't understand and he saw the man next to him stand up. So he stood up too. Suddenly a hush fell over the entire congregation. A few people gasped. He looked around and saw that nobody else was standing. So he sat down.

After the service ended, the preacher stood at the door shaking the hands of those who were leaving. When the missionary recruit stretched out his hand to greet the preacher, the preacher said, in English, "I take it you don't speak Spanish."

The missionary recruit replied, "No, I don't. It's that obvious?"

"Well, yes," said the preacher. "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy, and would the proud father please stand up."

from firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44

---

God's Voice

God's Voice

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.

"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still; small voice... the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason.

Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God. And there is no better place to be... Amen?

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44

God's Voice

God's Voice

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.

"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still; small voice... the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason.

Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God. And there is no better place to be... Amen?

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44