For Years He's Been Patient; It's Time To Step Up...

For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.

Nehemiah 9:30

The things which you deserved to face as a result of your actions are not the things which you have faced simply because of the mercies of God… Despite the situations that you may be facing or even may have just gone through, you must stand in faith, smiling amidst the trials and tribulations knowing that things can always be worse… The children of God found themselves in bondage and dealt with the consequences of their disobedience; however, the word of God reminds us today that God continued to be patient with them… Know that God has been patient with you; you may think He has not been there at all, but the way to tell is simply by looking at the things which you have done which have not killed you or turned out as bad as they could have… There are decisions that you have made that should have caused you your death; however, the grace, mercy and patients of God has spared you and kept you despite the pitiful darkness that was over your life… Nehemiah reminds us today that for many years God was patient with them; His patients has not run out and He continues to give us second, third and even fourth chances… This is good news for the one who feels like they have fallen beyond the saving grace that is the mighty hand of God; this should be encouraging to the believer who has backslid or the child which has wandered off… There is a time when the world will end; however, you can find comfort in knowing that the moment you have today can be a moment in which your life is transformed because of God’s patients… What I love about this passage from Nehemiah is the fact that God sent messages to His children through the prophets even though they paid no attention… God continues to show forth His desires to bring you back into the fold; the Lord continues to display His love even while we don’t show our love toward Him… He admonishes us through the prophets as Nehemiah tells us because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:12) The signs of God’s path are all around you, the things that have to change in your life are your focus and motivation in order to see and comprehend those plans…

It is your actions and the decisions that you make which lead to results that you do not want… You have the ability to change and transform circumstances; you have the ability to alter the atmosphere of the situation that you are currently facing and you have the ability to turn a negative situation into a positive one if you live the faith you speak of in Christ… Nehemiah goes on to say yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples… God has planted the seed of ability inside you; however, you have chosen to pay it no attention and live your life trying to appease people instead of the Lord… The word of the Lord says that “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." You were uniquely created by God for a special purpose… You have more ability within you than you know and you should be thankful unto the Lord that He has been patient with you as you have misused the gifts and abilities which He has placed inside of you… God has allowed things in your life so that you can actually be refined after being placed over the fire… This is why you can accept the growing pains in Christ… He has been patient and has continued to work with you knowing your ability before you even realized that the potential is there… This is why He can anoint David to be king after only being seen as a shepherd for His father… This is how he can call David a man after His own heart even though he messed up and ended up taking another man’s life…  So many of us believe that we can create our own path on this earth and the very love of God will not allow us to go the wrong direction without showing us the right path multiple times… Understand that God will get your attention; however, it’s entirely up to you as to how it is they He has to accomplish it… Jonah wanted to be disobedient and not go to the land of Nineva; in the end he went after spending time living in the belly of a big fish… As we studied yesterday, Pharaoh wanted to defy God and it cost him his son and his very life; some things that you endure are teaching and growing moments, however, there are also some things you go through in life simply because you don’t want to adhere to the will and plan of God… You might find yourself going through a season of turmoil, it might feel as though the enemy has the upper hand and you are on the edge of a cliff with no strength left; if this is you today, know that God is still in charge as He has just turned you over to strengthen your faith and confidence in Him… There are things in life that we don’t want to go through, situations that we don’t want to face and storms that we don’t want to endure; the message today is to go through, face the situation and endure the storm… God has been patient because of the seed and ability He placed in you; you in turn need to be patient now as you go through knowing that the storms of today are watering the seed that will sprout tomorrow…

BE BLESSED!!!

Trials Let You Know Who's In Charge...

Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.

