Forgiveness Leads To Answered Prayers

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Mark 11:24-25

The key to prayer isn’t the words you speak or how long you are in conversation with God; the faith you have in the Lord you serve and over the situation you face determines whether or not your prayer reaches the ears of the almighty or stops at your ceiling… Mark reminds us that just as much as we desire we must believe… “…when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them…” This passage taken from the gospel of Mark speaks to the heart of a Christian; in that, we may go to God in prayer, but we must have faith and not doubt… In the verses before these scriptures, Jesus has made is entry into Jerusalem and while in Bethany went up to a fig tree that had no fruit(when Jesus arrived, the tree wasn’t prepared but that’s for a later day and time), in front of His disciples Jesus cursed the fig tree and when the men returned they found that the tree had withered (died)… The disciples were amazed, but Jesus goes on to tell them that we (as believers) have the ability to do miraculous things (move mountains),but we must have faith in God and not waver about His abilities… Whatever you ask of God believe that He not only hears you, but will respond to your prayer… 

The bible declares in the book of Acts that we are to come BOLDLY to the throne of Grace. We have to have an attitude that God is not only in charge, but that He will fulfill the desires and needs of our heart. Notice the scripture tells us that whatever we desire, when we pray we must believe. So many go to God in prayer, but in our heart we do not believe that He holds the world in his hands, often we go to Him in prayer and if things aren’t changed right away we doubt His supremacy, we call on the Lord, but don’t not have the Faith of one who knows the miracles and blessings that God can and does perform. It is not enough to go to the Lord and lay your burdens down, if you do not believe that he is going to pick them up and carry them for you. The bible declares “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Faith is essential to life and liberty… To believe something, means you accept it as truth, I don’t know about you, but I believe that Jesus died on the cross, I believe that He paid sins penalty, and I accept as truth the message Jesus gave to his disciples after His resurrection when he said, “ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN ME!” Faith requires trusting God and also extending helping hands to your adversaries… 

Notice what Mark says,“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:” We must be willing to go before the Lord and admit our faults, but more importantly forgive those who have wronged us (faith comes in trusting God to deliver and also trusting God to mend). So many of us carry the offense of another on our shoulders or in our hearts and because of that there is no room for God to work in our lives. We hold on to pain, we hold on to hurt, and wonder why God has not moved in our lives. In short, don’t carry grudges because all they do is occupy your thoughts and take up residence where God would like to be… We must understand that people will always upset you, people will always offend you, and people will always hurt you. Remember God said whatever is loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven, and whatever is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, so forgive and forget, so God can do the same for you on earth, but more importantly when you go from labor to reward! God will open doors in you life that you never thought possible, but you must be willing to close the doors of malice, resentment and anger first; this requires faith that believes and never doubts…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Put On the WHOLE Armour Of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:10-11

There are two things that are certain as we journey through life, the first is that we all shall physically die and the second is that we cannot stand against the devil alone… When we come to know and accept these things, we learn that physical death as well as the devils attacks can all be overcome by Jesus Christ… Paul has written this letter to the church of Ephesus and in the preceding chapters has given them instruction on how to live. He has taught them how to bring honor and also how to obey the word and will of God.At this point in his letter, Paul is concluding by reminding them that they must be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Notice the way in which this letter is formed, we are reminded how to live (being a child of God), but the most important point comes at the end and that is that we must put on His armor… The church of Ephesus had endured hardships (just like you and I); it had gone through ridicule and demise. I believe that we can draw a direct parallel to our lives and know that these same situations have been presented to us. 

As we continue on this Christian journey the road becomes steeper and harder to climb, Paul wants us to be refocused and have a renewed Faith in the power and strength of God. The same God that delivered you before is the same God that will deliver you now… Paul says, “be strong in the Lord,” stop trying to handle every situation on your own, stop trying to figure everything out and live according to your own agenda… Paul is saying that we must live by Faith; we must humble ourselves before the Lord and trust that He will move at His appointed time… Often times we pray about situations and then go out trying to resolve them… Paul is telling the church to ignite their faith in Christ by seeking His might… We must understand that we are nothing and powerless as a people, but as Paul stated in his letter to the church of Philippi “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me…” Know where your strength comes from, know who has all power in palm of His hand and take your situations BOLDLY before His throne, lay them before the Lord and leave them their… The bible tells me that Hezekiah was faced with adversity; however, notice what he did… Isaiah 37:14 says, “And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.”We must understand that hard times are necessary; we must realize that pain is essential in growth, and tribulations are vital in experiencing God’s sovereignty! 

