God Is My Salvation

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 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 key to your walk upon this earth is the trust that you carry within your heart… There will be several storms in your life, many situations which will test you; however, you must stand strong in your faith, trusting God and having the assurance that He will be glorified through it and you will be exalted because of it… This journey is not about avoiding the enemy but rather overcoming him… The tribulations and hardships that you face are not to break you but to affirm the strength of God in your life… 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 word of God does not tell you that the days of this earth will be peaceful and abundant; the bible doesn’t say that trouble will be non-existent or that joy will be experienced at every turn of your life… This is why Isaiah starts off by saying, Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid… There are things in your life which are strategically put in place by the enemy to bring fear upon you… 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 embrace 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… 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…”  I am reminded of the song, on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand! I understand who my source of strength is, I realize who has the whole world in the palm of his hand and I know that my savior lives! It is because He lives that I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone… 

I will sing to the Lord a new song, because love lifted me, I will sing His praises because he brought me out of the mire and clay, He placed my feet on solid ground and therefore will I always be filled with joy at the mention of His name! I will draw my focus from His wells, I will draw my confidence from His wells, and I will draw my endurance from His wells and will not allow this world to change my heart and thoughts concerning Him! He is my shield in buckler, He is the lily of the valley, and He is the bright and morning star! 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. 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 not faint…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Breakthrough Is Coming

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Malachi 4:2

I know that it’s very difficult to comprehend; at times it may feel as though you will not be able to make it or overcome, the verse taken from the book of Malachi teaches us today that God will show up and show out… You may feel like your life is fruitless and without accolades; however, we are reminded today to keep our faith and trust in the Lord for a breakthrough is coming your way… When people appear to be moving faster than your faith, keep revering His name… When you feel dejected and ready to throw in the towel, just know that “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings…” Jesus was persecuted and appeared to lose; however the death on the cross produced His greatest ministry… Today, know that you will be persecuted, but in your most troubling days your ministry will be that much more intense and exalted…  God knows that walking under His guidelines subject you to many obstacles and hardships that are thrust upon you or in your path by the ways of this world… The Lord realizes that every time you choose to follow Him you run the risk of losing friends and having sleepless nights; however He wants us to find encouragement in today’s study verse knowing that we will run free in victory and overcome the storms we face… This first starts by saying, “But for you who revere my name…” We must stay the course and revere (honor, respect and admire) the name of the Lord… Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” No matter what you face or what opposition comes before you, stand upon the promises of God and trust Him knowing that when you revere His name He will protect and keep you… 

Malachi goes on to inform us that the sun of righteousness will rise again, there is a day marked on the eternal calendar, an hour when the clouds will part and Jesus will return unto this earth… When the sun goes down darkness covers the earth; this very principle is one that we must apply today knowing that dark has covered the earth… If we understand that He will rise again we must understand that things must appear to have fallen first; situations must seem to be insurmountable, trials must seem unconquerable, sin must feel too tempting and Satan must appear to be winning… During the days of Noah there were many who walked by him mocking him while he built the ark, their were many laughing and being merry while he appeared loony and out of his right mind, but when the floods came upon the earth we know who survived and who perished; likewise, in Christ we appear to be loony from time to time, we appear to people of this world to not know “how to have a good time,” but we eagerly await the sun’s rise knowing that we will be victorious and exalted… Understand that our hope may not be evident in the present sufferings that we may be encountering right now; see Malachi reminds us today that in revering God we patiently await His return and our rescue from this world of sin… We all have been enslaved at one point in time in our lives… We have been imprisoned by our bad choices, locked up behind our fleshly desires, and hindered by our own transgressions… We have been scared by yesterday, and our light has grown dim when looking into the future. It seems that nothing can come of a positive in our lives. There is good news today for those who revere the Lord, those who serve Him in spirit (within) and in truth (through circumstances)… 

That good news is that through Christ death we no longer are captives to sin. We have the key to our destiny, the choice is up to us and we can choose to learn from our mistakes instead of allowing our mistakes to control us. The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. Christ has risen with all power on earth and in heaven; He has everything that you stand in need up. He is your shield through the fiery darts; He’s your comforter in times of loneliness, He’s your healer in times of sickness, and your deliverer in times of confusion and chaos. Christ came first to pave the way to God and when He left he went to prepare a place for us… When He returns (rises again) He will escort us into His kingdom and Sabbath will have no end… We revere Him because He first loved us, we revere Him because He looked beyond our faults, and we revere Him because He has deposited Grace and Mercy into our lives… It is because of Christ healing that we are even alive and reading this message, it’s because of His sacrifice that we will be able to leap like calves released from the stall. The stall is your current circumstance, your stall is the way you feel when you don’t think things can get better, your stall is the ceiling that has been placed in your life when you think that you can’t go any higher… Your stall is limitations, but when you know the one and only true God, when you understand who is the author and finisher of your faith, you will be able to hold to God’s hand, you will be able to keep your joy through sorrow and suffering! For there is healing in His wings, He has heard your cry, He has understood your moans and He will deliver you from your current bondage (stall) unto the eternal Promise Land!

