Stay Focused On The Word

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

The Lord wants you to be blessed and prosper; He wants you to reach higher heights and measures of success that were thought to be unobtainable… The word of God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah this very thing… It is in the 29^th chapter and the 11^th verse that we find these words recorded, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In the time of Jeremiah the children of God had lose focus and were subject to captivity; however, even in the lowest position God reminds them that He desire for them to prosper; however, the key to their prosperity is their willingness to obey His will… Today, you may be in a place where it appears that you aren’t prospering, you may be at the end of your rope and feel like there is nothing that can be done or no words that can be said to change your circumstance; wherever you are today and whatever you are dealing with, know that you (through the obedience to God’s word) have the ability to transform your life and alter your direction… God speaks to Joshua in our focus verse today at a point in his life were he is called to lead the children of God… Moses has gone on top of the hill and passed away and the children of God are on the very doorstep of their destiny, but still have a stiffness and disobedient spirit in them… With all eyes on him and the pressure of leadership being upon his shoulders; God speaks the key to Joshua’s success in the first part of this text when the Lord says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…” 

Being in leadership means that you have people who are following you… With leadership comes distractions and temptations; however, despite how much pressure Joshua may feel to please the crowd, God reminds Him that as long as he stands on faith and seeks to please the Father he will prosper… You may be in a position today where there are a lot of people who are trying to persuade you to please them; you may be battling in the mind about a decision that has to be made and you are worried that you will lose some friends of break some hearts in the process, the word of God challenges you today to stay focused on the will of God… This is why the Lord proceeds to tells Joshua, “but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…”When you are in the midst of a storm or a trial stay in the proximity of God… Keep Him closer than any other thing in your life and meditate on the word that He has given you… When you seek God, those who are not suppose to be there will be removed, but when you meditate God will provide a comfort and peace that will keep you through the entire process… God will never lead you to a particular point if you are not first equipped for the task at hand… The word of God goes on to say that when we keep the law of God in our mouths and meditate on it day and night we shall prosper and have good success… When you pray, make sure that you seek the approval of God in the direction that you are going… Make sure that you seek His guidance in your life knowing that this is the key to success and prosperity…  If we understand that Joshua was told these are the things that he had to do to prosper and be successful, I believe that we can apply these fundamental principles to our lives and come to the realization that we have the ability to prosper… 

The word of God is clear, when, you decide to put God first He will begin to take you place and transform your life… You have the ability to overcome, you have the ability to succeed; however, it is entirely up to you based on the decisions that you make when the pressures of life are at your doorstep… This is why Joshua goes on to say (after marching around the walls of Jericho and seeing the hand of God move), “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Understand today that there will be a time and point in your life where you will be called to lead… You may not sit on a throne or hold a certain title, but everyday of your life you can lead someone to Christ… As stated earlier,  Moses has now passed and the reigns have firmly been placed in the grasp of Joshua… He (as many leaders) became hesitate when contemplating the task before him (leading the Israelites into the promise land). God is speaking to Joshua, assuring him of a promised outcome IF he follows the will of God. He tells Joshua to not allow the book of the law to depart from his mouth, he tells him to meditate day and night, and to observer the teaching and writings of the law; then you shall prosper… God is waiting for you to take your eyes of the problem and focus on the solution (His word). He is waiting for you to have enough faith to believe that you shall not fall or fail… He is waiting for you to obtain your success and reach your goals through the empowerment and guidance of His word!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Get Caught Up On Worldly Appearance

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:17-18

You may be at a point in your life where it seems like everyone around you that isn’t following the will of God is obtaining the measures of success that you desire… You may be battling in the mind with staying the course and holding to God’s unchanging hand because the grass appears to be greener on the other side; wherever you are in your life or whatever you are battling today, know that Solomon reminds us today to “Let not thine heart envy sinners…” The prize that you are working and competing for may not be seen on this earth, but you can rest your thoughts today on knowing that “there is an end…” The path that is broad which many follow appears to be the right direction to go, but the end is destruction and resentment… Solomon followed the ways of the land even though he was the wisest man to ever live and in his wisdom he instills in us the fact that the most important thing we must do on this earth is “be thou in fear of the Lord all the day long…” Despite what questions or concerns you may have about your situation, you must maintain your reverence and admiration to the Lord… The bible declares that as a child of God, we walk “by faith” and not “by sight…” This is mentioned to us because if we walked according to the things we see and observe we would become disheartened by circumstances, we would give in to temptations and eventually stray away from God. 

The bible also says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen…” God knows that we will face man hardships on this earth and that whenever we allow ourselves to focus on worldly issues we will strain our faith and lose sight of our focus in walking according to His calling… This pilgrimage that we have begun will surely have twist and turns and if we allow our drive to be altered by things we see we indeed will fall short… The bible says that the people during the time of Noah were drinking, dancing and having a good time while Noah built the ark… This people walked by Noah laughing at him, calling him crazy and enjoying life… If Noah would have become envious toward these people, he would have stopped his work on the ark and joined the parade… However, by him adhering to God’s calling all creation was saved and in the end I can only imagine how many of those people were knocking on his door as the flood waters poured in… This Proverb that we read today speaks in parallel with the situation and opposition that Noah faced in building the ark… Solomon sat on the throne over the house of David (his father)… He ruled many years; however, despite having all authority and 1,000 women, he tells us in the 3^rd chapter of Ecclesiastes that “Everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind…” You can achieve all manners of success on this earth and will never have the happiness or joy that comes from the father… This is why we are called to remain in fear of Him and remember that everything that doesn’t align with the will of God “shall be cut off”, while those who walk according to His purpose“shall not be cut off…” We must understand that in doing the will of God, we must have a heart for service and not be distracted by our peers…

