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About oneminuteministry

This blog will be a way for me to share where Christ is speaking to me, and how my relationship with Him is growing. My desire is to encourage you in your walk with Christ as the only Way. John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the father but through me."

What is on your mind?

07 Dec

What is on your mind?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

I have been preparing my sermon this week on, You Are What You Believe. I have tried to step away from as much of the distractions as possible, to get some quality time with God. The study has led me down so many roads with Him. I truly wish I could spend even much more time in preparation that I can now. I cannot begin to convey the weight that is on my heart for each Sunday. The distractions come in countless ways; but they always serve a means to get my mind elsewhere. When my mind goes to something else, anything else is taking my eyes off God. In study it can be one thing that tends to take you out of the presence of the Holy Spirit; a phone call, an email alert, a visitor, the list could go on & on. Do you think it is a coincidence that you always have a distraction when you try to read your Bible?

Paul was speaking of this meditation in the passage above. Paul was truly showing that what dominates your mind, pours out from your lips. What you put in, is what comes out. If you are consumed with anything in this world, all else is a distraction. If you are consumed with a sport, all other sports are folly. If you are consumed with work or success, anything else taints the goal you have set. If you are consumed material possessions, you are never satisfied. What you meditate on, consumes you; good or bad. What is Paul saying; whatever is praiseworthy to meditate on; anything else serves as a distraction for the only One you should be focused on.

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. I have one big distraction that will just not go away. It creates division in all aspects of my life. I prayerfully have went before God and made my peace with it, but yet it still surfaces. All it does is point to the need for a heart truly after God; I must continue to seek Him every time it arises. All these things simply show us our need to seek to abide, to be in a “state of being in Christ”. A heart that abides is a heart that meditates on the praiseworthy things. A heart that does not abide is a heart torn by all the distractions and troubles that comes with being caught up in the world.

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Big things

05 Dec

Big things

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. (NIV)

We have entered the month of the celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth. The holiday season if you will; the point in which all of time centers around. There is no point of which to argue that our time stamp revolves around the birth of Christ no matter your belief; there is a marker set in history of BC (before Christ), and AD (after death). Even with that historical marker some argue who and what Christ was and is. Such a big deal…..that He divided time. My heart this week has been wrapped up in big picture things in my life; at the church, at my business, in my life, and in my study of the Word. So many big things with so many levels of cause and effect. These things are likened to these divisions Paul speaks of here; the opposite of unity. I cannot begin to open the roads my mind is going down, but I have included a passage that I pray the Holy Spirit will speak to you. It is one of of unity, of the centrality in Christ, in the One who divided the time that our world revolves around.

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (ESV)

 
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Posted by on December 5, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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I wanna know more

04 Dec

I wanna know more

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The apostle Paul was pointing Timothy to both the false teachers of the day, how he was to deal with them, and Who he was ultimately held accountable to. He was ministering God’s Word; he was delivering the words of God to those that God had prepared their hearts to hear. He was not to take this responsibility lightly, he was to invest time in diligent prayerful study of God’s Word to rightly present it. The weight of any teacher of the truths of God is a great; the weight that they feel in their soul should be great; they should know they are judged to a stricter standard of accountability by God.

Do you have that drive within? Do you truly want to know and understand more of the truths of God? That hunger you are either feeding in His Word, or suppressing in disobedience to that calling, is how you are held in approval to God. Paul is telling Timothy to be diligent; not lazy, not half-heartedly, not when he had time to read his Bible, not only on Sunday, not to give God anything less that what He deserves. Mark 12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. You can’t claim the promises of Christ and remain in this world. You cannot pray a prayer for your soul, and not feel the tug to know more about the Savior of it. How can you say that you are a child of His, and not have the desire to know more of him? How will you answer to him,when he asks why you were so busy in what did not matter for your short time here? What could possibly be more important that spending time with God in prayer and his Word every day? What if He, and not I, asked you that question?

Pray for God to change your heart and place that desire within for more of Him. Pray that He will give you that tug to open the Bible just for a short time every day. In those early beginnings, their will be an expectancy grow within you that you cannot imagine NOT spending daily time with Him. If you are already feeling those desires, and the world is suppressing them, you are grieving the Holy Spirit living inside of you (Ephesians 4:30). A heartfelt prayer, and a conscious effort to open His Word every day, will forever change your days here unto eternity.