Exodus 9:29

Some of the obstacles that you face in life are not only to humble you, but they also allow you to see the very power of God in action… The children of God were in slavery at the hands of Pharaoh; Moses was called by the Lord to lead His people out from slavery to the Promise Land… We all know how Pharaoh continued to harden his heart and suffered great lose even to the point of losing his very own son before submitting to the will of God… This verse today speaks to us from two different perspectives… The first perspective is that we often times suffer in our lives because of a (n) unwillingness to allow the move of God to take place… Not everything that the Lord commands will be something you agree with; not every decision or course of action that comes from the mouth of the almighty will be pleasant to your ears; however, the command of God must be the priority in your life instead of the voice of your peers… There are so many of us enduring trials and tribulations because we are listening to people instead of the voice of the Lord… We all know that Pharaoh ended up dying in the Red Sea; however, it took the very death of his son to submit to the will of God… Ask yourself today; how much do you have to suffer or lose before aligning your thoughts and desires with the will of God…? You cannot be a man or woman of faith by mere words, you cannot walk the will of God without taking a step and today we are reminded  that we must know and understand the desires of God… Moses was a man which was second-guessing the place of God in his life, he wanted to provide God with an excuse instead of recognizing His ability and power… This same thing plagues us today; we make excuses about our abilities because are looking at our own strengths verses the very strength of God… The Lord will make ways, He will open doors and He will make your paths clear and straight… You must trust Him and not waver… Moses saw signs of God’s ability which led him to go back to the very land that he fled after killing an Egyptian… You don’t have to let your past mistakes and failures keep you from going to higher heights and reaching new levels… Moses when from a man of fear to a man of faith when walking under the leadership of the Lord… You can be transformed, you can be taken to another level and you can be even more than you thought possible…

At one time Moses was fleeing Pharaoh, now he says, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD.” You trials are serving a purpose, the things you are suffering now could’ve possibly been avoided; however, learn from them and grow in them… The second teaching we find in this passage is that your trails are a sign of God’s presences and not absences… Often times we categorize suffering or trials as a negative thing in our lives; however, the word of God says that there are and were several times where God allowed things to happen… God wants you undivided attention, He has so much in store for you, but He needs you to grow and learn to stay focused on Him… Moses says, “The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.” There are things you face so that you can see God move… There are situations you know that you could not have come out of if it wasn’t for the very presences and mercy of God… These trials you face are a testimony to the faithfulness of God… The hail fell all over the land, the thunder roared as loud as can be; however, through prayer all ceased… Understand today that you can control the things you go through and the outcome of the situations that you face through prayer… The things you face are not to drive you away from God but to drive you more closer to Him… Moses was the one that grow the most through these plagues, this is why he was able to stand between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army and simply lift his hands up to the Lord… You are growing amidst the turbulence in your life… You are maturing through the seasons of rain and famine… You are being molded by the very hand of God through the trials and hardships of this life… Continue to look to Him, continue to trust Him and continue to hold on to His unchanging hand… The enemy may think at times that he has you defeated; however, the very will of God will not only bring you out, it will also declare to all the witness that He is in control… Keep praying when you go through, keep looking up when you want to drop your head in defeat and keep pressing forward when you want to turn back… The thunder and hail suffered a purpose back then and is serving a purpose now… Jesus said, "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." In Him you will have peace; in other words, don’t look at the storm, just focus on the rainbow that will appear when it’s over… Others will see the rain and flee; however, they will be drawn by the rainbow that appears in the end…

BE BLESSED!!!

Be Not Wise In Your Own Eyes...

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

Your life should be solely dependant upon the word of God and not what you observe or learn through this journey… There are so many people who believe that they have arrived and are invincible because they have landed a sturdy job and have a house that most people dream of; this cannot be any further from the truth as we are reminded today that we must not be wise in our own eyes… No matter the measure of worldly success or even stability; you must maintain your focus and continue to fight the good fight of faith which God has called you to…The enemy has so many people confused about the success and security in money to the point that they have neglected God and have started to crave more money, power and popularity… This is the message that we find in today’s focus verses; being wise in your own eyes means that you have come to a point where you believe that you know it all and have such an inflated ego that you are overconfident in your abilities… The more you become self-confident the more the enemy has you setup for a massive failure… Satan wants you to be confident in your on abilities because then you lack confidence in God’s plan and timing for your life… You may think that you are doing nothing wrong by trying to find answers on your own or even handle situations on your own, but the reality is that you are traveling a dangerous path which will not lead to any positive results… Understand that we enter this world as sinners; we have evil intentions from our mother’s womb and the transformation that must take places bring us into the fear of the Lord and allows us to depart from evil… You intentions can mean and be good; however, when you are not walking in the will and favor of God you will soon realize that your intentions are not the things which are showcased on this earth… The bible warns us countless times about being prideful or having a haughty spirit… Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” When someone is prideful, they are full of themselves or are arrogant and this shows in how they treat people or conduct everyday business… When you feel that you are above someone or feel that you are better than someone you are not only prideful, but you also fall into the category that we focus on in today’s verses which is that you become wise in your own eyes… We, as Christians must stand clear of thinking we are perfect or nobody can tell us anything… When we take on this makeup we firmly place ourselves in the worse possible situation and bring on more conflict within our lives than we can imagine... When we are wise in our own eyes we come to believe that everything we do is right, everything we say is right and everything that we perceive is right… This way of thinking brings us to be the exact opposite of what God desires from us… Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord…”

