Tag Archive for: sin

The Language of Honor

“Would you pass me this cup of water please?” You can have the honor of serving someone in small things like passing a cup of water or in big things like going to the kitchen to pour it out and serve it with gladness in case there was none ready at the table! The greatness of your honor shows the greatness of your character, God Almighty showed you a big honor not by serving you a small cup of water but rather by giving all he is and all he has, rivers of living waters, through the sacrifice of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross.

When you invite a guest you honor greatly to your house, you show him honor by serving the best and the most expensive banquet you can set before him, honor costs! When God invited you to his royal banquet table he didn’t find what is more valuable to serve you than his own precious lamb to eat of his flesh and to drink of his blood. God’s honor for us, who are made of dirt, is extravagant; it is according to the greatness of his love for us. How much more should we honor him by living for him a life worthy to praise his holy name and by honoring greatly what he honors: People! Honor is the highest form of love expressed and when you are filled with God’s kind of Love you can start talking his language!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Jesus Loves Fish

This word isn’t for deep theologians unless you are ready to be stretched by its simplicity. I’ve always read my bible trying to extract the deep spiritual meanings of contents but it’s so rare that I read it with simplicity. I believe that a balanced way of reading the bible is to behold it in a deep & a simple way at the same time. Some things in the life of Jesus are really simple that doesn’t require a deep super spiritual interpretation but though it’s simple, it’s also deep because it reveals something about him.

I’ve never dreamed of writing such a word but you know lots of unexpected things happen with you when you hang out with Holy Spirit. I call it a creative prophetic word, and this creativity proceeds from God. Not a long time ago I was praying to know God in details because he knows me in details, I want to know his likes and his dislikes and there’s no one better than God to introduce God to you. It was funny when Holy Spirit told me: “Jesus Loves Fish”. After hearing that, my first response was to make this statement spiritual but in vain, because it is simple, Jesus Loves Fish and enough. Now after hearing this, I read all the scriptures concerning Jesus & Fish and boy, it was there all the time. Jesus indeed loves fish; I mean he really loves fish.

Paparazzi Camera

Let’s follow Jesus through the scriptures to catch him practicing his hobby of Fish and take him by surprise. Jesus was known by many things: his mercy, his healings, his deliverances, his prophetic words, his authority, his teachings, his love for people, his great miracles, his walking on water, his multiplications of bread & fish, his prayer life, and many other radical things … but do you know Jesus in the simple things he loves to do? Like loving fish for example?

1- Jesus multiplied Fish many times to feed people (Mathew 14, 15)
2- Jesus multiplied Fish for Peter’s business (Luke 5)
3- Jesus likened his disciples to be fishers of men (Mathew 4:19)
4- Fish Love Jesus, Wherever Jesus is Fish follow him. (John 21)
5- Jesus knows where Fish are exactly! (John 21:6)
6- Jesus provided his & Peter’s taxes out of a Fish (Mathew 17:27)
7- John the beloved knew Jesus after his resurrection by the abundance of Fish (John 21:7)
8- Jesus prepared a nice meal of Fish & Bread for breakfast to his disciples after his resurrection (John 21:9)
9- Jesus counted the Fish; I mean it really takes time to count 153 BIG Fish. He loves numbering it (John 21:11)
10- Jesus told parables using Fish to illustrate his ideas (Mathew 7)
11- Now, this is so funny. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and while they didn’t believe it, he asked them: “Do you have anything to eat?” … what do you think they gave him to eat? Of course, FISH, after all these years they have learned that their master loves Fish. Jesus took it and ate it in their presence, I think by this he proved to them he was Jesus! Now, they believe! (Luke 24) … His sudden apparition didn’t convince them, but eating fish did! Sometimes it takes simple things to make you believe.

Jesus loves you more than Fish

This simple truth of knowing that Jesus loves Fish can lead us into deeper truths about him. I am sure you know that Jesus loves you more than Fish. Jesus’ love isn’t like human love. We love things in a selfish way, sometimes we mess others in the name of Love. A man ruins a girl by committing adultery to her and titles this LOVE. Jesus’ Love is pure, perfect and not self-centered, it always bless & edify others! (1 Corinthians 13). What does Jesus do with the things he loves? His love for Fish & what he did with Fish is nothing compared to what he will do with you & for you, for his Love to you is far greater than his love for Fish:

1- Jesus will feed you the things he loves
2- Jesus will multiply the things you love according to his will
3- Jesus will make you the way he wants you to be
4- Wherever Jesus is, there you are
5- Jesus knows where you are exactly
6- Jesus hid you & hid treasures in you that he will draw out from you in time
7- Jesus reveals himself to you by the things he loves
8- Jesus will serve you the things he loves, He gives you his Glory
9- Jesus didn’t only number your hair, but you count to him
10- Jesus will make your lifetime story a great inspiration to many
11- Jesus will only be satisfied by the things he loves, he will ask you for fruit

2000 years passed & I still love Fish, now you know what to do when you invite me for dinner!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

My Testimony

“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” Hebrews 12:9-10

My father disciplined me for a little while as he thought best for me and I am thankful! Are you familiar with this verse “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”? (Matthew 7:11). What my father thought was best for me was in many ways evil and hurt me, but no blame, because he thought he was giving me his best and sincerely I appreciate his efforts in raising me up, God bless him. It isn’t always what people do to you that hurt you; mostly it’s what they don’t do for you while the bar of your expectations is so high, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” and in many ways what my dad didn’t do for me made my heart sick.