 
ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is All You Need

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Isaiah 55:1

This verse written by the prophet Isaiah speaks to the fact that God doesn’t desire your monetary riches but you and your humility; through the prophet Isaiah the Lord says he that hath no money; come ye… God has open the door to your transformation, He has given you a chance to overcome the mistakes of yesterday to inherit a bright future without condemnation, pain or suffering… This is not to say that you will not go through tough times; however, this simply lets you know that your later will outweigh your former and the suffering you endure will not compare to the richest you receive in and through Him…Understand today that the debt we enter under once born into this world can never be paid by our own riches and abilities… The sin that fills our hearts from our youth can never be purged by our own hands and eternal death awaits all mankind… Isaiah writes this passage today informing us of the greatest gift that has ever been and will ever be offered to us Salvation… There is nothing we can do on this earth that will save us, nothing that we can obtain as far as material possessions or financial wealth that will open the door to eternal life and the sooner we realize the sooner we can really begin to live in the form that God created us too… Your life has significance, you are unique, you are beautiful and you have a path that was paved just for you… I say that because many of us have begun to think less of ourselves, we have allowed the enemy to tell us that we are worthless, that nothing good can come from us and that our fate is sealed; however, Isaiah wants you to know that if you thirst you can drink, if your hungry you can be feed and all this is possible through the offering that Christ paid out on Calvary… 

When I was a little boy I remember how often I wanted different toys and how disappoint I was if I wasn’t able to get them… Each toy that I wanted would bring a temporary happiness, I would play with them for maybe a couple of days, maybe a couple of months but soon I was ready for the next thing advertised on the television… Even though I got a lot of things that I wanted, I never really took the time to think about how much each item cost… Now that I am a (n) adult I find myself weighing my desire for something with the cost that will incur to get it… We have in our minds that there is always a cost to happiness… There is a cost associated with the nice car you want, there is a cost associated with the nice house you would like to live in; however, Isaiah speaks to us today of a happiness that cost us nothing more than a life style change… Isaiah wants you to know that happiness can be found without shelling out funds your pocket… Salvation is free, no strings attached, no hidden fees or agenda’s… In the middle of this passage, Isaiah says “…and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat…” God wants to fill you when you’re empty… He wants to provide for you when you don’t have anything and He wants to be there for you when no one else is… We see the desire that God has; however, you must take the time to know that God truly loves you… Stop denying yourself because of what you don’t have… Stop giving the enemy authority over your life because of what you wish could be changed and start learning and listening to the word God has given for all to hear… His word is that you can come as you are; His word is that you don’t have to have anything in your hand and His word is that all who will call upon Him shall be saved… 

God desires that all should come to Him and be saved! Isaiah reminds us today that we have a source that will and can fulfill our every need… When your thirsty He’s your water, when you’re hungry He’s your food and He will comfort you when you feel alone… The grace, mercy and guidance of God is released when you open yourself up to Him! We have been beaten down long enough, we have tried to do things on our own and found no success; Jesus is waiting with open arms wanting to pick you up and plant you on solid ground! Today is the day to turn everything over to Christ, your job struggles, household issues, finances and pride; turn it over to God… Humble yourself today and let God know that you realize that you need him; you realize that He has this world in the palm of His hand and you understand that He is your source of strength and existence! Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” He is knocking today, He wants to bring you peace, and He wants to bring you joy, He wants to give you everlasting life… He’s knocking because He wants to come in, you don’t have to clean up, you don’t have to straight up and you don’t have to put out all your nice possessions… Open the door and let him in! You can let Him in by speaking His name over everything… You can let Him in by declaring victory through His bloodshed and authority… Speak Jesus into every situation, speak Jesus into every obstacle, speak Jesus into every circumstance and know that you have found the living water, you have bought an can eat, and you have received of the Lord all you stand in need of without a price being placed on anything! Praise God for His grace and His mercy! Let us dwell in the house of the Lord and desire to dine at His table! Isaiah says today is the day that we can find our happiness, peace, and joy…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Lord Delivers

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."

Psalm 34:19

Make no mistake about it, as a child of the Most High God you are guaranteed afflictions along this Christian journey…  When you are walking upright, in honesty and blameless throughout this world (which are all characteristics of righteousness) you are assured to be persecuted and afflicted… There are none on this earth who are righteous; however, through the bloodshed of Jesus we can be clothed in righteousness and therefore walk in victory as oppose to darkness… I state this about righteousness because it is important to understand that when you face trials because of your desire to walk in righteousness you must remember that the attack isn’t’ against you but against the one you are clothed in… This is why the psalmist states that even though we are afflicted, “…the Lord delivereth him out of them all…” This battle is about the God you serve; remember this in the midst of your storm because it will help you to know that you are not alone and not fighting this battle within your own abilities… This Christian walk isn’t green pastures, it isn’t fields of orchards or streams of rivers and despite what you may want to believe, you must understand this so that you don’t find yourself susceptible to the attacks within your mind by the enemy… 