It is very easy for a Christian to envy and become jealous of one who doesn’t walk in the will of the Lord. You may see someone who looks to be prospering while you suffer, one who has plenty while you never have enough, or one who seems happy while you are constantly confused and shaken… The scripture tells us today that we must have fear (reverence, respect) of the Lord all day long… God created all things and in believing that, we know that He hasn’t neglected us despite how bad the situation may be or how good the life of sin may appeal to you…“For surely there is and end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off…” There is a finish line for your labor, there is a crown that awaits and there is a mansion with your name on it… The sinner seems to be happy, but this world is where his happiness rest, we are looking forward to a bigger prize, one that will outweigh and out trump the rewards for the earthly vessel. I know that it is not easy to walk this course of life, when it seems like the other routes may be easier and more enjoyable… That is why Paul always wrote letters to encourage the church to press toward the mark and obtain the prize of the high calling… God will pour out bountiful blessings upon you in dew season! He has not forgotten about you, He has not abandoned you; He has not turned away from you! So keep the faith and remember that everything will be well worth the journey when you hear the words; WELL DONE, THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Return Is Imminent

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Revelation 22:12-13

We do not know the end of our day; however we do know that there is a (n) end coming… I hope to see my children and children’s children, but the truth of the matter is that my life could come to an end before the sunsets… Often times we don’t want to think or even talk about this truth, but we are reminded that each day we see on this earth is one we will never see again and there will be a day that others will see and we will not… I presume that we all have heard the phrases “tomorrow is never promised” or “don’t wait until tomorrow?” If you have, the question that I pose to you today is do you truly believe them? As a child of God we are to live everyday of our lives as if it’s our last, we are to let the light that God has placed within us shine for all mankind to see… Sadly, the reality is that we constantly place God on the backburner of our lives, we place value on other things and people, but today we are reminded that we must “seize the moment because God indeed is coming quickly…” Believe it or not, but everyday of our lives that passes by, every second that flashes before our eyes is another opportunity that we can take a step closer to Christ or stray away… The book of revelations tells of the coming things that will happen upon this earth and today Jesus writes to us telling us that His return is closer than we may believe… 

Any stone that you have left unturned, turn it over, any job that you have put off, complete it, and any wrongs that you have done should be resolved. Too often we just assume that I can do this later, or I can go see this person tomorrow, when Jesus has always instructed us to live a complete life every day. Not only does Jesus make it known that His return is coming, but He says “my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be…” If Jesus was to return to earth today, what would your reward be? If God called you from this earth today, where would you spend eternity? These are the questions that I try to ask myself every morning, I don’t want to allow the sun to go down on my life and I not be ready… Your reward (whether good or bad) will be given unto you when Christ returns… God isn’t worried about the material wealth you store up; He is worried about what you’ve done on this earth to exalt His kingdom and others… It’s not the car you drive, but how many rides you gave, it’s not the money you have, but how many mouths you helped feed… You won’t be able to say I didn’t think you were coming now, it won’t be enough to say give me another chance, your reward will be based off of the life you live on this earth and how much you devote to the calling that God has for you… Understanding that Christ is coming back reminds me to not get, but “keep” my house in order… When people recited this scripture the often try to use it as a scare tactic… These verses taken from Revelations have often been uttered to convict or frighten a person about there walk on this earth, but in reality this should be an encouraging message for the Christian church… 

Yes we know that one day this life will be over and Jesus is encouraging us to know that even though we experience hardships our “reward” that He will bring with Him will outmatch the hardships that we have and will face… Knowing He comes quickly tells me that in the blink of an eye my troubles will be no more, my pains will be removed and temptations will cease… We all have been dealing with different trials and tribulations, different obstacles and struggles and for your perseverance Jesus offers these words; behold I come quickly and my reward is with me! Jesus says your struggles will end soon, your breakthrough is on the horizon and your reward is at hand… Paul said I have fought the good fight, therefore there is a crown laid up for me! You have a crown because of your perseverance, you have a reward for you diligence, and you will enter in because of your faith. Remember He is alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last… He has everything you stand in need of and your Christian journey will bless you with abundant satisfaction if you hold to his unchanging hand! When Jesus returns there will be no more weeping, when Jesus returns there will be no more sickness, when Jesus returns there will be no more dying, no more sin, no more heartache…. BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY encourages me because there will be eternal rest, there will be peace, there will be love and we will one day walk the streets of gold…. These verses speak to two kinds of people in this earth… If you aren’t doing the will of God than you dread the day of Christ return, but if you are His child you embrace it with open arms!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Christ, Whom Shall I Fear

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear" the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid"

