Turn To Him And He'll Turn To You

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

 

2 Chronicles 16:9

 

The words recorded in today’s devotional serve a since of comfort in the hearts of all believers as we are reminded that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth… God has His eye on you and will continue to watch over and protect you… Having His eye on you means that He not only is observing, but that He also knows all your shortcomings and mistakes… As a child of God we must be open and honest with Him as we grow in the knowledge of Him… This can only be accomplished through a (n) open heart and mind in the dealings and communications with our Savior… There are so many of us living in a self inflected bondage because we have not turned all of our afflictions over to Him… God is ready to show himself strong on your behalf; however, you must first acknowledge your weakness and need for His presence… The children of God had experienced much success at the time of this writing; however, their confidence in trust soon became in themselves and not God… In was through trial and hardship that God regains their attention to teach them of His power and perfection… Today, know that God must take priority in your life; you must continue to trust and confide in Him if you want to Experience His power and perfection… This is why the word of God concludes by saying that God does all of these things on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him… You are not required to be perfect in order to be blessed; on the contrary, you must have a perfect desire to please and adhere to the will of God… This message informs us that the eyes of the Lord are present; however, He cannot move on your behalf until you have a heart for Him… The word of God reminds us today that we are covered and protected by God! Often times in this life we feel exposed, we feel puzzled at the site of the mountains that are planted in our lives… There are days when we feel oppressed and times of despair where we want to give up and just quit; today we should be encouraged, today we should lift our heads in praise to God for we are reminded that even in the dark days God is by our side! We are reminded today that even when trouble seems to have mounted up on every side of us that God is still in the midst of the storm and will see us through… Notice this passage from Chronicles states that He is going to and fro to show himself strong toward those who are perfect toward him!

 

Again, to acknowledge strength, we must acknowledge weakness; this passage is saying that we will see God’s strength when we become weak… You have to turn your situation over to the Lord, stop trying to fight this battle by yourself, stop thinking that you must handle every situation and recognize that God is waiting for you to invite Him in… So many of us say that we are waiting on God, but this passage teaches us that He is waiting in us… He knows your heartache, He sees your pains and is ready to show up mighty if you are willing to show your futility and turn to Him… There are a lot of things that we go through and have lost hope in and God is saying that these situations are so that you can see my power, so that you will understand that I am at work in your life and that these mountains aren’t overtaken by your actions! He is on the scene and waiting for you to turn every situation over to him, turn your house over to him, relinquish your anger, resentment, or envy over to him… Declare today that you can’t make it on your own power and allow him to manifest his strength in the situation!

 

He will show up on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him! I am truly glad today that God looks at our heart and what we have on the inside today… What He is saying is that I know that you have some situations in life and have made some mistakes, but I know your heart is in the right place so I am going to show up and work things out for you anyhow! Surely we all have fallen short (I can attest to that today), we all have walked down the wrong road from time to time, but God is saying if your heart is in the right place, if you are believing in me and trying to adhere to my calling I will make sure that your darkness becomes light, I will transform you and I will bring your through! The eyes of God are upon every situation in your life, instead of complaining acknowledge your weakness and pray His strength in the situation; after all, his eyes are roaming to and fro waiting for a chance to reveal his greatness! Give him a chance today!

 

BE BLESSED!!!

Resist Anxiety And Keep Praying

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

A lot of us may be walking around wondering why God hasn’t answered our prayers; we may even be at a point where we find ourselves wondering if He even heard our prayer which we laid before Him… The answer to this question resides in the verses we focus on in today’s devotional… Despite all the confusion and chaos we find ourselves dealing with directly or indirectly within this world; Paul reminds us that the first step which must be taken in walking according to the will of God is that you do not be anxious about anything... Anxiety a (n) nervousness, unease and apprehension about something which will eventually be a bridle within our minds taking captive our thoughts and the direct steps which we take upon this earth…   When we worry we reach a state of unrest and therefore find ourselves tossing and turning until we either get an answer or resolve the situation on our own… This is not of God and this captivating mental state must be denied within us so that we can clearly see God working through us… There are situations that we all face which do concern us; however, when we walk in faith we pray about them and completely turn them over to the Lord… Doing this keeps us from becoming anxious… Knowing that God has heard us and will step in on His time gives us peace of mind over every situation and stronghold that we encounter… How you handle things outside of your control is the best indicator to the depth of your relationship with the Lord… Jesus through all His life and even through all His persecutions never rushed or tried to speed up the actions of His father… You can say that peace was on Him and dwelt within Him no matter the storm or test that was presented… Remember, in the gospel of John, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” This passage comes as Jesus tells them that He will be going away… Knowing that His death is coming, knowing that sin will be thrust upon His shoulders and knowing that He would be betrayed; Jesus lets the disciples know that He is at peace… His peace is derived from a complete trust and faith in His father’s divine plan… This is the mindset that we all should be trying to achieve in this life; knowing that there are things which are simply out of our control, realizing that not everything will work as we planned, we can still be at peace within ourselves knowing that God has a plan and just like it’s written in Jeremiah, His plan is to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you hope and a future… There are a lot of thing in life that we desire to obtain, a lot of goals that we have set in place to reach and a lot of heights we want to climb in this life… Today, Paul reminds us that having desires are fine, but that we must align our desires with the will and direction of God… Paul starts off todays focus verses by saying that we are not to be anxious about anything; I think we all would agree that we live in a “I want it now” society with a “give it to me now” mindset… This approach to life leads many to turn from the will of God and seek their own way through this difficult journey on earth… The bible is filled with many promises, but the fruition of those promises usually takes years and countless hours to be birthed… The Israelites were told that they would receive the Promise Land, but it took over forty years and a lost generation before they settled in the Land promised by God, Job lost all He had and waited countless days and months before the Lord blessed him with double what he had… Paul was struck with blindness by God on his way to Damascus and for three days could not see… God has made promises of deliverance, victory and blessings to you; however, as a child of God you must be careful to allow His will to unfold in your life…If you decide to inquire of God as to when and/or how these things will come about in your life is fine, but you must also remain faithful in knowing that God doesn’t work on your timetable and that there will be times when you may not receive the response you’re looking for or even get a response from God at all (see Job)… What Paul is teaching today is that trying to do things on your own will lead to more problems and conflicts, we must pray about situations instead of acting of reacting, we must lay our request (petitions) before the Lord instead of moving without His guidance and we must always be thankful… The key to making a request to God is to always be thankful for what He has already done in your life and what He is doing… I make many requests to God; however, I make these requests because of the kindness and faithfulness that He has already shown and I am careful to give Him thanks because of His goodness… You may be making a request to God in the form of deliverance, healing or financial freedom today; however, make sure that you recognize the blessings that God has already bestowed, know that you are blessed to simply be able to go before Him and lay your problems at the foot of his throne… When you are careful to avoid anxiety and make a rash decision you allow God’s plan and will to take affect, when you are pray for God’s guidance He will impart it to you, when you are thankful and recognize His sovereignty than His peace will be bestowed into the situation… This peace will give you comfort to sleep, this peace will allow you to stop worrying, this peace will give you confidence to know that even though things may not be happening according your plan, things are taking place and that God is in the midst… He will guard your heart (keep you out of harm’s way) and your mind (keep you from making bad decisions) as long as you keep your focus on Christ… If you want peace, if you want comfort, focus on Christ and allow God to focus on your problems!