Fearing God makes us question our every step trying to ensure that we are aligned with His will… Fearing God calls for us to remain humble in abased, putting others before ourselves… This fear is a respect, honor and admiration to and for the Lord; however, when we think that we are wise in our own eyes we lose this sense of fear and place God and His will on the back burner for our own agenda’s and desires… Egos are one of the most detrimental parts of the human psyche… A wrong motive or direction can produce catastrophic damage that in some case can never be overcome… When we do things to promote our own agenda we end up isolating ourselves from the Lord… The Proverb today reminds us that we are not to be wise in our own eyes; in other words, don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought too… Today’s focus verse reminds us that we must remain humble at all times and remember to give God the glory… Often times we find ourselves saying the “I” word and this will cause great chaos in our future endeavors… Remember that Lucifer was repeating that same word when he was kicked out of heaven! The most important thing that we must adhere to on this Christian journey is to fear the Lord; somehow we have lost respect for God’s divine power, we have belittled His Grace and Mercy and have placed ourselves on a pedestal… These thoughts and visions are evil in the sight of God; they are blasphemies and will cause our destruction and failure… Remember who has brought you this far and has given you the existence that you call life… The gospel of Luke 14:8 says, "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited….” Luke records this to shine light on the fact that people will see your actions and know the type of person you are; through this they will know your value without you expressing it (ego)… Taking the place of honor pays no respect to those around you nor does it shine a respectable light upon yourself… We are called to “…depart from evil” The evil in our lives comes in many forms and fashions; however, one of the obvious forms is through the seeking of approval from our peers and colleagues… Promoting yourself is one thing; however, someone else speaking a kind word about you is another… We are called to do the will of God and allow the things outside of our control to be controlled by Him… Honor is not something we strive for, but a Blessing that is received through the kind acts that we do… It is by keeping God number one in our lives that we draw strength; it’s by God being the center of our lives that we don’t have to fear the circumstances of this world… It is by the Grace of God that we have the authority to tread on serpents (Satan) and claim victory… This proverb tells us that fearing God and departing from Evil brings health to the navel and marrow to the bones… Bones will rot and decay without marrow; we too will rot and decay without Christ… Marrow is the inner strength of the bone, it keeps things together and forms a solid foundation for us to ultimately move our limbs and function… The spiritual marrow we need only comes from our dependence on the Lord; He will give us the ability to move and function through the solid foundation that He will form and lay within our hearts… Be not wise in thine own eyes; not only because God should be the head and He created you, but because you will surely begin to rot and decay spiritually without Him!

BE BLESSED!!!

Touch & Agree...

