Give Me [New Music!]

This is one of my favorite tracks off the new Kirk Franklin CD Hello Fear. Mali always bring the hype!

Kirk Franklin ft. Mali Music "Give Me"

The Simplicity of Faith

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the One who is leading."
-Oswald Chambers

Bible Talk 101: Tithe

Easton's Bible Dictionary




Tithe
A tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes. The dedication of a tenth to God was recognized as a duty before the time of Moses. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20;Hebrews 7:6); and Jacob vowed unto the Lord and said, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."


The first Mosaic law on this subject is recorded in Leviticus 27:30-32. Subsequent legislation regulated the destination of the tithes (Numbers 18:21-24,26-28; Deuteronomy 12:5,6,11,17; 14:22,23). The paying of the tithes was an important part of the Jewish religious worship. In the days of Hezekiah one of the first results of the reformation of religion was the eagerness with which the people brought in their tithes (2 Chronicles 31:5,6). The neglect of this duty was sternly rebuked by the prophets (Amos 4:4; Malachi 3:8-10). It cannot be affirmed that the Old Testament law of tithes is binding on the Christian Church, nevertheless the principle of this law remains, and is incorporated in the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:13,14); and if, as is the case, the motive that ought to prompt to liberality in the cause of religion and of the service of God be greater now than in Old Testament times, then Christians outght to go beyond the ancient Hebrew in consecrating both themselves and their substance to God.


Every Jew was required by the Levitical law to pay three tithes of his property (1) one tithe for the Levites; (2) one for the use of the temple and the great feasts; and (3) one for the poor of the land.

The Only Worthwhile Purpose

Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

Have you been duped when it comes to purpose? The only purpose worth living for is God's purpose. Paul said: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). If you live with this goal in mind, God will change the way you live. You will stop just being alive and you will start to really live. You will live the abundant life through God's grace because you aren't just living for yourself anymore. You are not here for you, but for God.

You will have stability. You can get off the roller coaster of emotions that comes when you live according to your circumstances. Even when things are bad, you are good because God is good. When Jesus was asleep on the boat in the middle of the storm, His disciples asked, "How can He sleep at a time like this?" Jesus could sleep peacefully because He knew where He was going—He was going to the other side. One of the great blessings of living in purpose is that you can rest. You can rest because you know all things will be used for God's purpose, and you can rest because you know you are going toward God.

You will be provided for. God always supplies that which He has ordained. If you are outside of His purpose, you have to take care of yourself. But if you are walking in His purpose, He will meet all your needs.

One Minute Please

Following God's purpose may not change your place in life, but it will change the way you live your life.

Are you dead yet?!

In order to live in Christ, we must die!

¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying:   If we died with him,    we will also live with him; ¹² if we endure,    we will also reign with him. (2 Timothy 2:11-12; NIV 2011 Edition)

By now your Twitter timeline and Facebook mini-feed has been flooded with so many messages about joy of Christ's death and resurrection and how through this, all men have the ability to access the Kingdom of Heaven. You've gotten the message that He was bruised, He bled, He died, and He rose all for sinners like you and I.

But what about your death? Jesus' death is but an invitation, it is our death that shows that we accept Him. The events that happened Easter weekend mean everything in the world to those who accept Him as lord, die to themselves and believe in His power... but nothing to those who don't. Before we live in Him, we must die to us.

Are you dead yet?



Bonus Coverage - Jason Gray "I Am New"



Now I won't deny

The worst you could say about me

But I'm not defined

By mistakes that I've made

Because God says of me



I am not who I was

I am being remade

I am new

I am chosen and holy

And I'm dearly loved

I am new



Who I thought I was

And who I thought I had to be

I had to give them both up

Cause neither were willing

To ever believe



I am not who I was

I am being remade

I am new

I am chosen and holy

And I'm dearly loved

I am new



Too long I have lived

In the shadows of shame

Believing that there

Was no way I could change


But the one who is making everything new

Doesn't see me the way that I do

He doesn't see me the way that I do



I am not who I was

I am being remade

I am new

I am chosen and holy

And I'm dearly loved

I am new



I am not who I was

I am being remadeI am new

Dead to the old manI'm coming alive

I am new



Forgiven beloved

Hidden in Christ

Made in the image of the Giver of Life

Righteous and holy

Reborn and remade

Accepted and worthy this is our new name



This is who we are now...



Now I won't deny

The worst you could say about me

But I'm not defined

Silence and Expectation

In due time He arose.

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” ²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:19-22; NIV 2011 Edition)

Isn't it interesting that one of the Holiest weekends in the Christian faith circles around the principles of love, faith, silence and waiting in expectation? Jesus's love for us didn't come through a process of fast-forwarding nor did it come without sacrificial pain. Everything had to occur in real-time so that the promise could be fulfilled but we knew that we could expect His promise to come true. No cutting corners here. In silence He suffered, in silence He rested, in silence He rose.

Sometimes God does His best work when we wait on Him with faith in silence.

...just something to think about as we celebrate Resurrection Weekend and the fulfillment of God's promise to mankind.

Bonus Coverage: James "Kelly Fox" Davis - An Hour

You Just Gotta Want It

Every man has been at this stage in life at some point.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

(Matthew 5:6; NIV 2011 Edition)

Ahhh... The bachelor life. It's filled with many things: ultimate schedule flexibility, the ability to spend or save money for selfish things, very few pressing commitments, the chance to be on a path of self-discovery and more. But ask any bachelor and they'll tell you, a fridge full of well-cooked, healthy meals is rarely on that list! Sometimes a three course meal can consist of cereal, a banana, and a Twinkie OR if you're really trying to do it big for dinner you'll stop by the nearest grocery store and get one of those instant-made, microwavable steamer bags that bring top of the line meals to your plastic plate in about 10 minutes or less (depending - of course - on microwave power).

Yep, the life of a bachelor can be filled with bouts of hunger and times where you'd rather sleep it off than make a meal. In the natural realm, being hungry in and of itself does not guarantee that you'll find food at the end of that thought. Christianity, however, works a bit differently.

Blessed are those who hunger...

In this passage, Jesus is sharing with us the Beatitudes (Bee-attitudes; not beat-it-dudes lol) found in Matthew 5: 3-12. The passage clearing suggests that in order to be filled with righteousness you just have to want it. Hunger puts you in a place where you are open to receive that which you crave - and you won't be satisfied until that craving is met. If you are craving righteousness then are you then satisfied with unrighteousness? I would hope not since they are both direct opposites. It would be like craving water and settling for vinegar. Yuck!

...for they shall be filled.

Think about the last time you were hungry or thirsty. Think about the emotional place it brings you to - a position of weakness. The unique thing about Christianity vs. natural food is that natural food cannot come to you and fill you simply because you want it, but the Holy Spirit can. You may not be filled instantly when you hunger and thirst after righteousness but you will be set on a path that leads to gradual fulfillment each step of the way. You'll never want anything else.

The next time you pray, pray for hunger and thirst for righteousness... and prayer for any bachelor that you know so that his fridge might become a little bit more full!