Paul says we must put on the whole armor of God to stand against the attacks of the devil. So many of us have fallen in to the devils traps because we omit the words “WHOLE ARMOUR,”we believe that we can go into battle with 50%or 75% coverage. We always leave a little room for our own thoughts and priorities and surely we fall short because we haven’t heeded the scriptures… Paul is telling us this morning that if we want to experience God’s power, if we want to see His strength, if we want God to unveil is Lordship; then we must accept our circumstances and simply prepare ourselves for war! Notice Paul says that we are to put on the whole armor of God that we may stand… Again you will not be able to stand without God’s armor; you must be fully immersed in His word, you must let you faith be your guide, you must sacrifice your own desires if you want to win this battle or as Paul says “finish this race…” The bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour… When you wake up in the morning, the devil is sitting right there at your door, maybe even by your bed waiting for you to seek your own direction… Today, let us remember to be strong In The Lord, let us remember to do everything in the power of His might and tell the devil “get thee behind me…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Promotions Come From Above

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Psalm 75:6-7

Isn’t it ironic that so many people get upset and question God when things are going negatively in their lives…? So many people want to go to their pastors or friends for a (n) answer to their troubles or to simply encourage them to keep the faith when storms come their way… It never ceases to amaze me at how many people will look at the negatives in this world in use that for the basis of their argument against the realness of God; however, how often do we apply this same measure when we are blessed or things are going well… When the storm passes and the rainbow shines, how much praise do we lift up to the Most High? See today’s focus verse teaches us that all promotions, all blessings come from the works of God and not your own hands… James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Understanding this fact leads us to a question that we all must answer, how often do we take credit for a level of success in our lives? How often do we thank our boss for recognizing the work we have done or contributed to the excelling of a company? The psalmist reminds us of who is in charge and has the final say to our everyday situations. 

Understand that nothing can be done without the approval of God, remember Job was successful, but was stricken when God allowed the devil to wreak havoc upon him, remember Jonah was fleeing and God caused a storm to rise upon him and humble him to the point where he could be used. Job received far more than he had before and Jonah went on to preach and get a city to repent from danger. Job later says do we take good from God and not evil? We have to come to the conclusion that God holds our fate and has promised to provide all that we need. So, when you are low on funds and receive that bonus, thank God. When you are worried out of you mind about your job in this economy and your Boss assures you of your safety, praise God. God is the judge, He will humble whoever needs to be humbled; likewise, He will lift up whoever deserves to be lifted! Notice that the psalmist speaks of the promotion not coming from the east, west or south… He doesn’t say “north” for a reason in this passage, when we speak of going north on a route we equate that with going up and the psalmist wants us to know that the blessings don’t come from below us (south) or around us (east and west) but from above (north) through God’s grace and mercy…God is a just God and will take care of any and every situation… When you receive the breakthrough you have looked for, remember who gave it to you… When you receive praise for God works, remember “to God be the glory…” 

A lot of times we take the credit when we find favor in anything that we do or are apart of, at the same token, we blame God when things don’t turn out the way we imagined or wanted them too… The psalmist wants us to acknowledge God in all that we do and all the blessings that come our way… Don’t live a double life; humble yourself before the Lord before He humbles you… That’s why the psalmist says He putteth down one and setteth up another… When we go on our ego trip, God will bring you back down to reality real fast. A friend of mine wants told me that we must remain humble as we climb the ladder of success and not become arrogant or prideful; because the same ladder we climb up is the one that we will surely use to come back down… In other words, don’t humiliate yourself by thinking you have “made” it and are better than everyone else, because when God humbles you (and He will) you will need a friend to lean on… Keep everything in your life in the proper context, know that God doesn’t make mistakes when you are humbled, but also have faith in knowing that your breakthrough is on the horizon… I believe Paul (who was humbled and exalted by the Lord) said it best in his letter to the Church of Rome, “know that ALL things work together for the good of those who LOVE the LORD!” If you love God, understand that His blessings come in many ways, even in ways you would least expect; like on your job!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Can Still Reach The Loss

But if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.

Nehemiah 1:9

The bible declares in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…” The sooner we come to the realization that we need Christ in our lives, the sooner we can begin to live and live more abundantly… The people of God have been uprooted, scattered throughout the land; however, Nehemiah comes and reminds them that no matter how bad things appear, God can still hear and heal “…if you return to me and obey my commands…” Disobedience led to the alteration of God’s children’s lives and this defiant attitude will lead to our demise as well… Notice the call Nehemiah puts forth in our scripture reading today; if you want prosperity, if you want peace, if you want health, if you want joy, you must obey… When you obey God, “…then, even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there…” Your call is to walk according to the will of God, not worry or chase souls… This passage taken from the book of Nehemiah reminds us of the importance of staying focused on our Christian journey… God spoke to Joshua when Moses had passed and told him “not to turn to left or the right…” Isaiah spoke of the path of righteousness in the 30th chapter of his prophetic book and said that we aren’t to “go to the left or the right…” 

The children of God had lost their way and were in great suffering; however, God speaks through Nehemiah and reminds them that His grace still abounds when we have turned away, His mercy is everlasting even when we have strayed and that if we return unto Him and obey His commands He will hear our cry and gather us unto Him… This speaks to the love and desire God has for you to be more and do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can comprehend… He desires for you to “Be Blessed,” He desires for you to reap the harvest and lay up a crown of righteousness… Know that God still sits high and looks low, He is still our all and all and in due time He will snatch you out of the very depths that THINK they have your fate in their hands… 2 Chronicles 7:14 says it best, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from there wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will heal there land…” This passage has a two-tiered meaning, not only must we remain focused, but we must understand that the decisions that we make don’t only affect us, but they affect our children, our spouse and various other people who we encounter… Stop trying to figure out this world on you own, stop trying to handle every situation within your own might, put your hand in the hand of Jesus and He will right the vision and make it plain… It is through our own feeble thinking that we make situations worse; we build greater obstacles and find ourselves in harder trials… 