The psalmist reminds us today that the afflictions of the righteous are many; affliction is suffering, burden, hardship or pain and today as we embrace love let us know that affliction is a very important key to that word we so easily throw around… I often tell people that love is a (n) action word and must be followed by actions in order to validate the notion that is being put forth out of your mouth... I don’t’ know about you, but the word of God has taught me the meaning of true love… When I say I love someone I am willing to suffer for them, I am willing to endure hardships and accept trials and tribulations… We, as children of God are called to endure the temptations of this world, we are called to suffer for the name of Christ in order to showcase the love and desire we have for Him… Remember that Christ said no greater love hath a man than this that he lay down his life for his friends… We are told in John 3:16, “…that God so loved the world…” After that we see Jesus enduring the afflictions of a whip, spit, punches and a cross… Know that love is not valid without suffering… True love is showcased in what you are willing to accept and/or overlook… I once heard a preacher say that when we love someone it isn’t a physical attraction, it means that we have come to a point where we say I know this persons faults and I am able to accept them and embrace them for who they are… 

Understanding love today is vital to our Christian growth and walk, if we are not willing to suffer for Christ, if we are not willing to endure the cross that is for us to bear than we are not really walking according to the will of God and are simply fooling ourselves… Know that there is not affliction that is insurmountable; there is no trial that you can’t overcome and no door that cannot be opened or closed by God… Notice that the psalmist says “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” it is certain that trials will come knocking and storms will approach your door; however, it is also certain that “…the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” God knows what you can and can’t do, He knows how much you can bear and He will exalt you in due time… We are called to a higher standard; we are called a “peculiar people, a royal priesthood” and as a child of God it is about time that we started living according to these words… God knows that trials aren’t fun, His word tells us that in Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” He knows you don’t like pain, heartache or strife; however He knows that through these circumstances you are developed and equipped to love unconditionally, care immensely and live a life that is pleasing to His sight… Trials come to make you stronger; love is showcased through the trials you face… Today when you say you love someone know that afflictions speak the words that you can’t and love is shown in times of adversity…Just know this, in times of adversity God is going through it with you, that’s the only way that you make it out every single time and this is the greatest example of love…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Desires You To Return Home

Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

Jeremiah 3:12

The greatest sin we commit is not the times when we fall but when we stay down and give up… Today’s focus verse reminds us that God already knows that we will make mistakes and the request that He puts forth through the mouth of Jeremiah is the same request which He has made since our birth; return to Him… You are not beyond the saving power that is our Lord Jesus Christ, understand today that every time Jesus cried out from the cross He was referring to all mankind and at this appointed time even a thief realized in his final hours that God can still open the doors to paradise no matter the magnitude of your shortcomings or mistakes… It’s not too late for you to be saved, it’s not too late for you to extend the plan of Salvation to a neighbor, acquaintance or wayward child; the Lord says I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you… You may feel like you are beyond redemption, you may feel like the skeletons in your closet are too much to overcome; however, the message for you is that God will not allow these things to overtake you and cause your utter demise if you return to Him… The anger of God can end your very life; however, He is ready to pardon you and give you a clean slate… This is why He says that He won’t let His anger fall upon you; He knows that you messed up, but He also knows the good you can achieve if you are aligned in His will and on the prosperous path that He has outlined for your life… Know that you have made mistakes, acknowledge that you have given into temptations; however, come to the realization today that you can overcome and be victorious through the saving power of Jesus Christ… 

Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet, his words were recorded in light of the coming destruction that the house of Israel would face… His tears were sown knowing of the coming doom and bondage that was on the horizon… Today, know that these same tears are sown in your life when others see you heading down the wrong path; these tears are sown in your life when people see the direction in which you are headed and how your life seems to be spiraling out of control… These tears are sown not because of the destruction, but because God’s desire is not for you to go against His will… The destruction you face is because of the trials of life that you are enduring and facing… Know today that God wants you to turn to Him; He is tired of watching you fall, He is tired of watching you struggle and He wants you to know that He is merciful… Even though you have messed up, even though you have backslid, God will not keep His anger toward you forever… You have the opportunity before you to go a new direction… The door is open before you to pursue a different alternative and God is simply waiting for you to choose Him… See the problem in life isn’t that we mess up, but that we allow ourselves to stay down and not get up… God know s that you have made mistakes; however He wants you to realize the error and learn from it… Stop allowing your past failures to control your future, stop allowing your past mistakes to hinder your perspective and outlook on life… Understand that the full anger of God wiped out all of mankind back in Genesis… 

