He Hearkens To Those Who Fear Him

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

Malachi 3:16

Take sometime today to think about this next line of text which I am about to write; God knows and sees all that we do… Often times we (for whatever reason) think that we can get over on God, we come to a conclusion that if we do just enough in church God will be pleased, or if we read just enough throughout the week that everything will be okay… The bible constantly reminds us that God looks at the heart of man, the acts that you do on this earth isn’t what God notes, but the thoughts that spur your actions are what God is watching… If you give simply for someone to see your act of kindness the bible says that you have already received your reward; however, if you sow a seed with a desire not to gain popularity from men than God will reward your deeds because you are truly doing them from the kindness of your heart… This is why we are instructed in the gospel of Matthew to be secretive in our giving, the word says “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” So many of us do things to be seen and praised by men and Jesus told that those who do that have already received their reward… Understanding this in today’s time means that we must stop doing things to get a rise out of people, we must stop trying to inflate our own egos and we must stop trying to “trick” God… This verse begins with saying, “Then they that feared the Lord…” Fear is something that is in the heart, if it is not embedded in your soul or stored within than it is not sincere, it is not genuine and it is not pure… David said that a broken and contrite heart God will not despise; know today that if you want to truly walk in the will of God it must come from within… You must have a sincere respect, reverence and appreciation for God and His sovereignty… Malachi teaches us today not only that God is looking for sincerity, but that He has a book of remembrance for those who fear Him… In your reverence to the Lord, all your deeds, all your acts of humility and all your tears of sacrifice are recorded; just like Abraham they will be counted as righteousness… Do to your servitude you can have a heavenly bank account that overflows… The key to obtaining this is “…fearing the Lord…”When you have a heart that is crying out to God, a heart that yearns in admiration of the Lord; you will see that next thing spoken of by the prophet Malachi take place and that is that “…the Lord will hearken and hear you…” The Lord desires to give you life and make your life complete. He desires to take you to another level, but He’s waiting for you to fear Him and speak His word… Jesus Christ laid down His life on the cross for all those who would turn to Him… We are justified not by what we do, but by the faith that we have in Him… It is important for us to know that God remembers the day that you “sincerely” gave your life to Christ, He remembers the hour that you turned and followed Him and He knows the path that you have chosen to walk… At the end our lives we all will stand before Him and give a (n) account for our life; it is good to know that He will know all the things that we have done if we have chosen to walk with Him; however, it is bad to know that He will know obviously if we haven’t lived according to His will… The steps you take this day are recorded, the avenues and paths you walk have been written down and if you are walking with the Lord know that just as Malachi says even though you may experience ups and downs highs and lows God has “…heard it…” God knows what you stand in need of, He knows the battles you have faced and the trials that you have overcome, He has seen the storms that have approached your door and at the end He will justify you through the blood of Jesus and say “come on in…” Keep holding on, keep believing, God hears your sincere and affectionate prayers and He will answer… Be encouraged, God is listening with pen in hand noting the needs you have and meeting them everyday!!!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

A Fool Is Wise According To Worldly Standards

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

1 Corinthians 3:18

Socrates once said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." We are charged today through this verse penned by Paul to remain humble… In the world that we live in it is very easy to become so entrapped with pride, ego and self righteousness; however, the call of all Christians is to rise above the standards of this world by taking the path least traveled… It’s human nature to want to be the best and showcase your talents; the biggest factor in doing that is the way in which you go about it… The bible is clear about boasting and even tells us that “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.…” The higher you are on yourself the further you will fall when you are humbled… I don’t know about you, but my fear of heights and falling keeps me close to the ground… This letter written to the church of Corinth by the Apostle Paul reminds us that we must not think higher of ourselves than we ought. Paul tells the church of Corinth at the very beginning of this verse “Do not deceive yourselves…” Paul says this because the church had lost sight of God and focused on their material wealth and stature. Remember what happen with Eve in the garden, Satan told her that she wouldn't die, but he also appealed to her mental makeup in declaring that if she ate the fruit she would “…be like God, knowing good and evil…” This same appeal to the human nature of desiring power and elevation is present in our day and age which is why Paul says “If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age…” God is bigger than this world, we don’t have the full picture and it’s time that we understand that true wisdom is God and comes from Him… You can receive all the schooling you want (just like Paul), but you will not travel the road that God has for you until you are humbled before Him… Not only is pride something that we all have and must deal with; kin to that, we must be able to abase ourselves in this world… It’s hard enough to fight pride; it’s even harder to bring yourself down to a low position… We declare today that we are co-heirs with Christ and this is true through the sacrifice He made on Calvary, but it’s also true through the humbleness displayed by Him while He walked this earth… Remember Christ stated very clearly that He came “…not to be served but to serve…” This is the Most High, the King of Kings; however He came to serve and even wash the very feet of mankind… Today let us take note of the things which Christ demonstrated for us and take pride in serving others… Serving is a humbling task, when you serve you are subject to feeling inferior (a severe battle of the mind which keeps us from accepting such a position), you are subject to being cast down and mistreated; however, in your weakness God’s power is made perfect… Through your humility you are being strengthened, through your submission you are becoming victorious and this is what will lead to wisdom… Paul says, “…he should become a fool so that he may become wise…” A person who is wise in their own eyes will never see the errors of their ways… They will never admit to needing help; however a fool is a silly, deceived person whose mental makeup isn’t as strong so they are easily enticed or mislead… In becoming a fool we aren’t beyond reach, we aren’t beyond understanding the truth path… The book of Proverbs tells us “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Don’t think that you need the approval of man on this earth; don’t believe for a second that you can do it on your own… As a child of God we must be humble, knowing and understanding that it is only through God’s gift of His son that we can live and have our being. Jesus told the disciples that the greatest among you is servant to all, let us remember that to be low is high and to be humble is greatness, to be last is to be first… That is why Paul says you should become a fool so that you are wise.