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 18:19

The most beautiful sight to behold is two people who are on the same page and work together in love and harmony… The word of God teaches us today that we must unite with other believers in Christ not only to grow, but also to unlock the blessings and favor of God upon our lives… There are steps that must be taken in order to see the promises made in this scripture come to pass; the first step is that your desires must be on display and your actions must derive from that desire… You cannot touch and agree with someone if they don’t even know what path of life you have chosen to travel… To get on the same page you must let the person know the book and chapter that you are in… There are so many of us that go to others and ask for prayer; however, we don’t disclose the things which we are dealing with and therefore find ourselves having someone touching and not agreeing… In order to be filled by Christ you must be opened up too him… This is the same thing that applies to the physical church and why it is of the utmost importance that we fellowship with others… Some of the experiences that you have endured through life will not only be a testimony, but can also be a teaching moment for others… You can share your experiences (no matter how embarrassing they may be) and possible save a soul who either is where you were or is about to travel the same path… This is how we touch and agree, we get on one accord, we share our experiences and we look to God for the answers and directive that we need in journeying through this life… The more people pushing and pressing toward the same goal is the less amount of pressure that you feel or energy that you have to exert when you are doing it on your own… Growing up I was always told that there are power in numbers… I was also told when searching for something that two sets of eyes are better than one…In today’s focus verse we are reminded of this same principle… As a child of God, studying the word of God carries a high and importance; however, just as important is that we surround ourselves with believers in Christ as well… The bible says that God is love, when we come together as a united body, love pours out from within… In coming together we overlook faults, in coming together we shut off all the gossip, in coming together we put our own agenda to the side and seek the path to better another… Love is the ability to look beyond faults, love is the ability to stop negative talk and love definitely is the ability to focus on the greater good instead of our own current circumstance or situation… As we say every Sunday, “How can I say, I love the Lord whom I never ever seen before and forget to say I love the one, whom I walk beside each and everyday…” Unity is the key to growth in our Christian walk. We are one body in Christ, composed of many members, but still one body. All must be on ONE accord. God will not stand to have bickering in the church with everybody trying to fulfill there on agenda.

We must touch and agree, AND THEN it shall be done by our father in heaven. The key to this passage is that we must come to a point in our lives where we understand that we all have a different gift and together we comprise the body of Christ… As the bible tells us, we cannot see without the eye, we can’t hear without the ear, we can’t walk without the feet… Let us understand today, that we all are unique in our own way, we aren’t all feet, we aren’t all legs, we aren’t all arms, but together we form one body in Christ… The key being that we must be “together…” When we seek the nature of “together hood” we stop focusing on what we want and that’s how Christ acts on our accord when we ask… I remember how I would argue with my brothers and sisters about toys and the TV, my father would not choice a side, but instead tell us to put it down or cut the TV off. In other words, we lost out on either one of us being happy and sharing. The same works for confusion in the church, we are missing out on blessing if we can’t unite and fight this war against principalities together… Matthew records, “Again I say unto you…” This is not the first time we have been instructed to be a unified body, this is not the first time you have been told to lift up one another and stop tearing each other down… God has the capability to transform situations; He has the power to overturn even the grimmest of circumstances, but the key to unlocking this divine power lies in being one with your brothers and sisters in Christ…The greatest demonstration of being on one accord is the Day of Pentecost… The book of Acts records that when the Holy Spirit was dispersed upon mankind it came upon a people that had all things in common, this gathering wasn’t about ego’s, it wasn’t about up-man ship, but about aligning their spirits together with Christ being the center… It wasn’t until the unification of these people that the spirit of God was poured upon them… Understanding this passage opens our minds to realize how important fellowship is in the church, if we want God to move we must have more then just ourselves praying… If we want God to intervene, we must be surrounded with likeminded individuals… How can you touch and agree if you don’t have a church home…? How can you touch and agree if you avoid church at all cost…? How can you touch and agree when the person who you need to pray with is the one you are beating down or talking about…? You may be in a place right now where you have been asking God for a sign, a miracle, or a helping hand; however, Matthew reminds us today that if we are not going to the Lord along with another we will end up praying in vain… Touching and agreeing means that you don’t try and hide things, you don’t try and put things in your closet, but that you lay it before the Lord allowing Him to heal you and direct you… Today, look to your left, look to your right and examine the company you keep… More importantly, make sure that you have company with people who think and feel like you about our Lord and Savior… If you look to your left and look to your right and find people who are of this world and not just in it, you may have found the reason as to why you have not been able to advance in this Christian walk or why you feel as if Christ has not heard nor answered your prayers…

Touch and Agree… That’s the key!!!

BE BLESSED!!!

Hear His Word And Believe In His Plan...