Know that the full anger of God cast Lucifer from even; the full anger of God hasn’t been felt by us, we should turn to Him while we have a chance so that we can overcome and grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior before it’s too late… God is merciful, He withholds the punishments that we deserve, He has extended us a life-line when we should have been dead a long time ago… You ought to be thankful that you have a job, you ought to be thankful that you have a roof over your head, you ought to be thankful that there are close in your closet… These things are all signs of evidence that God is working on our behalf and making ways of no way… Be real with yourself today; instead of asking why you are dealing with this storm, be thankful that you are felling the blunt force of it… Today, stop asking why you have all these bills piling up on your coffee table and be thankful that you aren’t out on the streets… God keeps providing opportunities for you to return to Him… Know that you have messed up, the situation you are in is because of your choices and actions, but also know that God loves you and you can turn your dire situation into a ray of hope and encouragement… We have all fallen short of the glory of God, we all are in need of a savior who will save us from the coming certain death. Yes, due to the sins of the first man and women we all enter this world filled with sin and evil. As we go along this journey we must come to know God so that he may come to save us. In this passage Jeremiah is talking to the rebellious house of Israel.Israel had turned from God to follow they’re fleshly desires, how often have we too followed the desire of the flesh instead of the desires of the almighty? How often have we given into the temptation that lays before us instead of listening to the God who walks beside us… The bible says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock…” The father’s arms are open, He wants you to let Him and allow Him to transform your life… Just like we read in multiple passages, Jesus is waiting with open arms saying, “WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME”.

The question is, is He speaking to you?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Were Created By And For Him

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16-17

There is nothing in this life which does not exist without the direct involvement of the hand of God; I state this simply to remind you today that the day which you have been allowed to see is a day which has been afforded to you by the mercy and desires of God… When you grab hold of the notion that God is over all, then you will soon realize why you must submit to Him and adhere to His will and plan for your life… You were created with a purpose which is outlined in this passage by the words for Him… God designed you to bring pleasure and honor to His Holy name, He designed you to bring others to Him and open up the door for others to receive knowledge of Him from you… Make no mistake about it today, there are things in life which we do not understand nor do we comprehend; however, you can put full confidence in the fact that God created you and everything around you to be used by Him for His glory… The life you lead is not about the things which you obtain or the happiness which you posses, but rather the joy you bring and the reverence that you have for the one who created you… When I read this passage I am just overjoyed to know that God has a plan, this plan may not be the plan that I desire or even the one which I feel (without seeing the whole picture) is best; however, as we see the tragic events that take place in our societies and communities we must turn from the thoughts and concepts of the world and cling to the unknown designed outcome of God… 

This is how you can smile amidst adversity and confusion; you don’t do this because of the situations, but rather because of the outcome which you trust will be in your favor based on the authority which is firmly in the hands of your creator… There are things in life that we do not want to bear and or endure; however, I challenge you today to hold you head up and poke your chest out based on the fact that God is over all things and is in control… See, the biggest things we must take from the devotion penned on this day is that Paul reminds us today that by Him were all things created… If God created it then it must have a purpose and therefore must be apart of His plan… Paul writes this letter to remind us that we are the creation and God is the creator… This passage deals with two falsehoods that many people proclaims as truths; one is that time and evolution has formed this earth and that we are allowed to disrespect people in positions of authority… Paul states that by him were all things created, there is no evolution, big bang theory, or migration that formed this earth! God spoke this world into existence, parted the seas and land, and formed man from the dust of the earth… 

The same God that created you is the same God that will ensure that His goal and mission is accomplished… Many people today take pride and boast about accomplishments as if they have done these things on there own! Paul is reminding the church and us today to make sure that we remain humble and know who is really in control and the head of our lives! It is okay to be happy about a promotion or blessing, just remember who presented you the opportunity and blessing to become what you are today! David said it best, “I will praise you all the days of my life…” Paul also says in this passage that God formed the throne, principalities and powers… Let us understand that if God doesn’t allow it, than it won’t happen… However, let us remember that when God allows it, good will be produced from it! We often disrespect our leaders or positions that are held by officials and Paul is stating that as a child of God we are to embrace whoever serves in an appointed position… Ultimately what Paul is saying is that instead of being a negative piece of the puzzle, pray for those in positions of power, pray to God about circumstances that seem to be trials and tribulations, but also have faith that God doesn’t make mistakes and will never put more on you than you can bear! There are always consequences for our actions, so stop the downward spiral and seek God’s kingdom and power over ever situation… God indeed is the head and he has control; so go to him in prayer knowing that all power lies within the palm of his hand!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