BE BLESSED!!!

Jesus Endure Worse Than You Have

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:3

There is no shortcut to reaching the heights and plateau that God has designed for you; there is no way to circumvent the paths and lanes which were uniquely customized for your feet to travel… In today’s devotional we are reminded that we must focus on our source of strength instead of dwelling on our current problem or situation… There are so many of us who daily find ourselves being caught up in situations to the point that we neglect and negate the power and presences of God… When you find yourself on the verge of throwing in the proverbial towel, when you feel like you are at the end of your rope and can’t say any way out, the author tells you that you must consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners… Remember all the snares, trials and hardships that Jesus faced; remember the heartache and spiritual pain that was firmly thrust upon His shoulders and know that in the end He was victorious… You can draw strength from the Lord by simply reflecting on all that He has done in your life and even before you were born… Jesus fought the good fight over 2000 years ago so that you could see this day; He considered it not robbery to leave His home in glory so that you could one day reside with Him… All these things Jesus did for you and indeed did accomplish them and this alone should provide your source of strength and motivation to do the same… The enemy can only defeat you if you allow Him and the proof of this statement is in the words of Jesus Christ recorded in the 4th chapter of Matthew… Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. The passage from Matthew should serve as a great source of encouragement for the weak and discouraged believer… The devil presented Jesus with choices to try and deter His divine destiny; however, Jesus standing firm on the knowledge of God was able to combat Him and prevail… Today, know that the enemy will present choices in your life; He cannot defeat you, but will try to get you to ultimately be your own worse enemy and thus defeat yourself… Jesus drew strength from the words It is written; you can draw that same strength from Him today and not allow the enemy to overwhelm you to the point that you give up on your divine calling and destiny… All these things which Jesus endured was not only to bring Salvation into reality, it also was to display the Lord’s victory over sin so that you will not grow weary and lose heart… So many of us would have bailed and given up if it were not for the story of Jesus being spoken to us… We would have ran from our calling and not stood in faith if we didn’t know about a man from the town of Bethlehem and how He overcame every device of the enemy to fulfill the prophetic words of old… Jesus opened the door to rekindle our relationship with the father and also left us with a rod of reinforcement to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel… This life is filled with ups and downs; the minute you think you have peace of mind is the same minute you find yourself on the verge of pulling out your hair… There are many trials and tribulations that we are too fast and the word of God declares to us that we are assured to encounter test and opposition… The beginning of the 12^th chapter of Hebrews starts off by saying, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus conquered what people thought was unconquerable (death) and is not sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us… He is a living example that things are not always what they same and even the most trying situations can produce the most fulfilling results… Keep your hand to the plow; the field will produce the harvest which will make the sowing all that more enjoyable…

BE BLESSED!!!

Confession + Prayer = Healing

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16

Problems derive from faults not being confessed or mistakes made being shown through love… Today’s devotion reminds us of the importance confessing one another’s faults to each plays in the processes of healing… There are a lot of people walking around in life with open wounds; these wounds are infected daily because bitterness has not been removed and anger continues to fester like bacteria with oxygen… This same principle applies to the offender and the offended; as the offender, often times we will deny wrong doing which will allow a spirit of pride, self righteousness and an egotistical mindset to be rooted in us and drive us further from the truth… In order to have closure in your life which gives way to healing, you must either acknowledge your wounds or confess your actions which lead to someone being wounded… This acknowledgment must not only take place, but must also be prayed over; this is why James goes on to say that not only must we confess our faults, but that we must pray one for another… Recognizing the mistake you made or the offense that someone committed to you is the first step; however, until you seek a resolution and closure through prayer this issue will not and cannot be resolved… In understanding the importance of prayer, I am lead to reminding you that the issues you face in life are not meant for you to handle but to teach you to turn them over to the Lord… There are so many problems that could’ve been resolved and so many issues that could’ve been handled differently if we gave way to the plan and move of the Holy Spirit… Prayer is essential to being healed because it removes all the infected items (you and the other person) from being involved and thus making the matter even worse… When you carry envy, jealousy, anger and strife; you are infected and will do nothing but infect everything that you come in contact with… Healing can only be found in and through the hands of God… The bible declares that Jesus was presented with a situation after being transfigured before James Peter and John about a boy who as possessed and the disciples were unable to cure him… At the command of Jesus the boy was whole; in their astonishment, the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t heal him, Jesus declared that this could only be done by fasting and prayer… The confession of the need for healing by the father of the possessed boy and the prayer of Jesus led to the transformation of this young man… Today, know that it is through confessing your faults one to another and prayer that you can not only exalt Christ, but can also be healed and made whole... You must pray, but you must also be covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ… As a child of God, one of the most important assignments we have is to lift up one another through prayer and fellowship… We need to be in support of one another in the body and cease gossiping or any kind of malice towards each other! James tells us to confess your faults one to another, confession brings healing, it brings true love and reconciliation; but, we must make sure that we live a life that will allow someone to confess things to us. There is a lot of hurt and pain that often times is bottled up inside someone because they have no one to talk too. As a child of God we have a duty to our fellowman to make sure that we create an atmosphere of love and openness that will bring others to Christ and not have them guarded about what they say towards them! Not only is it important to confess our faults so that we can be lifted up within the body, but we must also remember to pray for each other… The bible tells us that we are to pray without ceasing, we should be constantly in prayer for one to another lifting up the faults that are confessed to us to God and not to other parties through gossip… It is the power of prayer and confession to God that will ultimately bring healing into our lives, when we confess our sins and express our sorrows to others we cause a multitude of people (who we have confessed too) to lift us up in prayer… The bible declares that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much; seek him while he may be found, open your heart to God and know that through Faith he will answer your prayers!

BE BLESSED!!!

