GOD WILL CHANGE YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

Let's face it. A caterpillar is a disgusting creature.  It's a worm on steroids. LOL! It is a lowly creature that inches along the ground at a ridiculously low pace. It inches along by moving sections of it's body up then pushing alternate sections forward. This is a very agonizing and pain-staking process. The caterpillar gets it's entire lower side extremely dirty because there is not one inch of it's body that doesn't touch the ground constantly. Eventually at the right time it inches it's way up into a tree and begins to build a cocoon around itself. This becomes it's temporary home that keeps it safe from the elements while it is transformed slowly.  The humility of the caterpillar is amazing because of it's position.  During the transformation period it is completely cut off from the world so nothing may touch it.  Then at the proper time it breaks through the casing, falls out, and spreads it's wings and becomes a beautiful butterfly! 

The same is truly with us.  When we humble ourselves before God, the world often talks about us.  They drag us through the mud because we won't conform to the patterns of the world.  So we drag along the ground getting ourselves dirty as we serve and obey God.  We are reading our bibles everyday and praying for God to help us through these storms.  At some point, God begins to elevate us until eventually he gets us high above the concerns of the world and we begin to build a cocoon around us to protect us from the storms, the wind and the rain that comes down all around us. During this time we are in communion with God while He is transforming us through the power of His Word, the Bible! This process can be long and takes patience, but with patience comes humility. This is what we learn while God is working on us.  

Then one day when we are ready and God has built up our spiritual muscles, we are finally able to break out and shine the light of God on everything we touch and everywhere we go.  God is able to use us in major ways to reach out to His people and minister to the lost.  To those who are in storms, you appear as a beautiful butterfly, shining the light of Jesus on everything you touch! 

So allow God to work in you.  Allow God to take you through the times when you will feel like a caterpillar dragging yourself along the ground. Then one day if you remain humble, God will thrust you out into the world and you will shine like a beautiful butterfly, spreading God's Word everywhere you go. And everywhere you go, God will get the glory because all they will see is God and His light, not you!!

Glory to God!

Robert T. Sells

"But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:10-11 NIV) 

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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.

SORRY, I JUST GOT HERE LORD ... I'M IN RIGHT?

  This morning after dropping my wife off at the train station I was approaching the entrance to I-65 so I put on my right turn signal to make the turn onto the expressway.  There were no cars behind me at all and a police car in the lane next to me and in front of me.  There was another car directly in front of me as well. I was almost there when this big truck sped past me and tried to jump in front of me, nearly running me off the road.  I swerved to avoid the collision and after almost crashing he realized he was going too fast and settled in behind me where there was plenty of room. 

     The Lord showed me through this experience that this is how some people will try to get into heaven.  There are so many people who profess Christianity but they are not walking the walk.  They are carelessly driving 90mph on the "grace track" thinking this will last.  Then at the last minute they will try to get in and change their ways but by the time they make the decision it will be too late.  It will be like trying to cut off another saint while running to the gates which are closing.  This of course is a metaphor but the reality is there won't be time to cut someone off.  The Bible says that the Lord will come like a flash. "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:27 NIV)

     The earth is filled with people who either have accepted Jesus and continue living in unrepentant sin or people who have heard the message of Jesus who refuse to accept it because it infringes on their "sin-filled lifestyles", or people who have never heard the message of Jesus. Don't wait until you "see the last saint caught up" and then try to knock them out of the way to try and muscle your way into heaven. It doesn't work like that. YOU WON'T GET IN!  Accept Jesus today, and if you already have accepted Him, repent of your sins and be forgiven. Then begin to live a righteous life. Do it today!  If you wait until tomorrow, it may be too late. 

God bless you!

Robert T Sells

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." (1 Corinthians 15-51-53 NIV)

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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 CAN JUMP OVER ANY HURDLE…RIGHT?

I have always been a big fan of track & field.  One of my favorite events is the high hurdles.  I just love watching the men and women jump over those hurdles while maintaining such a fast pace.  I remember my first time looking at a high hurdle.  I was a sophomore in high school and I walked out on that track one day and they had the high hurdles set up.  I backed up and took off running toward the hurdle.  In my mind I was Jesse Owens! Nothing was going to stop me from jumping over every hurdle and finishing the race with my hands held high in the air! Well now back to reality.  I managed to stop then jump over the first hurdle, I stumbled to the second one, jumped up and my foot got caught, I fell down and hit the ground hard, injuring myself.  OUCH!!! 

I thought when I looked at those hurdles that I could do what I saw the people do on the track and field events.  But what I didn’t think about was all of the time, years even, that those people put into perfecting the ability to jump over those hurdles. 

You see when we see people who are very successful in their ministries and the things they’re doing for God we tend to think we can do the same even though God hasn’t prepared us yet.  We want to jump right over the fire, the storms, the trials and tribulations, and the tests and go right to the prize – an award-winning ministry with books written, and speaking or singing all over the world.  And we want it right now!  The problem is that it is in the preparation that God is refining us and getting us ready to jump over the hurdles that the devil puts in our path as we walk out God’s path for our lives.  And just like a hurdler has to start by jumping in the air without the hurdles there to perfect his leap, landing, and number of steps he takes between each hurdle, we have to go through the storms and the tests because it is during those tests that we learn when to jump, where to land, and how many steps to take before we get to the next test.

So while you are being sharpened in the fire, praise God for the trial and thank Him for the road ahead that He’s preparing you for.  God has already seen the hurdles you are going to have to jump over.  So be willing to go through the practice because when you’re done, God will use your testimony to show others what He’s done for you.  It is your testimony that God will use to deliver and set many people free.  How do you jump over the hurdles of the devil? You read your bible and pray every day.  Spend time with God building a relationship so you can hear Him when He speaks.  He will guide you over, around, or through every hurdle the devil brings your way!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

Glory to God!

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.

PUT THE TOOTHPASTE BACK IN!

      Have you ever tried to put toothpaste back in the dispenser after you squeezed it out?  It is virtually impossible.  You can try to push it back into the cap but all it will do is spread out over your hand and make a big mess.  You can try to cut the back end and put it in that way and that will actually work.  But the problem is now you have an open tube that will constantly leak every time you try to push more out of the front end. 

     When we are quick to anger we tend to say things that we shouldn’t say.  And just like the toothpaste that comes out of the end, when we allow evil things to come out of our mouths they are out there and we can’t put them back now.  Words can be very damaging.  The Bible is very specific about words,“From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:20-21 NIV)

And sometimes we try to take the damaging things we’ve said and put them back in another way.  The problem is just like the other end of that toothpaste container we try to mend our relationships with people after hurting them by stitching up the hole we created or placing the proverbial “duct tape” on it for a temporary fix.  The problem is when that toothpaste container is built up with pressure, the toothpaste will eventually leak out from that end that we tried to temporarily fix. 

     When you’ve spoken in a mean manner to someone or about someone the best way to fix it is to start over again with a new tube of toothpaste and throw the old one away.  What do I mean by that?  Start by going to them with a heartfelt apology then asking if they can forgive you.  It may take time but coming straight forward with them and acknowledging what you did wrong and asking for forgiveness goes a long way toward building a bridge to a lasting relationship, whether it’s a friend, family member, business associate, mate, spouse, or fellow employee. 

     Rebuilding broken relationships can be very difficult because you are rebuilding trust that has been abused.   However it will be much easier if you watch what comes out of your mouth in the first place.  Read and meditate on this scripture and put it to memory and you will no longer need to try to push the toothpaste back in the dispenser. 

     “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.”  (James 1:19-21 MSG)

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.