Psalm 27:1

We live in a dark and aimless world; one that will lead you astray if you don’t know the passage that we focus on in today’s devotion… There are many things that we are susceptible to in this life; many avenues that we can take that will lead us down a path of destruction… The word of God declares that “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” The paths we see leading toward darkness are more visible and enticing than the paths that lead to Christ; however, despite what you see around you and how things may appear to be, you must focus your eye on the narrow path which leads to life… Everything around you says that you can’t amount to anything and the statistics say that you will fall into one of many unsuccessful categories; however, you can use the things to motivate you instead of deter you and let the world know that “The Lord is my light and my salvation…” I don’t know about you, but I refuse to be a statistic, I refuse to allow this world to limit me an dictate my future based on my ethnicity or past… God wants to open your eyes to a bright future, He wants to transform your mind to begin to look beyond what you know and see, but the key to all this is for you to recognize that you can be better than you are and go further than you currently have gone…  As a child of God our focus should be on living a life that is pleasing to the Lord and not appeasing our fellowman… Even though we are sure to face highs and lows in the rollercoaster of life our focus cannot be deterred or become unclear… 

The psalmist today poses two questions that we will study and reflect on today, the first is “whom shall I fear” and the second is “whom shall I be afraid…” The use of the word fear in this verse means terror, dread or horror; we all have many things in our lives that at one point in time we feared… Notice that I did not focus this fear specifically on a person, because there are different circumstances, obstacles or trials that we fear… Fear can be a vice grip that strangles our relationship with the Lord and causes us to fall short of His promises… What is it in your life that you fear? Are you scared of losing that special someone so you do things that you shouldn’t, are you fearing the lose of a job so you compromise your morals or integrity, are you fearful of financial insecurity so you do all that you can to make a dollar…? These are the questions that plague our lives daily; however, we see as a child of God that “The Lord is my light and my salvation…” Think about your childhood and if you were ever bullied or made fun of; you feared being in the company of certain people and because of this fear the person or people mentally controlled how you walked in school, what areas you avoided and how confident you were within. Fear is a terrible trap that will take control of your life and cause you to be susceptible to allowing other people, circumstance or conditions to control you and your relationship with the Lord…The next question posed in our focus verse says “whom shall I be afraid”, when one is afraid they are frightened, scared or troubled… Being afraid is a little deeper than fear because we are called to fear God which means to revere honor and respect Him… When we are afraid of something not only does it control us, but it can kill us… 

When we are afraid of something it usually is a quick developing situation that will lead us to a quick response… It is critical as a child of God that we understand this, that is precisely why the psalmist says, “the Lord is the strength of my life…” before the second question is posed. We must remember that God strengthens us day by day, He provides us with authority and ability to do great things… No matter what the case may be, whether we are fearful or afraid, we must know that “The Lord is my light and my salvation…” and “the Lord is the strength of my life…” If you are walking under the umbrella of other people’s thoughts than you are not walking under the umbrella of God’s love and His precious promises… If you fear anything except God than you are allowing outside circumstances to control you and that could be the reason for some of your aches and pains within your journey… Jesus said that we will do greater things on this earth than He did; this is a powerful statement for us to live by today knowing that God was His light and strength… In reading this declaration that Jesus made I know that through His trials He was elevated to the highest honor so I will not fear nor be afraid because I know what my heavenly father has done and what He has prepared for me… If we will do greater things; that tells me that the light and strength of God will be even brighter in me… Don’t fear, because there is a light which is Christ shining at the end of your dark and dreary tunnel…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Promises Of God

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. 

Hosea 2:19-20

God wants you to know today that He loves you… Despite how many mistakes you have made or the direction your life may be headed; we are reminded today that God wants to have a relationship with you, He wants to form a union with you that will last forever… The word of God tells us in Paul’s first epistle to the church of Corinth that love “is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” I am sure that there are things that you have done in life that you are not proud of, there are things that have happened in your life that you don’t want people to know; however, understand today that the Lord isn’t holding your past over your head; He is looking beyond your faults and wants to fulfill all your needs… Love sees the beauty amidst the mess, it sees the diamond in the rough and the worth surrounded by unworthiness… God wants to commit to you through whatever you have gone through or are going through… Yes you have messed up, yes you have fallen short, yes you have gone the wrong way and made some bad choices, but even still don’t let the enemy lead you to believing that there isn’t a better tomorrow or a brighter future for you… God betroths you; He is standing with open arms, He desiring to give you another chance and wants to bring righteousness, lovingkindness and mercies into your heart and into your home… This is why Hosea starts our focus verses by saying “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever…” Hosea was a minor prophet that was given a charge to present unto the house of Israel… 