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

Don’t take a sword to a gunfight

03 Dec

Don’t take a sword to a gunfight

Matthew 4:10-11    Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Christ had went to John the Baptist and been baptized in the Jordan River by immersion. Christ had risen from the water, a dove had landed on his shoulder, and God had spoken from heaven regarding his son. Afterwards the preparation for his ministry began as Christ was lead into the desert to fast for 40 days. No details of that time seem to be known, but yet Christ in his earthly form, surely drew closer to God in prayer and solitude like never before. Then at the end of the fast, when he was close to God in earthly form, Satan came on the attack. Christ was tempted by Satan as we know, and Christ refuted Satan with only one thing; the Word of God. In all three temptations, Christ quoted Scripture to battle the enemy. The Word of God is our only offensive weapon in the realm of Spiritual Warfare. How will you do battle if you do not know how to fire the gun?

Only a short time ago I experienced a warfare on an elevated plain. Looking back on how I handled it, I failed miserably. My enemy got the best of me, and anger was what came forth, not the Word of God. I felt like Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane lashing out with my sword; I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “sit back down”. I am passionate, and my emotions will sometimes get the best of me. I have so much to learn; and it is all found in time spent in God’s Word. The more time you spend there in tireless, prayerful pursuit; the more you are prepared to meet whatever the world throws you. 2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 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.

What are you doing this morning? Is your day hurriedly trying to meet the deadlines? Has it started out at a stopwatch pace? In my study of this scripture this morning I was lead to Luke 11:21-28. There are many roads to go down in that passage, but at the root of it is the pursuit of God. In that pursuit is found the strength to fight the enemy. The enemy is lurking all around you today. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. You must be prepared to defend yourself, you must know how to also be offensive; how to fire the gun, the Word of God.

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Sermon Link

01 Dec

Here is the link to today’s sermon

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lff78t0rybjcztz/True%20Thanksgiving.docx

 

 

 
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Posted by on December 1, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

Tell them the truth

29 Nov

1 Corinthians 3:4-6   For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Yesterday I had a talk with someone about the some of the pastors that are so popular in our culture today. Many of them are preaching false gospels, many of them are smiling preachers that pick out what they want people to hear that will grow their wallets. We have one such preacher in our midst in Charlotte. I told him that my only prayer was that for those that come to know Christ under these ministers, that they cultivate time with God in prayer and his Word. In that time God may grant them discernment, and open the eyes and heart to the false teachings of them. Keep your eyes on the message, and not the messenger in all circumstances. I was surprised to see this as my post from one year ago today; I felt I must share it again.

Tell them the truth
2 Timothy 4:3-4   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
“Yea, I know but the truth hurts; I don’t want to embarrass them; I don’t want to hurt their feelings.” You need to tell them. Are you a true friend? True friends tell you the hard truths about yourselves; the painful things that are ignored otherwise. I sure wish at many times looking back on my life I had true friends to rescue me from painful circumstances. We so many times think we may be protecting someone by ignoring something, when in reality we are furthering the damage. These people in your life become the only ones in your life that matter, when truth is revealed.
Paul was trying to encourage Timothy to remain true to God’s Word and His Gospel. To preach the Truth at all times. Paul was so concerned that Timothy stay grounded, he emphasized this by using the word truth 11 times in his two short letters to Timothy. There were so many false teachers of that day that could lead others astray by filling their ears with what they wanted to hear. A feel good gospel; no pain all gain. Their is power in the conviction of the Holy Spirit; a power of  conviction and repentance of sin and change. The Apostle John speaks of this power; John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Our society, even our churches have become soft; lacking the spine to take a stand and tell the truth. . Their is pain and consequences in this world; there is a need of the power of the Holy Spirit to tell us these truths that hurt as when a true friend does. Everything is not as it seems; everything must be revealed; everything may hurt. When we come to know the truth through sound doctrine and the power of the Spirit; there is spiritual growth within us. Paul commanded Timothy to remain grounded; to preach the whole truth, not just selected pieces that make the listeners feel good about themselves and life. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. “You cannot grow in Christ without pain”, Dr. Michael Youssef said yesterday in his radio broadcast. Do you only tell others what you think they want to hear? If so are you their friend?

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Psalm 147 (NIV)

28 Nov

Psalm 147 (NIV)

1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. 6 The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. 8 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. 10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; 11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. 12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, 13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. 14 He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. 15 He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. 16 He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? 18 He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. 19 He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. 20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Weighted

27 Nov

Weighted

1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

I have been laying in bed this morning reflecting on yesterday, and trying to figure out how to tell my story without making it too personal. A couple of my friends were sharing on FB the urgency of the Gospel. They had come to know Jesus Christ, but yet they also looked inward towards the commands of Christ to share what they now possess. They know the changed life, but are they keeping it to themselves? Even a famous atheist was quoted recently saying, ““How much do you have to HATE somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” (Penn Jillette) That is radical coming from a person who does not believe in God. Even in some twisted way, he sees the urgency of the Truth.

