What Type of Faith Do You Have?

     There have been so many people who say that there is no God because it just doesn't make sense.  I even had one person ask me how did God form man.  Did some huge hands come out of the sky, grab the dirt up like modeling clay and shape the first man?  My answer was, "I don't know - maybe".  LOL!  The truth is if Adam was the first man then there really wasn't anyone there to see it now was there (not to mention lil ole me).  As a matter of fact, when God formed Eve He put Adam to sleep first so even the only other human on earth didn't see how it was done!  Still no witnesses!  LOL!  Isn't that just like God?  He is telling us throughout scripture to believe in what we don't see.  Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things UNSEEN".  Hmmmm...  So you mean to tell me that I have to just believe in God by faith and everything will be okay?  Well, yes!  Why? Because God said it would.

     Now here's the other side:  Okay I'm going to believe that a major cosmic shift millions of years ago caused a gigantic explosion that separated the planets and formed our universe putting everything in perfect alignment with the sun and it has stayed that way for millions of years?  Then from that cosmic blast the first form of life was created (uh oh there's that word again) out of nothing.  Then over millions and millions of years that one-celled Amoeba became what we are today, a living functioning human being with millions of neurons all firing in the correct order that cause me to be able to feel pain, walk, sing, play, type, sit, jump, talk, and even cry at the right time.  Wow that's a lot to take in.  But here's the similarity that a lot of people miss.  As an evolutionist, you believe the same thing I do - that it had to happen by faith!  What? Why do I say that?  Because no one was there to see the "big bang" or the see the amazing progression of life over the millineums. 

     So where is your faith? In the things of man or the things of God?  Do you believe in the bible?  If you do, then you believe all of it, not just part of it.  And if you believe in the bible then you believe in God, who by the way, is the main focus of the entire Bible.  You see without God there would be no Bible.  So I choose to believe by faith that everything in the bible did happen and you choose to believe that everything in the science books happened - by faith.  Who do you think is right?  Here's the thing: I'm not here to judge anyone. You choose to believe what you want to believe. But when Jesus comes back for His church, which I'm also going to believe by faith, then we will see who's right.  At that moment, many will believe.  Why? Because they will all bear witness to the most incredible event the world has ever seen! 

     Accept Jesus today, and believe!  Activate your faith in God, not in things of this world. Do it today! Before it's too late.  I believe with all my heart that I'm right.  Do you? If you do then I pray to God that you're not wrong.  I can't take a change with my eternity.  As for me and my house, we WILL serve the Lord!! 

God bless you!
Robert T. Sells
http://www.robertsellsonline.com/
www.reverbnation.com/theanointedpoet
www.youtube.com/theanointedpoet

RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE - A PERSONAL TESTIMONY

(James 4:7)

Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have been absent from writing this column for a few months now. I normally write what the Lord gives me about marriage and relationships but this month I feel the Lord is leading me to share with you a personal experience I have been living. For the last few months, I have been constantly encountering the devil’s attacks. I pray you will be blessed by my story. And I pray that as you read this, if you are going through anything right now in your ministry or your life, that you will receive deliverance from that thing that has you bound. Here then is my testimony:

I am so grateful to God for what He has done in my life! I have had a very challenging year so far in 2010. In January my favorite uncle passed away from cancer. He had been sick for some time and was living down south with his daughter. As far back as I can remember my uncle has always been a source of inspiration for me. And little did I know how many lives he affected until I went to his funeral. Then in February, my father-in-law (the only man whom I ever called pops) passed away from cancer also. He was very dear to me and I loved him very much. I remember as he fought for several years with the fact that he was legally blind and in deteriorating health, he always had a good word of encouragement for my wife and I when we stopped by. He always said, “I love you and I’m proud of you son”. This meant so much to me. Ever since I first started going to church after accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in my adult years, I can remember him standing and holding open that front door as I walked in. “God bless you”, he’d always say. I didn’t know that he would one day become my father-in-law. Then in March 2010 my father went into the hospital diagnosed with cancer and was there for a month in and out of the ICU four times before he passed on to be with the Lord on April 2, 2010. He also had cancer attacking his body. My father was my rock and the prime example of how a man should be. He wasn't a "go to church every Sunday" type of man but he read the bible cover to cover many times and he definitely believed in the Lord. He provided a good home for his wife of 53 years (my mother) and my brother and me as we grew into men. My mom passed away on November 5, 2004 from complications from a stroke she suffered a few months before.