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 5:24

No matter how many mistakes you have made or how many wrong turns you have taken; the destination which God has for you and the blessings which He desires to bestow upon you are still within reach if you would hear and believe… Today’s focus verse outlines the two step program which leads to a transition from a path which leads to death to a path which will provide eternal life… As we go about are daily duties, our minds are bombarded with so many things which affect our ability to clearly hear the voice of God… We allow to many things that we cannot control to affect our lives and the direction in which we travel which is entirely controlled by us… The enemy has you hearing the meaningless things of life while the voice of God which you need to hear is but a small whisper which is never understood… This is why you have people who have been praying about the same situation and have not heard from God; the problem isn’t that God hasn’t spoken; it’s that they do not have the clear state of mind needed to hear Him… I call this a two step program with the first being the ability to hear God because this call for us to take the first step of cutting off all the clutter life presents us… There are people in your life that you need to tune out, there are relationships that you need to cut loose and situations that you have to learn to let go of… This first step is vital because without it you will not have room for God to move or let alone take up residence within you… Once you start tuning out the things which are not of God and start tuning into what His desires and plans are for you; you must then trust the path laid before you even if it doesn’t make sense or is filled with uncertainty… So many of us complete one of the aforementioned steps; however, we never do both… We believe, but we don’t cut things loose, or we cut things loose but become dishearten when we see the path which God has laid before us… Understand today that each step you take in Christ is a step in the right direction, the seasons of uncertainty and isolation are very real and frightening to endure; however, you can rest on the notion that you will have everlasting life and that you will pass from death unto life… As a child of God, you have to go through a transition; you must pass from one phase of life to the next and the truth of the matter is that the enemy wants you to think you can’t do it so that you end up exactly where you don’t want to be… There is a way to overcome your failures… There’s a path which we can travel which leads to Eternal Life and security from the penalty of sin… In order to find this path, or begin to take this route you must hear the word of God… Jesus gives us instructions today as to how we can receive everlasting life… In the first part of this verse, Jesus says, “…he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…” Hearing and believing are the two most important first steps that we must take in finding the right path for our lives… In order to hear the word of God you must surround yourself with the word of God… This doesn’t just mean that you need to go to church, but that in your everyday affairs you must make the word of God a part of your life… Set aside a time in your day to read God’s word, study a specific verse or even read a devotional message…

Once you begin to surround your self and hear God’s word you must believe… What good is it if you go to church every Sunday, but don’t believe what you hear…? What God is it if you can recite the Lord’s Prayer but don’t believe that He is “Our Father…?” When we believe something there is no outward evidence of this, but it lies within our core and our heart… God knows your heart, so He knows when you believe in Him and His word… When you have heard the word of God and believe it to be true, you will then accept Jesus as the savior trusting that He was sent by God… Your believeth must be on Him who sent Jesus, you must believe that God created the heavens in the earth, that he created mankind from the dust of the ground and that He sent His only begotten son to die for our sins… When you profess your believeth in this message Jesus says that you “hath everlasting life…” Everlasting Life is the assurance and security that while our outward man will perish our inward shall live and be caught up in the air… This security also tells us that no condemnation shall come upon you… Whatever plans that Satan has for you will fail, whatever he desires to do won’t work and the penalty and bounty that he has upon your head will not be met… You will be judged at the end of this life, but we as Christians are thankful because we know that we have heard the word of God and believe in our hearts that He is Lord… While those who don’t believe are cast into the pits of hell we shall “…pass from death unto life…” The biggest obstacle for most Christians is focusing on the heavenly prize instead of the physical… We want to see our reward now; however, we are called to seek the incorruptible crown, we are called to finish the race and to keep the faith knowing that the prizes of heaven will outweigh any prize we can receive on this earth… The bible tells us that we don’t know the day nor the hour that Christ will come; however we do know that the word says, “Behold, I come quickly…” The time is now, now is the time for you to come out of the shadows! Now is the time for you to stand tall in the midst of darkness and evil, now is the time for you to confess your belief in the most high! Jesus is calling us to hear His word, and believe what has been said. The desire of God is for all to know Him and come to Him… He doesn’t want anyone to perish; however, we cannot think or live as if tomorrow is guaranteed… The bible is filled with promises to those who endure and keep the faith. We have been promised eternal life, we have been promised security and peace, we have been promised a mansion with our name on it. So endure this tough journey, allow Christ to manifest Himself within your life and lead you in the path of righteousness. Don’t put it off any longer; don’t take this time for granted. I am reminded of a saying that I heard some time ago and it is very much relent to today.