For those of you who don’t know my dad, here is a little bit of background for you: my dad is so old because of his late marriage at the age of 50, so I grew up in an environment where my friends at school and my community around me used to tell me: “your grandfather is so funny” and with a bitter smile I answer: “he is my dad”. He’s now 84 years old, in a good health and I’m believing for his salvation. He was always there to provide for me, I didn’t lack any material blessing at all, in fact I lived in abundance, in a big prosperous house, with the best games, the finest clothes, the best school and education in town … while I was living as a rich boy outwardly, I lived a severe poverty inwardly, in my emotions I was a beggar for the fatherhood love & affections. I don’t remember my dad playing with me or affirming me especially in my most time needed of my shaping as a man, more than that he didn’t model to me this strong father figure, where he rebukes me in doing wrong or even slap me! He was tender in character all the time, trying to correct me always with gentle words, until I hungered to see him slap me just to feel his strength, funny huh? He didn’t train me to carry responsibilities nor to face challenges, thus when I grew up the storms of life swallowed me; even I couldn’t stand its slightest breeze. I was so naïve inside and emptiness in me was horrible. I won’t discuss here the consequences of such things but believe me I was mentally, emotionally and spiritually sick and handicapped from head to toe. I was a living dead, well not quite, a living dead doesn’t feel, but I was feeling all the pain of the world. I was raised in a very beautiful home but because of my dad’s absence in my personal life I felt like an orphan homeless, I was lost in the rooms of my life and later I made it my aim to seek for the alternative as soon as I grow up and the world was gladly waiting for me with open arms to embrace a sinful life to journey from pit to a deeper pit and from deception to another.

Did I choose all that? Well some of it, I was aware that some decisions I should not have made but don’t blame a sick hopeless person, blame those who tasted the glory and forsaken it for the lesser. I think the prodigal son was crazy, how could he leave such a wonderful Dad? In the prodigal son’s story, I think the son was bad, in my story my father’s absence was bad. After I came to Christ, and his glorious light shone upon my darkness, I learned about the heavenly Dad but it was mere theology and head knowledge rather than a radical life changing experiences with him. If you were to ask me some spiritual questions, I would have raised my chin up and answered you boldly about my solid sound doctrine. I would have answered the same if you were to ask me about the trinity and the Heavenly Father but did I know him by experience? Not really! My friend, I tell you the truth, everything bad and deformed in my experience with my earthly dad was projected in my relationship with my Heavenly Father, without knowing. I always thought that this up there Father is distant, uncaring and an old guy on the throne. I always felt disconnected with him, I know he’s there hearing me and providing but I was not able to connect intimately with him. I treated him the same way I treated my dad, I used to bring him my list of needs in prayer to provide and then leave. I didn’t express my love to him and I didn’t think he would say it back to me or even wanted to touch me. My perspective of this perfect Dad who is like no other was deformed with the filter of my imperfect experiences. Until the moment my Heavenly Father started to visit me to introduce himself to me … and here my story begins!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

The Story of Rocky & Sandy

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. (Psalms 27:10-11)

Rocky and Sandy were cute little children who spent most of their childhood time playing together in the neighborhood. Sandy was raised by wonderful parents who loved her so much and were so concerned to be the best parents to make her lack nothing. Although they were busy yet they always found quality time to spend with their little precious daughter. They played together, ate together, laughed together, brought her gifts and took her to the best school in town; they really did their best to take care of her to secure a wonderful childhood full of warm memories and feelings when she recalls it. Rocky was also raised in such a wonderful family too, his parents did also the same with him but within the frame of their spending of their time together, they taught him the word of God and his ways, they prayed together & they prayed for Rocky and not only with words they also modeled the gospel to him in their living and actions. They really invested in Rocky and set him in the safe boundaries of God’s word. Both Rocky & Sandy had a wonderful childhood and wonderful moms & dads.

Rocky and Sandy grew up healthy teenagers excited to embrace their journey of life and ready to explore the world but they both faced tough temptations which were so appealing, attracting & seducing. Rocky’s decisions were so firm and didn’t yield because the hidden word of God in him supported him along the way but Sandy couldn’t resist long and was lost in the world and great was her fall.

