You are a important to God!

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings" 

Psalm 17:8

You are the apple of God's eye!

The apple or pupil of the eye is a most precious part of the body. To lose sight during David's time was to lose the possibility of being a productive member of the culture of society. David is saying that God will preserve me, defend me, and keep me as most precious and valuable!

I know there are times when you don't feel that way but your feelings should never determine how you believe God feels about you. God's Word should always be the determining factor of what you believe never your feelings. 

Your are precious to the Lord, precious enough for Him to always defend you, protect you, and guard you!

Feelings...a struggle in relationship with God

Yesterday in the second service I was making light of "feelings".  Most of what I deal with in my office everyday is people's feelings; "I don't feel in love", "I don't feel like God is with me, I can't feel him" and so on.

Feelings are great, I love when the right song is played or I am in the right mood and something definitely touches my emotions. Any speaker worth their salt should be able to move your emotions that is evident in this presidential campaign year. However, emotions are the steak sauce of life, they are something that adds flavor and zest but are not the thing that will sustain you, you can't live on steak sauce. Truth(knowledge) based on love is where we as Christians should stand our ground, it is the steak.

A cursory glance of history will show us what happens when a move of God shifts from truth to feelings. There was just a great celebration surrounding the Azusa street revival. This revival was birthed in servant prayer, seeking the Lord with all of heart, mind, soul, and strength. Pursuing Him with everything that was within them. Thousands came to know the Lord and even thousands more were impacted but then something happened there was a shift into idolatry, people began pursuing the signs, the feelings, and not the one they originally sought to bring the revival. Division began and what began also as racial healing turned into racial tension and denominations were created and reinforced along racial lines.

Every move of God that shifted from truth and the pursuit of the knowledge of God did not last. Those that continued to seek Him and did, sustained and we still have the effects of it today. If it was not for George Whitfield, the American revolution would not have happened. If it was not for Martin Luther we would not be free to read our Bibles or to worship God in truth. The Apostles were not emotion based but knowledge and truth based, however I am sure that had great emotional times as they saw many coming to Christ, with signs and wonders following. It was not what sustained them, it was knowledge of the Word and God himself. 

Feelings are temporary moments of excitement and exuberance and once again I love them, I am not against them but if most of the prophets, Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah included would have gone by their feeling to follow the call of God, they never would have. You will find dozens of Scriptures talking about understanding the knowledge of God and gaining that knowledge because it is the aspect of God that sustains us long term, strengthens us and keeps us going. Feelings come and go, be blessed when you have them but understand God is calling for something deeper; knowledge of the truth of who He is, His call on our lives, and His great love for us (which is not based on feelings but instead on a decision he made to first love us)

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" Colossians 1: 9,10

Feelings are great, enjoy them, develop them but they will not sustain you or cause growth, only knowledge of the truth and living out His love (which is a choice not an emotion) will bring true relationship with success in the Kingdom. Feelings if not couched by the knowledge of God can become an enemy, a deception, and idol. They can become something that stands against our coming into the very presence of God. We have to believe God at His Word not based on how we feel.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

Time for a change

Many people look at their lives at some point and decide it is time for a change.

People change 
- jobs
- hair styles
- spouses
- and so many other things 

all in the hope of starting something new, getting a new start in life, or developing a new attitude.

This may work for a season but the real change can't be superficial or external it must be one of the heart to change.

The world is in need of a change. Many well intentioned people work very hard to try to make change but poverty, hopelessness, abuse, rejection, all still exist. No program, no army, no philosophy, can bring the change and only a real relationship with God cause real change.

In the name of religion, wars have been fought and are being fought but they have not brought about long lasting change. They have brought oppression, fear, and brokenness.

Jesus came not to establish a religion but instead a relationship, hope, peace, and to give a future to all.

If you are looking for a change, look to Jesus, the real one, the one in the Bible. Men may fail you, denominations may fail you, religions may fail you, but he never will!

You may think you know who He is, but I would challenge you to read the book of John in the Bible to find out who He really is. If you don't have a Bible go to my other blogspot and read "April 30 - May 31" those dates will give you the entire book of John (pastortimburgan.blogspot.com)  

Feel free to leave questions or comments here and I will get back with you.

what the Bible says about you....Day 8

You are the beloved

Song of Songs 6:3

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine"


The book of Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) is a love story it is allegorical and natural, in other words it shows us God's great love for us and can be used to as an example of the love that a husband and wife should have for each other.