Today, through all the ups and downs that life had presented, through all the bad choices and decisions that the children of God had made, the Lord informs the Israelites that through it all He still has plans to be reunited with them… The Israelites had worshipped other Gods, they had spoken out against the True God, they had strayed away from His will, and they had taken on a “what have you done for me lately”attitude and God being a loving and merciful God still remains faithful through all their disobedience… When I examine my life, I begin to see just how much I have in common with the Israelites… When I begin to look over my life, I notice how much I have disobeyed God’s will, I realize how much I have strayed away from His calling, I understand how much I have allowed the ways of this world to cut me short of reaching unimaginable heights in the kingdom of God… Even when I think of all the wrong turns I have made, even when I reflect on all the temptations that I have given into, Hosea reminds me that God still loves me, God still values me, God still wants to bless me… This is good news for us today; this passage tells me that despite my faults, despite my flaws, despite my mistakes God has a plan to be reunited with me… When I read this passage I think of the prodigal son and how he ran off with his inheritance, blew it miscellaneously and ended up eating with pigs… There are a lot of us that have run off on wild tangents in this world, we have spent all we had physically, we have given ourselves away physically, and we have sold our lives short and ended up feasting with pigs… We, like the prodigal son have been down and out, but just like the prodigal son we can go back to our father… The bible says when the son was a ways off, the father some him and ran to him and kissed him… It doesn’t matter where you are in life, it doesn’t matter what you have done in life, when you utter the words “I will go back to my father” God will come running even when you’re a“ways off”, God will pick you up even when you still may have the smell of pigs on you and cleanse you of your unrighteousness… 

In the first chapter of Hosea, the Lord called Hosea to marry an adulterer… Hosea was wed to a woman who was known to be unfaithful and basically prostituted her life away… It’s important to note that in our lives today we are that prostitute and God is Hosea… Even though we have made mistakes, even though we have done the unthinkable God desires to join with us in union to live together for all eternity… God join those two in marriage to strengthen Hosea, but also lift up this woman… Knowing what God called Hosea to do let’s me know that God still loves us and wants us to be transformed and taken to new levels in Him… Hosea tells us today that God will marry us; we will be with Him and He with us through thick and thin… God knows we aren’t perfect and just like any marriage He understands that their will be good days and bad days, but notice the levels that we will be married to Christ… “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies…” We are justified and declared co-heirs with Christ through our union with Him… The unrighteous are now found righteous, those under sin’s penalty have now had their judgments removed and God’s lovingkindness and mercies have paved the way for all to live abundantly blessed and happy lives… Things could always be worse than they are! God will transform your life, He will be faithful to you no matter how far off you may appear to be; He will bring about the expected end He has for your life and you will know that He is God, the Lord and ruler of all! Sometimes things will be difficult in this life, sometimes things will be complex in this life, but we take pride in knowing that this marriage will never end and we will be with Jesus through eternity…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

No Condemnation In Christ Jesus

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2

From your mother’s womb you were on a path filled with the desires of the flesh that would lead to eternal damnation… This was the course that was laid before you until you decided to turn and follow Christ… Paul reminds us today that there are no chains or restrictions on us in the body of Christ… So many people have found themselves conforming to the ways of this world; however, we are to walk these streets with our heads held high declaring that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” You have been freed from the blood of the lamb… All your sins have been forgiven and the slate has been wiped clean… Even though we have a new lease on life, we are reminded that we are not condemned through today’s passage simply because there are a lot of people on this earth who will try to discredit you or cast you down… This world has a crab like mentality which means that when someone is coming out of the basket others will latch on to him to bring him back down… I say that to say that you will endure persecution for the name of Jesus, you will have many days where you want to give up or throw in the towel; however, you can smile in the face of your adversary because you know that what Paul declares later on in this chapter is the unadulterated truth in that “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” 

The growing pains in Christianity are real and you will endure much torment and pain as you transition your life and begin to focus on the things of Christ instead of the things of this world… You will have days where you feel alone and isolated as you learn to “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…” Paul wants to encourage you in your walk today because in your maturation process the enemy wants you to believe that you can’t win and that you are bound to fail… Satan loves to dwell on the past and try to tie that millstone of your mistakes and failures around your neck with hopes that you count the pressure to be too much to bear… Today, just continue to fight the good fight knowing, believing and trusting that you are no longer bound but that “Christ Jesus hath made me free…” When the enemy comes in like a flood, stand on the word and know that the Lord will raise up a standard against him… The enemy is powerless and has already been defeated; he wants you to believe that you are worthless and a failure so that he can lure you from your God-given destiny… When things get hard and frustration begins to set in, remind yourself that Christ has paid it all! This is why the Paul says that “Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death…” The truth of the matter is that your ability and measure of success is limitless; you can be whatever you want to be, you can go where you want to go… The sooner you turn to Jesus the sooner you can begin to live and live abundantly… You are worth more than you can imagine, you can reach heights beyond your wildest dreams and conquer the steepest of mountains… Don’t conform yourself any longer, stop restricting yourself to the things and ways of this world and start to take back the power that you have given the enemy you’re your life… Christ has made you free and given you the ability to win; however, the choice is yours as to whether you take up your cross or loss your life… 

Christ has established and met the ransom for all of our sins; He has given us an opportunity to reach goals that would not have been thought of had it not been for His suffering… This passage tells me that my poor decisions in the past are yesterday’s garbage, my struggles of today will not amount to failure tomorrow, and that my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness… I understand today that I must turn from the flesh; I must adhere to God’s calling upon my life and yearn for His spirit to empower me within His grace… The spirit of God empowers you while the measure of the world directs you… You are empowered in Christ to achieve all, so stop being directed by the standards of this world that will never allow you to reach your divine destiny and abilities… The law of the spirit is life, I am not concerned with things that will decay, or attitudes that want to hold me back or down, I will keep my eye stayed on THEE… Paul encourages us today; he motivates us today, and assures us today that through Christ we have victory… Jesus didn’t die just to die; He died because He wanted you to go above and beyond… This doesn’t mean that dark clouds will not appear sometimes, it doesn’t mean that trials and tribulations will cease, and just tells us that dark clouds will become clear skies and trials and tribulations will become stepping stones to develop a more intimate relationship with God… Know that your sins’ have been forgiven and that Christ has showed His love and extended His grace unto you so that you can become the jewel that He always knew you were…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Serve A Living God