On Christ Can Do That

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Philippians 3:21

This answer to the question posed in today’s focus verse is an answer that we must learn to recite and believe which simply states that God is able…  Ephesians 3:20 says, “He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think”; we bring this scripture into today’s devotion to highlight the point that God is able to transform, mend and reconcile even the most daunting of all challenges… The message today is to have Faith in God regardless of the situation or circumstance… There are so many who have given up, so many who have gone astray and so many that have turned from their divine destiny; know today that God can change your vile body… No matter the flaws, scars or open words, He is able to fashion you like unto his glorious body… Despite the amount of people who have written you off, no matter the amount of missteps you have taken or how far you have indulged in your sin; know that God can take everything into captivity, He can make the worst situation work in your favor and bring you to a place of prominence which you never thought possible… The key to this verse is your belief and trust in God, you must declare today that it’s not too late, you must open your mouth and serve notice to the enemy and your situation that things can and will get better as you turn and focus on the Lord and the not the weight of your past decisions… God has not disqualified you; however, you disqualify yourself when you pay attention to people and past failures instead of Him and His plan for your future… It’s not about what you did yesterday, but what you do with what you learned yesterday to make it through today…  Sure, we all have made mistakes, we all have messed up, but when you learn from your mistakes and turn to Christ you allow the scriptures to be fulfilled in your very life; you can quote from the bible in and over your life and serve notice to those around you that your stumbling block is really a stepping stone… 

Paul knew first hand of the transformation that God can perform in the most drastic of situations; Paul was able to become an ambassador for Christ after persecuting the church and the years of persecution became years of preparation for His witness and testimony… When you walk in the authority of God knowing that you don’t deserve it and shouldn’t even be able to abide in it, you too can speak like Joseph and declare though it was meant for evil, my God meant it for good; when you have gone through the transformation and have been through the refiners’ fire, when you have been delivered and set free from the bondage of sin and have been freed from the chains of past failures, you too can speak like Paul and declare that all things work together for the good, for those who love the Lord… Paul poses a question to the Church of Philippi that only has one answer…? Today, this same question is asked of us any many different forms… A vile body is a body that is despicable, evil, contemptible, low, or degraded… One of the hardest truths that Paul wants us to understand is that through this life, our soul is maintained in a vile body… The scriptures remind us time after time that this physical body will return to the dust and that our souls will be caught up and will be transformed into a new body suited for heaven… This message today teaches us the importance of worrying about our spiritual appearance rather than our physical appearance… What Paul is saying today is that your vile body, your corrupt person, your sin-filled flesh can be changed and that it is only possible by the blood of Jesus Christ… Paul raised this question to the church of Philippi to address the transformation of sinners to saints… We all enter this world as sinners and it is only through the offering that Christ poured out that we can be converted to saints… 

So many people spend countless hours trying to appear as something they are not and Paul address that today; whether you like it or not, your body is vile, your life is filled with sin and you are not suited “physically” for entry to heaven… Once we understand this we can than gain a better perspective of the question Paul asks, “Who is able to transform you so that you can be filled and accepted into the gates of heaven? Who has the ability to make you white as snow and present you faultless before Him with exceeding joy…?” The Church of Philippi was dealing with a (n) sinful migration which was trying to overtake the church, people had regressed and begin to seek idol worship, and Paul is reminding the church that there is only ONE GOD! Sometimes we need to be reminded when we face opposition that there is only one God and that He loved us enough to die for us… Paul is stating to us today that all power is in the hand of Christ! He can subdue all things unto Himself; this means that he is able to control, pacify and suppress anything… You wonder why the flood gates haven’t opened up and flooded your hours, you wonder why things aren’t as bad as they could be, and the answer is found here in this passage… God is in control and will never put more on you than you can bear… Go to God in prayer knowing that He is only one that can transform, but have faith in Him that He controls every situation, He can pacify and suppress the attacks of the enemy and can place your feet on solid ground! In the times of wavering faith we must remember that we have a (n) anchor in the form of Jesus Christ and that through His sacrifice we have the ability and authority to claim victory… You will encounter many attacks, you will hear false doctrines, but know that the same God that plucked you out of your sin, the same God that promised to cleanse you white as snow, the same God that said He has gone to prepare a place for you will complete the work that He has begun in you… So stay the course, remember who has brought you this far and hold onto God’s unchanging hand…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's All Because Of His Mercies

"The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

Psalm 145:8-9

Your very life is evidence of God's love and compassion... Even though you may experience much heartache and hardship in your life, the psalmist reminds us that The Lord is gracious and full of compassion... Understand today that God is working behind the scenes, the things you are enduring are not the full weight that your actions deserve and this is only because of His mercy... Make no mistake about it, you don't even deserve the air that you breath; however, because the Lord is slow to anger you have been afforded ample opportunities to become all that God has created you to be... God had a divine plan for you and only because He wants to see you fulfill it are you still in existence and given 2nd and 3rd chances to walk in His will... This message today is for the one who has endured the tribulations of life and I declare to you today that you are enduring to have your eyes open and your path set by the will of God and not the ideas of this world... The only thing you have ever deserved in this life is condemnation… The sooner you grasp this, the sooner you can open the door to experiencing God’s love and desires for your life… The bible records in Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus in the second chapter the foundation by which we have life and success, in this passage, Paul proclaims, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” 