I am so grateful for the life I had with my earthly parents. They were a constant example of what it meant to be successful at marriage. I have been blessed to have two loving parents who adopted my twin brother and myself at 8 months old and loved us our whole lives as if my mom gave birth to us herself. But this last 5 months have been especially trying on my heart and soul with the loss of 3 of the most important men in my life. Throughout the process I allowed the devil to come in and try to damage my ability to write. For a few months I couldn't write anything and I temporarily stopped writing for this magazine, which I write for every month. I allowed the devil to come in but I wasn't going to allow him to steal what God has given me. And I prayed to God for an answer to this turmoil I was going through. Why couldn’t I hear His voice the way I had before? Why was I struggling to allow God to write through me all of a sudden when before He spoke so freely? Then I heard God say, “You need to be refilled my child”. After all of the attack my heart took I didn’t realize that it had drained me of my faith to hear from the Lord. I was drained of energy, faith, and perserverance. The devil was trying to take the very gift that God had given me to do His work. I couldn’t allow this. Then, in the midst of this struggle, our church made the announcement that they were going to be hosting an “Area Wide Pentecostal Rally” and I knew I had to be there. The answer to what I was going through was going to be at that meeting. So I made sure my wife and I were there. We didn’t know what God was going to do, but we knew it was going to be something big.

So on May 23rd of this year, we went to the Pentecostal rally and it was during this rally that the Holy Spirit truly moved. I was singing praise and worship earlier that day I heard the Lord say, "Stay faithful, I'm refilling you." That night at the rally the pastor delivering the message about gifts of the Holy Spirit called people up, and as a deacon in the church I was called to help pray with someone who wanted to receive the Holy Spirit. We prayed with them and they did receive it! What a wonderful time in Christ and a moment for celebration!! Many people received the Holy Spirit during that service. After that I thought I was done and the pastor who spoke that night called up me and my wife. He grabbed our hands together and pushed down very slightly and said "take it!" We both went down under the power of God and the Holy Spirit truly ministered to us during that time. By the grace of God, He refilled us!! I have been writing ever since.

I am sharing this to let you know that the devil moves during our grief and it is during those times of human weakness that we must be careful to stay prayerful because he will try to steal, and kill, and destroy what God has for us (John 10:10). If the devil can't get to you because of your faith, he will try to get to you through your family members. The thing that I understand now is that even though these mighty men suffered tremendously during their last days here on earth, as they transitioned to be with the Lord God healed them and they will remain healed for an eternity with the Lord!!! When praying for healing for loved ones, trust God without fail that He knows what He is doing. You may not see the manifestation of healing in them but believe me, if they accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior then God WILL heal them, in this life or the next.

Some of you reading this now may be going through some major storms and trials in your life with ailing family members and loved ones passing away. But there are two scriptures I want you to remember. In John 16:33, Jesus was comforting the disciples after he just told them He would be leaving them. He says to them, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." This is a firm reminder from Jesus that even though we experience hard times while we’re hear on earth, Jesus is always with us and He is the great overcomer. He came to this earth to die for our sins so that we may be free from the bondage of death once and for all. 1 John 5: 1-5 reminds us that we are overcomers because of our faith in Jesus. It says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”. No matter what you’re going through, just remind yourself of who you are in God by meditating on 1 John 5:1-5. Regardless of what you may go through, because of Jesus, you’ve already overcome it.

Glory to God in the highest for He is worthy to be praised!!
Robert T Sells
http://www.robertsellsonline.com/

The Mad Rush Is Back

Well, it's the last week of the year and the new year is upon us!  What do we always do at this time? Well, I notice every year how many people rush to create a "list" of the things they say they're gonna do next year.  They call it they're "New Year's Resolutions".  I call it "New Year's Things I Say I'm Gonna Do But Don't".  LOL!  What is it that causes so many people to follow tradition and create a list with no thought put into it?  Then by January 3rd, they have already forgotten 98% of what they wrote down on December 31st! 

