He Hearkens To Those Who Fear Him

"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name."

Malachi 3:16

Take some time today to think about this next line of text, which I am about to write; God knows and sees all that we do… Oftentimes, we (for whatever reason) think that we can get over on God, we come to a conclusion that if we do just enough in church, God will be pleased, or if we read just enough throughout the week, that everything will be okay… The Bible constantly reminds us that God looks at the heart of man. The acts that you do on this earth aren’t what God notes, but the thoughts that spur your actions are what God is watching. If you give simply for someone to see your act of kindness, the bible says that you have already received your reward; however, if you sow a seed with a desire not to gain popularity from men, then God will reward your deeds because you are truly doing them from the kindness of your heart… 

This is why we are instructed in the gospel of Matthew to be secretive in our giving, the word says “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” So many of us do things to be seen and praised by men, and Jesus said that those who do that have already received their reward… Understanding this in today’s time means that we must stop doing things to get a rise out of people, we must stop trying to inflate our own egos, and we must stop trying to “trick” God… The steps you take this day are recorded, the avenues and paths you walk have been written down, and if you are walking with the Lord, know that just as Malachi says, even though you may experience ups and downs, highs and lows, God has “…heard it…” God knows what you stand in need of, He knows the battles you have faced and the trials that you have overcome, He has seen the storms that have approached your door, and at the end He will justify you through the blood of Jesus and say “come on in…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

A Fool Is Wise Accordingly To Worldly Standards

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a fool so that he may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3:18

Socrates once said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." We are charged today through this verse penned by Paul to remain humble… In the world that we live in, it is very easy to become so entrapped with pride, ego, and self-righteousness; however, the call of all Christians is to rise above the standards of this world by taking the path least traveled… It’s human nature to want to be the best and showcase your talents; the biggest factor in doing that is how you go about it… The bible is clear about boasting and even tells us that “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.…” The higher you are on yourself, the further you will fall when you are humbled… I don’t know about you, but my fear of heights and falling keeps me close to the ground… 

This letter written to the church of Corinth by the Apostle Paul, reminds us that we must not think higher of ourselves than we ought. Paul tells the church of Corinth at the very beginning of this verse, “Do not deceive yourselves…” Paul says this because the church had lost sight of God and focused on its material wealth and stature. Remember what happened with Eve in the garden, Satan told her that she wouldn't die, but he also appealed to her mental makeup in declaring that if she ate the fruit, she would “…be like God, knowing good and evil…” This same appeal to the human nature of desiring power and elevation is present in our day and age, which is why Paul says, “If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age…” God is bigger than this world, we don’t have the full picture, and it’s time that we understand that true wisdom is God and ONLY comes from Him… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Feels Your Pain, He Has A Plan

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

God sent His son into this world to deliver us from the penalty of sin. None on this earth was or is perfect, for through Adam’s bloodline all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Seeing that there was none among us to deliver us from wickedness unto righteousness, God sent his ONLY begotten son. Hebrews reminds us that he was touched by our infirmities; Christ had compassion on his Father’s creation, so he laid down his life. People lose sight of the fact that Christ was 100% God and Man. There were many times he was tempted, just as we are. The devil offered Him the world (although it wasn't his to offer). He could have passed from taking the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane, but instead, He was without sin. For that, you should truly be grateful. 

Our second focus verse, taken from Isaiah, declares to us the revelation we should grow to see and understand; in our deepest stage of evil, God had already formed a plan for Salvation, He had already ordained the time and day His son would come. He had already planned a way of escape for His children. Despite what I may think is best, I am glad that God knows best… There have been numerous times when I pondered the question: What is God up to? This passage from the prophet simply tells us today that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than ours. So when you feel despair about your circumstance and can’t seem to understand your situation, know that God is at work and it all will work for the good, for those called according to His purpose! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Work Determines Your Wages

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

There is no way for you to live a double life; Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome emphasizes the point that the only outcome from sin is death… Many people believe that they can do as they please and make up for it before it’s too late. When we live in this manner, we live in falsehood and set ourselves up for failure… Tomorrow is never promised, and death awaits all who anticipate a reward for their sin… The bible tells us that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess; every move that you make is remembered, every decision you make is recorded, and you will suffer the consequences of your actions (whether good or bad)… The bible is clear that we reap what we sow, and it is also clear that a fig tree can not bear any other fruit besides figs… If you are living a life that is according to the standards of this world, today is your wake-up call… If you are walking under the authorities that are here on this earth today is your reality check… We all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We all must give account and will be held accountable for our actions here on Earth. I cannot help but emphasize the fact that this passage tells us the wages of sin is death. This simply means that as you lead a life of sin, your reward is eternal damnation. 