...For he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

Daniel 6:26

Life is full of uncertainties; however, in our focus verse today we are assured of one thing that is certain… Daniel endured much torment and ridicule for His faith, after being imprisoned because of His God we know the story of being cast into the lion’s den… I am sure that even though His faith did not waver, Daniel was filled with uncertainty regarding the outcome of His predicament… Today, I am sure that there are things in your life that don’t cause you to lose faith; however, they may have you in a position where you are unsure of how things will play out; it is in this perilous times and uncomfortable situations that we must come to know and remember that “He is the living God, and steadfast for ever…” The storms of life will have you tossing and turning from day to day, but you have an anchor whose name is Jesus that will keep you safe and stable… Even though things that you hold dear to your heart on this earth can be taken from you in the blink of an eye, you can be encouraged today by knowing that “His kingdom shall not be destroyed…” The bible declares that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… This should provide good news to the body of Christ today as we are reminded that even though we will experience highs and lows in this life we will never fall beyond the thermostat of God’s grace… The thermostat that is Jesus Christ maintains a steady environment within us while all the things around us fluctuate from minute to minute… The passage taken from the prophetic book of Daniel reminds us today that we serve a living God, today we are reminded that in serving God we must trust Him in the most awkward and dangerous situations… 

Daniel was told that he could not pray for thirty days to the Lord, he was also told that he had to worship and pray only to king of Darius… The administration of the land didn’t like Daniel; there was nothing they could do to him in order to stop his rise in a foreign land, so they tried to cut him short by preying on his relationship with God… In this world we will found countless situations where people will see your rise and try to cut you short… They will try there best to trip you up along the way and find ways to make your life miserable… We take pride in knowing that we serve a living God who can use any situation to receive glory, honor and praise… Because of the leaders of the lands malice, because of their envy, because of their resentment, Daniel is cast into the lions den for not worshiping the king… When we decide that we aren’t going to worship man, when we decide that we aren’t going to follow suit, when we decide that we aren’t going to live according to this world we will surely face obstacles… Daniel was presented with a den of lions, we aren’t presented with that scenario literally, but we are challenged in maintaining our faith amongst a society and community driven by evil that would love to devour our hopes, steal our dreams and kill our future… We find comfort in knowing that we serve a God a faithfulness even through rough times, we find courage in knowing that we serve a God that is steadfast in the worst possible situations, we find a reason to smile when we realize that His kingdom shall not be destroyed… Your faith will be tested when you hold to God’s unchanging hand; Satan will intensify the temptations that are thrown your way when you trust the Lord and you will face opposition and remaining faithful to God… 

King Darius recognized the only true and wise God through the adversity that Daniel faced… There are a lot of situations that we encounter simply for others to recognize God’s power and sovereignty… We face trials daily so that God can manifest His power and save a soul… Notice Daniel has faith in God enough to endure hardships, he believes in God enough to face trials and tribulations; and he is adhering to God’s will despite obstacles and tragedy… If you believe that God lives, you must be willing to endure, if you believe that God saves, you must be willing to persevere, if you believe that God reigns, you must trust Him and remain faithful… One of the most important things that I teach to new disciples is that the road your traveling just took a turn for the better when you choose Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, but that you may not “immediately” see that to be true because of all the storms that you will encounter by making that choice… Darius saw Daniel’s faith and God’s faithfulness and wrote another decree that all the land should serve the God of Daniel… Your hardships are your testimony and witness to God’s love and power, endure them, persevere through them and take joy in them… The bottom line is that we serve a God that sits high and looks low, we serve a God that will never put more on us than we can bear, and we serve a God that will never allow us to be tempted beyond measure… This journey through life won’t be easy and isn’t for the weak at heart, but if you know the God you serve, you understand that every “lions den” brings forth exaltation and recognition… The words for today, believe in your God, and face your oppositions… Daniel did and was exalted, the same God the exalted Him will lift you us as well…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Conquers All

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

In the 15^th chapter of the gospel of John, the 13^th verse Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” The point that Jesus made is echoed in our focus verse today, even in the midst of the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed as He sweat drops of blood wishing that the cup of crucifixion and the separation from Him and God would pass, we see that due to His love He endured the cross and all the torment that came with it… What do you mean when you tell someone I love you? What is it that that person is supposed to understand about you and how you feel toward them? John informs us of the true meaning of love today, the fact that it outweighs fear and will cause you to become fearless… If a parent sees their child walk into a street with a  car approaching they will risk their lives to save their child, if a house is burning down a parent will overlook the flames to get their children out safely… This is the kind of love that John is speaking about today; true love gives you the ability to look beyond circumstances to fill the needs of another… To say you love someone means that you are able to look beyond the flaws; you are able to look beyond the shortcomings and open yourself up for that person… 

