The Door Is Still Open

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Revelation 3:8

Despite what people may have told you or even have attempted to persuade you to believe, this Christian journey isn’t easy… From the time we wake up until the time we lay down again we are surrounded by temptations and snares... While you are resting the enemy is devising new plans to be carried out against you to steal, kill and destroy all that God has in store for you… You may be wondering why the minute you come out of a storm there is another one on the horizon; this coming and going of obstacles can wreak havoc on your physically and mentally; however, through John’s revelation today we are reminded that God “knows thy works…” No matter how daunting the task may appear to be, no matter how much sweat and tears are poured out or energy is exerted through your ordeals, be encouraged today that your perseverance will pay off and even though it may feel at times that God isn’t there, the truth of the matter is that He is right by your side… The Lord sees your struggles; He knows the desires of your heart and has provided you a way of escape and a means of obtaining victory by “setting before thee an open door…” 

Often times we can get overwhelmed by the things that we are faced with and never realize the path which God has already paved for us to not only make it through but to overcome and excel… I can recall a very strong piece of advice that my sister once told me; she said, “don’t tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is…” I quote this powerful statement as a means to challenge you to accept the hand that you have and know that the God you serve will make sure that it plays in a way that you will not only survive it, but will come out better than you were going in because of it… Instead of focusing on the why; learn to be thankful for the when… God has promised to set before you an open door because He has seen your works… Stop allowing your day to be consumed by asking why I have to deal with this or why this is happening to me and learn today to be thankful for God’s grace and mercy which has kept you this far and start declaring “I don’t understand why, but I know it’s not a question of if God will deliver me but when…” This word today is one to encourage you to hold on just a little while longer… God has opened a door for your exaltation, He has setup your path to claim your victory, and He has prepared the way for you to accept your reward! John records this verse with the mindset to encourage us in our daily walk, to give us a power boost or surge of energy so that we will not circum to the evil plans that wait before us. John was exiled to the island of Patmus; however, this is exactly where God wanted Him to be… 

The revelation knowledge came when John was placed in isolation (getting the point)… Accept your trials and tribulations, trust that what you are dealing with “was not meant for evil” as Joshua reminds us in the book of Genesis… The enemy wants you to believe that you don’t have a future in Christ because that is only way that He can stop you… The door that God has opened for your ascension, the door that He has opened for your victory “no man can shut it…” God not only knows thy work, but because you “have kept His word and not denied His name” you are about to be taken to higher levels than you can even fathom or imagine… As the psalmist David wrote, “He is preparing a table for you in the presences of your enemies…” Again, this passage says that God knows thy works, he has seen your struggles, he has heard your cry, he feels the pain and anguish that you have faced, and understands the trials that you have been through! Christ needs you to understand that your trials are set for your benefit, your faith is bringing about prosperity, and your tribulations have set the open door to salvation before you! It is because of thy works, it is because you have risen above the perilous times, it is because you never gave up, it is because you fought the good fight that there is a crown laid up for you! God acknowledges that we are weak, that we are not perfect, but he sees that you have kept his word, you haven’t denied Him before men; so He is preparing your riches, he has gone to set you up for a greatness never imagined and a victory never seen. No man can thwart God’s plan, so keep the faith and know that God has prepared your exaltation!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Time It Will Be Revealed

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Luke 8:17

There are times in life when we don’t understand, there are points in your Christian journey where we are puzzled by some of the situations that we face… Today, Luke reminds us that everything will be revealed to us in time…The songwriter said “Ooo by and by when the morning comes, all the saints of God are gathered home, we will, tell the story of how we overcome and we’ll understand it better by and by…” Let us realize today that as the years past and we grow in Christ the understanding as to the path and reason behind every turn will be clearer and clearer for us... You may not understand why this or that happened right now, you may not have a clue as to what impact this situation that you are going through will have on your life, but Luke assures us that at God’s appointed time, we will understand… 

God informed us in the 55^th chapter of Isaiah about the lack of understanding that we would have at times in our lives… We can’t comprehend the magnitude of God’s actions; the word says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Our faith shouldn’t rely on living a life of harmony, but on accepting every avenue that this Christian journey takes us on knowing and believing that God knows what’s best for us… God has a special and ordained plan for your life! The turmoil you face is for a reason, the heartache and pain has a purpose, and the chaos and confusion is divine. There will be days where things don’t make sense, times where you feel bewildered and puzzled about your current circumstances, surely there will be instances of shaky ground and conflict! Luke records for us today that there is no secret that shall not be manifested, this passage does not tell you the everything will make sense when you want it to, it doesn’t say that the puzzle pieces of life will fall into place just as you expected, but what is does tell us is that every time and purpose will bring you to a ultimate joyous conclusion… What is does tells us is that as long as you are walking in the spirit and will of God everything well work for your benefit! Luke says things will make sense and you will be enlightened; the key is that all this will take place at God’s appointed time… The struggles that we face in this life are treacherous, the pain we face is agonizing, but when we are called up into the air we will understand every tear that was shed, every ache that was felt and every storm that raged upon us… One can ask why it was that Christ had to die on the cross, one could if there was a simpler way to handle Salvation, but what we can’t deny is that Christ sits at the right hand of God with all power in His hand… 