All of us have in our hearts and minds an idea of how we want to be loved. Some have a great relationship in their lives that allows them to live that idea, others are still hoping. 

This scripture reveals to us that the love we are looking for is already here. The Lord believes in us completely supports us totally, never gives up on us and is doing everything to make us feel loved.

There is no one that believes in you more than the Lord. There is no one that loves you more! There is no one that wants the best for you and wants you more fulfilled than the Lord.

Challenge yourself today to allow Him to show you this great love. He is always looking at you through the eyes of love! He believes in you!

What the Bible says about you! #1

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings" 

Psalm 17:8

You are the apple of God's eye!

The apple or pupil of the eye is a most precious part of the body. To lose sight during David's time was to lose the possibility of being a productive member of the culture of society. David is saying that God will preserve me, defend me, and keep me as most precious and valuable!

I know there are times when you don't feel that way but your feelings should never determine how you believe God feels about you. God's Word should always be the determining factor of what you believe never your feelings. 

Your are precious to the Lord, precious enough for Him to always defend you, protect you, and guard you!

Tools to make wise decisions

Each of us make hundreds, if not thousands of decisions everyday. 

Some are minuscule, "I'll wear these socks rather than those", others can be life changing, "I can make it though that yellow light". God's word gives us the wisdom, insight, and most importantly an understanding of the heart, and character of God. It is this understanding that will enable us to have the "mind of Christ" (Philippians 2:4 - 5a - "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,") Having this mind enables us to make decisions that will bring great success, joy, and fruitfulness in our lives and keep us from frustration and heart ache! 

Take time to read at least a verse or two every day and watch your life change, one decision at a time.

If you are an artist of any kind allow me to recommend reading the Psalms and the book of John. If you are a business person, I recommend Proverbs and James. If you are just like most of us allow me to recommend, Genesis, Judges, and Luke.  If you simply need a quick read of the Gospels I recommend, Mark. 

The Bible was written by so many different personalities but one Spirit led and guided every word. The above list are simply places to start. To understand fully how much God loves you and His plan for you and this world please take time to read the entire Bible. It will open up a world of wonder and possibilities as the Lord reveals to you more of who He is and how much He loves you!

The Power of what we say!

Being raised a charismatic or Pentecostal there are certain theologies that have been taught that are not always correct. One of those theologies has to do with the power of our words.

I have been taught to be careful of your profession for it will happen. In many ways that may be true. Proverbs tells us “so a man thinks in his heart so he is” (Proverbs 23:7). I believe what we say, in this case, is a direct result of the way we see ourselves, the world, or any situation around us, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. If we are feeling sad and we begin to talk about it, focus on it, then it will not be long until we are in a depressed state. If someone has hurt our feelings and the anger and unforgiveness are welling up inside of us then it will not belong until we fulfill a prophecy of anger in our lives. Likewise we have the power to be destructive to the lives of others because of our words or how someone takes those words. James writes this in chapter 3

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Our words have the power to curse men and to bless God. We curse men by speaking evil over their lives. Many have come into my office because they believed harmful words that some authority figure in their lives spoke over them. It could have been a parent, coach, teacher, or boss it doesn’t matter who it is simply the idea that someone said something derogatory to someone and they believed it. There is the key. These “curses” do not have an effect on our lives until we begin to believe them. The power it possesses is not in the words that are spoken but the faith we place in those words for either good or evil.

I have always been told to be careful of my profession but I believe an honest heart is what the Lord is looking for. We need to take care to not get caught up in a lack of trust in the Lord but our hearts should always line up with His heart. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not to your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all of your ways and he will make your path straight (Proverbs 3:5,6). God’s word for us is far higher than any word of man. What He says will always be true regardless of what man says. We don’t need to be afraid of our confession, profession or any words any man should say. What we need to do is draw closer to the Lord, know Him, understand Him, and learn to hear his voice. What God says is true, in fact….

Psalm 138:2

I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

God holds His word above even his own integrity. That is a promise you can take to the bank. Draw closer to the Lord and watch what He does! He will never let you down. Listen to Him and you will always be walking on the right path. He will not fail you and no human word can stop the plans or purposes of God. Spend time being proactive, use your words today to encourage someone, to help them see themselves the way the Lord sees them. Help some one today to know how valuable they are to you and to the Lord. Bless someone today with your words and then help them to believe it.