The greatest example we have of love is Jesus Christ death on the cross… Every drop of blood that came down His face had one of our names written on it, every time He cried out from the cross He was overlooking the pain to fulfill the need we all had… When we come to understand and realize what love is, we will also acknowledge that the word love has lost its meaning in today’s society; it is flung around from person to person like a basketball in a game… You constantly hear people saying I love you, only to see that love manifested in ways that would beg the differ. The first part of this scripture tells us that there is no fear in love; a lot of us claim to be children of God and say we love Him, but John is reminding us that if you love God you trust Him and turn your life over to Him… A lot of us haven’t and will not experience true love because we “fear” what people might say, we “fear” what people will think and we “fear” change… John is telling us today that when we overcome our fears we will then be able to experience perfect love. Another point we see about love is that as a child of God, we can’t become fearful when things don’t go the way we planned; we can’t become intimidated when the chips seem to be stacked up against us, and become fearful when storms approach our lives… The word of God has told us that trials serve a purpose in our lives and these situations, obstacles, hardships, occasions and adversities are actually placed in your life to show you the love that God has for you… John goes on to say that perfect Love casteth out fear… Fear will cast doubts and discourage you, and it will cause you to think twice or become apprehensive; this passage tells me that love casteth out fear. 

A lot of us have been held captive for far too long by fear and John says fear will torment, fear will keep you down, it will keep you suffering, and it will keep you distressed and continue to drown you in your sorrows… Notice John says “perfect love” (only the love from above) will cast out fear… You can’t waver back and forth and expect to overcome, you can’t take a step forward and take a step back and expect to grow or move forward in life… When you trust God, when you lean not to your own understanding, when you cut off some people or things in your life you will begin to see that “perfect love” manifested in your life and over time that Love that only God gives will cast out the fears you once had… To love is a process, true love doesn’t happen overnight, just as we grow in Christ we must grow in love and overcome the things that plague us and cause us to fall short in our abilities to love… Love should be your driving force to reach your goals and achieve your outcomes… Jesus was worried in the garden of Gethsemane, He was apprehensive about traveling into uncharted waters, but because of His love and compassion He was nailed to the cross; because of His love He never said a mumbling word, because of His love He hung His head, allowed sin to separate Him from His father, and was pierced in His side. His love conquered His fears and worries, your love should do the same thing. The question is, are you truly in love with Christ, or have you lost the meaning of the word just like the world we live in today?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Provides Wisdom And Knowledge

He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:  He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Daniel 2:21b-22

This passage taken from the book of Daniel reminds us of the awesome power of God! It starts by telling us that He has given each of us a unique gift, those who are to be wise shall receive wisdom; likewise, those who are to understand shall obtain knowledge… Wisdom is a step above knowledge and someone who is called wise is one that has insight, intelligence and acumen… A wise man is able to speak through personal experiences as well as things that have been learned throughout history… The wisest man to ever live was Solomon! He wrote the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Solomon… One of Solomon’s greatest quotes is, “everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind…” Solomon was king after his father David, it is recorded that he had over 700 wives and 300 concubines and women would be his ultimate downfall… 

The wisdom that God imparted to Solomon is the same wisdom that He imparts to mankind today; everything in this life (on this earth) is meaningless… The wise know that God is the answer and the source of our existence, the wise know that Jesus died so that we could live, the wise know that nothing of this world can compare to the love that God has for His creation… Some are wise through longevity and experiences; some are knowledgeable when it comes to certain situations and/or events… The dark days of your life are a testimony to others; the pain you go through is a testimony to someone about God’s faithfulness… Sometimes that storms you go through aren’t for you, but you must endure them to showcase your faith and God’s faithfulness to others… Daniels says, “He giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding…”God will make your path clear, He will reveal His plan unto you, but you must submit to Him first… He gives wisdom and knowledge to those who were “wise” enough to know they couldn’t do it on their own; He gives knowledge to those that have come to “understand” that without Jesus we are filthy rags headed to hell… God has a spiritual desire for you and a will for you to walk in, but you must first acknowledge your gift (or gifts) so that God can bestow them upon you… Never believe that you are not a vital instrument to God’s kingdom building, He has a work that is only meant for your hands to satisfy. 

Daniel goes on to say that he revealeth secret things and knows what is in darkness; God can and will reveal confusion to you, He will right the vision and make it plain, and He will help you to (as the psalmist says) understand it better by and by… There are a lot things that take place within our lives that we cannot understand at the present time, we feel like things are unfair or just don’t make sense, these are the secrets that Daniel says will be revealed. Jesus prayed that the come be taken away from Him, but also said “let thy will be done…” There are a lot of things that we have prayed for God to remove, a lot of obstacles that we asked God to push out of our way and Daniel wants you and I to know that not only will we overcome, but one day God will let us know what purpose these obstacles served, God will bring to understanding why certain things happened in our lives… Jesus doesn’t make mistakes, every action serves a purpose, every hardship causes you to mature, and ultimately you will become the vessel that God has called you to be. He knows everything that you have done, the wrong decisions that you have made and the snares that have entrapped you, He knows darkness, but also wants you to realize that HE IS THE LIGHT, and that He has everything that you stand in need of… Seek HIM and know that it doesn’t matter where you are, you will be FOUND! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light…” He has seen your pain, He has seen your frustrations, He has seen your agony and it all is working together for His purpose…Hold on, don’t give up, stay encouraged and watch God work and reveal His master plan through your trials and tribulations…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Not Alone