I challenge you this year to go to God in prayer before you write your list down.  Ask God what He wants you to accomplish this year.  You will be amazed at what He gives  you.  As the Lord leads, write down what you truly feel Him saying in your spirit.  This will probably be an urge that may go against YOUR plans for the new year.  But it is the RIGHT way to go.  When God gives you an assignment there is no more need for external motivation. (IE - your mom, dad, brothers, sisters, friends, co-workers, etc...)

You can go to God everyday in the new year and ask Him what you can do today to accomplish the tasks He has given you at the beginning of the year.  He will always direct you properly.  And His answers will work 100% of the time with no fail! Because God is not a man that He should lie.  His promises are always "yea" and "amen".  Seek God in prayer for His will for your life in 2011 and you will begin to see God do amazing things in your life and the lives of all those you touch! Now what better motivation is that? 

Go ahead and do it now!  Spend the rest of this week praying to God to tell you what He wants you to do.  If you do what God says, 2011 will be the best year you ever have!

God bless you,
Robert T Sells
www.robertsellsonline.com

The Separation of Church and Race

“Eleven o’clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America,” civil-rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. declared many times, quoting evangelist Billy Graham.

It has always bewildered me how churches have always been so divided among racial lines. The above quote still holds true today. There are some predominately white churches that will and have absolutely frowned on me when I enter, even though this is supposed to be “God’s house”. I have experienced a lot of racial tension in mostly white churches before many times.

One particular time when I was a teenager, I was asked at a mall by a white gentleman to play for his daughter’s wedding. The church was predominately white but I did anyway. When I got there everyone was giving me horrible glares. It was as if I had walked into their home and they didn’t want me there. After I played the piano for some women who sang “Evergreen”, I was escorted immediately out before the wedding continued, I was given a handshake from the father who gave me a “hidden 5 dollar bill” he had in his hand and sent on my way. Two men stood in front of the door to make sure I didn’t get back in! And this was in the house of God!

One would think that if we are going to be one in Christ then we can’t be one in Christ as long as we are separated into our racial groups which others can’t be a part of. And the same thing is true of many predominately black churches as well. I have seen how some whites are treated in all black churches. They are sometimes excluded, ostracized and just plain treated different. I realize that there tend to be separate worship styles and this may be one of the things that can separate us. But why can’t we all worship God together? We have become a nation of Christian separatists. And instead of embracing everyone in Jesus’ name, we are practicing separation within the body of Christ from others who don’t look like us. Please read and meditate on these scriptures:


“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” (Psalms 66:16)

“Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.” (Psalms 96:13)

As I was reading these 2 scriptures the Lord was showing me that everyone is welcome in His house, and the body of Christ includes everyone. Is this how we think heaven will be: separate streets of gold for Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians, Mexicans, etc…? Of course not. Let’s do as Jesus said when He was teaching His disciples how to pray. In Matthew 6:10 he says, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. Bringing the different worship and preaching styles together as one won’t necessarily be the easiest thing. It’s going to take a lot of work, and most importantly, a lot of compromise. But as the body of Christ, we must begin to bring heaven to earth and truly unite as one body, all for the glory of God!! After all, there are some churches who have successfully united different races and cultures all for the glory of God! If they did it, then everyone can do it. For nothing is impossible with God.

God bless you!!
Robert T. Sells
http://www.robertsellsonline.com/

Our Children Are in Danger! Who Wants to Help?

I saw on the news recently about a young 18 year old man in Chicago that killed his 17 year old girlfriend, her 11 year old sister, and their 43 year old mother. I asked myself what could possibly make a young man do that? It just amazes me the horrible stories that I am hearing lately.  It's no surprise to me, however, why this is happening.  Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 about the end times.  Nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom (can you think of an example of this?).  There will be wars and rumors of wars (Korean conflict, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Jordan, etc...). I just named a couple of examples but there are children who are coming against their parents by yelling, cursing, fighting, injuring, and yes even killing them. And there is a direct correlation to this and all of the violent TV shows and life-like games that teach children to rebel against authority. 

