Bishop's Corner

Are you willing to change if you need to change?  Can you love the unlovable?  Can you obey God by loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you, blessing those who curse you, or praying for those who spitefully use you? (Luke 6:27-28) As you prepare to close out the 2019 calendar year I encourage you to take some time to self-reflect, and then make the necessary changes for a new year that's filled with the miraculous and supernatural power of Almighty God.  As you self-reflect, intentionally make any necessary adjustments.  Take a moment to think about what takes up most of your time, and then ask yourself, "Have I replaced my love for God with a love for other things?"  God wants to empty hospitals. He wants to heal the broken-hearted and give sight to the blind, and you are the vessel/conduit He wants to use to do it.  Go back to loving God more than anything and anyone.  Give Him your love and your heart so that He does not say of you as He said in Matthew 15:8, "These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." 

Before you walk into 2020, make God your first love -- your priority, and allow Him to change your heart.  God keeps covenant with those who love Him, so don't allow your love to fade away; let your love for and obedience to God be your priority.  He is calling people back to Him, and according to Deuteronomy 7:9, your love for God is also invested in your children and generations to come. "Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

This coming year do things with sincerity of heart.  People want to know that you genuinely care about them, whether it's your spouse, your children, your parents, pastors, or friends.  Make an added effort to reach out to those you don't know, or those who seem unlovable or unapproachable.  Everyone needs love.  Call someone up you haven't talked to in a while and let them know you were thinking of them.  Give a Thanksgiving or Christmas greeting card, or a nice gift to someone you seldom talk to.  Everyone needs love, and everyone wants to be loved. 

As people of God we exist to give others God's love, and to exemplify what love really looks like.  If someone needs prayer, pray for them right away.  Have compassion and a sincere heart; never doing things to bring attention to yourself, but always giving all glory to God.  Use every opportunity to meet the needs of people; being compassionate and attentive. You are the light of the world; allow your light to shine bright so people may see the love of God through you and be drawn to it because of the wonderful fruit you bear. 

During the next few weeks as you prepare to close out this year, make the necessary changes, walk in love, and obey God.  Your life will change drastically, and you will see transformations like never before.  Don't wait until 2020 hits to make the changes that need to be made in your life; make them now.  CHANGE, LOVE, and OBEY GOD.        

Are you willing to change if you need to change?  Can you love the unlovable?  Can you obey God by loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you, blessing those who curse you, or praying for those who spitefully use you? (Luke 6:27-28) I encourage you today to take some time to look inward, do a self-evaluation, and intentionally make the necessary changes.

As a child of God, do you really fear and love Him more than anything else, or have you replaced your love for Him with a love for other things?  God wants to empty hospitals; He wants to heal the broken-hearted and give sight to the blind.  Well, the children of God are the vessels and conduits He wants to use to accomplish His will in the earth.  Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."  We are to love Him more than anything and anybody.  So take a moment to think about what takes most of your time and energy, because whatever it is, that's your greatest love; but you can change that today. He said, "These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." (Matthew 15:8) 

It is time to change with all the attitudes; whether it be in the church, in the home, or on the job.  Offenses will come, yes, but will you still serve and praise God through them?  Before you step into another month, make God your first love; make Him your priority.  Allow Him to change your heart before this day is out.  Do you realize that your love for God is also invested in your children? "Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."  (Deuteronomy 7:9) Yes, God keeps covenant with His children, and if you love Him, the Word of God says that you will keep His commandments (John 14:15).  So, forgive folks and stop holding grudges.  Don't allow your love for God to fade away; let your love for God and obedience to God be your priority.

Starting today, do things with sincerity of heart.  People want to know that you genuinely care about them, whether it's your spouse, your children, your parents, pastors, friends, and so on.  Make an added effort to reach out to those you don't know, or those who seem unlovable or unapproachable.  Call someone up you haven't talked to in a while and let them know you were thinking of them.  Give a thinking of you greeting card or a nice gift to someone you seldom talk to.  Everyone needs love, and everyone wants to be loved.