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Studies have shown and proven that it is easier to run when you are not hindered in some way… Today’s passage starts off by teaching us two very critical points regarding our mission and ministry in Christ; the first is that we must surround ourselves with people of faith and the second is that we must “lay aside every weight”… When we are surrounded by God fearing individuals we put ourselves in a position to prosper and grow in Christ… I can count plenty of times when I felt down and in despair and it was the encouraging words of a man or woman of God that kept me from giving in to the mental snares of the enemy… Understand today what is meant by the author when he says,“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses…” 

Everything that you are currently going through, there is some body that has been there and seen the hand of God move… Even though you may feel alone, there is a testimony which speaks too your current circumstance… A witness is someone who has seen, viewed or observed something… I think we all are witnesses to God’s sovereign power and saving Grace…  How often do you really take an in-depth look into the people that you are surrounded by or allow into your inner circle? I ask these questions because the author of Hebrews declares a powerful point today that we must grasp and meditate on when he says that we have a great cloud of witnesses… Being surrounded by the right kind of people in your life is of the utmost importance in fulfilling the will and vision that God has for your life… A lot of us have been encamped or associated with the wrong type of people and it is because of this that we haven’t been able to adhere to the next step in this verse which is to “lay aside every weight and sin…” We have allowed people to hold us down, allowed people to make us feel weak and have missed out on so many blessings because we place value in the wrong things or individuals… Take a self-inventory of your life, look at your friends, colleagues and other relationships. The reason this needs to be done is because we should surround ourselves with people who are spiritually strong and motivated to do the will of God. Can you see a great cloud of witnesses around you, do you find strength in and through the people that you call “friends…” Believe it or not, but it is through your relationships that you are able to lay aside every weight (when things aren’t going well, a friend will lift you up and not step on you…); your friends are the ones who should keep you going, your church is the foundation that should be a source of healing and refuge, testimonies should be evidence that God doesn’t make mistakes, but that He is rather making/molding you into the spiritually prospering child that he called you to be… 

You can lay aside that weight because your friends help you realize that that addiction, that habit, that relationship or that skeleton in your closet isn’t worth carrying… Laying the weight aside should be made easy because of your friends, if your life seems to be more complicated when your “friends” enter the picture you need to check that, if your are being drug down instead of being exalted you need to check that, and if you find yourself straying away from God, you need to check that… This passage says that we not only should lay aside the weight, but “the sin which doth so easily beset us…” I think we all can agree that it doesn’t take much for us to find ourselves in a downward spiral, one action can lead to a lifetime of regret and sorrow, and one choice can bring grave consequences. That is why the author tells us to run with patience’s; we have to remain careful and vigilant at all times, we have to be guarded about those who enter our inner-circle (of the twelve disciples, there were three that Jesus became closer too). When we surround ourselves with praying and faithful people we can avoid the traps and snares of the devil. When we adhere to the will and journey of God and not feed into the sin and lust of the flesh and world we can run this race with patients, understanding that God is in control and that things will be made plain and clear when it is your season to reap your harvest. Lastly, let us remember who has made this day possible (the air you breathe and the blood flowing within your veins). Through all your heartache, through your suffering and pain, remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever… He will hear your faintest cry, He is your comforter, He is your strength, and He is your prosperity. He died on the cross so you can live, and surely He wants to see you live throughout all eternity. He will finish what He started; you just keep your faith and surround yourself with people of that same faith…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Trouble Won't Last Always

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Genesis 28:15

“Behold, I am with thee…” This very statement should provide a source of strength for those who feel like giving up, this should provide energy for those who feel they have none left and hope for those who think they are lost… God is with you, through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs He is right by your side… Jacob has fled from the hands of Esau and at this point feels helpless and hopeless; however God informs Jacob of the same things that we need to be informed of when we face hardships, “He’s still with us…” Today’s focus verse deals with the promised blessings that a child of God will receive, but also shines light on the trials and storms that we will encounter to get there… In the verses which precede this one, Isaac has given the first born blessing to Jacob instead of Esau; Esau burned with anger toward Jacob and as a result Jacob fled… We find Jacob on his journey to Paddam Aram to the house of Laban…

 Jacob stops to sleep and uses a rock as his pillow, during his time of rest; God appears to him and speaks the words which are recorded in this verse… It is a blessing for us to know that God is always with us, but let us understand what that means… To often we associate God being with us to mean that we won’t have to deal with struggles or hardships, on the contrary we are reminded that God is with us so that we won’t give up or feel abandoned when the storms intensify… Jacob was told by God that he would inherit the land which he slept on, we too have been promised a better tomorrow… After his rest Jacob ended up working for his father in law for over 14 years for his wives, he was wondering through life avoiding his brother and even had another run-in with his father in law that basically served as a warning that if he messed up he would come after him… Jacob eventually had to face his brother and thought that death was imminent… Many people remember the story of him wrestling with a man (which some believe was God or an angel…) The whole point to the story is that you have been promised a land of abundance, you have been promised a land of prosperity, but you also must go through the rigors of life to obtain it, you must go through the refining fire to be purified… Jacob was assured of his inheritance, but saw many days of sadness and distress, we will see many days of sadness in distress, many days of confusion and crying, but know that God never slumbers nor sleeps, not only does he see your pain, but its serving a purpose in your life that will allow His name to be glorified and you to be matured to the point that God has called you too… Jacob came face to face with his brother and God brought them back together… 