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

He Feels Your Pain And Has A Plan

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

Hebrews 4:15

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

Isaiah 55:9

God sent is son into this world to deliver us from the penalty of sin. There was none on this earth who were perfect, for through Adam’s bloodline all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Seeing that there was none among us to deliver us from wickedness unto righteousness, God sent his ONLY begotten son. Hebrews reminds us that he was touched by our infirmities; Christ had compassion on his Father’s creation, so he laid down his life. People lose sight of the fact that Christ was 100% God and Man. There were many times he was tempted just as we are. The devil offered Him the world, He could have passed from taking the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane, but instead He was without sin. For that you should truly be grateful. Our second focus verse taken from Isaiah declares to us the revelation we should grow to see and understand; in our deepest stage of evil God had already formed a plan for Salvation, He had already ordained the time and day His son would come. He had already planned a way of escape for His children. Despite what I may think is best, I am glad that God knows best… There have been numerous times where I pondered the question what is God up too and this passage from the prophet simply tells us today that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than ours. So when you fill in despair about your circumstance and can’t seem to understand your situation, know that God is at work and it all will work for the good, for those called according to His purpose! When we think about situations, we immediately begin to form our own plan and directions for action; Isaiah reminds us today that as a child of God we must realize that we have to walk by faith and not by sight. We must ignore the way in which the world declares right and hold to Gods unchanging hand! These verses unified together encourage me to understand that He sees your frustration, He feels your pain, He knows everything that you have faced, but furthermore it empowers me to remember that He has planned a course that will help you bare every burden, He has set a time for you to reap the harvest of your labor and He will never put more on you than you can bare! Jesus was crucified that we might live; today He sits at the right hand interceding on our behalf… God has always made a way out of no way; He has always shown up on time, He has always turned our darkness into day… You may not understand every situation, you may not understand every valley, you may not understand every cloudy day, but what you must know (as a Christian) is that God doesn’t make mistakes, what you must know is that He has gone to prepare a place for you! In this place there will be no more weeping, there will be no more sadness, there will be no more pain, there will be no more sin… Everyday will be Sunday, Sabbath will have no end and you will walk the streets of gold giving God the highest Praise because He heard your prayer, He saw your tears and He prepared a way for your victory!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

Your Work Determines Your Wage

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

Romans 6:23

There is no way for you to live a double life; Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome emphasis the point that the only outcome from sin is death… Many people believe that they can do as they please and make up for it before it’s too late, when we live in this manner we live in falsehood and set ourselves up for failure… Tomorrow is never promised and death awaits all that anticipate a reward for their sin… The bible tells us that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess; every move that you make is remembered, every decision you make is recorded and you will suffer the consequences of your actions (whether good or bad)… The bible is clear that we reap what we sow and it is also clear that a fig tree can not bare any other object besides figs… If you are living a life that lives according to the standards of this world today is your wakeup call… If you are walking under the authorities that are here on this earth today is your reality check… We all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We all must give account and will be held accountable for our actions here on Earth. I cannot help but emphasize the fact that this passage tells us the wages of sin is death. This simply means that as you lead a life of sin, your reward is eternal damnation. Sure, it may feel right at the time or moment, and you may even take great pleasure in your sin, but stop and think about what kind of reward you will receive. People get high to forget their problems, they drink to become disoriented, and they sleep around to feel loved. All these things do not add up to true rewards. The problems that you left when taking drugs still exist when your high fades, the pain you try to avoid with alcohol will tear you up even more when you are sober again and love doesn’t live in the arms of multiple partners… The gift that you have been promised if you leave your life of sin is eternal life. The bible tells us that we are to store our treasures in heaven, one of the biggest hurdles we have to overcome on this Christian journey is looking for physical prosperity in everything that we do or take part in… God sees all your deeds, but some of your rewards will not be evident until you reach Eternal Bliss… Your life is truly a gift and you are here on this earth to serve a purpose and fulfill your ordained journey… Turning away from things that please us is hard to do, giving up the desires of the flesh aren’t easy and we must fight daily to advance under the leadership of God… When you place money into a bank account or invest in stocks it sits there and often times you don’t realize how much money you have gained as the stocks mature… Today we invest in our heavenly dwelling understanding that when we reach our Eternal home our deposits of submission and obedience will have matured greatly and will be presented with rewards that surpass anything that this world has to offer… These are the wages I cherish as I work through this life. How about you? There are always gifts to be received; the problem is that sometimes we receive gifts that we don’t desire! When I was young I often heard the saying that if you’re bad Santa will bring you a lump of coal, the interesting thing that was embedded in my mind was that you still get a gift, but the gift you receive was determined by your actions! Today let us understand that we all will receive gifts, but that if you want the best things possible for you (eternal life), if you want to give your children the foundation that they need and deserve, than you must demonstrate it in your everyday actions and decision-making… Let us remember that all good and perfect gifts come from above, I want the perfect gift for me, I want a good gift that fits me, so I understand that I must align myself with the will of God and not be worried or mislead by the things that take place around me! I am earning wages everyday, how much I actual get is determined by my work ethic!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