Stay The Course; Your Blessing Is Coming

And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

Exodus 23:25

The first step that we must take in walking according to the will of God is to serve Him wholeheartedly… When Moses was given the 10 commandments on mount Sinai, the 20^th chapter of Exodus starts of with these words; And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” This first commandment given to mankind was to make sure that God has priority in your life amongst all other things which may serve as detractors or snares throughout your journey… This first commandment echoes today’s focus verse which calls for us to server the Lord you God… Life is full of decisions; from the time that you open your eyes decisions are being made at a rapid pace… You decide when and/or whether you are going to get out of bed; you decide what to wear and what’s for breakfast… If you have a vehicle to travel in, you decide how fast you want to drive (tickets could be an issue) and how you are going to interact with your co-workers or fellow students… Just about every second we are making decisions and all the decisions that we make carry consequences with them… Today, we are reminded that deciding to serve the Lord unlocks the ability to have all our needs met… Notice that the word of God says He shall bless thy bread, and thy water, but this will happen after we choose to serve the Lord… The blessings that God has prepared for you can only be received when your approach to life isn’t about things of this world but of the things of Christ… There are so many of us being plagued by the visible things in this world that we are missing out on the blessings that God has designed for us… You are caught up with the worldly perspective of what success means and so you find yourself adhering to false pretenses that are depriving you from reaching your God given destiny… The world says that services is a sign of weakness, it is a debilitating position which can produce unwanted comments and insults being hurled toward the person occupying this role… We look down on being a servant when we have the mindset and share the opinions of this world; however, in looking down on services we actually are looking down on God as if we are too good to bow down and get on our knees which in turn is a direct result as to why you aren’t blessed in the manner that you wish you were… The bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God… I reference this scripture to make the point that faith requires an ability to serve… Jesus took the lowest position on earth because of the faith He had in the plan of the father… You can willingly submit and humble yourself before the Lord in service knowing that He will exalt you in due time… In thinking about service, I am so amazed at how much we may reject this ability when in fact our life is filled with serving others… We work a job to serve a duty to the those who employ us and can’t be faithful to God and serve Him when He created us… These instructions given unto the Israelites are instructions that we should adhere to today in our daily walk… First and most importantly, we shall serve the Lord thy God; so many people attend church every Sunday, usually come out to bible study and think that this is serving the Lord! To serve in this since means to give out… Yes you are giving of your time, but are you really giving of yourself! Have you begun to alter you lifestyle, have you made changes in your life to reflect God’s influence and will for your life! If I am attending church, but the church doesn’t live in me than I am not serving the Lord! When we serve we are humble, we honor, we respect and we appreciated the things that God has done and has promised to do… The Lord told the Israelites that He would bless thy bread and water; He said that He would take sickness away from the midst of them… In Christ, you can rest assured that your service in not in vain… The things you do will be rewarded and the actions you take will not go unnoticed… Understand that bread and water are vital to our life; God will supply all your needs (not wants because what you want may not be what you need) according to His riches in glory… Service is a two-way street, when we serve the Lord He in turn serves us… This can be something as small as saying your prayer before you lay down at night and praising God through prayer when you awake, service could be speaking kind words to one another as oppose to tear each other down… When we are in service for the Lord we are honoring His name with our living and in return He honors us with His blessings and compassion…God made several promises to the Israelites, from delivering them out of slavery to giving them a Promise Land flowing with milk and honey… Note the facts of promises that God has made in your life, in the book of Malachi we are told to test the Lord in giving and that when we do, He will shower down blessing upon us, the bible also tells us that we can cast all our cares upon the Lord and that He will deliver us… He has promised to purge you and sanctify you so that you may become the vessel that He molded you into from creation! We must understand today that God hasn’t drop the ball when we look at the standing of this world, God has not abandoned us nor has He made promises that He cannot keep! We have messed up, we have screwed up, and we have tried to take our lives into our own hands! Let us focus now on serving God, praising God and worship God! This is the key to turning our lives around and more importantly, impacting this world and letting everyone know that He reigns forever! If you are sick, serve the Lord… If you are weak, serve the Lord…Those who find themselves in storms, obstacles, hardships, trials and tribulations need to serve the Lord… Your answer can only be found in service for the Lord… The bible says that those who humble themselves shall be exalted; the last shall be first… This means that when we recognize the Lord and submit ourselves to him (service) we will then be lifted up and blessed according to His will and promises…

BE BLESSED!!!

Be Confident In His Word

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek...

Romans 1:16

How much is your faith proclaimed verbally verses being displayed spiritually and physically…? There are a lot of us who put forth great signs of faith when we are around other believers and followers of Christ; however, these same people cower when a situation presents itself for them to stand in faith amongst the darkness within this world… This is the message that is being presented through today’s focus verse, Paul starts off by saying that despite what people may say or dear to even think about Him and His past, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ… You have to have a mindset that people will talk and you just have to stay the course and stand in faith… The bible declares in the 13^th chapter of Matthew a principle that we must apply to our own lives… It is in this text that we must come to know that there are a lot of people in the body of Christ which will not make it to the eternal resting place called heaven… Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. ^“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?^“An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” I reference this scripture just to make the point that the enemy has planted weeds which are sprouting amongst the wheat planted by the Lord and they will be separated when the proclamation of the gospel comes forth…  You can tell wheat from weeds when faith comes into the equation… Wheat says For I am not ashamed while weeds will be manipulated and controlled by their surroundings… The message today is clear, the word of God is the deliverance that paves the way to Salvation in Christ… You have to have the word in you if you want to see the path that God has paved for you…This is why Paul says it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…  You have the ability to unlock endless possibilities in your life… You can’t be ashamed because if you are, you will be subject to confusion and misdirection’s in this life… There are a lot of people who pretend and actually think they can pull the proverbial wool over Gods eyes; Paul makes a declaration today in his letter to the Church of Rome, he says that he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; it saddens me today, because I believe that there are far too many people who are faithful behind closed doors, but silent amongst the people of the world… They have a closet religion, the only time God is praised and honored is when they feel by themselves and that no one else can see them; Paul gives us the reasoning behind why we shouldn’t be hiding our walk with God! He states in this scripture that it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, it is by the word of God and the good news of Jesus Christ’s’ death that we have the ability to live, it is by His offering that we are no longer offered unto death and sin! Christ thought it not robbery to leave His home in glory and take on the form of man, we shouldn’t deny our faith when we understand the He is faithful and has already begun a work in us that He will see completed! The fact that we should be dead right now, the fact that we should have had access to heaven denied and the fact that we are born sinners should be enough to profess your faith in Christ! Knowing that Jesus paved the way should be enough for you to come out of your hiding spot, knowing that He cared for you when no one else did should be enough for you to stop concealing your true worth on the account of others… Through Christ you are free, through Christ you are healed, through Christ you are delivered and the world needs to know your story! The world needs to know that God saved you; the world needs to know that you have a companion, who is closer than any brother or sister that you have ever known; the world needs to hear your testimony of God’s goodness and the light that He has shined upon your life! I know who saved me; I know who never turned His back on me, I know who is always by my side, I know who comes and checks on me in the midnight hour and I know who is coming back to receive me unto Himself and take me back to my eternal home in Glory! If you know the things that have been said today are true, than just as Paul said, we should not be ashamed!

BE BLESSED!!!