We have to take the head in our household and raise children who will become productive members of society. Even more importantly we must raise Godly children. That is our responsibility. God gives them to us to raise in the way He would see them raised and He gave us an instruction manual - the Holy Bible. The bible says, "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. ( Proverbs 22:6) Another scripture says, Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)

We can't stop the future from happening. And all of the Bible's prophecies will certainly come to pass.  But we can do our part to bring more of God's light to the world by raising Godly children through stern discipline in love.  Remember, as our children grow up, they become the leaders of society.  If the Lord delays His coming, who do you want running this world 20, 30, 50 or even 75 years from now if you're still here?

(c) 2010 Robert T Sells - All rights reserved

Homeless During the Holidays

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25: 34-45)

**********************************************

     I'm sitting here thinking about how thankful I am to God for everything He's done for me. As the rain hits the window I think of the many people this Thanksgiving who don't have shelter from the rain.  How easy is it to have faith and know that God is my provider when I am comfortable? And how hard must it be to have faith and praise God when I am trying to pull together my cardboard box for shelter from the cold and rain when it is already too wet to stand up right.  Oh my God I pray that You would move in the lives of those who are going through some very challenging times during this holiday season.  People tend to look on the homeless but if you talk to one you may find out that their story is really not much different from yours.  I have talked with homeless people on several occasions and I have found that many desire to be productive citizens again.  Some have lost jobs through the recession and after 6 months of zero income they find themselves and their families on the streets (I was out of work for a year and a half but thankfully I had somewhere to go). Others have had their bodies ravaged by mental disorders that caused them to lose touch with reality (that's what happened to me but I had somewhere to go when it did). Others have found themselves victim to unfortunate situations where they may have lost businesses after years of thriving profits.  There are even so many who've fought valiantly for a country that has forgotten about them after they returned home.

     The truth is that as we sit in our warm, comfortable homes in our middle and upper class neighborhoods, going to our beautiful churches every Sunday and Wednesday and hang out with our wonderful friends, we never know when hard times will hit us.  So ask yourself this question: How many paychecks can you go without before you find yourself and your family on the street? Your answer, more than likely, will be like a a lot of us.  Most Americans are only 2 paychecks away from being homeless.  So take some time this year to help someone homeless.  You can do it in the smallest of ways.  Pray for them and with them that they accept Jesus.  Go volunteer at a soup kitchen. Donate clothes to non-profit organizations. Visit a homeless shelter and learn some of their stories.  It may help you to have more compassion for those who are going through a storm.  Donate money when you can, even if it is only $1 or $5.  You would be surprised at how much a small amount can bless someone else.  Save up your change and donate it to a homeless shelter.  These organizations rely on donations from the community to keep their doors open. 

     If you can't look on an unfortunate person and not have compassion then I would really have to question whether or not you have truly been touched by God, especially if you are a Christian and a believer.  Help in whatever way you can.  It doesn't have to be a grand gesture.  Just whatever you can do.  Homeless people need our prayers, but they need our love as well.  They need money, food, clothing, and a nice warm bed most of all.

     Say a prayer for someone else today.  Believe me, there were times when you were going through when I promise you someone said a prayer for you.  How else would you have made it out of what you were going through? Think about it. 

God bless you,
Robert T Sells
http://www.robertsellsonline.com/
www.reverbnation.com/theanointedpoet

So God Gave You the Victory, You Gonna Brag Now?

I can remember when my wife and I first started in the poetry ministry the Lord gave us we faced so much rejection. We faced rejection from our friends, some family members, strangers, and even our church including some pastors. This shocked me because I thought that if I was doing what God told me to do then everyone should just fall in line with the program and do what God told them to do. I mean He put this ministry on our heart to do for Him so automatically the whole universe is supposed to line up with God. If they don’t then they are against God! Well that’s what I thought early in my Christian walk. But the truth is the devil is going to use people to get in your way before you can build up the faith to walk in God’s purpose for your life. The devil’s job is to deter you from doing what you’re supposed to do. And what better way to do that than by using fellow believers, even your own pastor, to discourage you.