The bible is filled with times of uncertainty and confusion… Joshua was sold into slavery by his brothers, through his slavery he became a king! Joshua later declares, “Though it was meant for evil, God meant it for good!”Your current imprisonment is bringing about your freedom and salvation, your breakthrough is coming! Even though, you may not understand everything to the degree you wish, understand that God never fails, know that he has a destiny that you will reap a bountiful harvest… Gold must be put through the fire in order to reap its true rewards and worth… Your trials are you fire; the uncertainty that hangs over your life are the flames that are burning away the impurities the lie within you, so don’t lose faith in God because of the things that don’t make sense; on the contrary, trust Him more now, so that in the end you will be better than you are today! Everything will be revealed in time, you will understand your hardships when you reap your rewards, you will understand your trials when they have completed the maturing that was to take place in your life, you will understand your heartache when you child comes back through the doors… The Lord told Habakkuk to, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.” You are the tablet that God is writing on; you are the message of hope to a dark and confused world… Your trials are rays of hope and God will make it plain when He brings you out and places on solid ground… God has a message that you are to deliver to this world, a message that will be made plain, a message that will be clarified and message that will not be hid from you… The message is of His divine love, authority and faithfulness… You may not understand right now, but keep running because it will be revealed for all mankind to see…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Will Save

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

If you want the experience the power and might of God allow Him into the midst of you… Jesus said behold I stand at the door and knock and we are informed today that God is mighty and when we allow Him in He will save us! Zephaniah reminds us today that it doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how far you have strayed away or even how many mistakes that you have made; God still sits high and looks low, He still has all power in the palm of His hand and can save you… One of the most interesting things that I also see in this passage is that God’s power can only be manifested by your allowance! This verse starts off by saying that “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty…” God must first dwell in you in order to display His mighty hand… You must sacrifice your desires of the flesh and strive to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord… We often talk about the trials that we are facing and how much anguish we are in, but the bigger storm in our lives is whether or not God is in the midst of thee… Is God the head of your life, is He the focus of your daily walk, is he the driving force behind your purpose in life? If so, Zephaniah tells us that the God who dwells in you will surely save you… 

It is of the utmost importance that we establish a relationship with God in order for Him to enter in and mend our heart… Zephaniah is speaking to a people who are in a confused and dark place, he is speaking to the hearts of a people that have rebelled against God and found themselves in the lowest of places, Zephaniah is speaking to a people who have lost hope and feel as if there is no way out… Zephaniah is speaking to you when you feel that the pain is too much to bear, he is speaking to you when you feel that your household is in shambles, the prophet is speaking to you when your job becomes so hectic, your finances are in flux and your children have strayed off the course of promise and hope… This message is for the true believer in God when you feel that God isn’t present, this message is for the person in prayer that hasn’t seen any results, it’s for the parent who is trying to make ends meet but can’t seem to stay afloat… The answer to all your struggles begins with your relationship with God! One of the greatest evangelist and apostles was Paul, as he grew in age he begin to have some medical challenges in his life… Paul said in 2^nd Corinthians the 12^th chapter that God have given him a thorn in his flesh… He continuously prayed that God would remove, but went on to say that God answered by saying, “My grace is sufficient; my strength is made perfect in weakness…” 

Later Paul says, “When I am weak, He (God) is strong…” Paul wanted to experience better days than he was facing, he wanted to be able to move freely without pain or suffering, but he also understood that even in the midst of hardships that God is mighty… Don’t be discouraged when trials come knocking at your door, don’t become weak when situations go south and opposition rears its ugly head… Zephaniah says that, “He will rejoice over thee with joy…” Believe it or not, but God rejoices in your trials because He knows that you are being developed, He knows that you are being purified and that you faith is growing stronger… God rejoices because He knows that even though the situation may be uncomfortable at the moment, your reward will surpass anything that you have dealt with… Jesus endured the cross and now sits on the throne with all power in His hand… God wasn’t rejoicing at the sight of His son bleeding and in pain, but He was rejoicing to have another relationship established with mankind and to have His son resurrected from the dead… James said that we are to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials, not because of the trials but because of the development the trial brings… Keep your focus on pleasing God, don’t be discouraged by the obstacles that life brings and don’t allow your faith to waver… Zephaniah reminds us that if we have a relationship with God, He will surely be there in times of trouble and hardship… God knows how much we can bear, but also will always provide a way of escape… Rejoice in the trials that come your way, rejoice in the storms that approach your do not because they are fun to endure, but because you know that Jesus is Lord of your life, you know that God bestowed all power in His hands, but more importantly because you have been assured through this passage that God will save you!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Watch & Pray

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Matthew 26:41

As a child of God you must always be on guard… The moment you become comfortable is the same moment when you become susceptible to the devices of the enemy… Being alert is not a (n) optional trait that we carry, but a command from the very mouth of Jesus which was spoken to His disciples as He begins to prepare for crucifixion… If you want to reach the levels that God desire and has planned for you to reach, you must learn to “watch and pray…” Today, through this passage we learn how easy temptation can seep into our hearts and minds… It is through these words that we learn how much danger lies at our doorstep every morning or even cuddles beside us in our beds… Jesus speaks to the disciples about temptation knowing that they didn’t even realize what was taking place… A lot of times we overlook the small things (like falling asleep) but Jesus teaches us today that we need to learn to deal with the small issues in life before the lead to bigger problems… 