The Avenues Of Life

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

Proverbs 16:25

There are so many paths that we can travel in this life, so many avenues that we can venture down; however, we are reminded today that no matter how many different paths we see or how many different avenues we find, all end in death if they are not paved by the Lord… This verse starts off by saying “There is a way…”You can layout the plans for your life, the goals you want to reach and how you plan to obtain them, but death is guaranteed for your end result if your will is not submissive to the will of God… The bible teaches us that God disciplines those He loves, the bible also tells us that we must go through the “refiner’s fire” so that we can become the children God designed us to be… Understanding that discipline is a part of our growth and trials help our maturation process lets us know that things shouldn’t come easy… The path you seek a lot of times is based upon the appearance of easiness in its travel… Often times we are always looking for the quick fix or the easy way out, but the Proverb teaches us today that if it seems easy and enticing to do, you had better stay clear of that path… The way that seemeth right to man is the way that provides least resistance, provides a quick answer and opens doors immediately… We all would love to walk into our workplace, get the respect we deserve a make a salary that would have to many zero’s to count; however, we know that the bible tells us that we must ask, seek and knock… This means that you must work toward the goal, you must sacrifice, you must endure and you must be patient… I have seen many people who have sought the quick fix or the get rich quick scheme and have appeared to have found success; that is until their “man-made” mountain comes tumbling down upon them and they find themselves in a worse situation than they were before… Paul was a well educated man who had a zeal for the Lord; however He never walked in the pathway of the Lord until He was humbled, blinded and placed in the care of another man for a period of time (get the point!!!) We like Paul can have all the accolades and desires for success, but until we walk the path God has laid for us we will indeed be walking a path that leads to death… There always comes a point and time in our lives where we say that we are going to do our own thing. We think that we are grown and we know what is best for us. This passage (attributed to Solomon) says that there is a way that seemeth right unto a man. There is a time we fill like this is what we need to do or this is the direction in which we should travel. Solomon was a man, who was the wisest of all, he had riches, over a thousand women and his life was full of bliss, I am positive that he believed that he had done everything that he should have and the direction his life was headed was perfect, but as we look at this passage we also know that Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and it is in that book that Solomon recounts all that he had accomplished in the worldly view of things and how it is all meaningless (vanity) a chasing after the wind... This lets me know that though we chase after fame, fortune, and popularity, the end of that road is destruction because God is not the head of your life. So even though things may seem to be on the right path, living life to the fullest, eating and being merry, understand that the end is death. So often we base decisions on appearance and not true worth… Even though it seems right, don’t trust it without God’s approval and direction! Ultimately the choice is yours, the path you choose displays the choice that you have made, please pick wisely…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

We Are Saved Because Of His Mercy

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

Titus 3:5-6

Your hours of study and minutes of sweat may be beneficial to your success; however, it is imperative to know and realize today that you can’t do anything on this earth through the works of your hands to obtain the righteousness needed to be saved and clothed in the garments that show you as a child of God… Titus reminds us today that no matter how perfect we think we are or how many good deeds we try to do that it is not by our hands that we receive Salvation… Often times we shortchange the way in which we are saved and sealed until Christ returns… Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption…” You are saved by the blood of Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit… Did you catch that? Again, we are drawn by the father, set free by the son and sealed by the Holy Spirit… All three comprise the Salvation that we inherit as a child of the most high…Today you need to stop acting as if you are a good person and start recognizing that you are saved “…according to his mercy…” You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t’ warrant it, but while you were in the pit of darkness God withheld His judgment from you and gave you a clean slate… It is by the mercy of God (withholding the judgment that you and I truly deserved) are still in the land of the living…Don’t get it twisted; you have done nothing to deserve the saving power that came through God’s beloved son. Don’t lose sight of the fact that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Nothing of your feeble hands has acquired God’s mercy, none of your works on this Earth would ever be enough to offer and pay the ransom for you life of sin. Remember that He has washed us through regeneration; to regenerate means to renew, restore or revive… We were dead and God revived us, we were broken and God restored us, and we were expiring through sin and God renewed us… He gave us a clean slate and refocused our minds on Him by the sending of the comforter the Holy Ghost. Regeneration is a change of mindset, a new focus or outlook; if it were up to us our mindset, our goals and our desires would all be of this world and Satan would laugh all the way to the pits of hell carrying our souls along with him…Through the outpouring of Christ blood, we are given a choice to either walk under the curse we are born with or receive the grace of God which can transcend any current circumstance and place our feet on a heavenly foundation… Again, don’t become so prideful that you forget that humility is the key to salvation. Paul said, “not by works of my hand, lest I should boast!” Paul is credited with writing a majority of the New Testament; however, he knows that even this would not stamp his ticket to heaven… Even though Paul founded many churches He knows that He was found to be a sinner until the light of Christ shined upon the darkness in his life… Don’t take this time for granted, don’t ignore God’s mercy and please don’t forget that without God NOTHING is possible, but by HIM all things are possible…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