God laid someone square on my heart earlier this year. With many excuses, I was disobedient to what He was telling me to do. I had justified it in so many ways to keep my mouth shut for so long. A turn of events put us alone yesterday; a turn of events that could have taken many turns, but I KNEW it was God placing us together, for both of our sakes. A true test of my heart, and possibly a true test of theirs. I was obedient and laid it all out there; only God knows what is to come of the hope that I shared. What if God did not give me that timetable? What if God removed them and I took to my grave the knowledge of my disobedience that could have played a part of their eternal pain? How much did I hate them as that atheist claimed? Whoa…..

Paul was sharing the weight laid on his heart for Christ. Paul was sharing the NECESSITY that he felt for sharing the Gospel. The weight that God had placed on him for sharing with all others the weight of the sacrifice of His Son. God is saying, “Do you not see what I did for you? Do you not see what He did for you?” How can we not feel that burden to share? The great Charles Spurgeon wrote, “”Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself, be sure of that!” I humbly, agree with that statement of arguable the greatest preacher of all time. If you do not feel a great burden to share the Gospel, do you truly possess what you claim?

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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What is a Doxology?

26 Nov

What is a Doxology?

Jude 1:24-25     Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

This morning I started my quiet time out in the book of Jude. The book of Jude is only one chapter, 25 verses, and power packed in that short time. Jude was the brother of Jesus Christ, and James the apostle. At the end of this book is the closing doxology, and that was what stopped me in my tracks this morning. I had grown up with the term all my life in church; it was printed in every church bulletin; I recited it as I was supposed to, yet I had no clue of it’s meaning till today.

Doxology is a brief formula for expressing praise or glory to God. Doxologies generally contain two element, an ascription of praise to God (usually referring to in the third person) and an expression of His infinite nature. The term “doxology” (word of glory) itself is not found in the Bible, but both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain many doxological passages. Doxologies are found in many contexts, but one of their chief functions has been as a conclusion to songs, psalms, and prayers, where they possibly served as group responses to solo singing or recitation. (Holman Bible Dictionary)

We are only a few days from Thanksgiving, the day when we are told to give thanks for all that we have. Shouldn’t we truly be thankful for all that God has given us? Shouldn’t our greatest gratitude fall in praise for the gift of grace found in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ at the Cross for our sins? A doxology represents all that God is; Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Everything in life, and life itself are under God’s design, Will, and control. I cannot begin to wrap this into a OneMinuteMinistry, but I pray that you will draw closer to God this Thanksgiving Week and pray for Him to open your heart and mind to the glimpses of his glory that draw your heart to thanksgiving and praise for all that he is to you and all creation.

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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What is a Fast? Huh?

25 Nov

This is a re-post from this date last year………really been on my mind.

What is a Fast? Huh?

25 Nov

What is a Fast? Huh?

Matthew 6:16-18   “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Have you ever heard of Fasting? It has not been but a few short years ago that I had not either. Since then my eyes have been opened to a way to draw closer to God. There are mixed views on Fasting in today’s religions; but I personally attest of the power of extended Fasting. A Fast is simply denying yourself the pleasure of food as a means to draw closer to God. There are daily Fasts also, but they lack the benefit of the cleansing of an extended Fast. It takes a 7-10 days for your body to purge all the preservatives that are in everything you put into your body daily. Matthew Henry said, “It is an act of self-denial, and mortification of the flesh, a holy revenge upon ourselves, and humiliation under the hand of God. The most grown Christians must hereby own, they are so far from having any thing to be proud of, that they are unworthy of their daily bread. It is a means to curb the flesh and the desires of it, and to make us more lively in religious exercises, as fulness of bread is apt to make us drowsy.” Once you get over the withdrawals, that is where you find God.

Fasting was a large part of the culture at the time of Christ. Very ritualistic, religious Fasts set on calendars as part of ceremonies. Private Fasting was done also, but many of the Pharisee’s would draw attention to themselves during these Fasts, and that was what Christ was condemning. A private Fast is just between you and God. In Matthew 6, much is spoke about the private time with God and the rewards that come of it. Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Prayer is a central theme in Fasting and where you go when the hunger pains come. You will naturally draw closer to God as a result of the increase in prayer to Him. Your sensitivity to God and the things of God will become heightened; you will see many things in a different light.

We have all heard the scripture of faith and prayer that can move mountains. Prior to that scripture, Christ had just freed a child of a demon spirit that His disciples were not able to do. Christ had rebuked them for their lack of faith. Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” If you have a mountain in your life, consider a Fast to draw closer to God for that ability to move that which seems immoveable.

 
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Posted by on November 25, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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