There are a lot of things that lead us to temptation; there are a lot of doors that we have left up in our lives that entice us to do wrong… Some of these doors could be acquaintances that we need to shut off, some of these doors could be old habits that we never fully removed from our lives or even places that we visit. The point that we need to learn today is that no matter where you are in life temptation is around you… So many people think that they are above certain things based on their economic or social standing; however, the truth of the matter is that when you begin to put confidence in your flesh you open the door to the enemy taking advantage of your weaknesses which is why Jesus goes on to say “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak….” You can overcome the attack of the enemy; however, the only way to conquer him is through the presences and power of the Holy Spirit which is realized by submission and prayer… Whether you realize it or not, there is a battle that is taking place within you everyday of your life… We naturally sin and fall short of the glory of God, the desires that we are born with are desires that alienate us from God and lead to destruction. You never have to teach a child to do wrong; you never have to show them how to be disobedient of unruly… We are born with a rebellious nature, we are born with a desire for the flesh and when we accept the call of God upon our lives the battle begins… It is because of this that we are told that we must “Watch and pray…”Remember when Jesus was baptized, the bible says that right after coming from the word He was lead into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil… 

The devil knows what comes natural to us; he will use whatever he can to grab our attention and that most easily is done by focusing on things that we already desire from the outset of life… It is because of this very fact that we are told here in the gospel of Matthew that we must “Watch and pray…” We are called to be vigilant and observe the things around us… Notice that if we watch and pray we can resist, but if we don’t than we will enter into temptation… When we start to take things in our own hands instead of relying on God we enter into temptation… When we think that things won’t be that bad we enter into temptation, when we try to straddle the fence we enter into temptation… It is so simple and subtle to fall by the wayside and that is why Matthew records that we must “Watch and pray…” The temptations that we face are things that appeal to the desires of our flesh… The temptations that we face are things that we have experienced before and found pleasure in… Jesus knows that this battle is overcoming what comes naturally; that’s why He says that, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." We must come to know and realize that the desires that we have within our heart will not overcome the desires that we have in the flesh without the presence of God and His spirit… This is why we must be vigilant and continue to pray… We cannot defeat Satan on our own and we can look at how many times we have tried and failed to know that that is true… Paul says in the 7^th chapter of Romans, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” We will continue to fall short and miss the mark if we try with our own might… Once we realize that this battle is real and we take it to the Lord in prayer we will overcome the temptations in our lives and live a life that is pleasing in His sight…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

A Good Man Gets Up

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." 

Psalm 37:23-24

From the time you are born until the time you die; your life will travel in whatever direction you choose… Even if you decide to remain where you are, you have chosen to travel in a stagnant direction which will produce lackluster results… The psalmist reminds us today that every man or woman will take steps in life (whether it is a step in the right or wrong direction is your choice)… The steps you take can produce many different outcomes; however, when your steps are ordered in the Lord victory is the certain result… Despite how many hardships or storms you have encountered, you are charged to be encouraged today that even when you slip, even when you want to give up, even when you feel like you are at the end of your rope; “the Lord will uphold you with His hand…” God won’t let you fall to far, He won’t let your life spiral out of control beyond what you can stand and in the end the stumbling blocks you overcome now will transform into stepping stones leading you to your divine destiny. The gospel of Matthew records in the 18^th chapter the very love that God has for His creation and the fact the even when you fall, He’s right there, “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” If you are that wandering sheep today, know that God hasn’t given up on you and is searching to reclaim you in the lost and confused state that you are in… 

If you allow Him to order you steps, know that even when a storm arises in your life, the steps taken in the Lord are the right steps that you had to take… Looking at this passage in another aspect brings me to two quotes that I am sure we all at some point have heard… Often have heard women say that a “good man is hard to find”, I have heard men say that a“good woman is a rare catch”; however the psalmist tells us today how we can identify the man or woman that we seek… A lot of times we get caught up in the physical attractions, the financial security and what someone can do for us, but today we learn that if we want to find the right mix we need to look no further than the Lord… The bible tells us that “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD…” This informs me that there are many imposters in the world, many that appear to be good; however the definition of what is good and what is bad comes from whom or what it is that orders their steps… Even in the midst of trials and tribulations a good man/woman is able to keep a positive outlook, when others around you give up he/she continues to fight, he/she continues to speak kind words and he/she lifts you up instead of tearing you down. A good man (or woman) is sympathetic to your needs and desires to exalt God by their living. Let us not misunderstand what a good man (or woman) is; this doesn’t mean they are perfect, it doesn’t mean that they will be without fault and it doesn’t mean that you will not have ups and downs. 