Definition Of Godly Wisdom

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

James 3:17

There are so many people in this world who claim to be wise; however, James reminds us today that there are two kinds of wisdom… There is wisdom which comes from above (Godly) and wisdom which does not come from above (worldly)… Each source of wisdom can be found by the seeds which are planted and developed from it as we see that James shares with us today in our focus verse the attributes that are aligned with the wisdom which comes from above… The very definition of wisdom is to have insight, intelligence, acumen or astuteness toward a specific topic as well as the ability to apply this knowledge in a manner that renders fair judgment and understanding… Wisdom is a deeper level of knowledge within a particular matter and often times allows others a better opportunity to understand any given subject… In understanding the overall spectrum of wisdom, we must understand today that there is power in wisdom and that wisdom can be used in two different ways… When I acquire wisdom about a particular issue I can use it for a positive or negative impact… Using wisdom in a negative manner is the flipside of Godly wisdom as it usually is used to better ones standing or to bring down someone else… This passage taken from the book of James reminds us to consider the avenues in which we venture in obtaining wisdom… Understand today, to be wise is to accumulate knowledge; however, how we utilize the knowledge we gain is another story… We all have probably heard the saying, “knowledge is power” and this saying is true, but when we perceive the fact that the devil has a lot of knowledge when it comes to God’s word and our lives, it is scary to think of what devices he can come up with to try and trip us up… For this very reason alone we are reminded throughout God’s word that we are to be immersed in His will and word and that we must be on top of our game… One thing that plagues the body of believers is that we often take in the wrong things as it pertains to the life that we live… We are focused on the wrong things in life; we are consumed by the wrong people and/or places… James describes the kind of wisdom (accumulation and application of knowledge) that we should have and how we know if we are headed in the right direction… Wisdom is something that everybody wants and would love to gain; to be knowledgeable, insightful and intelligent are characteristics that every person would love to have on any given topic or subject… As I stated earlier, James informs us today that we can gain wisdom from two different sources… The wisdom that comes from above displays these characteristics; it is gentle, full of mercy, bares good fruit and is without hypocrisy… To understand what and where “good wisdom” comes from means that there must be a source where we can obtain “bad wisdom” to… Not everything learned is good and something’s that we learn can not only destroy you, but can destroy the others around you as well! James invites us to examine our lives today and mainly focus on our source of learning… The bible declares in Proverbs 9:10 that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The wisdom we desire to have is not something which we can obtain through this earth; this Godly wisdom only comes from God and starts with a fear and reverence for Him… When we go through a situation and learn how to handle that situation and can use that lesson learned to help our fellow man as well as ourselves as it pertains to our Christian walk than we know that we are accumulating a knowledge that God desires for us to have… On the contrary, when we are pulling one another down and speaking deceiving words about mistakes we have made or consequences we have had to bear than we are allowing the wisdom obtained to produced negative fruit and therefore ruin the seed that could have blossomed from those times in our lives… The Pharisees believed that they were full of wisdom and rejected the coming savior… Saul was persecuting the church, but was said to be zealous for God… If the wisdom that you have is destroying others, baring rotten fruit or has taught you to develop lies then you need to check your source! You should be a positive influence on your communities if you are walking in the wisdom of God… If you are doing more harm then good; please, check your sources!!!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

You'll Be Flawless When God Is Done

"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting" O grave, where is thy victory"