The word of God through Nehemiah says “if you return and obey… even the exiled at the farthest horizon I will gather…” It starts with you, if you have a child that has gone astray, a marriage that is falling apart, a friend that you have lost; return unto the Lord, obey His commands and walk according to His will… God is trying to instill in you this very valid and strong point; don’t try to fix things that are out of your control! If you have a relationship that has fallen apart, return unto the Lord… Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me…” Return unto the Lord, obey His commands… Don’t worry, don’t fret, because when you submit yourself unto the Lord, He takes the burdens of your life and answers your prayers… The parable of the prodigal son showcases the power of prayer and faith, the father had to let his son go, throughout the sons riotous living the father let go and let God… In the end, the son returned and through the prayers of his father was saved… Letting go isn’t a sign of weakness, but faith… As long as God is first in your life, everything (in due time) will fall into place… We all have fallen short of His glory, but through His son we all have a chance of Eternal Life… The same chance is afforded to all, so return unto Him and let Jesus gather the lost sheep!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Will Supply All Your Needs

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:19-20

Through the hardships of life, Paul learned invaluable lessons… When no one was there for him, he learned who was always by his side… When he was cast down and stoned, Paul came to know who lifted him up and healed his body… Through all the toils and snares, the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations; there was one constant in his life… This is the reason why he states 9 verses early, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Paul had grown in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior and his faith would not allow him to become disheartened or sadden by the frailties of life… This passage we focus on today speaks of the faith that we must have knowing that God not only can but that He “…shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory…” Hebrews declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen… Paul explains to us that we are called to walk by faith; this means that we are too trust the Lord in all our affairs of life… One of the biggest challenges that face the Christian today is trusting in the Lord when we are called to move from our realm of comfort… 

If we believe that God will never fail us, than we should have faith to give to others and let go of things in order to help others while we ourselves solely depend on the Lord… One of the greatest things I was ever told was that sometimes God takes things out of our hands so that something else can be placed in them… If we believe that, than we trust that all of our needs will be meet when we walk in obedience to His word and have faith through all the circumstances we face in life… At the pinnacle of our Christian journey we must display the Faith that we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… We must have faith in God, knowing that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in Glory… Paul thanks the church for their diligent service and also reminds them that God has seen there sacrifice and will take care of them… God has all that you stand in need of, call on him, ask him, seek him, and allow him to do great and wonderful things on His timetable… This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks in faith… We pray to God, we believe that He has heard us, but when He doesn’t answer when and/or how we want Him to than we become frustrated and take action ourselves… Paul wants you to remember your faith opens the door to God’s faithfulness… He will supply your needs “…according to His riches…” He won’t do it according to your standards; He will do it according to what He knows you need… This is why faith is a must in pleasing God! 

Yea you might be struggling right now, yea you might have unpaid bills right now, yea you might be between a rock and a hard place, but just know that when you put God first, when you focus your eyes upon the Lord and seek His kingdom, everything will be added unto you… Paul says “But My God…” Before this verse Paul spoke of the limitless giving the church performed, he spoke of the undying love that the church displayed by not worrying about today’s obstacles but instead focusing on God’s will… Malachi said that we should “test the Lord in giving”and that when we do “He will open a window in heaven and pour you out a blessing that you will not have room enough to receive it…” Test the Lord today by giving and relying on His Grace, test the Lord today by giving and relying on his Mercy today, test the Lord and watch Him supply all your needs when you put Him first… The church of Philippi gave all they had to Paul (the Ministry of God’s word) and never focused on there own circumstances, how often do we withhold from God because of a bill or a purchase that we want to make? How often do we let worldly circumstances take precedent over God’s will? Paul says to the church of Philippi earlier in the chapter that the gifts you sent to me in my time of need weren’t for me, but so that you’re giving may be credited to your account… We all have a (n) account in heaven, one that can never be overdrawn, and one that will never leave us with a notice saying “insufficient funds…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Spread The Word And Break The Chains

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.

