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What Was He Doing There?

1/25/2023

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Mark 1:23-25 - Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are — the Holy One of God!" 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"   NASU
 
  • Man With An Unclean Spirit 
I have seen that man in quite a few congregations. When non-Christians state that the church is filled with a bunch of hypocrites. They are talking about this fellow, the one with an unclean spirit.
 
Everyone in town knows he attends there and many of the congregants wish he didn't, but the devil uses this guy to besmirch the church and the name of Jesus. So he has planted him there to do as much harm as possible.
 
This unclean spirit was there for a lot of reasons but certainly one at the top of the list was to make the life of this man miserable. A man or woman with an unclean spirit is capable of all types of evil.
 
When I hear of a person killing other people whether it is 1 or 100 and I get asked, "How could this happen?" My answer is always the same, the person that has committed this heinous act is being controlled by an unclean spirit. Another way of saying this is this person was demon possessed.
 
For some reason a demon possessed person is out to inflict harm upon people who have been created in the "image of God". 
​
  • What Are We To Do? 
I have heard it said, "Just because it is in the garage doesn't make it a car." Likewise, just because someone is attending the church service doesn't make them a Christian. We are to take care of our own lives and the best way I know to do that is follow Paul's exhortation in the book of Romans 12:1-2 -
 
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  NASU
 
We also have the book of Ephesians 4:20-24 -  But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
 
We are to be the real deal. We are to become more like Jesus everyday and less like our old selves.
 
I say this next statement with a lot of fear and trepidation. The only way we want to be like this unclean spirit is to Know Who Jesus Is. The demon possessed man said, "I know who You are - The Holy One Of God!"

Yes, Jesus is the Holy One of God and we don't ever want to forget that fact. This is why we worship Him because He is the Holy One of God. He is God.
 
Do yourself a favor and stay away from evil people. "Bad company corrupts good morals", the apostle Paul said. But on the flip side of that hang around as many Christians as you can for they will help you to be a blessing to yourself and others.
 
Think About These:
 
When we die we leave behind all we have and take with us all we are.
 
This will be a better world when the power of love replaces the love of power.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
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How To Guarantee Blessings In This Life

1/11/2023

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Ps 1:1-3 - How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. NASU
  • Walk Where You Are Supposed To 
The best way I know to be blessed in this life is follow the instructions from the Psalmist. Do Not Walk or listen to the counsel of the wicked or ungodly person.
 
I remember before I was a Christian listening to a guy about how I could make some real easy money by selling drugs. That bad decision cost me a lot of grief and money. As I look back on my life what I have discovered is the best way to provide for yourself and your family is find a job you love to do and do it.
 
Once you have found that job give it 100% everyday. Paul wrote to Timothy he quoted to him an Old Testament passage when he said, in 1 Tim. 5:18 -For the Scripture says, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages."
 
The Psalmist also tells us where we should stand and sit. In other words, he is telling us where to hang out and who to hang out with. Paul said it this way: "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." (1 Corin. 15:33).
 
As I have said before, "Show me your friends and I will show you your future." The Psalmist's best advice to us is don't stand or sit with the wrong people. 
  • Blessings Come By Doing The Right Things 
Once we find delight in the Law of the Lord and we meditate on it the blessings will come our way. You will notice he compares us to a tree that yields its fruit. One of the greatest ways to receive blessings is by doing what the tree does give fruit.
 
When we give ourselves to helping others is there really any blessing that compares to it.
 
In the book of Acts Luke penned it this way: "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
 
How to guarantee to be blessed in this life is by helping others.
 
Last September I organized a food pack for the people of Ukraine through IDES. My original goal was 50,000 meals. We asked people to make financial contributions. They gave so much money we were able increase our goal to 60,000 meals. Now I needed to recruit a 100 people to give 4 hours of their time.
 
When I thanked everyone for coming to help accomplish this goal they let me know it was a blessing to them to be able to participate in this worthy cause. Find a worthy cause and invest yourself in it and you will be guaranteed a blessing.

Think About These:
 
Charity is twice blessed - it blesses the one who gives and the one who receives.
 
This was in a church bulletin: The Lord loves a cheerful giver. He also accepts from a grouch.
 
The best gift we can give some people is a chance.

​Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Have You Identified Your Manna From God?

1/4/2023

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Exodus 16:14-15 - When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat." NASU 
  • Manna From God
God had freed the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage and fed them in the wilderness with what is known as "Manna". Manna means "what is it?"
 
Ex 16:31 - The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.
 
Manna from God was a blessing but the Israelites didn't recognize it as such at the beginning.
 