1 Corinthians 15:54

From your birth to your death there is a transformation that takes place on the outside that all see as it pertains to your growth as far as height, puberty and physical features… Seeing someone at the age of 10 is completely different than seeing them at the age of 25, there are a lot of things that will change throughout the course of one's life that are visible changes… Today, we read about changes that come through the molding and perfecting of God which was set in place by the Lord Jesus Christ… These changes are internal and are not seen until our physical body returns to the dust from which it came… Understand today that we are clothed in corruptible things, we are mortal beings and the scars of sin are visible upon our lives… Each step you take as a Christian in advancing your knowledge and submission to the Lord brings you closer to your body of immortality… Being mortal means that we are earthly, worldly or simply human… We make mistakes, we make bad decisions and we are on a vessel charted with a course leading to hell… This body you are in isn’t adequate for heaven, it won’t suffice and the growth, how ever painful it is that you are going through now is preparing you to step out of the mortal corruption into your heavenly garments… As a child, one of the most trying times in our lives is when someone (parent of other) tells us to “wait”… When that word is uttered to us often times we become anxious uneasy or retaliatory desiring to have our way or obtain the resolution we want immediately… In waiting we must be patient and know that other things must take place or time must elapse for us to get where we desire to be or obtain what we want… Paul writes this letter to the church of Corinth to teach about the true victory that we anticipate… Many Christians are expecting miracles and prosperity as soon as they accept Christ as their personal Savior, some begin to lose heart whenever a trial or storm approaches their door; however, we must take notice of what it is that Paul says today and how it relates to us… We often hear people recite this verse about the victory that comes in the Salvation that we receive; however, it is important that we understand and remember the way in which this scripture begins… “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then…” Victory does await all those that call upon the name of the Lord, but we must go through the refiner’s fire and the purification process… Often times we talk about being victorious, but the question that should be asked is how your transformation is coming along… Are you able to give up the things in your life that you don’t need, are you able to trust the Lord at all times (emphasis on “ALL”) and are you willing to let go when it hurts… The saying that “…death is swallowed up in victory…”will not be uttered unless you have been clothed in the garments of the Most High… This means you will see some things, you will experience some things, you will go through some things, but you know that your perfect attire awaits… Death will be swallowed up when your victory overcomes it… You will lie down, but in Christ this is the beginning of your rise… This body that we currently reside in is temporary, this physical establishment that we have will not see the gates of heaven nor will it even be caught up in the clouds… This transformation that must take place in our lives is giving up the things of this world, letting go of the physical and relying on the spiritual… We can only gain victory over death by believing in Jesus Christ and accepting His offering on the Cross… The bible teaches us that death is certain, but when we realize that we have a home not made by hands eternal in the heavens we realize that the sting of death is lost, the concealing of the physical body in the ground doesn’t mean much when we know that we were formed from the dust of the ground… When we receive a call that someone has passed or funeral arrangements are being made it stings us to the core; however, what Paul is saying today is that we all have a journey to complete upon this earth and if we are of the household of faith we know that death on earth means life forevermore and when we see it in its true form it doesn’t hurt to see someone go on to be at rest and peace with God… Understanding that death on this earth is a time to rejoice when you know you are in the body of Christ allows you to close your thoughts just as Paul closed this verse; “O death, where is thy sting" O grave, where is thy victory…"

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

You Have To Sift Your Life

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

In the same way that Paul is giving instruction to the church of Thessalonica, we to have been charged to test and prove all things. No matter the esteem that you hold any individual, Paul reminds us today that we are all human and therefore are flawed… You must take the time to examine any and everything that you give ear too or allow to occupy your time… Remember that Jesus declared that in the gospel of Matthew that we must beware of false prophets; Jesus also declared in his final hours before His arrest that the disciples must stay awake and pray… Jesus tells the disciples to stay awake and pray because of the coming test as well as the temptation which has arrived through the weakness of their flesh… Jesus would be taken from them and the test of loving and adhering to the will of God would be accompanied with a since of doubt and fear to tempt them from abandoning their faith… In this challenge there is a good and bad knitted together; there are positives and negatives on each side and it is the task of the disciples to choose the right course of action as it relates to the will of God… The same circumstances faced by the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane are the same circumstances that we face in our everyday affairs on this earth today… There is always a temptation that accompanies a test and it is the challenge of every Christian to prove all things so that they can then hold fast to that which is good… Notice that Paul says we have to prove to know; there are things in your life that will come to light when you put them under the proverbial microscope… You must seek clarity in the posture and position of those around you as well as the doors that are opened unto you… Understand today that the enemy has a way of placing things in front of you which appear to be blessings when in reality they are noting more than snares and traps… This is why you must prove all things… You must take the time out of your day to lay every opportunity, every open door before the Lord and wait patiently for His voice to speak to your spirit… There are three main objectives we see in today’s focus verse which we are tasked to do as a Christian; we must prove, take hold and abstain… When you take things to the Lord in prayer, He will show you the things which are to be taken into captivity and it what is to be discarded from your lives… It is the challenge of every Christian to take hold of what God places in your life and let go of the things which He declares to be removed… This is why we must abstain from all appearances of evil… The enemy only needs a crack to gain a foothold over you, you must walk in your faith and be about the work of the Lord in any and every situation… These verses taken from Paul’s letter remind us that we must be obedient unto the Lord and submit our will to His… As you go through your daily walk and come across all different kinds of things, one must test the experiences to know if it is of God or evil. In letting things go you will go through growing pains; however, know today that the life of a Christian is not lived in a box… You are tasked to do the will of God and this requires a close examination of all things placed at your doorstep… Not every encounter is bad, nor is every situation out of control, something’s are allowed by God, but the true Christians seeks His will in order to find the answer to life’s problems. Whether you are clinging to a relationship, holding on to past hurt or scars, focus your attention on God and hold on to the things that have helped mold you into who you are and release the things that are like Parasites and continue to weaken you very being!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