The psalmist says, “Though he fall…” The question is not if he/she falls but when. We all will make mistakes, we all fall short, but the difference between a man/woman and a good man/woman is that there heart is in the right place and they will do their best to right the wrongs or learn from their failures… It is because of the desire to do right and the desire to grow in Christ that “…he shall not be utterly cast down...” It is because of their intent that they will be able to overcome and persevere through their present circumstance… When you steps are ordered in the Lord you don’t worry about things of this earth, when evil seems to have the upper hand you stay focused and pray. A good man/woman shows their true character in the face of adversity, it isn’t the flowers they send you on your anniversary or the nice dinner that’s cooked; it isn’t the five-star restaurant of the trips around the world… These are all things that we naturally desire, but what the Psalmist is teaching today is that it’s better to have a good man/woman than any of that. The flowers are nice, but soup when you’re sick is better; vacations are cool, but being able to discuss problems and going to God in prayer is much more relaxing. God is the source and answer for every good man/woman as the word declares “…for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." Even in trials that good person will delight themselves in the way and will of the Lord… “A Man or Woman's Heart Should Be So Close To God, that the person who seeks them must go to Him to find them…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Have To Make A Choice

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:24

The bible is clear on the fact that you cannot serve two masters. No matter how much effort you put forth, this cannot be done because the God you are involved with desires your full attention… Deuteronomy 6:15 says, “for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.” There are some of us who are wondering right now why it is that your prayers haven’t been answered, why it is that you have not been able to get out of the rut you are in or even why it seems like the ditch you are in keeps getting deeper and deeper… If you are that person today, the question I have for you is quite simple; is the shovel in your hands or Gods…? Are you stuck because you are trying to figure your own way out or have you really turned it over to the Lord…? The bible declares in Jeremiah 29:13 that, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” 

The only way for you to find God is to seek Him with all your heart; this in turn requires that you leave the other master spoken of in our focus verse from the book of Matthew alone… The problem in your life isn’t that God hasn’t heard or doesn’t hear your prayers; the problem is that you are so distracted by the things of this world and your peers that you cannot recognize the answer that He has placed right before you… This is why you feel like you’ve been praying all this time and haven’t gotten a response, this is why the walls keep closing in on you; you say your waiting on God and the reality is that He is waiting on you… You can’t have one foot in Christ and the other in the world… You may think that it can be done, you will be the exception to the rule; just know that so many people have tried this and ended up missing out of the blessings of God… Trying to appease two things will at some point require you to make a decision as to which is of the most importance… Understand today that two masters aren’t just limited to living two lives or trying to sit on the fence with your religion! Two masters can simple be anything that you have put on the same level as our God… The most interesting thing that I find in studying this passage is the fact that there are so many people who are trying to serve two masters without even knowing it… A simple way to check with you fall into this category is to analyze your everyday affairs… How many times do you oversleep and wake to say a “quick prayer” before leaving out the door… Have you ever cut your devotion time with God short (if you even spend time with Him other than Sunday’s) to go tend to another need that you deemed more important…? 

Answering these questions let you know if there is another master in your life and it may also very well lead you to understanding why things have not taken a turn in your life for the better as you had hoped or expected (yes there are test, trials and hardships that we must endure; however, there are also some things that we encounter in our lives that are self-inflected because of our focus or attention being in other places… Serving two masters is something that takes place at some point in all of our lives; one of the most common instances where this occurs is in finances, we are so devoted to making money, that money becomes our life. We miss secret devotion because we have an opportunity to make a couple extra bucks, our kids are at home yearning for attention because we feel like the extra hour or two won’t hurt them, but will ultimately provide a better foundation for them to grow. We must be careful when it comes to financial stability (you could very well end up with a lot of money and the back and a lack of love in the home… We must be sure that money doesn’t become are Lord or guide to how we live! When something is your master, it rules over you, and controls you. Make sure that you aren’t being controlled by a source other than God! Just because you are at the church, doesn’t mean you are apart of it. Life is full of choices, we choose whether we want to go to work, we choose whether we want to get up in the morning, and we choose whether or not we are going to be committed to this Christian journey!

So what is your choice, answer this question by your service and not your words?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's Possible 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

Humility is a trait that is easily carried out when the things around us appear to be humbling; however, the true test of a Christian is your submission to the will of God when you have little and when you have abundance… It never ceases to amaze me how many people can blame God when they are dealing with a misfortune, but they take the credit when they receive a blessings or promotion… There is nothing that you can do on this earth to deserve a heavenly home… Today we reminded that we must remember who has made Salvation possible for us and who has opened up doors in our lives that provide us opportunities to prosper and receive blessings from above… Without the offering that Jesus Christ poured out on the cross we would not be here, without the blood that ran down His side there would be no remission of sins and if it were not for His resurrection we would not be able to overcome any obstacle that we face…Simply put, 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. God, through His mercy gave us a clean slate and refocused our minds on Him by the sending of the comforter the Holy Ghost. 

All this was made possible because Christ thought it not robbery to leave his home in Glory, all this came into existence because the stone they rejected became the corner or capstone. Through the blood of Jesus we can inherit eternal life, through His poverty we can become rich, through His suffering we can go to a place where they’re will be no pain, by Him laying down his life we can live! As much as you want to take credit for things in your life, start to take credit for all the things that are messed up with your life instead… Recognize today that you aren’t perfect and start to seek the perfection of Jesus… When you begin to assume the position that is God’s by saying “I did this or because of my hard work” you in essence are placing yourself on the same level as the Father… This is the same things that Lucifer experienced and we all no where that got him… The whole point to today’s study is that we have been saved by God’s mercy; we have been washed and renewed by the Holy Ghost… This simply tells me that #1 – I was a filthy mess and #2 – I was in need of saving; which equals #3 – that there is nothing that I can take credit for because without the presences of Christ on this earth I would not be here… The book of Isaiah gives us a better overall understanding of what is it that we must comprehend today from our study passage taken from Titus; in the prophetical writing of Isaiah, it is in the 9^th chapter and verses 6 and 7 that we find these words recorded, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” 