Jesus: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Now whose parenting endured? Whose parenting was successful? Parenting is a lot of sweat but it’s worth the hard work because true parenting isn’t meant to be for a short term but for a long term that stick to your children everywhere. Are you a short term or a long term parent? Will your parenting accompany your children and influence them to make godly decisions even when you aren’t there? In Psalms 27:10 David said that his parents forsake him and the Lord will receive him but why would David seek after God? The answer is in the next verse, God as a mother & a father receives David to teach him his way, his word to remain strong against his oppressors. A father and a mother’s first duty is to teach their children God’s ways which enable them to stand against the oppressors of life. It’s such a blessing to have spiritual parents who feed you the word of God but if you don’t have, God’s parenting for you is more than enough. Study all the scriptures and you will learn that this is God’s original design for parenting! Adopt it. “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain” (Psalms 127:1)

 Glory to God
Tony Francis

When fathers abandon you

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” Then Jesus shouted out again, and He released His spirit. (Matthew 27:45-46, 50)
 

Our blessed Savior tasted all kinds of pain on his way to the cross and while he hanged on it there but the last pain he experienced just before he died was the pain of fatherhood abandonment. It was so dark around him; didn’t also feel so dark when your father abandoned you? Jesus shouted twice with a loud voice and released his deep painful sonship cry asking why? Why? I don’t get it, I am supposed to be your son, you can’t let go. A father-son relationship must not be broken at all. Jesus shouted twice with a loud voice and gave up his spirit because he could tolerate anything but this. Abandonment kills you!

Maybe you too have experienced in some way your father’s abandonment but you didn’t cry out loudly although you are suffering from the pain of rejection and your destructive lifestyle shouts this clearly. Drown in drugs, in alcoholism, in pornography, in failures? Maybe you doubt everyone? Maybe you are a workaholic, a perfectionist? You gave up on doing life healthily and the way you are living is nothing but a loud cry hoping that your father hears your big unanswerable WHY!

We live in a fallen world and our fathers raised us up the best way they know how, our leaders, our pastors, our friends and even you and I are the same but the heavenly Father is the only perfect dad in the universe. It was the huge penalty of our sins that separated him from his son for a while so you and I will never experience in Christ his abandonment. There’s nothing that can separate us from our heavenly Father because Jesus paid the price of abandonment once and forever. Today if you are in Christ, hear the heavenly Father declaring over you his glorious eternal unbreakable promises: “You are accepted in the beloved and I will never leave you nor forsake you”.

You can read this devotion also on Patricia King's website:

http://www.xpmedia.com/article/17386

Glory to God
Tony Francis

The healing touch of Jesus

“After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So He went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them. ” Mark 1:29-31

Have you by accident been electrocuted when you were a child playing around? You definitely discovered that plugging your fingers in electricity is bad and later you developed expectancy that touching electricity will get you the same results over and over again. Maybe you were ignorant the first time of such a thing and maybe you are ignorant today of the powerful healing touch of Jesus! I believe that sometimes the Lord treats us with Mercy the first time and heals us but as we experience this we start developing expectancy that if we touch him again his healing power will flow to us as it happened with the woman of the issue of the blood! She touched the hem of his garment expecting in her heart to be healed and she was! Glory to God!

I can imagine Simon’s mother-in-law sitting in her bed with some neighbors around telling her: “Oh did you know that Jesus the Healer is passing by you today because he got the news of your sickness?” hearing this caused her faith & expectancy to leap within her because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17. Her expectancy continued to rise with each closer step Jesus made toward her house and as the bell rang her expectancy continued to rise and as she heard the voice of the doctor of doctors in the next room asking: “where is she?” her expectancy continued to mount up with wings like eagles as she was waiting on the lord and hoping in him until it reached its pinnacle as soon as Jesus sat beside her and took her by hand and healed her!

What’s your bed of sickness? What’s giving you a high fever? What’s robbing your strength & health? Is it a physical disease? Is it a mental or emotional torment? Is it a spiritual sin? The name of your sickness doesn’t really matter because the name of Jesus is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11) and it doesn’t matter how bad your disease is because Jesus healed all your diseases (Psalms 103:3). Jesus the Healer is visiting you today through this word you are reading because he longs to show you compassion as you come to him (Isaiah 30:18) actually you are a step away of your healing because he is knocking at the door of your heart. Open the door of expectancy & faith to him and receive your healing NOW! It’s so easy.

Prayer:

Lord, you are so compassionate to heal me and those you touched have experienced your healing power and you are no respecter of man. Today I want to join this cloud of healed witnesses and receive my healing that cost you a very painful price on the cross. As you said when you pray believe that you received and it shall be yours! I decree: It’s finished, my sickness is finished in Jesus mighty name and healing is mine. Amen!

Glory to God
Tony Francis