We Serve A Perfect God

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Deuteronomy 32:4

God is indeed the rock; He is the only solid being in this world which we can stand firmly upon and rest in in safety… Even though we have a solid platform that is God, it is imperative for us to understand that we are still subject to growing pains and challenges; the things we face in this world are resources utilized by God for our good which is why today’s focus verse goes on to say that his work is perfect… God’s plan is without flaw and the things which you face now will provide a base of glorification tomorrow; you may not understand why a 3 day journey took 40 years (ask the Israelites at the time of this writing); however; the end result was worth the path traveled at the guidance of the Lord… The judgment which God has handed down for you will lead to your prosperity and peace; He has not sentenced you to death, but has devised a plan to get you back on track… All his ways are judgment because He wants to see you become the unique and blessed individual that He designed you to be… There are thing which will not be acceptable in Christ and these are the things which God has ruled out for you… This is why that relationship will not work, this job won’t come through and this door will not open; there are better things for you in store through Him but you must come to know and believe that that God you serve is a God of truth… Understand today that this passage taken from Deuteronomy challenges us to think of some of the ways in which you would characterize the very essences of God even when you may feel that you are going through a tough time or situation; He is a rock, again, something that is solid, sound, and sturdy. His work is perfect, ideal, just right, or without blemish. All his ways are judgments, everything about him shows that He rules and presides over mankind. A God of truth and without iniquity, there is no falsehoods within Him everything He speaks comes into existence and there is no evil or wickedness allowed within Him (just ask Lucifer)! Just and right is He, God is accurate and on-time and will deliver His saints through thick and thin! What a God we serve. Our God is solid, ideal and without blemish, everything He does out of love and is in our best interest (whether we understand it at the time or not), there is no falsehoods or lies within Him, and He is always on-time! Now that is the kind of God that I want to serve! Today we are simply reminded that in this world of uncertainty, we can be certain of one thing… In the times of misfortune, we don’t mourn as a people without hope… In trials in tribulations we can hold our heads high and smile in the midst of adversity… We are certain of the fact that God will never leave us nor forsake us, we are comforted in knowing and reading what the psalmist David said which is “I once was you and now am old; yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread…” You can hold your head up because we have been told that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...” You have an advocate that is closer than any brother, you have a friend that will always be by your side and you have a rock that will keep your foundation from being destroyed when you face storms… His name is above every other name, he shall be called wonderful, counselor, the prince of peace and Lord of lords… He will make a way out of no way; He will turn darkness into day and will be a crutch in your times of need! God is your rock and salvation, only though Him can you obtain the precious promises and gifts of eternity… He is love, He is mercy, He is grace and He is AWESOME!!!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

God Allows U-Turns

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

Daniel 9:9

Despite the mistakes that you have made or the wrong choices that you have applied in your walk of life; Daniel reminds us today that God still loves you and allows u-turns…The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving… It is only because of the mercy and forgiving nature of our God that we have not been consumed and still have a chance to right our wrongs… Today’s focus verse comes at a time in Daniel’s life when the children of God have been enslaved to the empire of Babylon; it is through the prophet Jeremiah’s word from God that Daniel knows that the bondage of the Israelites will not last forever…The children of God were enslaved because of their disobedience; however, the love of God is displayed at this particular time as He chooses to chasten them instead of abandoning them… This is a power message that we find hear in today’s devotion; God will allow things to happen in our lives to get our attention, refocus our steps and realign our vision with His will… These things are corrective measures and not displays of judgment as many may portray them to be… Daniel finds encouragement in knowing that this bondage would not last forever and offers up a sincere thanks to the most wise and everlasting father… The same hope which Daniel held onto in this passage of scripture is the same hope which we hold on to at this very time in our lives… There is no doubt that God has every right to pass judgment on mankind and there is no defense which we could offer; this only is reason enough to rejoice in knowing that God loves us, wants to spend eternity with us and has devised a way of escape for us… The season of correction will produce a season of maturation in Christ which will in turn bring you to closer to Him and His divine plan for you… Make no mistake about it, things in your life could always be worse and the mercy and forgiveness of God are the only two reasons for your life being spared… The discipline of God is unavoidable, the good news is that it will produce the results He desires and won’t last always… As I stated earlier, Daniel read that the bondage of the Israelites would last 70 years; the trials and tribulations that we face and endure will not last forever; the conflicts and circumstances that we are tried by will not stand against us forever and it is the hope of every Christian that the correction we endure promotes growth and a more intimate relationship with Christ… Proverbs chapter 3 verse 12 declares that God disciplines those he loves… As a child of God it is time to get use to the chastening of the Lord; it is only for your God and because He loves you that He spends the time and effort getting you back on track…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

