TAKE THOSE BOTTLES OFF THE SHELF!!

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NIV)

Wait a minute! You mean to tell me God came down from His glorious throne in heaven just for us? What kind of love is that? And all He wants is for us to love people enough to tell others what He did for them? And we just have to use the gifts He already gave us to do it? That's it?  Ok then why aren't we doing it then?

Why do we go to church every Sunday and sit under good teaching (sometimes), get our praise on (sometimes), fellowship with other believers (sometimes) and then leave with all that God has given us, put it on a bottle and set it on the shelf with our "Words from God" Collection? Why do we feel in all of our selfish nature that we are the only ones who deserve to hear this incredible good news? Why do we get to be in the "in group with God" and shut out others who are hurting and living life by the skin of their teeth without hope?

People we have got to take those bottles of the shelf, break them on the floor, and let the Holy Spirt flow from that Word and envelope us completely. We have an obligation to take what we've learned and let someone else know about it.  Because the very people God assigned to us as mature believers are the next ones He's going to use to help expand His kingdom! When they are delivered by God and set free from the bondage they were in because we told them how they can have hope in Christ Jesus they will be like ignorance on fire and just tell others all about what God did for them! Remember God doesn't favor one person over another. Acts 10:33-35 NIV says, "Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right."

So take your bottles of "Word" off the shelf today and open them up so you can be prepared when God sends someone your way to minister to.  We didn't get saved for ourselves, but to be used by God to bring others to Christ. Tell someone today what God did for you.  You may not be the one to lead them to Christ, but you will sow a seed in their heart that God will continue to water until they give their lives to Christ.

God bless you!

Robert T Sells

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About the author: Robert T. Sells (aka The Anointed Poet) is the co-owner, with his wife Marlas, of Words of Inspiration Ministries in Merrillville, Indiana. He is known for his gift of prose and has been spreading the message of the Gospel through poetry and song around the country. Sells is also the author of several books in the Words of Inspiration poetry series and a Christian spoken word CD. For more information about his ministry or to purchase products and/or services, visit his website at www.robertsellsonline.com.

I WANT TO BE LIKE CHRIST!

"But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own." (1 John 3:2-3 MSG)

When I was little I used to imitate everything my father did.  I would follow him around the house, lie down on the couch like him, cross my legs like him and pretend to read the paper, and even wear his clothes, especially his shoes!  Yes I wanted to be just like him because I loved him so much.  I wanted to be the exact image of my father because he was the world to me. 

In these end times, if you’ve allowed Christ into your life, you should at some point begin to show the aspects or characteristics of Christ.  We should feel an unending desire to be more like our Father in heaven because we love Him and want to be like Him.  Here’s the awesome thing about that though.  I always wanted to be like my father when I was young but there was no residual benefit from it.  Now as I conform to the ways of Christ, I am learning more every day why I need to be like Christ.  Because there is a residual affect that is unlike anything else on earth!  One of the greatest things about being like Christ is it creates other people who want to be like Christ! Why is that?  Because it is not your actions that are affecting people, but the Spirit of God that is affecting people through your actions!

Allow yourself to be totally controlled by God.  Every thought, desire, word and even action can affect someone for Christ.  Because when you follow Christ and desire to be more like Him, it will cause a ripple effect to grow throughout your street, your job, your town, your state, your country and eventually this entire world!

Become an imitator of Christ today.  God needs you in the fight.  Don’t wait until you die and go before God to answer the all-important question, “What did you do with what I gave you?”  You can reach people for Christ today without even having to talk in some cases.  It is your Christ-like nature that will cause God to move on people’s hearts.  God will draw people to Himself through the things you do and show people every day. 

God bless you!

Robert T Sells

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About the author: Robert T. Sells (aka The Anointed Poet) is the co-owner, with his wife Marlas, of Words of Inspiration Ministries in Merrillville, Indiana. He is known for his gift of prose and has been spreading the message of the Gospel through poetry and song around the country. Sells is also the author of several books in the Words of Inspiration poetry series and a Christian spoken word CD. For more information about his ministry or to purchase products and/or services, visit his website atwww.robertsellsonline.com.

GOD WANTS TO TRANSFER YOUR EXCITEMENT!