No matter what you do on this earth, no matter how much you try to live peacefully in this life, you can only be saved and find you name in the book of life by the grace of God… Understand that Grace is something that you cannot obtain nor do you deserve… It is a gift based on a foundation of live which allows the giver to look beyond faults to fulfill needs… The grace that Jesus bestowed from the cross allowed Him to look beyond the ugly makeup that we presented before Him and fulfill the needs that we had which was the payment of sin’s ransom… Take note today that you are only here because of God’s grace and mercy… There are so many people today who act as if they never knew sin, the act as if God didn’t die for them because they are perfect; however, it is in the passage taken from the 145^th psalm that we find the love of God abounding beyond our valueless thoughts and silhouettes… “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion…” You didn’t deserve to wake up this morning, you didn’t deserve to sleep peacefully last night; however, the compassion of God moved on your behalf and despite how ugly your life may be, He still loves you and can’t just turn His back on you… This is why the Psalmist goes on to say that the Lord is “slow to anger…” If God really showed the full extent of His anger toward us we would be wiped from the face of the earth… See often times we confuse discipline with anger… Anger is a fury, rage or resentment; God distills His anger and continues to discipline us which means that He desires to redirect our paths instead of annihilating us from the face of the earth… We all face trials and tribulations, but I am of the faith that as bad as things may appear to be; they can always be worse… You may be going through a storm right now, but I want you to know that a storm is constantly in motion… 

A storm is always moving and this is good news today because you need to realize that it will never become static and therefore sunshine is sure to follow… When you are facing a hard time, embrace it, learn from it and trust God that He doesn’t make mistakes… In this world that we live in, I find so many people who hare prepared to throw there hands in the air and become disgusted with God when things don’t go as they planned… When I go through these kind of times, I take note of Paul’s letter to the church of Rome and how in the 8^th chapter, verse 28 he said, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Your storm will work for your God, you may feel like you don’t deserve to go through it, but we all know that “The Lord is gracious…” It is because of Him that we even have life, you deserved far worse than you may be currently experiencing… Your very life is a gift that you should not have received; however we find in this passage today that “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works…” No matter how many times you mess up, make a mistake or go down the wrong path you can be sure that God is going to continue to love you, continue to show compassion toward you and continue to open up doors to redirect your life according to His purpose… The doors open in your life may not be the doors that you expected, but I challenge you today to walk through them in faith knowing that God has given you another chance and is good to all… “His tender mercies are all over His works…” Despite what you are dealing with right now, I want you to be encouraged today and know that God has His hand all over your life… He has begun a good work in you and will complete until the day of Christ return… The masterpiece that He designed you to be is taking shape right now; however, no masterpiece looks like the end results until all the brush strokes are completed…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Eternal Life Is Found In Christ

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3

Jesus declared in the 14^th chapter 6^th verse of the gospel of John, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man come to the father but by me…” The only way to obtain the path you seek which leads to peace, joy and love is found through the trail of blood from the city gates of Jerusalem to the hill of Golgotha… Eternal Life was deposited upon this earth in the form of God’s son, it was laid before you in and through His outstretched arms and all He endured on the cross… John reminds us today that Eternal Life is found in the “The Only True God…” There is only one God; there is only one prince of peace and one savior… A good friend of mine once told me that the distance between you and salvation is the same distance that your mouth is from your heart… Eternal Life is free, but it only comes through knowing (faith), acknowledging (mouth) and accepting (heart) the only True God… Some religions believe that good deeds are rewarded with eternal life, but my Bible tells me that Jesus has paved the way to salvation and that we are only justified by faith which is through the just savior that took the form of mankind… 

This is life eternal, this is all that we have and all that we should cling too; that we may know the ONLY true God! You may be alive in earthly standards, but “This life” spoken of in today’s focus verse deals with the relationship and the being we are and become as a child of God… You are alive but you’re not living because you have a lot of false gods leading the way for you... We cannot turn a blind eye nor act as if there aren’t many gods in this world… People for years have been lead astray because they are following or seeking the wrong things… Notice this passage says “…that they might know thee the only true God…” It’s good news today to know that even after we have ventured the wrong way, sought the wrong things and turned to vain glory, Christ still remains… He knocks on the doors of your heart hoping for you to answer and come to know that He is“Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent…” Christ has been knocking since the fall of mankind, but we haven’t answered because we have so much occupying our time and mind… We have placed idols in our lives in the form of money, relationships and pride; however, through this word we see that even though we constantly change, Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… John reminds us today that there is only One true God and that salvation was made possible through the sacrifice of His beloved son! As I study this verse, I am reminded of a familiar story in the bible; the story of Shadarach, Meshach and Abednego… This particular story tells us that they were called to fall down and worship other gods at the order of Nebuchadnezzar, when they said no to the mandate, the bible records that they were to be thrown into the fiery furnace and burned to death… 