It's Only Possible Because Of God

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 

You can do nothing without the power and presence of God…Even though the world declares to us that we can do a lot of things if we apply ourselves, the word of God informs us today that even Jesus Christ had to be anointed and aided by the Holy Ghost in order to do good and heal all that were oppressed of the devil… Notice that that today’s devotion declares that we need the anointing of God not to just perform miracles but simply to do good… Sin is naturally apart of our being, we are filled with filth and a strong desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh… Doing good embodies so many actions of our daily lives; we need the presence of God in our lives to speak kindness amidst gossip and betrayal, we need His anointing to extend a helping hand to our adversary and enemies…When we are of this world we focus on trying to get ahead using whatever means necessary; however, when we are under the anointing of God we have faith that we will reach new heights and are willing to extend a hand to those we pass along the way… We all have probably heard the saying “what would Jesus do” and after reading this question I am left posing the question how did Jesus do it…? How is it they He could allow Judas to kiss Him in betrayal, how could He heal the ear of the guard, how could He keep quite while all the lies were spoken about Him and how could He endure the cross knowing that His life was lived without blame… The answer lies in the words of this passage; God anointed Him and the Holy Ghost guided Him… This same principle must be applied to your life; you won’t be able to do what Jesus did if you don’t have the same in dwelling spirit that He did… In short, you must come to know the Father and allow the father to be within you so that you then can accomplish the most possible on this earth… In the world you will experience some success when displaying a hard work ethic; however, under the anointing of God you will experience great success while working hard and will also be able to  accomplish things that were deemed impossible (miracles being signs of God’s presence in your life)…  Today we understand the power that God imparts within His children; we come to the realization that we have been given a (n) ability to defeat the devil through the power of God’s anointing and Holy Spirit… Acts tells us that God anointed Jesus and He went about doing good and healing the oppressed; the vision of Jesus life was already in place, but now God imparted the tools needed to fulfill His divine destination! We too must understand that God has given us the vision for our lives and He has and will impart within us the tools that we need to succeed… This passage teaches us today that we truly must be under the leadership of the Lord in order to overcome the ways of the devil… Too many of us have tried to take on Satan with our very own hands and have continued to lose the battle, Luke is informing us today that if we want to be victorious our life must line up with the word and will of God! It was the anointing that God gave, the approval that God stamped upon the life of Jesus (from the time of His birth, through His baptism all the way to His resurrection) that not only paved the way to Him sitting on the right hand but also allowing us a chance to inherit Eternal Life… The bible tells us that when Jesus was Baptized the Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove and then the voice of God hidden in clouds said this is my Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased… Shortly after Jesus Baptism the bible says that He was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil… God had given Jesus the mission and the strength to fulfill it, so when tempted of the devil He not only refuted Him, but dismissed him from His presences… When we align ourselves with the will of God we are able to overcome any obstacles that may be presented before us… Paul says “Who can separate us from the love of Jesus…?” He then goes on to say that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…” We can draw strength from Christ because He drew it from God… Every time Jesus went into the wilderness to pray He was being strengthened by God; every time He knelt down in prayer He rose with a little more power within Him, and these times prepared Him for His greatest task, the cross…Let us keep this in perspective today, that we must continue to pray and continue to seek the Lord in all that we deal with, knowing and understand that we draw strength from God to carry out the mission that our lives have been given! There are people who need to see your walk, there are children that look up to you, there are elders that are waiting to smile in the atmosphere of your success and overcoming spirit! So continue to seek Him while He may be found and understand that He is the only way to plow through these trying times and come through on top!

BE BLESSED!!!

God Cares; You'll See In Due Time

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humility is the characteristic that if handled correctly will unlock the divine will and plan of God for your life… I say that it must be handled correctly, because humility can also unlock destruction in chaos in once life if you are humbling yourself to the wrong authority… This is why Peter says Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God; your humility can either be used to promote or tear down and it must be handled carefully… The meek temperament shown through humility allows someone to be molded, shaped or fashioned for a specific purpose… In the beatitudes, Jesus Christ declares “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” When you allow yourself to be molded, you then can be transformed to go to another level in Christ which will in turn open up doors in your life to inherit things that you never thought you would be able to obtain… A meek person is submissive; they are complaint to the authority in their lives and are mild mannered… I can reiterating this point because it is of the utmost importance that we understand how humility unlocks Gods favor but can also lead us down a path of darkness and destruction if we submit to the wrong things… A lot of us become frustrated with the will and plan of God; we don’t see Him moving as we desired and so we find ourselves submitting to the desires of the flesh or of this world…  This is why Peter says that we must first submit to the mighty hand of God and then proceeds to say that this must happen so that he may exalt you in due time… You have to know that just because you submit to the will of God doesn’t mean that He is going to act in your favor or own your behalf right away… So many of us are looking for a big miracle and God is simply paving avenues to your divine destiny which are not bordered in gold… Your faith and humility are stable when your foundation is knowing that God will move in due time… The things of this world which teach that results should be instant do not flow with the design of the very will of God… The bible declares very clearly that “his ways are not our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts…” God has plan being carried out and you must learn today that your humility can not be deterred based on when you see results… Being accountable is the key to experiencing the purpose that God has for your life… Peter says that we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God… The truth of the matter is that we can do nothing on our own, when we try to live according to our own standards and priorities we end up in a world of hurt and pain… God wants you to leave all your thoughts and cares with Him… He wants you to walk around knowing that He can and will take care of you… This is why humility is key, if you aren’t humble than you will never be compliant to the will of God because you will try to handle every situation on your own… When you are humble, things roll off your back because you take them to the Lord and leave them there… Look at your life and the results that you have seen when it comes to choices that you have made without seeking the guidance of the Lord… In acts of humility we recognize that we need Gods help and that we are full of flaws and mistakes… God will deliver you, but you must be accountable to admit that you need deliverance… Once we accept that humbling factor, we must have enough faith to not give up when situations aren’t changed or corrected in the time in which we desire… How strong is your faith? Think about it as we examine these scriptures taken from 1 Peter the 5^th chapter… The fact of the matter is that God knows what you stand in need; He sees your aches, your valleys, and your mountains! He knows all to well the course of rocky plains and hurdles that lay before you, the question is do you truly believe that? To humble yourself is to sacrifice your focus and shift to the authority of another! Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God; go through the trials and tribulations, face the storms that rage and intensify knowing through Faith that God is with you, knowing that trials come and serve purposes in our lives and as the psalm writer said, believe that “we will understand it better by and by…” There will be many things that don’t make sense, many problems that we don’t want to face, but it is through these circumstances that God is asking the first question, how strong is your faith? Before you can be blessed, God must be assured that you are ready, before you can be exalted God must be assured that you are ready for exaltation! He must be assured that you are accountable to your own sins and know that He is the way, the truth and the light… Growing involves growing pains, maturing involves spiritual and physical adjustments… We were made in His image, and He is trying to bring His image out since it has been clouded by our own desires! You will be exalted in due time, your breakthrough is coming, your victory is assured, and your triumph has been ordained under the heavens! So don’t become weary, don’t give up, don’t settle, but press toward the mark, hold your head up, and keep the faith! Cast all your cares on the Lord, when your struggling, Pray; when your hurt, Pray; when your back is against the wall, Pray, when you feel alone or isolated, Pray…. Cast all your cares upon him. Everything that is on your mind take it to the Lord in prayer, knowing that He hears you, but more importantly, believing that He will step in, in DUE TIME!!!