Isaiah 61:1

Isaiah was called by God to go and prophesy to the children of the Lord, He was called to go to a rebellious people and declare the things that God revealed to him… What I find so fascinating about this scripture is the boldness that Isaiah has to go forward and speak the word of the Lord… Understand today that we are all called to set the captives free; however it is through the spirit of God that we obtain the might, authority and direction in order to fulfill this task and the destiny that God has called us to… Isaiah 6: 5-8 teaches us about where we were and how the spirit’s presences changes and transforms situations… 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seenthe King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? "And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"Isaiah wasn’t always about the work of the Lord, when He saw the glory of the Lord he cried out woe is me, I am undone, I am not worthy to behold this wonder; however when He was touched by the live coal the Lord asked who shall I send and Isaiah replied “Here I am. Send me… 

We too are not worthy of the glory of the Lord, we are not worthy of the offering that Christ poured out on the cross; however we have received a golden opportunity to walk in the will of the Lord and are promised Eternal Life when we obey His calling... Isaiah’s confidence is found in knowing that God has cleansed him and prepared for this task… Remember where you were before God gave you that second chance; when you realize that you were filthy and deep in sin you better appreciate the avenue that God has paved for you and therefore can be bold in the midst of a troubled world and society… Understand that Isaiah wasn’t ready for his calling until he was touched by the live coal; remember that Peter stood up in the book of Acts on the day of Pentecost after the tongues of fire came down from heaven… When “The Spirit of the Lord is upon you”things don’t remain the same, your direction of walk changes, your approach to life is altered and you have the might to overcome and deliver those around you… When you are in the spirit you don’t just sit by the wayside, the spirit will lead you to action, it will lead you to taking up your cross and will cause you to utter the words that Jeremiah uttered in the 20 chapter of his prophetic book, verse 9 tells us that he couldn’t keep the word to himself, it was just like fire shut up in his bones… 

The spirit won’t allow you to remain still; it won’t allow you to keep the status quo… Many people proclaim just as Isaiah, “that the spirit of the Lord is upon them”; many say that they are anointed and I will not dispute any of that, but notice what follows Isaiah’s proclamation. When you are anointed by God, first you know what it is that He has called you to do (preach good tidings) and furthermore; you are taking action in and towards your calling. You can be anointed and that may be true, but your anointing is of no use if you are not putting it to use and that means walking in the will of God! The bible teaches that we all have spiritual gifts; however, know that this doesn’t mean that we are all called to preach the word of God… The body is composed of many members, each one being critical to the entire makeup of the body… You are a critical piece to the body of Christ, no matter what the position is that you are called to, no matter what the direction that God has called you to go, know that when you walk in the will of God you along with everyone else in the body benefit… Do what God has called you to do; whatever ministry He has placed in you will bare fruit of His anointing upon your life… When you walk in His will you will set captives free, you will bind up the brokenhearted and you will open prison doors… There is somebody that you will encounter today that is waiting for you to display your boldness in the Spirit of God… Allow God to use you in the way he deems fit; lives will be changed and situations altered…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

I Know My Redeemer Lives

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

Job 19:25

This passage taken from the book of Job speaks to the faith that a Christian must display not only in the good times, but in times of adversity… So often we praise God when things go well and we feel happy, but as a child of God we must understand that persecution is a part of growth, trials bring about maturity and obstacles develop your endurance on this course of life… The devil is seeking whom he may devour and he wants to devour the one who has chose the will and path of God (he isn’t concerned about those of the world because they aren’t following the will of the most high)! Remember that Jesus was on this earth for 30 whole years, but you never hear about the devil tempting Him until He was baptized and preparing to begin His ministry! Job was a man of faith and this passage speaks to that aspect of His life when everything around him seemed to fail… 

Remember the circumstances that Job faced in his life; he had everything a man could want (good health, a loving and strong-bonded family, and wealth of cattle). Job was considered by many as a (n) ideal man who had accomplished all that he could and achieved success at every level and avenue of his life. In the blink of an eye,by God’s permission; everything was taken away from him. His children died, his cattle was stolen and his health was hampered. The closest person to him left in his life was his wife and she told him to curse God and die. How do we react when things in our lives take a turn for the worst, the one we trust betrays us (Job’s wife and friends) and we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, on an island of misfortune by ourselves…? Some of us are living the life of Job right now, we have seen beautiful days and reached heights of success that we never thought possible, but know we have witnessed the storms come knocking and our foundation be engulfed by turmoil… How you deal with and handle hardships, displays your measure of faith as a child of God! 

Today we find Job here declaring to us something that we should too be able to say. I know my redeemer liveth, people have a false since that being a Christian means you won’t have bad days, trials and tribulations, or sleepless nights, but on the contrary this walk is for those who can endure, and Jesus told his disciples that they hated him first. To say I know my redeemer liveth means that you can see the sunlight behind the rain, you can lift your head up in times of despair and you can maintain your faith in times of tribulation… Job not only knows that his redeemer liveth, but knows He shall return… “He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth”, our father has gone to prepare a place for us, we shall have a mansion with our names on it, Jesus shall return on a cloud and the dead in Christ shall rise and we all will meet Him in the air… You will make it through this storm, you will survive and in the end you will win… Jesus made it known that you would struggle, you would have dark days, and definitely you will deal with sleepless nights. But our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. We believe that the suffering of this present time will not equal our reward in heaven, so we await Jesus return with great anticipation. We live just as Job and say “THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST HIM!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is In Control

Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
 

Revelation 1:17-18

 

As we walk this earth we are reminded that we have nothing to fear; understand that there is nothing in this world or of this world that can overtake the will and plan that God has for your life… The revelation revealed to John teaches us that before us God was there and in the end He will still remain… Jesus indeed did die as all human will; however, spiritually the bible says that He gave up the ghost and it is by His spirit that we have nothing to fear, by His spirit we can overcome mountains and receive life and life more abundantly… Notice the blessing and strength given unto the Children of God in this passage. It tells us to FEAR NOT, so many of us are worried about what the future holds, where we will be in the next couple of years, will we find that special someone, will we be happy and have a stable job and income. 