We thrive and succeed because of the son that was given, we have authority because the government is upon His shoulders, and Jesus is indeed wonderful and mighty… There will be no end because He reigns forever and it is through His father that this is and was done… Don’t lose sight of what God has done for you, don’t take credit for the blessings He has bestowed and the life that he breathes into you every morning… God has touched you, clothed you and started you on your way… He makes the sun rise and the stars shine and we are here to bear witness to His awesome works because of His unfailing love and grace… 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!”Remember that you truly are a sinner saved by grace and that grace was not obtained by your labor; but rather, by God’s mercy and love shown through His son! In times of despair, when you feel lost and confused, remember that God has brought you this far and the Holy Spirit dwells with you right now to ease you pains and guide your life… Every step you take toward prosperity is made possible by the steps Jesus took going to Golgotha and the door that God opened in raising Him from the dead… Don’t rely on your hands, God already knew you couldn’t do it on your own and that’s why Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's No God Like Thee

LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart.

1 Kings 8:23

Elijah, a prophet of the Lord teaches us today that despite what we may hear or what people may do, there is no other God besides the Lord… This scripture is written at a time when the Israelites have forsaken the way of the Lord, the prophets of Baal have built alters to their gods and destroyed the alters of the Lord… Elijah in the next set of verses call the people together and instructs the prophets of Baal to lay a sacrifice on their alter and call on their god for fire to consume it… Through morning until midday the prophets called and received no answer, they were mocked by Elijah who told them to shout louder and suggested that maybe their God was in deep thought… After failing to reach their god, Elijah resurrects the alter of the Lord and places the offering upon it, he orders the children to bring jars of water to soak the wood and the offering… At that time, Elijah calls on the Lord in front of the children and the 450 prophets of Baal and the Lord responds by consuming the soaked offering by fire and even drying of the trenches with the overflow (1 Kings 18: 16-38)… 

This passage teaches us today that there is no god like our God… Many today call on other things or place confidence in other places, but we are assured that in the heat of battle, when the going gets tough, when all eyes are on us that God will show up and show out… When you realize in life that all you have is Jesus, that’s when you realize that Jesus is all that you need… There were many times in bible that the enemy outnumbered the children of God; however, the minorities (believers in Christ) soon were empowered and achieved greatness by the hand of God… Today we are reminded to understand the power that lies within the hand of the Only True God… The scriptures that we examine today remind us that there is “No God like thee…” There may be many claims, and you may be approached by many witnesses from other religions, but we must remember who it is that came to your aide in your time of need, who was it that brought you out of darkness, or who has remained faithful while you lost your faith! The one we call on is the one whose name is above every other name, the one we call on is the one who gave sight to the blind, the one who healed the sick, and made the lame walk! He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; He is the author and finisher of our faith… The scriptures say, “There is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath…” I don’t know about you, but I have tried all the avenues of this world, I have sought the recognition of my peers and put myself in some vulnerable positions… I have tried to fill the voids of life with the flesh and have failed miserably… 

I have turned to vain glory and tried to put on a facade of happiness and joy, but in all the ways of this world I have never been happy nor filled the empty areas of my life… I understand that Only God can fill the voids of pain and trials I have faced, Only God can make me whole and turn my tears of sorrow into tears of joy… There is no other God that has the ability to turn sadness into praise, dark days into light and make ways out of no way… Through all my mistakes and mishaps I have realized that Jesus Christ is the one that has saved me, Jesus Christ is the one that has afforded me a chance of Salvation and I believe that there is no other way to be saved or even to have life more abundantly… The God that I serve keeps His covenant and mercy with his servants… God truly has been patient with us; He has looked beyond our mistakes and still provided us with opportunities to succeed… His mercy is evident in every breath you breathe, His mercy is shown in every movement you make, and His mercy is obvious in every trial that you overcome… My bible tells me thatat the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow; those who claim other gods will confess that Jesus is Lord! When Jesus was lifted up out of the depths of hell, He said all authority was given unto Him on earth and in heaven; so who is like Him on earth (just as the passage ask)? Jesus has vowed to go and prepare a place for you, and that He will return to take you home in glory! What other gods have made that promise, what other gods thought it not robbery to leave their home in glory? What other gods were clothed in imperfection that we may be perfected, or were bound to a cross so that we could all go free, what other God died that we might live? When you answer these questions, there is only one name that solves the equations, and that is JESUS! NO OTHER NAME I KNOW!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Knowing Christ Matters Most

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Philippians 3:7-8

The riches we seek on earth cannot compare to the riches we will receive in heaven for forsaking the things of this earth… Saul (Paul before his conversion) was held in a high company amongst his peers… He was a (n) educated man who was a member of the counsel; however, we see that even the highest position in this world doesn’t bring true happiness nor contentment…  Saul was always seeking to appease the crowd, he was always seeking the accolades and the praise from his fellowman; however, when he heard the voice on the Damascus road, he writes to the church of Philippi “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ…” 