BE BLESSED!!!

Everyone Man Shall Behold His Glory

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:4-5

Every stumbling block you face in your life is guaranteed to become a stepping stone when you walk according to the will and plan of God… As a child of God we have to have the mindset that trouble will arise; however in and through it we will not only come out, but we will be better than we were when we first went in… The word that came to Isaiah informs us today that Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…  A valley is a low area of land usually found between a hill or mountain; on the other hand, a hill is a raised area of land (a mountain being a little higher than a hill)… I clarify these things to make the point of what Isaiah is saying to us today, the things in your life that appear in one form will be flipped and transformed into another form when you walk by faith and not sight… There are areas of you life that you think are low points and God wants you to know that He can lift; there are situations that you face which you think cannot be conquered because they are to high and steep, the word of God for you today is that He can make them manageable so that you can cross over… No situation is too hard for our God; even when things seem to be spiraling out of control in your life, know that the crooked shall be made straight… The things you face in life are challenging you to display your faith and not just speak about it… This is why we are assured to have trials and tribulations, hardships and despair… There is a greater work being performed in the midst of the storm you face and you can maintain your standing in Christ by knowing that the glory of the Lord shall be revealed… For something to be revealed, it must first be concealed… The things in your life that are concealing your destiny and God’s grace are serving the purpose of setting the stage for you and the hand of God to be revealed in the lives of others… Despite how daunting this Christian journey may appear to be, there is good news for you and I to hold on to… There are many people of this world who appear to be succeeding and many phases of life, many who don’t walk according to the will of God; however, they seem to be living life to the fullest… Isaiah informs us today that we must be careful not to get caught of in the way things appear or seem to be because “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” God is revealed in the most uncertain situations, it’s when you know that you can’t handle it or that you don’t have the authority over it that God is revealed in and through it… This is how the beauty and majesty of the Lord is revealed in your life… You face valleys, hills, mountains and crooked paths so that you know and others see that God is the only one, who can transform, lift and overcome… Make no mistake about it; in the end, God will be exalted… Everyone will come to know your path and see how God has kept you and secured you… His glory is revealed when people come to know that it wasn’t anything that you did, but the grace and mercy that God deposited in your life that has been your crutch… There are times in life when circumstances aren’t what you desire them to be; situations that seem unfair and unjust; times when the trials and tribulations, the storms and rain just are too much to even comprehend. Again, this passage taken today informs us that the glory of the Lord will be revealed. This is encouraging to me because I firmly believe that God has our best interest at heart, He never said that the road would be easy, but He did say that His glory would be revealed. That means that we will behold His majesty, we will see His omnipotence and feel His favor. Some things take place in your life so that you will understand that only God can deliver you, some things happen so that you will increase in faith in the Lord. This text tells us that all flesh will see it, those who persecute you will see His goodness; those who rob you of your joy will see His mercy upon you; all this will come to fruition simply because as Isaiah says, “…the Lord hath spoken it…” There will be dark days where people will see your sorrows, but know that this is the time where God is manifesting His will, this is the time that He is instilling His plan, this is the time where He makes sure that His name is exalted by your deliverance…, Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” What God is saying through the prophet today is that we don’t mourn as a people without hope, what God is saying is that you should consider it pure joy whenever you face trials and tribulations… What God is saying today is that your trials allow people to see His glory! Sometimes the trials that you face aren’t meant for you, but you have to go through them so that you may show others your faith and God may show the world His faithfulness… He said He would never leave you nor forsake you; God said it, I believe it and that settles it!!!

BE BLESSED!!!

Trials Are Vital To Your Growth

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 5:3-5

It is easy for a Christian to boast about the goodness of Jesus when things are well in their respective lives, it’s easy for them to share their joy with others who are down or sad when they feel the presences of God in their lives; however, through today’s devotional we are reminded of the greatest ministry that we have which is developed through our trials and tribulations… Understand today that the same joy we experience in the sunshine we must display and experience in the rain… So many of us claim to be about the work of the Lord, but in crunch time when the sweat begins to come forth we don’t keep our hands to the plow… This message today serves as a reminder that you can’t have one without the other… You can’t love Christ and not obey His commands; you can’t seek His face and not seek His will… This is why Paul writes this chapter in his letter to the Church of Rome; the message of Christ had gone forth, but the toiling and persecution was not accepted… This same principle is what plagues the church of today… We want the cake, but we don’t want to be in the kitchen to bring all the ingredients together… We want the end result, but not the beginning equation… Look at the first part of these verses, Paul says, “And not only so…” There’s so much joy experienced when one turns their life over to Christ, there is a newness felt within that cannot be put into words and the greatest artist of all cannot even begin to imagine and put to a canvass the speechless feeling that one gains when they now know they are now co-heirs with Christ… In the midst of this uncontrollable bliss, Paul wants us to remember that there is a marriage in the body of Christ that binds the grace of God with the trials and tribulations of the world… These two are inseparable and it’s simply all or nothing… So many of us spend our days trying to experience the grace of God without the persecutions that come with the grace and therefore we find ourselves trying to tip top through life and never walk by faith… The faith you need to please God is lacking in our life which will then lead you to enduring more through your storms and not getting more out of them… Paul says that we glory in tribulations also; you must have a mindset which will take on the hardest obstacle and steepest mountain because of your trust and faith in Christ… Look at the passage, Paul is speaking about having glory amidst hardships and tribulations; He is referring to the individual deal with the storm and how you display yourself in the rain… Glory is beauty, splendor, brilliance or fame; there are some people in your life that need see your beauty in splendor when you go through stuff and not just when you feel comfortable and there is no storm in your current forecast… When you walk in faith your splendor will be evident no matter what you face… You thank God when things are God and praise Him for learning when you go through a test… This is why Paul says we glory in tribulations also: knowing… Your glory can been seen through all the clouds of life when you have faith in God knowing that the storms you face will not over take you but are preparing you for your next level or phase of life… The key to your beauty, the key to your smile, the key to your joy is found in knowing… When you know that God loves you, you don’t fret about the situation or the circumstances of tomorrow, when you know God loves you, you can embrace the most disgusting and ugliest of situations, when you know that God loves you, you can see the ray of hope in the rain and the light at the end of what appears to be a dark scary tunnel… You can accept the course of life which prevents challenges and changes, not because you love a test, but because you love God and know that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us… You are not enduring this rough time or dark situation on your own… The GPS (God’s Plan of Salvation) will lead you and give you the turn by turn directions that you need to arrive to your divine destination safely… James tells us that we should consider it pure joy whenever we face trials and tribulations… We have to acknowledge that fact that we must go through growing pains and hardships in order to reach the plateau which Christ has called us too… Jesus told us to keep in mind that they hated him first, you will be hated on, you will be abused, scorned, mocked, and insulated; but, the greatest testimony you can have is to cling to God’s unchanging hand and know that you are on a road to victory! Jesus endured the most humiliating hardships known to man; the cross, but just as a sheep before his shearers he never said a mumbling word… Let us maintain our joy, stay encouraged and remember that each trial you face serves a purpose in your life… The love of God has been shed on your life, it will cover you, keep you, and sustain you until he returns… The word says He will never put more on us than we can bare, the focus should be on the fact that we each have to bare a load and not that we presume this road to be easily traveled!