“Don’t worry about yesterday, that’s why it’s called the past! Don’t worry about tomorrow that’s why it’s called the future. Instead think on today because today truly is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present!”

BE BLESSED!!!

Even In Times OF Famine; Continue To Rejoice...

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Despite the things that you don’t have or the situations that may not have gone the way you had planned, today’s devotional reminds us to take inventory of the things we do have and the plans that God has for us… There are so many things in this life that will not go according to our desires; however, the heart of a Christian can rejoice in this times knowing that the hand of God will never lead them down a path of destruction and calamity… As we grow in Christ, we must grow in the knowledge of His protection and love for us; the God that I serve will create a detour in my life not to keep me from getting to a particular point, but to guide me through a better path even if it has more bumps along the way… As a I think about the love of God, I recall the Israelites in the exodus from Egypt… The word of God clearly tells us that they were taken through a more scenic route to the promise land; however, the word of God also tells us that this was down because the more direct route would have had them engaging in war with the Philistines… And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” God always has your best interest at heart; in your life, even if you go through a long drought or a round about way of getting to your destiny, know today that you can rejoice in knowing that you are traveling this way for a reason and the promise of God which was planted before your first step will indeed be fulfilled… This is the message that Habakkuk instills in us today… It doesn’t matter what type of season you go through, it is of no significance if the promise is not visible; you continue to keep your joy in the Lord and trust His plan… You can trust in the Lord because you know the plan that He has for you, which is nothing short of salvation…  Knowing that God wants to save you, He wants you to have life and have it more abundantly, you can maintain your joy in times of despair, and you can keep your head up in the face of adversity because there is a work being perfected in you which will lead to the expected in which God has for you… As a child, it was extremely hard for me to understand the way in which my father handled my growth; I never could understand why he disciplined me and spoke to me about the incident afterwards; however, as time journeyed on and continued to get older I soon realized the desires which my father had for me… I soon realized that the path which I was own today was a direct result of the short term pain instilled upon my backside years before and I can truly say that I love him for that…

This same rule applies to this passage and to us today; our Father wants to deliver us and take us beyond what our finite minds can comprehend… When we go through trials and tribulations; when we endure pain and persecution, the word of God call us to remember where He wants to take us and not focus on what we are going through right now… Stop getting caught up in the way things are and focus on the way things will be when you come out of your situation or circumstance… There is a reason why the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines… There is a reason why you are disciplined and even though you may not want to believe it, there is a method to the madness of things which you may not comprehend at the present time… I believe that Paul (in his letter to the Church of Rome) understood that we must go through seasons in life and this is why he said “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” There is a joy, and a glory that will be revealed in and through you… The seasons of famine in your life simply allow you to appreciate the beauty of abundance that is to come… This is why you can rejoice in the hard times because you know that they won’t last and the times are guaranteed to change… Even in the worst of times, Habakkuk reminds us that we have a reason to rejoice… There are many days that have come and gone when we were left scratching our heads; everything we touched broke, every vision we had became blurry and our strength seemed to have disappeared! Some of us are feeling this way right now today… It seems that we are simply on the edge of the cliff with one foot hanging over and there is nobody there to pull us back in… These trials may not be easy, but we must remember that there are something’s in life that we must go through… There are some situations that we must bare and “take up our Cross!” Habakkuk was in a world filled with chaos, he was watching people give up their faith and lose hope, I think we can attest to that right now today… With this economy we are facing, with the job market being scarce and with our communities becoming more and more violent! Sure we are facing hard times, but we have a reason to rejoice… We have a reason to be happy in the midst of sadness, and that reason is because God vowed to never forsake us… That reason is because Jesus shed his blood for these things we face, the battle has already been won, your victory is assured through the blood of the lamb and we shall receive our crown in glory… This is why Habakkuk was able to rejoice, this is why we can rejoice… Habakkuk not only saw what God was doing in his life, but he also remembered where God had already brought him from; a drought can take place in our lives, but let us remember the drought that God already brought us through… Struggles may take place in our lives, but let us remember the struggles that God already brought us through… Paul said it best, I will gladly take pleasures in the affirmatives I face, for when I am weak, then I am strong…” God’s got you in the best of times, but really has you in the worst of times… So continue to smile and rejoice not matter what comes your way…

BE BLESSED!!!