This passage taken from Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi examines the element of sacrifice that one must have as a child of God. Paul states that the things he gained in and of the world he counted as a loss for Christ! Not only is it worth noting that nothing in this world can compare to the love and direction of God, but also we see hear that true happiness cannot be obtained nor is it defined by material prosperity... Today so many choose to seek vain glory and even if they obtain it they are left with a void that cannot be filled by man… Paul is saying that we must come to know and understand the fulfillment that we will have in doing the will of God… Paul was “living the dream,” but wasn’t actually living until Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus road… So many of us have dreams today, we have a model of success in our minds and we will stop at nothing to achieve it; however, what we learn today is if that model is not centered around Jesus Christ we will find out (one way or another) that it is truly meaningless and will leave us empty and void… When you are immersed in the word of God and see the blessing that He will pour out on your life, you will agree with Paul and say, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ…” It doesn’t matter what kind of car you drive if you don’t know where you’re going… It doesn’t matter how much money you have if you don’t spend it appropriately… Knowing the plan that God has for you and fulfilling God’s desires will place you in the body of the Lord for all eternity… 

The riches of this world will never amount to or equate to the riches of Heaven in Christ Jesus… Paul understands today and wants us to realize that our storehouse should be centered in the will of God and not where “moths can corrupt and thieves can steal…” The Excellency of the knowledge of Christ (which is what Paul speaks of) is knowing what Christ has done for you, knowing what Christ will do for you and knowing what Christ has in store for you… When we understand that Christ will never leave us nor forsake us, when we understand that Christ will exalt us, when we understand that Christ will keep us in perfect peace; then we will realize that there is no value in earthly vessel and that there is no greater love than the love of Christ…The book of Hebrews records that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… Everything on this earth changes, we have four seasons in a year, we see light and dark in a day and we experience all different kinds of changes in our lives every second… The only thing stable is Jesus Christ, I would love to be able to know that my future is secure and my job will stand, but the only thing that is certain is that Christ will always be there… You will suffer, you will have to deal with uncertainty and conflict, but we must hold to the faith that we will ultimately win in Christ! No weapon formed against you shall prosper; this well-known and quoted scripture assures us of victory! Paul goes on to say that it is for Christ that he suffered! Are you willing to suffer for your faith? Are you willing to be tried to show yourself approved? Paul is telling us that by choosing Christ, suffering will surely come, you may lose some family members, friends may cease communication, and islands of isolation may seem to be your common place. Paul is emphasizing that all this suffering is worth knowing the Excellency of Christ. It is worth the hardships to be assured salvation, it is worth the steep mountain to know He will never leave you nor forsake you.NOTHING ON THIS EARTH CAN EQUAL WHAT THE FATHER HAS IN STORE FOR ME!!! Do you believe that?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Seek Him With Your Whole Heart

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity.

Jeremiah 29:13-14

There’s a song sung by Hezekiah Walking entitled “99 and ½”… The lyrics go as follows, “Lord I'm running trying to make 100 because 99 and a half won't do…”The words sung in this song apply to our lives as Christians in that we must be totally under the authority of the living God… There are so many people who have been praying and seeking answers from the Lord; however the prayers have gone unanswered and the things that have been sought haven’t been found simply because their search didn’t involve all of their heart… We must come to the realization that we exist because Jesus sought our deliverance with His whole heart… So many of us are wondering why we can’t overcome, why we are in the same circumstances or why we have not advanced and the answer lies within you… You will never be promoted if you only show up to work once a week, you will never be trusted if you only tell the truth every blue moon and you will not be exalted by the Lord if you only serve Him Sunday mornings… Have you ever found yourself wondering why it seem that there are times in your life when God is not there? 

The Israelites pondered this very question while they were in captivity under the Babylonian kingdom… Jeremiah informs us today of the answer as to why we find ourselves in “hopeless” situations and feel as if our prayers have fallen on deaf ears…We feel at times as if God is not present not because He has abandoned us but because we have gone astray… The answer to the question of bondage, captivity and trials lie within you… The Lord is always present; however, the only way for you to feel His presences is when you are totally focused on His will… This passage says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart…”God shines light on the strongholds that we have been oppressed by in the form of sin… We haven’t heard from the Lord because we haven’t sought Him wholeheartedly… You can unlock the door to your future; however, you must seek the keys with everything you have… Seeking the Lord isn’t enough, in order to find Him you must apply and surrender every part of you… Notice that is says and ye shall seek me and find me when… A lot o f us have sought God in times of trouble, we have sought God when our finances seemed inadequate and we have sought God when storms come raging at our doorstep… We, (just like the Israelites) have turned to the Lord as our last hope instead of focusing on Him and His will everyday of our lives… Seeking God isn’t limited to a need basis; one of the other reasons that we are unable to find God in our times of despair is because we don’t give Him honor when He has shown up and/or delivered us from the hand of the enemy… The Israelites are in captivity right now simply because they neglected God in all the blessings that He had already bestowed upon them… 