John reminds us through the sacrifice of Jesus that we have nothing to fear. We don’t have to worry; we don’t have to be confused, or unstable in our actions on this earth. Jesus declares that he was the first and the last. This means that He was the first to endure hardships, He was the first to go through the grind of dealing with the penalty of sin, but it also means that He was the last, He went through the obstacles and defeated every last one of them. Your sin has already been dealt with, you future already promised to be fruitful. There is no need for you to fear because God already knows what you stand and need of and as long as you seek Him first, you will receive all you need and more… It’s good news for the struggle Christian today, this is a spark of encouragement for those ready to throw in the towel and give up… Some of those with mountains of bills staring them in the face may wonder what strength they can draw from this passage, some may be wondering how it is that they can continue to run this race and walk in faith… The answers to all these questions are found in the middle of these two verses; “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore…” Though He was abused, mocked, beaten and spit on, we know that our savior lives and all power is in His hand… He is the one who rose on the third day and lives for evermore, and the greatest thing is that He has the keys to hell and death. Jesus determines where we spend eternity; this is good news, because we are children of God and co-heirs with Christ. 

Being co-heirs tells me that my mortgage for my plot of land in heaven has already been approved and paid… Knowing that my Salvation is secured helps me to not become fearful of any man or any circumstance while I walk this earth… So we need not be worried about the future, we need not be afraid of the unseen and unknown, but rather embrace every day, look forward to every challenge and believe that Christ has paid it all and He will return unto this earth one more time to judge. Believe that the dead in Christ shall rise, and all the others that remain on this earth shall be caught up to meet Him in the air. He has gone to prepare a place for you and me.We each have our own mansion in heaven, and there will be no more sorrow, no more worry, no more sin, but rather everyday will be Sunday and our eternal bliss will have no end! Christ died once so that all mankind would not have to taste death, this is our hope, this is why we don’t worry nor fret… Christ has the keys and He will open the door of Eternal Life to those whose hope and trust lies upon His sacrifice on Calvary…

 

This is my hope and passion, this is what I rest and look forward to, this is why I don’t fear the current circumstances and NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Reigns

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26

In the midst of your trials and tribulations God is at work… While Jesus was enduring the mocking and agony of the cross His rewards were being prepared as well… Today let us understand that the enemy may appear to have the upper hand, but while we are in the worst of times, God is in the best and will defeat the foe that stands before us… Paul says He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet… Jesus will stand the test of time (as He showed when He took the form of man), there is nothing in or of this world that will outlast God’s love, grace and mercy. We as believers should take courage today in knowing that Paul was right when He said “no weapon formed against you shall prosper”… Isaiah was dead on when he said that “He will make His enemies His footstool”… Every obstacle you face can be overcome, every trial can serve a positive purpose and every tribulation can promote endurance within you… 

Paul also wrote that this race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure! Let us endure as Jesus did us on the cross, let us endure as Jesus did when He was mocked, and let us endure as Jesus did when He was spit on… A lot of us may be finding ourselves in situations where the enemy seems to be winning, let us not become weary in well-doing for we shall reap a harvest if we faint not… Your task at hand is to hold to God’s unchanging hand, your objective is to maintain your faith throughout every storm that comes your way because God will reign over your life and provides victory through your turmoil… Paul is speaking to the embattled believer today, He is talking to the worn out Christian that doesn’t feel as if there is anything left in the tank to serve God and He is simply saying hold on! Jesus held on and is sitting at the right hand of the father; you can hold and reap bountiful blessings from the Lord! Don’t give up, don’t give in, just believe and you will indeed achieve! Yesterday we examine Isaiah the promise that God’s word will not come back void, but that it will accomplish what it was set out to accomplish; today, this passage taken from Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth reminds us of the awesome power of God once again in that He will not be defeated and His ways will prevail.. This verse starts off by saying that HE must reign, there is no other God but one, there is no other savior but Jesus, and no other way but through God’s Will. 