Strong churches have strong love for people, exemplifying what genuine love looks like.  You are the light of the world; allow your light to shine bright so people may see the love of God and be drawn to it because of the fruit you bear.  Let nothing about you be a distraction this coming month, and always maintain a servant's heart, no matter how important you believe you are or what title(s) you may hold.  Serve others first.

During the next couple of days, make the decision to change, walk in love, and obey God.  Your life will change drastically where you begin to see transformations like never before and experience the supernatural power of God in the coming months.  Do it now:  CHANGE, LOVE, and OBEY GOD.        

Change, Love, and Obey God

Are you willing to change if you need to change?  Can you love the unlovable?  Can you obey God by loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you, blessing those who curse you, or praying for those who spitefully use you? (Luke 6:27-28) Take some time to look inward, do a self-evaluation, and make the necessary changes for a new year that's filled with the miraculous and supernatural power of Almighty God.  As you look inward, intentionally make any necessary adjustments.  As a child of God, do you really fear and love Him more than anything else, or have you replaced your love for Him with a love for other things?  God wants to empty hospitals; He wants to heal the broken-hearted, and give sight to the blind.  But understand that we are the vessels/conduits He wants to use to accomplish His will in the earth.  It's time to take a moment to think about what takes most of your time, because whatever it is, that is your greatest love.  But it's time to go back to loving God more than anything and anyone.  He deserves your love.  He said, "These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." (Matthew 15:8) 

It is time to change with all the attitudes, whether it be in the church, in your homes, or on your jobs.  Offenses will come, yes, but will you still serve and praise God?  Before you walk into another year, make God your first love; love Him first and foremost.  Right now, decide to no longer allow so many things to interfere with your love for God. Make Him your priority.  A tree is known by the fruit it bears.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (Matthew 7:16-18) How is your fruit looking?  In other words, how are you known?  Get rid of hidden secrets and closet skeletons.  Allow God to change your heart before this year is out.  He is calling people back to Him. Do you realize that your love for God is invested in your children? "Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."  (Deuteronomy 7:9) Yes, God keeps covenant with those who love Him, and if you love Him, the Word of God says that you will keep His commandments (John 14:15).  So, forgive folks – stop holding grudges.  Don't allow your love for God to fade away; let your love for and obedience to God be your priority. 

Do you need the Blessing of God on your life?  Well, it doesn't just happen.  The Blessing comes with obedience.  Deuteronomy 10:12-13 reads, "…what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him; to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good."  When love is thick in the church, at home, and on your job, even the worse sinner can feel it.  If you truly love God, you will obey Him, and others will see the fruit of your obedience.

This coming year, do things with sincerity of heart.  People want to know that you genuinely care about them, whether it's your spouse, your children, your parents, your pastors, friends, and so on.  Make an added effort to reach out to those you don't know, or those who seem unlovable or unapproachable.  Everyone needs love.  Call someone up you haven't talked to in a while and let them know you were thinking of them.  Give a Thanksgiving or Christmas greeting card, or a nice gift to someone you seldom talk to.  Everyone needs love, and everyone wants to be loved. 

Strong churches have strong love for people.  Churches must understand that we are in the people business, and so we must take time to minister to people, especially hurting people.  That's why we exist, to give people the love of God; to exemplify what love really looks like.  If someone needs prayer, pray for them right then.  Have compassion and a sincere heart; never doing things to bring attention to yourself, but always giving all glory to God.  Don't allow your traditional training and upbringing to cause you to miss meeting the needs of people. Be compassionate; be attentive. We are the light of the world.  Allow your light to shine bright so people may see the love of God and be drawn to it because of the fruit you bear.  Let nothing about you be a distraction this coming year, and always maintain a servant's heart, no matter how important you believe you are or what title(s) you may hold.  Be a servant first. 

Make the necessary changes, walk in love, and obey God.  Your life will change drastically, and you will see transformations like never before, and experience the supernatural power of God in your life.  Do it now:  CHANGE, LOVE, and OBEY GOD.