You should be seeking God in times of abundance and in times of scarcity, you should be focused on God in times of exaltation and when you are down… David said,“His praise shall continually be in my mouth…” We have to learn to seek God regardless of what is going on… The next step in seeking Him requires that we leave all our prayers at His throne… So often we seek God about things, but then begin to develop our own plan of attack or strategy to come out… This approach not only will create a bigger obstacle, but removes the seeking portion of your faith and damages your relationship with the Lord… God is waiting for you to turn to Him, He is waiting for you to have enough faith to stop trying things on your own and trust Him and His sovereignty… It is only in your struggles that your faith is shown; it is only when the weight of the storm is pressed upon you that you can see where you are as a true child of God… When things get a little hot and heavy, when things get a little dicey, when situations become a little uneasy, this is the time when God sees what you are made of and how much you truly trust Him… He says that “I will be found of you…” God will show up, you will find the answer you have searched for, but you must seek Him continually… Not only will God show up, not only will He hear your cry, not only will He be found when you have completely turned to Him, but the passage states at the end of the 14^th scripture that, “I will turn away your captivity…” God isn’t a God of in-completion… He will not do a half-service to your request… We must understand that, because He will not accept a half-service from us… Seek God (wholeheartedly, trust God, turn your life over to God) and He will show up and deliver on His promises…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Listen More And Talk Less

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

James 1:19-20

As a child of God; our number one focus is bringing souls to Christ… Despite how many various ways we accomplish this task, we all must first give a (n) ear to the cries of the people with whom we come in contact with… No matter how much we study the word of God, no matter how much time we spend in devotion to the Lord; the mission that we have will fail if we do not learn to lesson to others… We can quote many scriptures from our hearts or minds; however, the scripture or the words which the person needs most to hear from you may not be spoken simply because we don’t know where they are in their lives… James reminds us today that we must be swift to hear… Every person you come in contact with has a story; every person you meet has a past and as a child of God you must respect the paths that we have all traveled so that lives can be touched and altered… People are turned away from God not because of His ways, but because of ours… We allow wrath to rear its ugly head in our lives when we confront a (n) obstacle and so instead of showing our faith, we show how much we still need to learn and mature… Growing up with 7 siblings (yes, seven), arguments seem to be a daily routine within our household; whether someone was wronged, a (n) item was taken or the channel on the television was switched; it was never a matter of talking through things but rather yelling out of control until our parents stepped in and took whatever we were arguing about away from us… Being rebellious and retaliatory are natural traits of human nature… 

To be able to refrain from what comes naturally is a testament to your faith and advancement in the will of God… Sin is natural; however when we make attempts to avoid sin and live a life that is pleasing to God we are displaying the characteristics that a child of God should display and we are living the life that James speaks of in our focus verses today… Self control demonstrates how far we have grown in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… James reminds us today that we must be swift to hear, butslow to speak (I have often been told that we were given one mouth and two ears for a reason)… I was once told that the reasoning behind this was so that we would speak half as much as we listen… If we speak more than we listen, James teaches us today that we are not walking in the will of God…The bible tells us that we are to repay no man evil for evil, but that we are to give room for God’s vengeance and let Him repay… When we try and take matters into our own hands we remove God from the situation and nothing good can come of it… We must learn that there is a difference between listening and hearing… We are called not to simply listen to words, but hear what the meaning of the words are and when we do this we can defuse situations instead of allowing them to spread like a wildfire… Today let us focus on this verses and test ourselves in the area of hearing; instead of speaking when something goes wrong hear what the other person has to say, digest what it is that they have said and pray that if and when you open your mouth you do so in a Godly manner and not out of vengeance… 

When we give place to our own vengeance James tells us that it doesn’t work the righteousness of God… When we tap into our own wrath we tap into the deep dark corner of our soul that contains evil intent and bitter desires… Human’s wrath is what caused David to kill Uriah, the wrath of man is what led Judas to hang himself realizing that he missed up and man’s wrath is what led Jesus to the cross… We cannot be in the will of God if we give room to our own wrath, that’s why we will not be in the righteousness of God… Remember that Jesus was on trial and He heard all the testimonies against Him, He never said a word until a question was posed… Today, let us model Jesus by living according to the will of God and walking in His precepts… It is only by the grace of God and His spirit that we have life and can live; the bible says that when we crossover from this life to the next that our bodies will change (the corruptible must put on incorruptible and the mortal must be clothed with immortality)… We have not crossed over yet, so we are still corruptible and mortal… I say this because sin still lives within us and it displays itself in the areas we allow it too... Sure, we may not be killing people physically, but when we engage our mouths with wrath in bitterness we are killing them mentally and placing obstacles between us in the will of God… Proverbs 4:24 says,“Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” It’s good for people to see a change in you, it means that you are leaving what comes natural and moving toward what is more spiritual…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Compassion Defines Our God

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

Psalm 145:8-9

The only thing you have ever deserved in this life is condemnation… The sooner you grasp this, the sooner you can open the door to experiencing God’s love and desires for your life… The bible records in Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus in the second chapter the foundation by which we have life and success, in this passage, Paul proclaims, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” No matter what you do on this earth, no matter how much you try to live peacefully in this life, you can only be saved and find you name in the book of life by the grace of God… Understand that Grace is something that you cannot obtain nor do you deserve… It is a gift based on a foundation of live which allows the giver to look beyond faults to fulfill needs… The grace that Jesus bestowed from the cross allowed Him to look beyond the ugly makeup that we presented before Him and fulfill the needs that we had which was the payment of sin’s ransom… Take note today that you are only here because of God’s grace and mercy… There are so many people today who act as if they never knew sin, the act as if God didn’t die for them because they are perfect; however, it is in the passage taken from the 145^th psalm that we find the love of God abounding beyond our valueless thoughts and silhouettes… “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion…” 