This passage reminds us that Jesus will reign until all His enemies have been put under his feet; this means that we, being believers in Christ and His sufferings are assured of triumph over sin. This passage says all enemies, sickness is conquered, worry has no place, jealousy has ended, hatred will be turned away, and most of all DEATH will be defeated. These things have been replaced in the body of believers by love, kindness, meekness, temperance, and longsuffering. Jesus says I am the way, and we have a clear depiction of that, because all obstacles have been surpassed through His ultimate sacrifice. We have the God-given ability to overcome any obstacle now, through His bloodshed on Calvary! Paul makes it clear that the last enemy was and is death! Jesus died so that we could live, He endured hell so that we wouldn’t have to taste it and now He reigns desiring for all to be with Him and to inherit Eternal Life! Death is separation from the Lord, death is finality, but Jesus conquered the greatest evil of all and now says through Paul that you can do the same if you hold on and keep the faith! When Paul was coming to his last breath, he said“I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith; henceforth, now there is a crown laid up for me…” Your crown of victory, your crown of endurance and your crown of reigning with Jesus waits… Keep fighting the good fight and finish this race, those running against or those who appear to have the upper hand will not beat you to the finish line!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Word Will Not Return Void

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

Stand true in your faith knowing today that His word “…shall not return unto me void…” God has said that things will change, He has promised in His word that walking with Him will produce fruits that your labor will be worth; however, many of us today become so frustrated with what appears to be fruitless labor to the point that we give up and don’t adhere to the call God has upon our lives…  The word of God is that “If you abide in me I will abide in you…” His word is that “weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning” His word is that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…” You have read plenty of promises that God has for those who keep the faith in a faithless world and today we are assured that even though things may appear deem or unaltered that God is working and His work will continue to be performed “until Christ returns…” You are working in His vineyard and your reward is assured… This call from Isaiah is for you to stay the course and know that your years of blood sweet and tears are producing and watering seeds that God has in you… When you feel as if you labor is in vain, remember what the bible declares, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”

God is calling all the lowly, confused, poor and needy to come unto Him that He may provide all that they stand in need of… You may question why you are in the position that you are today, you may feel lost and powerless because of the trials you face, but Isaiah reminds us in the earlier portion of this chapter that God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts and that we must cling to His unchanging hand… There will be many avenues that we venture down in life and there will be dead ends that we hit, but we are called to remember that the word of God will be victorious, it will accomplish what it was set out to accomplish! This doesn’t mean nor does this verse say that we will be in a mindset of peace everyday of our lives, but we are to ignite our faith on the fact that God’s word will be successful in whatever avenue it is sent out; it will produce the crop in our lives that it is suppose to be producing and we will reap a harvest if we faint not… This speaks to the power of God’s word, but also it speaks to the faith that we must have in His word! We have the ability to win, but we must speak the word of God into every situation, we must have faith in the Lord to overcome every obstacle that we face and Isaiah is reminding us today that God will never lie nor will His word not accomplish what it is set forth to do… The word of God is a beacon light in a dark and confused world… 

The word of God is a compass for the lost and encouragement for the weak… The word of God is the path to Salvation for a people who are headed to hell… The word of God is set forth to seek and save those who are lost! Knowing that the word of God has been set in place to do these things, we must use it to gain victory and allow it to accomplish its task… Some of us have a child or family member that has lost sight of God’s hand (speak the word over them) and believer it won’t come back void, some have hit a rough spot in our lives with our jobs (speak the word of God over the situation), some of us have been heart-broken and feel the weight of the world is too much to bare (speak the word into that circumstance). It will prosper in the thing whereto God sends it… Stand by faith; believing what the psalmist wrote about, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. We have to believe in the Lord and trust Him at His word!!! God never said it would be easy, but what He did say is that all those who call on His name will be saved! He never said that you wouldn’t see dark days and sleepless nights, but He did say that a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but if you make the Lord your dwelling place it will not come near you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Spend Your Time Wisely

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

The psalmist speaks to the focus and mindset that a child of God must have… We cannot assume things as if we have control of the days we live on this earth! Too often we put off for tomorrow what we should complete today. This psalm is a prayer for guidance and a petition for the Lord to teach us to walk in His marvelous light… The psalmist recognizes that God is the head and founder of all; the foundations of the earth are His... The psalmist states and is stating that God returns man to dust and controls our afflictions. If we are to walk as a child of the most high, we must learn to number our days. This is not speaking of a plan as to when we are going to do x, y and z; but rather it speaks to a humble approach, being thankful for the days (today) you have been privileged to witness and knowing that tomorrow is never promised! Number your days by taking them one at a time, number your days living each day knowing it is a blessing and privilege to see… If God touches you and wakes you in the morning, know that you have been afforded another chance to develop a more intimate relationship with Him, know that you have been given another chance to make peace with your adversaries and submit your life to Christ! 

See, often times we try to fulfill our own lustful and fleshly desires believing that we will have a chance to repent and God will forgive us (we don’t number our days because we live as if tomorrow we can right all of our wrongs; however,the psalmist is calling for us to focus on living a life that pleases God now and not trying to put off until we have experienced what this world has to offer… We need to number our days so that we can apply our hearts unto wisdom. Believing that today is a gift will put us in the mindset that Christ has blessed us by touching us early this morning! We will awaken with praises flowing from our lips as well as the warm blood within our veins… Wisdom is a (n) accumulation of knowledge, if we believe the scriptures that tells us that God’s mercies are new every morning, we will have faith that it is only by His grace and mercy that we are here today… The knowledge that we will accumulate is that God has looked beyond our faults and seen our needs, the knowledge we will accumulate is that God desires for us to serve Him with all our hearts and minds, the knowledge that we will accumulate is that God desires for you to inherit Eternal Life…Number you days because you know that God didn’t have to give you a second, third and forth chance. 