Be Strong And Of A Good Courage...

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9

The faith which you confess through your mouth is best displayed in your actions and ability to trust the Lord despite the situation or what others may think… Joshua was faced with a daunting task, one that literally called for him to display His faith instead of simply professing it as he did in the 14^th chapter of Numbers regarding the land that the Lord was going to give to His children… In this life, you are guaranteed to endure various situations and the message for today is that you must be strong and of a good courage… There are so many circumstances that plant seeds of fear, doubt and despair in our lives; so many situations that cause us to second guess our decision and often times end up delaying our advancement in the knowledge and kingdom of God… Joshua was tasked to lead the rebellious children of God and the only message that was given was a message that God would be with him… He was charged to stand firm in the will of God, to not become frustrated with the task at hand or to become distracted by all the other variables that would lead to leaving the goals set by the Lord unaccomplished… The same message Joshua received is the same message that you have today which is that God will be with you; don’t get it twisted, this doesn’t meant that you won’t endure or go through tough times, it doesn’t mean that you will not be subjected to trials and tribulations, what is means is that God will always be with you as you go through your trying time and season… The enemy has you defeated when you are not prepared for the curve ball that life will throw at you; Satan has you right where he wants you when you are not vigilant as to the changeup that is about to come in your life… Joshua was being groomed for this moment without even knowing that in the blink of an eye he would have over a million people looking to him for direction… Everything in your life that you endure is preparing you for something; learn the lesson, take notes and be vigilant for the test that is coming… Your faith will be tested, your trust in God will be tested, your relationship with the Lord will be tested… This test is inevitable, there is nothing you can do to avoid it, nothing you can do to get around it, the charge for you today is to embrace your test and be not afraid… Do be discouraged when you go through, the word of God tells us countless times that we will endure; there is no secret to the suffering that a child of God will face; however, there is a way to handle it and defeat the snares of the enemy and that is by reminding ourselves daily that God is with us whithersoever thou goest…  Remind yourself that God has not left you, remind your household that God is still near, remind them that growing pains are in fact painful, but the end results will be well worth the struggle… Joshua ended up being known throughout the land which the Israelites took over because He held to the promise of God and did not deter from His will… You can have your legacy and fame known, the greatest thing that people can know about you is that you walked in the will of the Lord… Joshua led the children into the promise land, he was marching around the walls of Jericho as they came tumbling down and he made the declaration at the height of the Israelites rebellion that as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord…

Joshua was commanded by the Lord to be strong and courageous… In the midst of a perverse world we, like Joshua are commanded to be strong and courageous… A command is not optional, nor is it negotiable… They only we that we will align ourselves with the will of God and be successful in our endeavors is to be strong and courageous when it comes to the task that are put before us… How hard is it to move when you are uncertain of where you are going? Do you find it difficult to lead when you would rather follow? These are the questions that faced Joshua in this verse, Moses has lead the people out of Egypt right to the doorstep of the promise land and know God has removed Moses and placed Joshua in charge to lead the people over into the land flowing with milk and honey… Joshua knew that he would have to fight; he understood that his faith would be tested and that the people may even begin to rebuke him just as they did Moses! He saw the uphill battle before him and God is now encouraging him to not be afraid or dismayed at the task, but to simply trust him and hold to his hand knowing that God is always with him… Today we must take note that in the middle of adversity, in the middle of confusion and/or chaos we must be strong, we must stay encouraged knowing that we will be victorious through the will and plan of God…This passage surely can be applied to our lives today, we are in a transition and God is calling us to leadership; He has appointed you to cross over from the darkness and lead people into the light… This leadership could be in your household, on your job, in the church or throughout your communities… Often times we find ourselves feeling like Joshua, we see the uphill battle and we believe in God but still doubt our own ability… God is saying to you today to be strong in the Lord and of good courage… He wants you to remember that He has already brought you a might long way and that He will see you through the battles that you are to face in the future… Jesus tells us 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." Trouble is certain, hesitancy is a given; but know that God has already overcome these obstacles and you will overcome them as well… We have a lot of daunting task before us, but God is saying now is not the time to run, now is the time for you to stand and allow me to manifest my power in your life so that you and others can see my faithfulness! “He who has begun a good work in you will surely continue in it until the day of Christ return…” God will not see you defeated, He will not leave you at you weakest moment, and He will certainly not abandon you in your time of need… The people were looking to Joshua to lead them after Moses died; who is waiting for you to lead today? Who is waiting for you to step up to the will of God and “not be afraid?” The answer is simple, all of us are!!!!!