Christ Isn't A Title

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:1

Not everyone who speaks the name of Jesus is a true believer of the sacrifice that He made on Calvary… Not everyone who you see at church is a member of the body of Christ and today we are charged to “try the spirits whether they are of God…” We must not be fooled in our walk with the Lord, I once was told that Satan isn’t actually dwelling in the world but in the church; he tries to take up residence in the church because people in the world are already under his control… This verse is such a powerful one penned by John because often times it isn’t that we are led astray by the world but by imposters who are “wolves in sheep’s clothing…” If I am walking down a dark alley at 11 o’clock at night than I will be very vigilant and apprehensive; however, if I am walking through a park on a nice Saturday afternoon than I tend to lower my guard and my apprehension is non-existent… This same analogy applies to our lives as Christians, when we are in the dark alleys that are this world, we are on guard and our eyes are wide open to see traps and snares; however, when we are in the church we open ourselves up to those who we see and whom we meet expecting them to have our best interest at heart… This is why so many have fallen and have found themselves wondering how they ended up where they are today and this is the very reason why John says we must try the spirit “…because many false prophets are gone out into the world…” One of the biggest things that plague the path of a child of God is the deception that lies in wait and redirects our focus… Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden and it was the deception put forth by Satan that caused the original sin of mankind… They were deceived not only by Satan, but also by the comforts that surrounded them… Being in Eden can be likened to a church in that we are in God’s territory; however, we must be on guard everyday and every hour of our lives in order to refute and rebuke the snares the enemy may lay before us… Make no mistake about it, today, we too are faced with deception; however, one of the most deceptive places in today’s time is where we go to find comfort and peace of mind, the church… John says that we must test to spirit to make sure it is of God; we can’t take people at face value anymore, nor can we assume that what comes from the pulpit is the unadulterated word of God… This passage taken from 1^st John reminds us that there are many spirits in the world… Many deceptive and manipulative spirits that have caused many to stumble along the way! A lot of times we find ourselves in situations where we assume that things that are spoken to us are true without seeking the truth on our own… We can look at the world today and see many churches that have been led astray, many people that have accepted false doctrine and believed lies… I find it interesting how we have more Pastors’ with doctorates in this day and age, but more and more churches falling by the way side… We have become believers of men and their titles instead of believers of Christ… Today we are instructed that we must test the spirit, instead of assuming things, learn to pray about each and every situation; learn to focus your attention on God and be lead by Him and Him alone! To test something, it must be examined, scrutinized and inspected; in other words, it must endure a season of trials in order to gain the full scope of its abilities… Your testing of the spirit must be a thorough examination of those near you and the trials of this life will display the true intent and abilities of the aforementioned spirit…  The book of Acts tells us that when the word was brought forth that the people of the land went home and read it for themselves… Understand that no man can save you; no man can guarantee your salvation; if we come to know that, we will come to know that this walk must be completed by us in order to secure our salvation and heavenly dwelling place… If we recognize that man can’t save us than why would we live by and follow his every word…There are many false prophet in the world, be sure that you don’t follow or become attached to one! Your soul (spirit) is at stake!

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

Sanctification Is A Process

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

It is good to know that the way we enter this world does not have to be the way we exit… Understand today that there is a transformation that takes place daily in the lives of Christians… Through the disobedience of Adam & Eve we all enter this world as sinners, but through the grace and sacrifice of Christ we don’t have to leave that way! Paul charges the church of Corinth to understand that they are being formed into the image of God by His Spirit. There is a progressive work called sanctification that begins in the lives of Christians when they accept Jesus as the personal Lord and Savior…The work of redefining your life is a process that begins at acceptance and is continued through the presences and aide of the Holy Spirit which will dwell inside you and mold you into the disciple that Christ has called you to be… This verse which we focus on today reminds me of the limitless love that God has for His creation... God has looked beyond your faults, established exactly what you needed and then carried out the measures which had to be completed in order to bring you to that expected in… God’s love for you was made known before you even knew the errors of your ways or the depth of your sin… In Christ we get a glimpse of what we were designed to be and the road which we must travel in order to achieve it… When Paul says that we all with open face behold the glory of God in a glass; he is speaking to the presences of God and how we can obtain Him! In the revelation that comes from this experience we must also know that a transformation or change must then follow… We must be open to change and know that reaching for God will cause us to be changed and transformed… When one is thirsty they must pick up the glass to drink, let us pickup the offering of Christ and thirst no more… God has put your breakthrough in reach, He has set your victory within grasp and you must open yourself up to Him, humble yourself before Him and seek His face! The church was being persecuted and torn down, but Paul is reminding the disciples to focus on the Lord and know that He can change things! We often hear that God isn’t a God of confusion and that is true, but let us not take that to think that God cannot work in confusion… Through the trials you face, God will show up if you turn to Him, He will be found if you seek Him and He will transform your spirit into His image if you let Him…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