Number your days by looking at life as if this moment is your last and you want to ensure your place in heaven with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings… Turn to wisdom by believing that your ability to wake up, your ability to accomplish and to overcome isn’t derived from you hands, but the hands of Christ and the touch of His love! Christ died on the cross so that we might live, He was clothed in imperfection so that we could be perfected and now He desires for us to have Salvation. Live for Him everyday of your life and you will then begin to learn the knowledge of where Christ desires for you to walk. The bible records these words from our Lord, “Behold, I come quickly” the bible says “Even the son of man does not know the day nor the hour…” Don’t be count on the outside looking in, don’t be one of the virgins who had no oil… Number your days and get your relationship with God right… In numbering your days you will apply your heart to wisdom because you will no longer walk by sight but by faith!

Don’t expect tomorrow, trust Him and live today!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Discipline Is For Your Good

...But He (disciplines us) for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:10-11

Understand today that a punishment is only affective when the one being punish learns the errors of his/her ways and improves… There are many people who beat or whip their children, but have not actually reached their child in a means to correct them… It is important today to realize this because God disciplines us in many ways and forms; however, it is “…for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness…” The author of Hebrews reminds us today that God punishes us out of love and a desire to see us succeed; if we truly reaped what we have/had sown, then you and I would be in the midst of hell today; however, God punishes to teach us the right way and for us to come to know and understand that the path that we had choose originally was not the best path for us to walk… As a child when I was whipped I thought that I was enduring the most terrible feeling I could ever feel; however I never thought about how bad a feeling that I placed in the hearts of my parents by conducting myself in a manner that was not pleasing to them… I think we all can agree that there is no fun in being whipped, but when we learn from our mistakes and begin to reap the rewards of our transformation, then that unpleasant feeling is well worth it… Short lived pain is always worth it when you receive a lifetime of bliss… 

The author today wants you to know that the corrective measures God puts in place are not intended to harm you, these devices get you on the straight and narrow, they place you where He wants and needs you to be so that you can reach and become what He designed you for… The author acknowledges that “…no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous...” Discipline isn’t well received; it isn’t something we want to endure and it painful to accept; however the product that comes from it outweighs the pain that it inflects… Look at it from this perspective; the hardest season for a farmer is planting, but the most rewarding is the harvest... The planting season _takes endurance, discipline and a solid work ethic… Your season of planting in God’s eyes comes through adversity; it begins in tribulations and will test your faith and endurance… We accept trials and tribulations because we know that the harvest (entering His gates) will make that season worthwhile… When you go through adversity, God may very well be using these things to discipline you and keep you from falling by the wayside… We all have heard the saying, spare the rod and spoil the child; no one likes to be punished, no one likes to suffer the consequences of their actions, but we find in today’s scripture that the growing pains that we go through physically and spiritually are for our benefit. 

Your parents don’t want to have to yell or spank you; however if that will produce a good crop in you than that is what they will do… We have often heard the saying from parents that it hurts me more than it hurts you; let us realize the pain that the parents are focusing on is the feel of disappointment, the feeling of frustration, hoping that there loved one would walk the straight line. Punishment is used as a tool of correction; biblically it is used so that we may be partakers of His holiness. The holiness that is spoken of in this passage of scripture refers to the perfection of God, we were created in His image (Genesis 1:27) but through our own desires we fell out of His holiness. Through the growing pains we face, God wants to re-establish the relationship we first had. No chastening seems joyous, but push on; no punishments makes you smile at that time, but push on; no physical or spiritual whippings are fun to endure, but push on; knowing that maturation and the act of perfecting is taking place in you life, that correction breeds perfection, and the peaceable fruit of righteousness spoken of in these verses shall be yours to eat of! Paul said I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; these words were spoken by a man that had been disciplined in the wilderness, blinded, stoned, imprisoned and rejected, He goes on to say henceforth there is laid up for me a crown (get the point)!

All For His Glory!

He Hasn't Forgotten About You

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:19

It is hard for me to face the errors of my ways… Daily I try to forget things or remove thoughts from my mind as I journey through this life… Through this passage taken from Micah I find hope for my lost soul… I find encouragement even though I know the mistakes I have made and the fact that a lot of things I deal with are a result of my actions… Micah provides evidence today that we can stand on when others try to keep us down and in the dumps… The passage calls for us to know that where we are isn’t where God wants us to be; however, despite our flaws “He will turn again; he will have compassion upon us…” Take courage in knowing today that trouble won’t last always(even if the trouble is a direct result of your decisions)… Even though you may be in a rut or feeling down and out; you should find peace in knowing that “He will turn again…” God loves you and He wants to see you succeed… His desire is for you to reach levels far above what the human eye can comprehend and for you to obtain a weight of glory which Paul says that our present suffering cannot compare with… The book of Lamentations, written by Jeremiah reminds us that God’s mercies fail not; that they are new every morning, Jeremiah then goes on to tell us that it is because of His compassion that we are not consumed and he concludes by saying great is thy faithfulness… 