I remember not too long ago when I used to be a party animal. Back in the day I used to get uncontrollably anxious when Friday was coming around because I knew that within the next 8 hours I would be in somebody’s club with a drink in my hand and partying down man!!! Whew! I would literally get so excited I couldn’t even think about my job that day. I’d find my mind wondering on who I would be talking to that night, what dance I would do, what suit I would wear, what song I would sing. Yes I was a slave to the “party thoughts” that ruled my mind. I would call my friends and make sure they are getting ready early because I wanted the best seats at the club or bar. I made sure that all details were covered and there wouldn’t be anything that could possibly go wrong that night.


My car clean and full of gas – check!
My suit picked up from the cleaners – check!
My supply of breath mints replenished – check!
My money withdrawn from the ATM – check!
My phone book ready to go – check! I was ready man!!

Let’s do it!!
Now here are a few questions I have for you. Why is it so easy for us to be excited about what happening in the world but we can’t be excited about the things of God? What would happen if we took this excitement and transferred it to the things of God? How many people would we call to be sure they’re coming to church this week? How much time would we spend ministering to people about the goodness of Jesus?
I thank God for His transforming power. He has changed me from someone I used to be to someone who is ready and willing to serve God and His people. God has transferred my excitement from the things of the world to the things of Him and I am extremely excited to tell it to everyone who will listen!! Why? Because if He did it for me, He will do it for everyone!!
"Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right." (Acts 10:34-35 NIV)
Glory to God!!
God bless you!
Robert T Sells

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About the author: Robert T. Sells (aka The Anointed Poet) is the co-owner, with his wife Marlas, of Words of Inspiration Ministries in Merrillville, Indiana. He is known for his gift of prose and has been spreading the message of the Gospel through poetry and song around the country. Sells is also the author of several books in the Words of Inspiration poetry series and a Christian spoken word CD. For more information about his ministry or to purchase products and/or services, visit his website at http://www.robertsellsonline.com/.

I'M TAKING THE WIDE ROAD LORD... WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?

The other day I was out on the highway in our area. From 2007 - 2009 it has changed a lot. I-80/I-94 has been widened tremendously, adding 2 more lanes on both the westbound and eastbound directions. Since then there has been a huge increase in the number of speeders on the highway every day, with some drivers exceeding speeds of 85 mph on a 55mph stretch of highway! Why do they go so fast? The answer is simple.


They go faster because they have more room. They go faster because they have a wider road so they can be less careful than they had been.

The same is true of Christians. We tend to want the “easy way to God”. So we fly down the wide path doing 90 mph, praying microwave prayers and giving God a “time limit” to get our blessing to us. We get to church late on Sunday and we leave early (you know what I mean, before we get stuck in the line of cars) so we can be the first ones to get a table at the “local buffet”. God is not really the thought in a lot of Christian's lives but the afterthought. All of this “putting God on the backburner and expecting forefront blessings” business is called TRAVELING DOWN THE WIDE ROAD.

Where does one end up when they travel down the wide road? They end up on a path to destruction. The Bible says in Matthew 7:13-14 (AMP), “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.”

So let’s learn to develop a passion for entering through the narrow gate and following the narrow road. I love the amplified because it says the narrow gate is “contracted by pressure”. In other words, we won’t get through the narrow gate without trials. Jesus said in John 16:33, “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.” So trouble comes no matter what. But when it comes, how will you respond to it. On the wide road, you’d ride around it real fast only to run into another traffic jam later on down the road. But on the narrow road, you’d be forced to face it, push through it, and eventually succeed because of God in you. So take the narrow road every time. God will show you how to navigate through the narrow gate to get to your destiny. The trip will be slow, arduous, rigorous and often painful. But it will be the best journey you will ever go on. And through it you will become all that God desires you to be.

God bless you,
Robert T. Sells

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About the author: Robert T. Sells (aka The Anointed Poet) is the co-owner, with his wife Marlas, of Words of Inspiration Ministries in Merrillville, Indiana. He is known for his gift of prose and has been spreading the message of the Gospel through poetry and song around the country. Sells is also the author of several books in the Words of Inspiration poetry series and a Christian spoken word CD. For more information about his ministry or to purchase products and/or services, visit his website at www.robertsellsonline.com.