What blessing have we received from God but at the beginning we didn't recognize it as such? 
  • Blessings From God 
One thing I have noticed about God over the last 47 years is God's blessings come in many different ways. In fact, some of His blessings when they first arrived were not viewed as blessings at all.
 
The mature Christian will always wait on the Lord and allow the situation of life to play itself out and it will be then we recognize the blessing(s) from the Lord.
 
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Genesis 50:20 - "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."
 
In this Genesis passage, Joseph was talking to his brothers who had sold him into slavery. He tells them like it is. You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.
 
As you travel through this life remember there are evil people and they may do evil things against you. It is then you must give God time to work.
 
Let Him show you that He can take this evil that has been done to you and use it for good.
 
Think About These:
 
We learn some lessons from prosperity, but we learn many more from adversity.
 
Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to God.


Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 

Minister of God's Word
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What Would Be Your Last Words?

12/7/2022

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James 3:7-10 - For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  NASU
 
  • A Communion Meditation 
The Elder at the communion table was giving a meditation about a man who was going to have a needed surgery. This surgery was going to leave him speechless and the doctor asked him if he had anything he'd like to say before his surgery. 
 
His meditation gave me the idea for today's Pump Up.
 
What would be your last words? 
  • Stroke Victims 
As a minister of God, I have seen numerous people who have had strokes that left them speechless. If you knew today this would be your last day of speaking audibly what words would come from your mouth?
 
James says the tongue can't be tamed. It is restless and full of deadly poison. The tongue has been used to praise God and curse men.
 
What would be your last words?
 
Would your last words give praise to God, be words of love for your family members, or would they be curse words? 
  • Former Curser 
I didn't grow up with the best vocabulary. If it were a curse word I most likely have used it, of which I am not proud.
 
My tongue wasn't used to praise God; in fact, I used God's and Jesus' name in vain.
 
Since I have given my life to Jesus Christ I have been able to change my vocabulary for the better.
 
The good news is I have tamed my tongue to some degree. 

 
I never use God or Jesus' name in vain now. It has been 47 years and when I speak of God or use Jesus' name it is always in a praiseworthy fashion as it should. 
  • Your Last Words 
If today something was going to happen where you would lose your speech, what would be your last words?
 
Choose well, my friend. ​
​
  • My Last Words
I would express my love to my wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Think About These:

The written word can be erased, not so with the spoken word.
 
The man who has to eat his own words never asks for another serving.


Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
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There Is A Great Advantage In Life When You Know This.

11/2/2022

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John 1:19-23 - This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"  He said, "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' … NASU 
  • Know Who You Are 
A company was looking to hire a new accountant. The previous one had been released because he misappropriated some funds. In the interview process James was asked, "Will you be honest if we hire you?" James answered, "I will be honest regardless of whether you hire me or not."
 
John the Baptist knew who he was and if you want to have a better life I highly recommend this pathway for a better life. Know who you are.
 
John wasn't the Christ nor was he Elijah or any of the other prophets. He was completely satisfied with being the "Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness."
 
Don't try to be anyone else. Just be yourself and the best way to be yourself is by knowing who you are.
  • You May Have To Forget What Others Say 
We can be fed a lot of incorrect information at a very early age. Sometimes parents try to motivate with incorrect methods. We have probably all heard children called names such as "stupid, clumsy, lazy, idiot" or a plethora of other names. Parents think this will motivate their child.
 
Maybe you heard: "You will never amount to anything, or You don't have a lick of sense do you? or Why can't you be like …?"
 
It has been said, "It is easier to build up a child, than repair an adult. Choose your words wisely."
 
I read about Steven Spielberg's life and found one part rather amusing. He applied and was denied entrance twice into the prestigious film school at USC.

He later applies and is accepted at Cal State University in Long Beach. He graduates from CSU and goes on to direct some of the movie industries' biggest blockbusters.
 
What I found really amusing is in 1994 USC gave him an honorary doctorate degree. The same school that said in essence: "You are not good enough to attend here." gave him an honorary doctorate.
  • Know Who You Are And Aren't 
John the Baptist knew who he was and who he wasn't. Be Yourself. Be who God intended you to be. John was the "Voice Crying out in the Wilderness." He was who God intended him to be.
 
He was given a goal to accomplish and this is what motivated him. What is your goal? The greatest blessing you can give yourself is a goal. So, what is your goal?
 
Let me ask you this one question, "Who Are You?" You must answer this question. You need to tell yourself in very positive affirmations who you are.
 
It is imperative that you have a positive mental attitude about yourself.
 
Now go and do great things for the Lord, yourself and others.
 
Think About These:
 
It is your Attitude not your Aptitude that determines your Altitude. 

Some people entertain ideas; others put them to work.
​
Stay Pumped, 

Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word
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