During your journey on your way to God’s will for your life you will encounter many people, situations and things that will come against you. They’re supposed to do that. In John 10:10, Jesus told His disciples, “In this world you WILL have troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So what Jesus was saying is that because God spoke a word over your life the devil now has the right to come and test you and distract you from following God into your purpose. So now you’ve withstood all of the painful trials the devil took you through and now you’re prospering in every area of your life. God is expanding your ministry into other areas and you’re being called on to go to other countries to minister. Wow!! Here’s the point when the devil can step in. You go back and show that pastor or fellow church members that you made it in spite of what they tried to do to you.

Now you have done 2 things: you’ve opened a door for a haughty or prideful spirit to enter your life, and you’ve also opened a door for an envious or jealous spirit to enter into the lives of the ones you “bragged to”. When God blesses you, don’t go back and brag to others what you’ve done in spite of them. This is not the nature of God. But remain humble and allow God to reveal to everyone what He has done in your life and ministry in His time and His way. God will use the success of your ministry to show others what He can do in your life when you are obedient to Him. But it’s not about getting those folks back for making your path more challenging. It’s about spreading the good news of the Kingdom of God through the ministry that God has birthed in you. Step back and allow God to do what He does best. He doesn’t need your help and you just may open a door to allow curses to be spoken over your ministry if you move ahead of God. When you maintain a spirit of humility, God will exalt you in due time.

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)



© 2010 Robert T Sells – all rights reserved

God Spoke Over Your Life, Now What?

  

     When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become instant heirs of the promise of Abraham. What was this promise? God told Abram in Genesis 12:2-3, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God promised Abram that He would make his name great. He said He would pour out a blessing that there wouldn’t be enough room to receive. Now look at Genesis 13:1-2. Did God keep His promise? It says, “So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.” Read Genesis chapters 12 & 13 at the link below:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2012,13&version=NIV

     Clearly God had a plan for Abraham to make him wealthy. God spoke over his life when he was 75 years old and told him He would make Abram a “father to many nations”. God kept this promise even though Abram tried to hurry the process along. Since his wife, Sarai, was barren and wanted to fulfill God’s promise she had him sleep with Hagar, his wife’s servant, to give birth to his heir. Out of this union came Ishmael, but he wasn’t the heir God promised. Sometime around Abraham’s 100th birthday God opened up Sarai’s womb (whom He now gave the name, Sarah) and she gave birth to a son and they named him Isaac. This was the child that was truly the heir through which God would fulfill His covenant to Abraham.

     I believe what the Lord is saying here is that we have to cling tightly to the things that the Lord promised us during our times of prayer and communion with God. He is outside of time so when we ask according to His will we immediately receive that thing that we’ve asked for. So just like Abraham (who was named Abram before his established covenant with God) had to leave his people, his family and the things he knew in order to receive his blessing, sometimes God will require us to make a move to get to the place where the blessing is in order to receive it. That may mean leaving a church we’ve been with for years or leaving our parents’ home, even when it feels uncomfortable. God wants to get us to a point where 2 things are happening. First, we trust Him only, which increases our faith; and also because He wants to remove the distractions the devil is trying to put in front of us through our loving family members.

     So trust God and believe He has already delivered the promises He spoke over your life. God answers prayers. And He wants you to operate in the purpose He has intended for your life. But in order to get the promises of God, we have to stretch ourselves by putting ourselves in a position where we have to depend on God and not man. It is then that we will meet the blessings of God in the place where He designed for us to have them. Glory to God!

(c) 2010 Robert T. Sells - all rights reserved

Is Your Home a Haunted House?