BE BLESSED!!!

Don't Be Afraid; Trust In God

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-3

The enemy has launched a (n) all out assault on your divine destiny… He wants to fulfill the passage of scripture in John 10:10 where Jesus says that the enemy cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy… The ultimate goal and plan of Satan is no secret to the true believer of Jesus Christ; however, many of us fall short because we don’t recognize the ways and forms that the enemy will take on to accomplish his goals… We know that he is attacking us, but we don’t recognize the way in which he is coming… The Israelites found themselves dealing with this principle from the time they were lead out of Egypt to the prophetic years of Isaiah… The children of God had to be reminded that the same God that delivered them before will deliver them now… Instead of giving in to the outlook of things, they are reminded to draw water out of the wells of salvation… Several times the enemy bogged down their minds with so much that they begin to defy God and act in disobedience; the message of today’s devotional is to accept the unacceptable (God’s will), be submissive to the unimaginable (God’s plan) and not cower in fear because of the appearance of your current circumstances… The things that you face upon this earth each and every day are not to mislead you or destroy you but to give you a testimony and a song to sing… Isaiah calls to our remembrance today the fact that even though the battle may be intense, the love of God and the plan of salvation that He has for your life will win… Sing your song today and let the devil know that God is my salvation, serve notice to the land that the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song… All the enemy can do is try to get you to neglect the power and plan that God has and will bestow in your life if you follow Him… There are a lot of us that fall into the trap of forgoing our destiny because of the appearance of situations in our lives… The loss of a job, the death of a relative and/or in financial difficulties; all these things can have someone so bogged down that they forget who their salvation is derived from… The same grace that provided you a job, the same grace that allowed you to experience that warm embrace from a loved one and the same grace that provided stability in your finances will always be there… Take a moment to reflect back on your life to this point… Think about the decisions that you have made the consequences you faced and the hills and valley’s that you have been through and overcome… Isaiah reminds us today that we can’t make it on our own, we are not able to overcome within our own power and if we continue to live this life according to our abilities we will end up never reaching the potential that is there through the eyes and might of God… Isaiah says “God is my salvation…” The choice is yours, either you will walk according to the will of God or you will walk according to your own standards… Isaiah understood that captivity was on the horizon, bondage was approaching, sleepless nights were imminent and days of sorrow were assured… We too must come to the realization that not every day will be what we expect, not every situation will play out exactly as we desire, and that there will be times of confusion and isolation… The Israelites went through hundreds of years of bondage, but were brought forth praising and honoring God, you will go through adversity, but if you know that God is your salvation, if you know His wells run deep and nothing of this world can break His foundation than you are able to sing a new song in the midst of adversity, you able to sing a new song in the midst of trials because you know that when you draw from His deep wells you will be that tree planted by the rivers that shall not be moved… These are the words that should embody our walk with Christ! Isaiah reminds us today that we don’t need to be afraid; he reminds us that we have a song to sing, he reminds us that we can draw strength in the time of weakness! Paul said “when I am weak then I am strong for your grace is sufficient!” Paul later wrote that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Isaiah knows today who is in control, he remembers who touched him in his vision with the live coals and sent him on his way! Let us remember who has brought us this far, let us remember who has become our salvation, and let us continue to run this race, knowing that it isn’t given to the swift (we don’t need to be in the fast lane) but to those who endure (don’t give up) and hold to His unchanging hand! When you thirsty, you can draw from His well; not only will you be quenched, but the water of God will give you the strength to run and faint… When you know He’s your strength and your salvation, you can draw from Him with joy as Isaiah says; the enemy says that weakness is failure; however, God says your weakness is power… So don’t feel bad when you can’t handle things on your own, you were never meant to in the first place…

BE BLESSED!!!

Learn To Keep Your Promises

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

We all have heard the saying that “talk is cheap”, today Solomon reminds us that to renege on your word is the biggest sin you can commit! Every day you make a promise, if you are going to work (your boss expects you to come in on time), if you are attending a class you are expected to be there promptly, and these are unwritten promises that one vows when you accept the task that is put before you… Solomon teaches us today that we must honor our word and commitments, too often people say things that they can’t live up to and eventually place themselves in harm’s way for failure and eventually leave someone else disappointed! Think about how you felt when someone wronged you by not keeping the promise or vow that they made! You feel betrayed, you feel deceived, and let down. When it is all said in done, the only thing that a man really has in this life is his word, when that is removed so is he…. Now that we understand the importance of vows, we can surely understand why Solomon tells us that God takes no pleasure in a fool… God desires your best; He doesn’t want to hear excuses and will not be bogged down by them. Your commitments to Him will be called into account and you will have to answer to them in your day of judgment! God spoke this world into existence; He breathed the breath of life into our lungs and formed us in His image… All power resides within His hands and all things are maintained because of His goodness… Understanding this lets me know the importance of keeping vows to the Lord if we decide to make them… God knows the future and can allow anything to happen as He ordains… Think about where we would be if Jesus got on the cross, but decided not to die, think about where we would be if God saw His son in anguish and decided to pull the life-line away from us! Broken promises can end lives and destroy dreams literally; they can scar people and cause a lot of negative thoughts to be formed about the character of individuals… So remember to keep your word (especially to God)!  

BE BLESSED!!!