Sure, it may feel right at the time or moment, and you may even take great pleasure in your sin, but stop and think about what kind of reward you will receive. People get high to forget their problems, they drink to become disoriented, and they sleep around to feel loved. All these things do not add up to true rewards. The problems that you left when taking drugs still exist when your high fades, the pain you try to avoid with alcohol will tear you up even more when you are sober again, and love doesn’t live in the arms of multiple partners… The gift that you have been promised if you leave your life of sin is eternal life. The bible tells us that we are to store our treasures in heaven. One of the biggest hurdles we have to overcome on this Christian journey is looking for physical prosperity in everything that we do or take part in… God sees all your deeds, but some of your rewards will not be evident until you reach Eternal Bliss… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Avenues Of Life

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 16:25

There are so many paths that we can travel in this life, so many avenues that we can venture down; however, we are reminded today that no matter how many different paths we see or how many other avenues we find, all end in death if they are not paved by the Lord… This verse starts off by saying, “There is a way…”You can lay out the plans for your life, the goals you want to reach, and how you plan to achieve them, but death is guaranteed as the ultimate outcome if your will is not submissive to the will of God… The bible teaches us that God disciplines those He loves. The Bible also tells us that we must go through the “refiner’s fire” so that we can become the children God designed us to be… Understanding that discipline is a part of our growth and trials helps our maturation process, lets us know that things shouldn’t come easy… The path you seek is often based on the appearance of ease in its travel… Oftentimes we are always looking for the quick fix or the easy way out, but this Proverb teaches us today that if it seems easy and enticing to do, you had better stay clear of that path… The way that seems right to man is the way that provides the least resistance, provides a quick answer, and opens doors immediately… We all would love to walk into our workplace, get the respect we deserve, and make a salary that pushes us into a new "classification"; however, we know that the bible tells us that we must ask, seek, and knock… This means that you must work toward the goal, you must sacrifice, you must endure, and you must be patient… So often we base decisions on appearance and not true worth… Even though it seems right, don’t trust it without God’s approval and direction! Ultimately, the choice is yours; the path you choose displays the choice that you have made. Please pick wisely…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are Saved Because Of His Grace

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus 3:5-6

Your hours of study and minutes of sweat may be beneficial to your success; however, it is imperative to know and realize today that you can’t do anything on this earth through the works of your hands to obtain the righteousness needed to be saved and clothed in the garments of a child of God… Titus reminds us today that no matter how perfect we think we are or how many good deeds we try to do, it is not by our hands that we receive Salvation… Often, we overlook how we are saved and sealed until Christ returns… Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption…” You are saved by the blood of Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit… Did you catch that? Again, we are drawn by the father, set free by the son, and sealed by the Holy Spirit… All three comprise the Salvation that we inherit as a child of the Most High…Today, you need to stop acting as if you are a good person and start recognizing that you are saved “…according to his mercy…” You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t’ warrant it, but while you were in the pit of darkness, God withheld His judgment from you and gave you a clean slate… It is by the mercy of God (withholding the judgment that you and I truly deserved) that we are still in the land of the living…Don’t get it twisted; you have done nothing to deserve the saving power that came through God’s beloved son. Don’t lose sight of the fact that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Simply put, we are saved because of His grace!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Definition Of Godly Wisdom

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

James 3:17

So many people in this world claim to be wise; however, James reminds us today that there are two kinds of wisdom… There is wisdom which comes from above (Godly) and wisdom which does not come from above (worldly)… Each source of wisdom can be found by the seeds planted and developed from it, as we see that James shares with us today in our focus verse the attributes aligned with the wisdom which comes from above… Wisdom is defined as having insight, intelligence, acumen, or astuteness toward a specific topic and the ability to apply this knowledge in a manner that renders fair judgment and understanding… Wisdom is a deeper level of knowledge within a particular matter and oftentimes allows others a better opportunity to understand any given subject… In understanding the overall spectrum of wisdom, we must understand today that there is power in wisdom and that wisdom can be used in two different ways… When I acquire wisdom about a particular issue, I can use it for a positive or negative impact… Negatively using wisdom is the flipside of Godly wisdom, as it usually is used to better one's standing or to bring down someone else… This passage, taken from the book of James, reminds us to consider the avenues in which we venture in obtaining wisdom… Understand today, to be wise is to accumulate knowledge; however, how we utilize the knowledge we gain is another story… You should be a positive influence on your communities if you are walking in the wisdom of God… If you are doing more harm than good, please, check your sources!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!