BE BLESSED!!!

Break Yourself Down To Build Yourself Up...

Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Joel 2:13

The key to growing in this life is the ability to humble yourself in the midst of people and situations… There are a lot of things that we face in life which we do not want others to know; however, we are told today in the book of Joel that we must break ourselves down in order to build ourselves up… We enter this life with a mindset which is not of the will of God; when we realize this the enemy tries to keep us thinking that our way of life is okay, when in fact the truth of the matter is that nothing of this world can produce the life altering results we seek… In the Old Testament men would rend (tear) they garments as a sign of disagreement, humbleness or repentances toward God… To rend your garments also would show a sign of pain or an aching within that cannot be contained… Job tore his garments when he received the bad reports about his children and the counsel that had Jesus on trial tore their garments when He confirmed that He was the son of God… In Job’s instance, this was to be considered as a sign of humility and total remorse from whatever actions or choices that had been made… Job didn’t understand why this had happen and he broke himself down before the Lord seeking a (n) answer as to why all these things have happened to his household… As we understand what it means to rend your clothes, let us also understand that God isn’t concerned about our clothes, but our hearts as we are instructed today by this verse taken from the 2^nd chapter of Joel… Joel says, “Rend your heart and not your garments…” This passage reminds us today that it is not about what we do on the outside to show our remorse, but if we really have a broken and contrite heart! It wasn’t about David going to the temple or pleading with God over his son which was bore by Bathsheba, but it was indeed about how he handled the situation within and how he sought God’s face in his most trying time… So many people claim to be upset at their past failures and mistakes, but there heart has not turned from them so they continue down that dark and steep path… To rend you heart is to be completely unease by your failures and to seek a transformation daily! Again, David is a perfect example of a broken heart when he fasted numerous days hoping his son would not perish; but the bible says that when he received word of his sons’ death he cleaned himself up and went into the temple of the Lord…

He was broken, he was suffering and he knew that God was is only answer, he wasn’t worried about his stature as King, he wasn’t worried about what men had to say, he was seeking a transformation of character through our Lord and Savior… We too need to stop worrying about what people think, we need to cease from caring about what this person may say if I do this or do that, we must come to the understanding that God is standing and waiting for your broken heart to be brought to him so that he can mend it… As we examine this text today let us continue to examine the life of David… Remember when God choose David as king He rejected his older brother informing us through the scriptures “that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart…” Joel reminds us of that same truth today, the reasoning behind your actions is what God cares about, and the motivation behind every choice you make is what God takes notice of… In rending your hearts and not your garments, the key to receiving the Love of God is that you must “Return to the Lord…” Like we examined earlier, through his misfortune David returned unto the Lord and in the end God blessed him with another son who he named Solomon…  Joel goes on to tell us how God will be toward us when we return to Him; he says, “…for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in Love, and he relents from sending calamity…” No matter what you have endured, things could always be worse… Knowing that God will back off from sending calamity if you turn to Him is good news to hear especially when we accept the fact that we have made many mistakes and fallen short. When our heart is broken we are vulnerable, we have open wounds that the Devil will attack and try to expose… A broken heart can lead us down a path of destruction and cause us to dig a bigger ditch than was originally dug… A broken heart if exposed to the wrong people can leave us vulnerable and abused… That’s why Joel is telling us the character of God, He is the friend to call on, He will hear your prayers and feel your pain, and He can change the outcome and order your steps according to His will and purpose… God desires you to come to Him and know that yes you messed up, but more importantly, that He can heal you, equip you and prepare you for a bigger and better purpose… Tear your heart and expose your pain to the Lord; more importantly though, make sure that you don’t put confidence in man with that broken heart… (Psalms 118:8)

BE BLESSED!!!