Jesus Taught Us How To Live

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 

The word of God declared in the Old Testament that a savior would come, that He would pay our debt of sin and redeem us unto a path of salvation through His death as the ultimate sacrifice! Since the beginning of time, the Jews have been waiting for a savior, they have been sitting and pondering the very day that Christ would come to this earth… The bible declares here in John that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the savior has already come, He has already paid sin’s penalty and He currently sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf and patiently awaiting His triumphant return when we shall be caught up in the air to meet Him… The word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, it serves as a compass to reach our spiritual heights and comfort when we stumble along the way, the word is our encouragement to maintain our Faith and the source of strength to overcome every obstacle that we face, Jesus embodies all these things for us… He came to show us how to walk, how to live according to God’s commands and laws, He came to pave the way for us to come back into fellowship and truth within the knowledge of God… He took on the form of man so that we can have a (n) example in the flesh of how we should desire to walk! He came in the flesh to instruct us at our level of how we can reach the Promised Land, and He came in the flesh to resurrect our possibilities of having eternal life! John says that “we beheld His glory”; we saw His love when He was strung out on the cross, we knew He was the only begotten son when He cried out and sought the forgiveness of us all. He is full of grace and truth, grace was dispensed when He thought it not robbery to leave His home and glory, grace was dispensed when He never said a mumbling word, grace was dispensed when He took the lashes to His back… The truth was revealed when He rose with all power in His hands, the truth was revealed when He appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room, the truth was revealed when the gospels were recorded and Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you and I… The word was made flesh when He offered himself for us, it dwelt among us when He died for us even while we were still in sin; Christ has already come, and He has already fulfilled His purpose on this earth as far as conquering sin! Many people refer to the Bible as (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) and that is a very accurate assessment; however, let us live by these instructions understanding that the next time Christ comes; we will leave this place and be called home to be with Him in glory! The instructions were written by the prophets; Jesus acted them out on this earth, now the ball is in our court to be prepared for His return!

BE BLESSED!!!

Sometimes It's Better To Shut Up

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29

When I was a little child I can recall how often my father would instruct me to think before I speak… Even though I never really paid his instruction in mind, today I have come to know and understand what exactly he meant… Words are powerful, the things that we speak can produce seeds of abundance or failure in one’s life; this is why James writes in the 3^rd chapter of his book of the importance in taming our tongue… In this chapter he says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ...” Your tongue has the ability to transforms lives or tear them down, your tongue has the ability to reap corruption or alter the atmosphere; because of the power that lies in it’s use, we are reminded today that we must not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth… When I read this passage there are two points that jump out to me; either you think before you speak or you need to just learn to shut up… Through today’s devotion we learn the importance of control our tempers and not allowing any crack or crevice to be created so that the enemy can manipulate his way into our lives and situations through a bit of anger within us… There are many verses in the bible that deal with anger; however, to become angry is not a sin… Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” You can and will become anger (even Jesus became anger), but the key is not allowing your anger to be vented and the easiest way to keep this from happening is controlling the things that come out of your mouth… Paul writes to the church of Ephesus today and instructs them about how to conduct themselves in their relationships with other people… All of us have a boiling point, a height of anger or rage in which we will lose our minds and be careless with the things that are spoken out of our mouths! Our patience’s has been pushed to the brink of the cliff and we just can’t bite our tongue any longer; we have tried to be kind but it just seems like different words must be used to address this person and resolve this conflict… Paul tells us today that we should not let any unwholesome talk come from our mouths; we should be about building each other up and not trying to tear each other down. When you speak to someone in love, this directly displays the love that lives inside of you; on the contrary, when you allow unwholesome talk to come from your mouth you really are putting forth a public display of how ugly you are inside… This is why Paul reminds the church that unwholesome talk is not acceptable… How can you lead someone to Christ if you are talking in a way that will allow their paths to be blurred…? How do you expect others to come to church and join in the fellowship when you run down all those people who you turn around and smile in the midst of…? The things that come out of you are the things that defile you, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” There are people who you are assigned to encounter on a daily basis and they cannot see Christ in you if profanity and unwholesome talk is coming out of you… This is the problem that has plagued the church for quite some time, we speak one thing and display another… Understand that you are called to a higher standard and that means that you must display yourself in a higher realm of Christ daily… This is why Paul goes on to say that only things that should come out of you are things that are helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen… When we engage in unwholesome talk, we are in essences placing ourselves on the same level of a fool. We are allowing Satan to corrupt our thoughts and distract us from bringing a positive spin on a negative point… People will always talk about you, they will always say things that you may not agree with or may be hurt by, but the ultimate sign of a true Christian is not your response in words to the accusations, but how you flip this trial so that God receives glory and honor. Isaiah 53:7 says,” He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The bible says that when Jesus was on trial He remained silent, when people hurled insults He remained focus to the goal at hand and was able to not only complete His task but also bring glory to His father and become victorious… We don’t stoop to other peoples level because all it does it keeps us from reaching the level God wants us to get too… People are watching you, they are observing your walk and how you handle various situations, show them the God in you and the not the side of you that is still a work in progress… Bottom line, think before you speak and if that doesn’t work just shut up…

BE BLESSED!!!

Stay The Course

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Psalm 11:7

Everyday that you see displays God’s justice in your life, He hasn’t let the enemy just trample over you nor has He turned His back on you… The love that God has for you should ignite your faith and take your relationship with Him to another level… When you feel as though you can’t overcome, when you feel like life is unfair, remember that God is with you, He’s standing by and His love for fairness has touched you and awaken you this morning… This is the reason why you have seen another day, this is the reason why you can see the sunshine and feel the wind blowing; God has been fair to you… He knows that you were designed to succeed; He knows that you were designed to reach supernatural heights and He wants to give you every opportunity possible to walk in your divine calling… When Jeremiah was called to speak the word of God look at what takes place in this passage; the 1 chapter verses 4-10 read as follows, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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. ” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” God continues to call us no matter our age or location, Jeremiah was known of God before He was formed… God already knew you, He already devised a plan for you and this is why He loves justice; no matter how you may feel or even be led to think, the call that God has on your life will trump the chains that the enemy has placed over you… Jeremiah thought that he was too young, but God said I am with you and will rescue you; this same principle applies to us today, we have things that may appear to disqualify us in this life... We may feel as though we are inadequate and cannot overcome certain limitations, if you feel like that today just know that God has brought you to this point so that He can take you through it… Just keep the faith and hold to His unchanging hand; after all, when you walk upright you are guaranteed to see his face as the psalmist proclaims… In reading this passage of scripture I cannot help but begin to examine the life of the writer and how it foreshadows the foundational principle that we are called to obtain through this passage… We all know the story of David and how his life was filled with many errors and failures; we know wall about the ups and downs that he endured and even the consequences of his actions which literally tore his family apart… No matter how many failures that occurred in the life of David, the penning of this psalm allows us to understand the magnitude of the love that God has for us… David was called a man after God’s own heart… It wasn’t that David was perfect, but that God knew the desires that were within Him… Today, know that God looks beyond the surface, He knows your desires and you can find comfort in knowing that even though you make mistakes He continues to wipe the slate clean, teach you through discipline and plant your feet back on course… The heart of David is what God honored and therefore judged him accordingly, no matter how many times you mess up; make sure that your heart is in the right place… This is not to say that sin is acceptable, but rather that God will not judge you according to your sin but the intentions that led to your actions which were developed in your heart… The enemy wants you to become so ensnared with your failures that you don’t see God’s sifting taking place in you… Every mistake can be learned from and used as a stepping stone, when you have this approach to life then you will be able to see the very face of God… You will begin to see God move in your life, you will begin to see God open up doors before you and you will be able to recognize truth (which is his righteousness) verse false (which the snares and traps of the enemy)…. The Lord wants nothing more than to have you in the fold, make sure that your heart is aligned with His righteousness and you are assured to get there…

BE BLESSED!!!