You didn’t deserve to wake up this morning, you didn’t deserve to sleep peacefully last night; however, the compassion of God moved on your behalf and despite how ugly your life may be, He still loves you and can’t just turn His back on you… This is why the Psalmist goes on to say that the Lord is “slow to anger…” If God really showed the full extent of His anger toward us we would be wiped from the face of the is earth… See often times we confuse discipline with anger… Anger is a fury, rage or resentment; God distills His anger and continues to discipline us which means that He desires to redirect our paths instead of annihilating us from the face of the earth… We all face trials and tribulations, but I am of the faith that as bad as things may appear to be; they can always be worse… You may be going through a storm right now, but I want you to know that a storm is constantly in motion… A storm is always moving and this is good news today because you need to realize that it will never become static and therefore sunshine is sure to follow… When you are facing a hard time, embrace it, learn from it and trust God that He doesn’t make mistakes… In this world that we live in, I find so many people who hare prepared to throw there hands in the air and become disgusted with God when things don’t go as they planned… When I go through these kind of times, I take note of Paul’s letter to the church of Rome and how in the 8^th chapter, verse 28 he said, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 

Your storm will work for your God, you may feel like you don’t deserve to go through it, but we all know that “The Lord is gracious…” It is because of Him that we even have life, you deserved far worse than you may be currently experiencing… Your very life is a gift that you should not have received; however we find in this passage today that “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works…” No matter how many times you mess up, make a mistake or go down the wrong path you can be sure that God is going to continue to love you, continue to show compassion toward you and continue to open up doors to redirect your life according to His purpose… The doors open in your life may not be the doors that you expected, but I challenge you today to walk through them in faith knowing that God has given you another chance and is good to all… “His tender mercies are all over His works…” Despite what you are dealing with right now, I want you to be encouraged today and know  that God has His hand all over your life… He has begun a good work in you and will completed until the day of Christ return… The masterpiece that He designed you to be is taking shape right now; however, no masterpiece looks like the end results until all the brush strokes are completed…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Ye Your Enemies

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 6:35-36

Love is a word that often times is misused… Paul defined love in His 1 epistle to thechurch of Corinth; it is in the 13^th chapter that we find these words recorded, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” When we utter the word love to a close friend or relative it should be without conditions; we should be speaking to one whom we desire the very best for and will in no way change our desires or motives to serve… Love is a word that can be spoken very easy but carries a high standard which is very hard to live up to… 

This gospel of Luke exposes some of the challenges that face a Christian along there journey in growing and maturing in the will of God... Often times we talk about how much we love and adore God, but Luke informs us today that we must demonstrate our Love toward God and the love that lives within us by extending a loving hand (not only to our family and friends) but to our enemies and adversaries as well… How hard is it for you to love someone who doesn’t love you back, or to give something to someone who will not repay your efforts? As hard as these two tasks may seem to be, these are two of the main objectives that a true Christian is to live by… Jesus healed many throughout His life that didn’t’ deserve His blessings; He died on the cross to save our souls and I know (speaking for myself) that I was not worth of that sacrifice nor can I ever repay Jesus for what He has done… The bible says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…” Jesus wasn’t expecting anything in return; He isn’t waiting in heaven for Judgment Day to hold His hand out seeking a payment for His services… He died because of the Love for His father and us, He died to fulfill the will of God and provide a chance for Salvation to all mankind and we are reminded that as we journey through this life we must take on the mindset of Christ and not seek exaltation through the eyes of mankind nor material things… 

Too often we go through life trying to find our own happiness, trying to see what positives we can gain from our efforts! The truth of the matter is that your rewards should not be worldly blessings, but rather eternal prosperity. Jesus didn’t die on the cross to gain a mansion on this earth, or to become wealthy. He died so that we could live; He died so that we can have an opportunity to choose our own fate in this world and our eternal destination. Because of His obedience (the willingness to love), Jesus now sits at the right hand of the father with all power in His hand making intercession on our behalf… It is by loving unconditionally and looking beyond faults that we align ourselves within the kingdom of God… Today’s scripture says, “Your reward shall be great and ye shall be children of the Highest…” Your reward will be great when your life is complete on this earth, your reward will be great when you have shown love to your enemies and favor to your challengers… Looking back to Jesus, we see that the same people who mocked Jesus were the ones He cried out for on the cross and said, “Father forgive them!” The same ones that yelled crucify Him, were the ones He now extends open arms too. We are to be children of the most high and it is time that we live by his example and act like it. Do to His unfaltering love toward His enemies; Jesus was rewarded by God and able to declare that all power was given unto him! These words came forth after His suffering; He spoke these words after being ridiculed and scorned, after giving to the needy and seeing nothing in return. The last part of this scripture says,“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful…” I am sure that we can look at our lives and know that God has shown mercy in and through us, God has withheld punishment that we truly deserved and given us a second, third and even a fourth chance… Today remember the mercy that has been bestowed upon your life, remember the forgiveness that God has shown you and extend mercy to others… “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me". 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!