Micah echoes those same sentiments today; the second part of this verse says, “…he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities…” Despite what you have done, despite the decisions you have made, the love of God won’t allow you to be utterly cast down… Sure, you will deal with the consequences of your actions, you will face and reap what you have sown; however, you should be encouraged today to know that God“will subdue our iniquities…” Subdue means to restrain, control, pacify or hold back; iniquity is injustice, evil or wickedness… God will keep you from being overtaken by evil, He will restrain you from the sins you have committed so that you don’t allow them to corrupt or destroy your future… Sure you may experience ups and downs, but you will never receive the full measure of punishment you deserve… This is why Jesus came to this earth… All you sins, all you wickedness and all your evil was nailed to the cross… Jesus carried them for us; He paid the ransom and cancelled the debt upon our heads… This feat has already been accomplished through the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ… The enemy doesn’t want you to know this, but you need to know today that all of your past, present and future mistakes have already been cast “…into the depths of the sea…” At the time when Micah writes this letter; we, just like the Israelites have found ourselves putting a wall up or simply distancing ourselves from the way and will of the Lord… We have walked the wrong road, delighted in the wrong things and associated ourselves with the wrong kind of people… 

Make no mistake about it, the Israelites were facing a time when it appeared that God was distant (the reality was that dealing with the consequences of our actions may make us think He is distant simply because we want think we shouldn't be subject to reaping what we have sown)… This indeed is a time when there was no hope in sight and the enemy appeared to be triumphant over them! Micah says He will turn again, understand that God desires for us to walk according to His will, but will remove His hand when we desire to walk in our own footsteps! Micah is providing the children with hope today, saying that although you are facing trials, know that He will turn again, He will lift you up, He will suppress your enemy and He will bless you with victory… There will be times in our lives when we will feel the absences of God due to circumstances that we tried to control, it is at this point that we must humble ourselves and become dependent on God if we want Him to move on our behalf! Trials come to make us strong and prep us for the next level of God’s plan; not cause up to give up on our destiny… Micah says that He will cast all sins into the depths of the sea… Jesus came to save on His first mission, when He returns He will come to judge! Let us understand the words that Micah is saying today; God hasn’t forgotten about you, He hasn’t given up on you, but you must endure the hardships of life to be molded and prepared for Christ return…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Ask, Seek & Knock (Three Keys To Victory)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

As a Christian these verses taken from the gospel of Matthew display how it is that we obtain the vision and will God has for our lives. To obtain what it is that God has for you, to walk in the will of God and to ensure your eternal resting place these three steps outlined below must be taken… First, you must ask God; this means that you inquire of Him and develop a relationship with Him knowing that He is the source of your being and happiness. Asking implies that there is a (n) answer you seek and Jesus is reminding us today that God has all the answers and we must indeed turn and ask the proper person to find the correct answer… The bible says we have not because we ask not!!! After asking God, the Second thing you must do is seek Him; a lot of times we take the first step but become frustrated and irritated with the second… The bible says that God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in many people quote this scripture to imply that God will give you everything you ask for at the drop of a hat; however the bible also says in Jeremiah 29:13 that, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Study God’s word, fast, and pray with earnest. 

The sword (word of God) is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God that can inflect wounds that are fatal! We are called to seek God’s answer by reading His word and piercing through the obstacles before us killing the life within them… When one seeks, they desire to have, they pursue, they endure; today let us understand that the answer lies in the word of God and it may not be visible immediately… After asking and seeking, the third thing we must do is knock; this is the most important decision that a Christian must make, to knock means that there is something separating you from where you want to be and where you are at the present time. When you knock on a door, you are awaiting the door to be opened and you stand in anticipation. We must knock on the door of heaven, but we must also knock down the obstacle that WILLbe placed in front of us as we seek to live within God’s will. There will be many things that come into our lives to distract us, but when we knock after asking and seeking; we are telling God these obstacle will not stop me from obtaining my Blessing and vision for my life. 

We have been given the ability to come boldly before the thrown of God, let us knock down the things in our lives that are separating us from the True Answers of Christ, let us knock down the walls that have been placed between us and salvation and let us knock down the barriers that are keeping us from obtaining the will of God and His precious gift of Salvation… Going deeper in this concept of knocking, let us understand that to knock on something it must be before us… We ask God for things, we seek Him and a lot of times we miss the door He has placed before us because it isn’t the door we expected… There are some doors God has opened and some that He is trying to close… Some of the doors in our lives are people (seek God to know whether it should be opened or closed), some of the obstacles are bad habits, some of the barriers are past failures and Jesus is saying that we must stop seeking vain glory, ask God for a breakthrough, become so tired of the bad habits that we seek and endure the nights of loneliness (the door before you) to receive a (n) answer and knock down the barrier to walk lockstep with the Lord!

SO, ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK!!!! Surely you will find what you stand in need of even if it isn’t what you expected!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!