He Wants You

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Psalm 50:10-11

This psalm is penned by Asaph who was a young priest from the tribe of Levi, when David brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem… Asaph served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign, and no doubt set to music, many of the Psalms that God gave David. He was in Jerusalem when God gave David the great promise that David would have a son who would be the Messiah, and reign forever. This background provides a seg-way into today’s devotion which speaks to the love of God in the midst of our filth and corruption… There is nothing on this earth that doesn’t belong to the Lord… This is a (n) encouraging word for us today which should remind us that the course we travel should be aligned with the will of God… Asaph, the psalmist who penned today’s devotion scripture was a man that observed many things throughout the life that God allowed Him to live… As I stated earlier, through David’s reign and growth, Asaph was their as his music director and was vital in several of the psalms penned by David himself… Having observed the very life of David, seeing the good days and the bad, Asaph pens these scriptures which we study today… Everything of this earth belongs to the Lord, you are a vessel formed from His hand, carved by His words and designed for His purpose; however, just like many creatures created by God, we have decided to walk according to our own desires and plans… I clarify your design in the eyesight of God to inform you today that God doesn’t desire your sacrifices but your obedience… The Lord wants you to know that every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, because He wants you to tune you ear to the fact that He desires more for your life… Slaughtering a bull, lamb, sheep or goat is not what God desires from you since they belong to Him anyway… How would you feel if all the hard work you put into your job was paid with something that you created in the first place? You desire more from your job than just to receive what you have put into it and the same can be said of God… This is why Samuel the prophet asked the question “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” This passage reminds us today that it’s your obedience to the will of God which is what the Lord desires from you; it’s not about the sacrifice of an animal but the sacrifice of yourself to Him… I believe the words recorded hear from Asaph are confirmed some several hundred years later by the apostle Paul when he declared in the 12 chapter of his letter to the Church of Rome, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Our lives can truly be abundant if we only learn to serve… The Lord can make rock cry out to Him if He so desires, but yet He still has focused on loving you despite your lack of love for Him… This is why this passage is so powerful; the Lord is speaking through these words to His children informing them that He isn’t worried about what they can give to Him on the outside, but that they love Him on the inside… So many of us can learn a valuable lesson concerning love from this particular passage… We think that material things register as acts of love, when in reality love brings actions by itself… Just because you bring a bull doesn’t mean you love God (referring to our focus passage today), when you seek to deny your earthly flesh and consecrate yourself to His purpose and plan, then the Love you have for Him is on its greatest display… This same principle applies to our daily lives, don’t display your love when you make a mistake, display it when you try to turn from that wrong path in the first place… Show the love that you have for God by devoting time to Him daily and not just when you are in need of forgiveness or a breakthrough… God is in control of everything on this earth with the exception of your heart… He can change the seasons, provide rain for the earth or famine in the land, but you He cannot force to love Him… This is why He declares today the wild beasts of the field are mine… He created you in His image, but unlike the beast of the field and the fowl of the air He has given you a free will to make choices in this life… The Lord is disappointed when you have to offer a sacrifice that is not of your own will… Every time you offer something materialistic He wants you to know that He is waiting for you to offer your heart… He wants to mold you, He wants to protect you and He wants to exalt you; however, you must desire a better life, you must come to the realization that there is more to life than just what you see and call upon His name… This is why, through all His mess David was able to proclaim that “a broken and contrite heart thou will not despise…” In all his mess, David was a called a man after God’s own heart not because He was perfect, but because His desire was to please the father not with gifts but with His life… In a nutshell, it’s about your heart…

BE BLESSED!!!

Walk In His Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

Jesus informs us in the gospel of Matthew chapter 15 verse 11 that, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” I share this passage of scripture as we examine today’s focus verse because we must understand the importance of what resides within us… There are a lot of people walking this earth with bitterness and are unhappy simply because the enemy has taken up residence within them… These people are never satisfied even when they get the things they desire because their callous heart still yearns for more… Today, if you want to have peace in your life, if you want to have unspeakable joy or if you simply want to learn to be content with the things surrounding you, Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly… The word of Christ is the key to your happiness, contentment and peaceful existence… If the word of Christ is not in you than the darkness which you were born in still resides and therefore the seeds that sprout in your life will do nothing more than to feed the corruption that is already present… Notice that this is not just about thinking positive thoughts, but rather having the word of Christ; you must establish a personal relationship with the Lord, you must choose to totally submit your life to His divine will and plan and you must seek His face and no the approval of your peers… There are a lot of us still seeking the approval of our fellowman and yet we wonder why it is that we are unhappy… Paul goes on to explain to us today how we know when the word of Christ is dwelling in us; your attitude you’re your speech will be altered when Christ is dwelling within you… Instead of putting one another down, instead of gossiping and trying to step on one another to get ahead you will find yourself speaking life in the midst of death and providing light in the darkest situations…. When Christ is in you, His word will be displayed and spoken out of you… The same people who use to become defensive at your words will find themselves receiving your words in kindness knowing that your heart belongs to God… When we have a nasty attitude living within it can’t help but rear its ugly head on the outside, the same can be said about being in Christ… Your life is built upon chooses; you must make several decisions in your life and this fact is the foundation of this particular scripture… The word of Christ dwelling in you is a choice that must be made by a person and not something that is just planted on its own… The parable of the sower and the seed speaks to the different kinds of soil which the seed feel upon; based on the soil, the seed either grow and have a full life or was up rooted before it even had a sturdy foundation… The soil of your life is your decision; the steps you take and the moves you make display the type of soil you have… When the seed falls on your landscape, it’s entirely up to you as to whether or not it grows and brings forth fruit… The good soil will bring about healing in a relationship, order in a household and apologizes in the workplace; the good soil takes hold of the seed planted and allows it to grow in the midst of it… So, how is your seed doing? We all have a seed; however, how we act in this daily life displays whether it is taking root and growing or not… Understand today that in this passage Paul instructs us that there is a right and wrong way to address problems or conflicts… We all have seen a lot of situations in life that have been escalated far beyond the necessary realm of the actual weight that the conflict holds… We have seen situations get blown out of proportion and feelings and friendships be ended! Paul teaches us today that the word of God is not just what you hear in church, but it should be the very words that come from your lips, despite the fall that someone has taken or the choice that was made which damaged or offended you, we must be able to speak the words of Christ in wisdom…You must appreciate the situation that you encounter, understand the other side of the story and seek a resolution that will not tear down but will reinforce. When you are wronged you are being tested, to see if you are truly as godly as you say you are… Don’t let burdens be carried that should have been buried; likewise, don’t allow the devil to destroy God’s appointment in your life to bring someone out of darkness into his marvelous light… Stay focused! The bible records, “let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, you are my strength and my redeemer…” AMEN

BE BLESSED!!!