I was at church yesterday and the Pastor gave a stirring message about protecting our homes from becoming "haunted houses". Now what he meant by this is we have to protect our houses from being accessed by demonic spirits sent by the devil to cause chaos and destruction to our homes. So we have our home, the outside influences that are trying to get in, and the gate, which is Jesus Christ. But how much time are we spending outside of that gate battling those evil influences that are looking to capture and destroy our children. And I promise you they are out there trying to destroy us. The problem is we don't necessarily believe it or we don't believe it enough to do something about it. And I'm talking about myself as well.

In Job 1:7, the devil told God he was "...roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it". So these demonic spirits are busy all the time, 24/7, trying to stop us from hearing from God about our lives. And if we know they are out there trying to get in, then why is it we fail to take a stand on the things of God? Why do we shrink back when someone mentions things like pre-marital sex, pornography, homosexuality, sexually suggestive music or demonic-based television shows or movies? It is during these times that we need to come forth and take a bold stand and say, "This is not the standard of Christ, and I will not tolerate it anymore".

The devil is counting on Christians to shrink back and allow these things to happen. And because of our failure to stand up and be heard, there are many people who are being tortured daily with sinful decisions they're about to make and they end up facing the horrible consequences of these bad decisions; consequences like jail, sickness, sexually-transmitted diseases, pre-marital pregnancies, and even death in the worst case scenario! Satan is the "theif" and "...the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." (John 10:10). The Bible also says in Romans 8:19, "The creation awaits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed".

Where are we my fellow Christians? The world wants an answer to what's going on. They are searching for something that will explain what's happening in the earth and more importantly what we can do to overcome it. And while they're groaning in expectation, we are sitting idly by and letting the devil have his way with God's people! This has to stop.

So get up and talk to your children about the good news. Read the bible with your family and pray with them often. Show your family the example of what it means to be faith-filled believers in Christ. If you provide them with the proper example they will grow up understanding that God offers the solution to everything they are going through. And they will grow up to teach their children and everyone they come in contact with the same exact thing. "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Guard your homes, be on watch for evil spirits trying to get in through music, movies, and television. Plead the blood of Jesus over your household and God has promised He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will be with you even til the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

God bless you,

Robert T Sells

http://www.robertsellsonline.com/

Do you see the world through God's eyes?

I was thinking today about how God sees the world. And the Lord began to show me things. We see a crack addict as a loser. God sees them as the next person to rescue many from the bondage of drug addiction. We see a serial killer. God sees the next person who will minister to people who have been abused and help them to find God so they don't turn out to be killers. We see a homosexual. God sees the next person who will teach people that they are loved no matter what, and that they can be free from that bondage. We see a gossiper. God sees the next person who will speak to many about everything they hear God say. We see a pedophile. God sees the next person who will speak to thousands, perhaps millions, about how God delivered them from that spirit and that will bring many souls to Christ. We see a homeless man. God sees the next person who will teach the world about caring for others in desperate situations. We see a person who tried to commit suicide. God sees the next person who will teach people how God can deliver you from that spirit of depression. We see a drunk who killed a child. God sees the next person who will show thousands about the evils of drinking and driving. We see a recidivistic prisoner who can't stay out of jail. God sees a prison Chaplain who will help bring many souls in prison to Christ and set them free even though they're behind bars.

When we see the world as God see it, we learn to have compassion. We learn to love our brothers and sisters regardless of color, socio-economic status, political affiliation, nationality, religion, or whether they're locked up in prison or a free man. You see when God shows you the world through His eyes, you no longer have the luxury of just seeing a person who is just lazy, evil, crazy, or just hated by the world. You now are entrusted with the responsiblity to first, pray for them that they may receive God. And if God tells you to bless them in some way, you should do it. Because God is using you to sow a seed of God's love into their life. He's not doing a work in you. He's doing a work in the person He has you ministering to. So it's not about you at all! Praise God!!! "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." (Psalms 82:3)

So begin to pray and ask God to show you the world through His eyes. Ask Him to present you with opportunities to minister to people who may feel there is no hope left for them. God is a God of hope and second chances. And He will use the weak to lead the strong. When you begin to see the world as God sees it, you will be impassioned to do His will; to rescue His people who are suffering from spiritual attacks. Ephesians 6:12-13 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. And after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm."