Upon falling (they were not cast into the flames as the soldiers died before doing so) into the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar was astonished when he saw that three men entered the fire, but four were loose walking around amidst the flames… Through this he realized that there was only one true God… Through your trials and tribulations, through the hardships of life we learn and come to realize that there is only one true God… You mom and dad can’t keep you alive, your job isn't the reason for your good fortune or success and your house isn’t the means with which you obtain a goodnights rest… The only True God sustains you day in and day out, the only true God makes ways out of no way and continues to perform His work in you… When I think of Christ I think of one that died and rose again, I have never read or heard of another humbling themselves, thinking it not robbery and leaving their home in glory! I haven’t read of one who had compassion on mankind and sought to bring them back into the fold! I haven’t heard of one taking on the sins of the world and crying out in anguish after being separated from His father… I haven’t found any other scriptures that speak of another going down into the earth to pay sins penalty, and I definitely haven’t seen or heard of another now seated at the right hand of The Only True God! There is only one who died and rose from the dead, there is only one who took the form of man, and there is only one who was clothed with imperfection, but perfected God’s will for us and His name is JESUS CHRIST! Eternal Life is knowing the Only True God, knowing that we all have sinned and fallen short, knowing that hell was our destiny, knowing that the ransom could never be paid by our hands, knowing that victory was unobtainable without Jesus intervening and interceding on our behalf… This is indeed our hope, this is indeed our glory, this is indeed our substance, and this is our Life Eternal!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!!!

Look For The Rainbow Amidst The Storm

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

Genesis 9:16

A rainbow is very significant in the eyes of a child of God; It means more than just an arc with a dazzling array of colors as some see it to be and we as Christians should all draw a since of God’s presence and protection upon seeing this symbol of His love and awareness…  Today’s focus verse reminds us of the fact that God will give us signs of His existence and attendance in our everyday affairs and lives; however, it is our task and duty to see the signs for what they are instead of being too bogged down or occupied with the cares of this world to notice them… This devotion speaks to those who say that they are waiting on the Lord and have not received in answer, the truth of the matter could be that God has given you the answer already; its just in a form which you did not expect it to be… You have been dealing with trials and tribulations, you have been praying and waiting and instead of showing up and showing out, God sends you a sign of things to come…  Your breakthrough and victory is in the sign and not God simply overthrowing your adversary; for the believer in Christ, the answer is in the rainbow spoken of in this passage taken from the book of Genesis… You are protected, you are safe and you are going to be victorious in the affairs of life because of the symbolic meaning of the rainbow spoken of in today’s focus verse… There was a time recorded in history when God was appalled at the life of mankind stemming from the fall of Adam and Eve… The disgust that resided with the Lord almighty led to the great flood in the day of Noah that removed mankind from the face of this earth… 

Up until those 40 days and 40 nights it had never rained upon the earth; however in these days the only remaining survivors were Noah and family along with 2 of every animal… After this purging took place, Noah came out of the ark and built a (n) alter to the Lord; God spoke these words recorded in this verse to know informing him of the love and commitment He had to him… Knowing that God has the authority over this earth and that we have evidence that He can wipe out mankind in a blink of an eye tells me of the great mercy and grace He has dispensed upon my life each and everyday that I live… Rainbows are most apparent after it rains; this provides a source of hope for all children of the Most High… When the rains of life are falling at your doorstep know that the covenant God has with you will not fade… When you are under the floods of bills and debt, know that the rainbow reminds you that you will not be consumed… God says He will remember the covenant, He will not allow the rains to wipe you out; He will not allow the storms to overtake you or the creek to rise too high… We are promised security in the arms of the God and so we can embrace (James says consider it pure “joy”) the rains knowing that the rainbow is coming and God’s hand will remain upon us… God made a promise to Noah and the land through the form of a rainbow… His promise was to never flood the earth again; His promise was to be our guide and send us a savior… Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve we all enter this world as sinners and God has promised us a chance of salvation if we accept the offering of His son! Let us take this opportunity to examine the rainbow as it relates to God and His promise: A rainbow symbolizes peace and harmony; when one sees a rainbow, it means that a storm has occurred, but more importantly that it has passed… Most of the time people have gone inside because of the storm and the rainbow presents the end of it… 

Take note of that in your life, that the beauty of a rainbow is seen when the storms of life have occurred; you see the beauty of a rainbow after you have gone through your trials and tribulations, there is a quite peace with a rainbow that allows us to focus on God and know that He is still in the midst and sees everything that takes place… Notice when it rains how quite things become once the rain ends, this is true of your trials as well; when the rain ends focusing on God allows Him (the rainbow) to ease your fears and give you peace! Noah endured a flood that wiped out all humanity, he was ordered by God to build a (n) arc and take two of every animal of the earth… Understand that God prepares you for the storm and assures you of the coming rainbow… The storms you are facing now, God has already prepared you for and not only has He prepared you, but He has already delivered you… Everyday that we see on this earth we are covered in the blood of Jesus and equipped in His armor… God has made a covenant with you that if you are in the shadows of the almighty you will not be defeated… The Psalmist said that a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you if you make the Lord your dwelling place… The dwelling place of God is covered by the rainbow of peace, you may see tragedy, you may observe storms, but know that an end is promised and the rainbow (Jesus Christ) will come back upon the face of this earth to call you up to be with Him forevermore… Also, when we see a rainbow we see many colors; God will touch our lives in many ways and forms, He will show up and dwell with us without even knowing! A rainbow is present during a storm; it just isn’t seen in the storm because we aren’t focused on trying to find it! God is indeed present all the time; however, sometimes we become so bogged down with our circumstances that we take our focus off of Him… The rainbow to Noah was a sign of God’s commitment to him and the land; God is committed to us and is with us through all we go through; sometimes we don’t see Him or acknowledge His presents because of the things we face, but the reality is that He has been there the whole time! Through your storms, look for the rainbow, look for the light of hope, look for God’s presents and know that He is always with you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!!!