Gods Fruit Is Without Restriction

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

A quick and easy way to tell a child of God isn’t through the things that come from people’s mouths; it is not through the praise they offer up in worship service, but the kind of fruit that they bare in their lives… The fruit which we produce is a direct reflection of the seed which lives within and this fruit can not be altered or changed from its original state… This is why Paul states the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit… These characteristics cannot be found in fruit that is not produced within the Spirit of God… For example, the bible teaches us that God is love; therefore, being a child of God one must have fruit of love in their lives which not only takes root in them but also produces offspring of love to enable them to extend a hand to their adversary or forgive one who has wronged them… You cannot straddle the fence with a mixed bag of fruit and call yourself a child of the most high… This is one exact reason why we find a passage in the gospel of Matthew which speaks to recognizing people by the fruit that they bare… “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16)” This message is imperative for us today because as a child of God we are not known by what we claim but the fruit that we bare… Paul writes to the church of Galatia reminding them of the fruit that the Spirit indeed does bare; today let us read these verses and take a(n) inventory of our lives to see if we are baring these fruits, if we aren’t then it is time that we make sure that we are walking in the right spirit… As a child of God we are to be filled with His spirit and this is displayed in our daily actions in various forums… How we treat one another displays the spirit we walk in, how much time we devote to God displays the spirit that we walk in and how we deal with trials and tribulations display the spirit that we are walking in… If you treat your fellow man unkind, never spend time with the Lord and throw your hands up whenever a storm comes your way it is time for you to check the true direction that your life is headed… This fruit doesn’t correlate to Sunday or Sabbath Day worship, this fruit is produced 7 days a week 24 hours a day… We all know the death that Jesus offered on the cross, but we often time forget about the spirit He displayed in the moments leading up to the cross and even the time spent upon the cross… The bible says that while being mocked, spit upon and beaten Jesus never said a mumbling word; the bible says that on the cross Jesus prayed for forgiveness for His adversaries and that He extended salvation to a thief… Remember that Jesus told us that we would do greater things than Him and that is a pretty high bench mark for us to cross… In order to do greater things, we must first acknowledge what was done and strive to be the best that God can and has made us to be. This starts by first, walking in the right Spirit; secondly, we must produce fruit that carries these features and third impart them into every phase of our life and every person we come in contact with… Jesus drew large crowds not only because of the works He performed, but because of the Spirit in which He walked… People saw that there was something different about Him; they could feel that this man was no ordinary man and we should resemble these same things in our walk on this earth… People showed know that there is something different about you, you have something else going on in your life and the fruit is a great source for people to see the uniqueness you have through Christ… As a child of God the characteristics that we are to have are laid out in the verses above…We are to be full of love, this means that we look beyond faults, prayer for one another and seek to encourage one another… We are to be full of joy, this means that we must know that trials will come but have faith knowing that our victory is secure and trouble won’t last always… The joy we are to display shall never end nor should it be removed from our lips or hearts… We are to extend peace, everyday we hear of violence on the news, domestic arguments and various displays of anger, the bible says in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God…” Paul goes on to speak to the true identity of God’s children when he says that the fruit of the spirit is “longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” We have to be slow to anger; we must lift up our worse foe and display goodness all the days of our lives… Paul says that “…against such there is no law…” Nobody can deter you when you walk in the spirit, people may try to oppose you but they will fail, people may try to trip you up but they will become stepping stones… You will walk in the love and admiration of God and your fruit will be a beacon light to a dark and confused world…Walk in the spirit…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

His Yoke Is Easy, His Burden Is Light

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Are you tired of being alive but not living? Do you ever find yourself frustrated by the things of this world and wonder how you are going to make it…? The truth of the matter is the enemy wants you to be so bogged down by the cares of this world that you have no time to really start living (which is to give your life to Christ)… Matthew records the call that Jesus makes to all mankind, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden…” Jesus bids you to come out from the places you currently reside… This beckoning isn't a physical call, but a voice which desires to lead you in and on the path of truth and to give you life and give it to you more abundantly (Jesus declares this as the soul purpose of His arrival to this earth)… We labour daily trying to live up to other peoples expectations, we are heavy laden when we allow the thoughts of others and the temptations we face to weigh us down and strip our attention from the things that truly matter… This isn't to suggest or say that the life of a Christian is easy; however, it is to suggest that there are things that are worth laboring for and being burden by because they will lead to eternal rewards and joy… If you are laboring in the Lord than this message provides a since of comfort and stability in the heaviest laden times in your life… Jesus gives a message of hope today to all those who feel the weight of the world upon the shoulders, He gives a (n) encouraging word to all that are laboring and fighting the “good fight…” The message of hope today and the encouraging word that we take with us everywhere we go and through every challenge we face is that Christ is indeed with us… In the midst of trials and tribulations Jesus reminds us through the gospel of Matthew that we can cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us… A lot of storms will rise and chaos will approach your door, but Matthew 11:28-30 reminds us today that Christ’s yoke is easy, His burden is light; He has enough room to carry the load for you, He is mighty enough to hold you up and lead you to victory no matter what you are facing at this present time… Everyday of our lives is a fresh start, another chance or opportunity to live according to the will of God and develop a more intimate relationship with Him… Christ says come unto me because too often we try on our own… Often times we go to the Lord in prayer, but hold onto the things that we are praying for; Jesus is telling us today that we must leave it in His hands and stay focused on His word… Christ is calling for you to see the love He has for you, to see the compassion that He has bestowed and will bestow upon you by you turning your life over to Him! A yoke is something that is used to move objects, it balances the weight to decrease the energy exerted to move it; Christ is calling for you to take His yoke (let Him lighten the load, let Him balance you out and decrease the amount of energy you exert on a daily basis so the obstacles in your life can be moved…) Don’t worry about the trials you face, don’t worry about the obstacles, don’t get caught in the way things appear to be; in the Lord you will find rest, you will find help and you will find love… Remember, His yoke is easy and His burden is light... Keep this phrase in the forefronts of your mind; although you face hard times, your sure to claim victory in Christ Jesus and make it through… 2013 was filled with obstacles that you didn't think you would overcome, but by turning to the Lord you were able to see that God didn't put more on you than you could bare and that He made it possible for you to walk and hold your head up even in times of despair! Learn to walk in the love of God, He will sustain you, He will give you the peace to keep your mind sane and the resources to overcome and ascend to becoming the being He created you to be…

GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!