God bless you,

Robert T Sells

http://www.robertsellsonline.com/

Our Call as Believers

I have had something in my spirit now for a while and I need to talk about it. There are many Christians out here in the world who read thier bibles, go to church, and pray on a regular basis but don't have a heart for souls. How can you sit and enjoy what God has done for you and not offer it to anyone else?

My wife and I believe we have been called not to the saved but to the lost. And this is what is often difficult to talk about but I must tell the truth. The bible says in Luke 5:27-32, "After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. 'Follow me', Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Jesus knew His calling. And He knew He wasn't doing the Pharisees any good since they already believed they didn't need any help and were comfortable in their faith. So He is hope for all who will just believe. He knew it was more important to be ready to minister to someone who is feeling downtrodden because of the many judgments placed on them by imperfect men. He knew He needed to represent God among people who didn't realize that they needed God around them.

That's what I believe Christians as imitators of Christ should be doing. You see I could go to church every Sunday and get my "Word" and come home and read my bible and get my "Word" then get up in the morning and pray to God and get my "Word". But if I'm not giving that word to someone who may never go to church, or read their bible, or pray, then what good am I to God? I get so sick of people saying we shouldn't be hanging around with unbelievers when that's all Jesus did.

When I went through my depression for 15 years and I cut myself at night and put a knife to my wrists and throat many times, when I cried myself to sleep every night while being a motivational speaker and national sales trainer during the day, when I spent a week in the mental hospital after coming to the "end of my life", I wish I had someone who knew God that came up to me and gave me hope. Adn I made a promise to God that I would never sit on my sanctimonious "Christian high horse" and act like I've never committed a sin against someone else or myself. I promised God that I would be a light in the dark to someone who needed God and I asked God to send me a wife who felt the same. And guess what? He did!! He sent me Marlas, the love of my life.

I am so grateful for what God has done for me. He has literally brought me from the brink of death several times! How can I now want others to know? If I don't tell someone who God is, how will they know? They may eventually hear it from someone else in their lifetime, but what if they don't? I don't want anyone to perish, so I will minister to womever God leads me to, regardless of whether they are a "perfect Christian" or not. I know I speak for Marlas when I say, "We love you all very much and we are so grateful for what God is doing in everyone's lives." Whenever you need a word or a prayer, please never hesitate to ask, because I remember the times when I didn't have anyone to ask. I don't ever want anyone to go through that if I can help it. I pray success for everything you have set out to do in Jesus' name!

God bless you,

Robert T Sells

http://www.robertsellsonline.com/

How Eager Are We to Talk With God?

I was just driving today and I saw something that sparked a spiritual conversation within my soul. There was a guy next to me in a car moving forward slowly at a red light anticipating the change to green. The amazing thing is - the guy was TEXTING WITH THE PHONE ON THE STEERING WHEEL SO HE COULD SEE WHERE HE WAS DRIVING AND STILL TEXT AT THE SAME TIME!! Are you serious???

So then when I got home the Lord asked me a question. He said, "As eager as that man was to communicate with the other party, why are my people not that eager to communicate with me?" It shocked me because I thought for sure God would talk to me about the evils of texting and driving. But God doesn't think like we do. How many of us are so eager to tell something we just heard or saw that we will text that person or put it on facebook while we are still driving? Is it that important for them to hear it now? Well just imagine if we had that same overwhelming desire to tell God everything that is going on with us! And imagine us then allowing God to minister to us regarding every situation that we bring to Him. How much better would our lives be?

Let's get excited about talking with God! Let's show the Lord we are as concerned about His children as He is. Let's get back to prayer and communion with God. The bible says that "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away". (Genesis 5:24). Imagine being so close to God that the Lord just allows you to bypass death and just be taken up with Him in the heavens! How wonderful will that be?

Get back to God. He's waiting for you to talk with Him. He wants to talk with you. Get eager and aggressive about talking with God. Because when He talks back, it will change your life forever!!

Glory to God!!

Robert T Sells

http://www.robertsellsonline.com/