Christ Came To Show The Way

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Luke 1:77-79

 

As we studied on yesterday regarding the door which God has left open to all; today, we examine scriptures from the gospel of Luke which speak to the love and desire of God concerning His creation… We all know that Jesus declared that He came to this earth that you might have life and have it more abundantly; however, there is another message which Jesus brought to this earth which is outlined in today’s focus verse… He came not only to give life, but to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins… The mission of Jesus and the message of Jesus go hand and hand as we can come to the conclusion that in order to have life and have it abundantly one must first know that there is a way to overcome the mistakes of yesterday to obtain the joys of tomorrow… Not everyone knows that it is not to late to overcome and be what you have been designed to be; there are some of us who continue to sink deeper into our sin not knowing that there is a safety net which can reach to the darkest and gloomiest of situations and pull you out… This is the knowledge which Jesus came to impart to all mankind, this is the task at hand that we as Christians carry, we must bring the message that if a person will turn from their path of sin than there is surely light at the end of the tunnel… Remember that in the beginning God formed us from the dust of the ground; however, it was not until He breathed the breath of life into our nostrils that we became living beings… This bit of information speaks to the life that we receive only through the authority of God… Today, Luke records the reasons why Jesus came to this earth… Zechariah is prophesying tin praising the Lord for his son “John the Baptist who would prepare the way of the Lord Jesus Christ… “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of God; whereby the dayspring from on high and hath visited us…” John was called to give knowledge that we are nothing with the one to come, that we will see the break of day, the hope for tomorrow and the promise of eternal security when the one from on high hath visited us… 

It’s through the tender mercies of God that we can experience these things… Today, take note that God’s mercies are new every morning, remember that His compassions fail not and that is why we are not consumed… It isn’t your alarm clock that allowed you to see another day; it wasn’t the touch of your mate that woke you this morning, but God’s grace and mercy… Jesus has visited us each and every day; He resides in the heart of all believers and is preparing a home for your eternal rest… The mission that was laid out for Christ and His cousin John is recorded here in the gospel of Luke… Christ came to save and John “to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins…” Until the coming of Jesus Christ salvation was not possible, everlasting life was not a reality… Jesus came to pave the way; He came to show us that there is hope for a better tomorrow and a brighter future… As we walk this journey of life we make choices constantly; however, Jesus came to show us that our choices don’t have to have grave results and that if we repent from sin we can be made whole… I once heard a man say that Satan isn’t worried about the people of the world because he already has them and there is a lot of truth to that statement… So many don’t know the path they lead nor do they understand that hell awaits there arrival once they are born… John, like Jesus, came to give knowledge, He came to inform us that we are in bondage to sin but don’t have to be; He came to teach us that we are born sinners but can be saved by Grace, He came to show us that we are lost in confused (in darkness) but can be transformed and brought into the light… This knowledge that Jesus came to give was made possible by the tender mercies of God… If it were not for God wanting to see you succeed, if it were not for God withholding the punishment that we so rightfully deserved, if it were not for God sending His son we would surely not be able to rise this morning, we would not have a job to go to and we simply would not be alive… 

The bible says that “…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…”Jesus came to this earth because of His father’s wishes; it was because of God’s love that “the dayspring on high hath visited us…” Don’t get it twisted; every day that you see is a blessing from above, every hour you partake in is a blessing from above and the greatest blessing we have came in the form of Jesus Christ… One of the most critical steps in getting from point A to point B is knowing where point A is… Luke says that Jesus came to give light to them that sit in darkness (the entire world) and in the shadow of death… We all sit in darkness, when we are in the shadow of something we are in its path and close to it… Point A in our lives was the verge of death, it was the way of the world, and it was engaging in sinful acts and being disobedient… Christ came that we may have life (opposite of death) and that we may have it more abundantly… I don’t know about you, but I am thankful that I was in the shadow of death and not dead, I thank God that He came to shine His light and pave the way… Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the light…” Let us follow His lead today realizing that without Him we are nothing and hell indeed does await us… With His death on the cross, we were given a light to direct our lost and forsaken path. I am reminded of how bogged down we can get when we take on a daunting task, I am reminded of how the road seems to steep and someone will always say “Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?” Walking this journey as a Christian is a daunting task, but by the offering of Jesus on the cross we are assured that there is a light at the end of the tunnel… Keep your eye focused on that light and know that when you do you are no longer walking in darkness…

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!