The bible says that Jacob was given the name Israel and walked with a limp after His encounter with God… You will experience the promises that God has made to you, but you must go through the journey to obtain it… Like Jacob, we have been promised great things, you might end up with a limp in pursuing them… God never promised days without strife, He never promised that tears would not stream down your face; God never said that your burden would be light, and joy will fill your life 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! As Christians we have often misconstrued what the word of God actually says, my Bible tells us to keep in mind that they hated Him first, my bible tells me that weeping may endure for a night, and my bible tells me that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy… We have to understand that we are fighting a treacherous battle, we are in the trenches and this war is growing more and more intense. Pick up your newspaper and see how many teens have been locked up or become a chalk outline, look at how many jobs have been lost, or how many suicides have taken place. Again, God never said things would be easy, but what He says in this scripture is that He will be with you! He didn’t say it wouldn’t be an uphill battle, but in this scripture He tells us that He is fighting with us… He wants you to know that He hasn’t forgotten about you, when others turn there back on you, He hasn’t. When others put you down, He will pick you up. When people have denied you, He will receive you. God has great things in store for you; He has a promised vision for your life and will sweat along side you to see you fulfill your dream… Don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t become discouraged, trust in the Lord, Hold to his unchanging hand, and believe in the scriptures! “I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of…” God’s going to finish the work, God’s going to conclude the master piece and you will reach the heights He has called you too…

TROUBLE WON”T LAST ALWAYS!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Everything Give Thanks

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The will of God is that we should always be thankful, find a reason to rejoice and continue to pray… No matter what storms come your way or obstacles that you face, the challenge of every man and woman of God is to stay the course holding to the precious promises of God and making the most of every situation! Paul told the church ofPhilippi, “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.” The secret of being content is that you hold to the fact that God has seen you through your ups and downs, you smile because regardless of your abundance or your lack you still have a roof over your head and clothes on your back… I remind myself daily that things could always be worseand that only rejuvenates my joy. A child of God is known by actions, not by what they say… Paul’s letter to the church of Thessalonica reminds us that we are to praise God and pray to God continuously… When your time is devoted to praising God and praying you have no room to complain, when your time is devoted to giving thanks unto the Lord you don’t have time to pout or throw temper tantrums… 

Paul’s says rejoice evermore!Often times we are looking for a red sea or Damascus road experience in order to rejoice, but we are told today that we should always rejoice… There will be storms in your life, there will be trials that you encounter and we must learn to stop trying to face them on our own, but go to the Lord in prayer… So often people face challenges and try to defeat them by themselves, that’s what the church is for, that’s what the body of believers is for; God said when two or three are gathered in His name He will be in the midst…Pray to God, but also surround yourself with people of God to pray with you and for you… James said that when we ask of the Lord we cannot waver, we already know what God has done for us that’s why we can rejoice, we know that we can take anything too Him through prayer and if you believe Paul’s next statement says “In everything give thanks…” We as a child of God can give thanks simple because God promised to never put more on us than we can bear, we can give thanks because we know that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, we can give thanks because we know that even when are closest friends turned there backs on us Christ died on the cross so that we might have life and have it more abundantly… Paul says that these things that we are to do are the will of God toward us… Our job on this earth is to minister, to serve others and to let others know that grace that God has dispensed on the cross for all mankind… 

You touch the lives of people in so many ways and we must let them know that we are a child of God! This isn’t done by wearing a cross around our necks, this isn’t done by carrying a bible everywhere we go and it isn’t done by listening to gospel music all day long… People will know you’re a child of the King when they see you rejoicing in all things, they will know when they see you praying about situations, they will know when you are able to give thanks unto the Lord even when people don’t understand what you’re thankful for… There is an old saying, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. This simply implies that you should never allow your circumstances to destroy your goals or focus for you life, in fact you should take the sour taste and use it to make something good out of a bad situation. This passage in 1 Thessalonians reminds us to rejoice evermore, meaning that we must keep the joy of Jesus in our hearts at all times, we must never get down upon the current situations because we can look to Jesus and know that He went to the cross and now seats at the right hand of the father. This passage also tells us to always stay in prayer; it doesn’t matter what the doctor has said, or what you friends have told you (look at Job), we must stay in communication with God knowing that He has the final answer, but more importantly that He has what we stand in need of. That’s why we should be thankful for any and everything that comes our way, because we know that walking in the will of God will have the dark days and bumpy roads, but in the end our crown awaits. In the end we will have uncontrollable joy and we will be caught up to a place where there will be no more weeping, crying, or sin!!!! So be thankful and press on!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Everything Give Thanks

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The will of God is that we should always be thankful, find a reason to rejoice and continue to pray… No matter what storms come your way or obstacles that you face, the challenge of every man and woman of God is to stay the course holding to the precious promises of God and making the most of every situation! Paul told the church ofPhilippi, “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.” The secret of being content is that you hold to the fact that God has seen you through your ups and downs, you smile because regardless of your abundance or your lack you still have a roof over your head and clothes on your back… I remind myself daily that things could always be worseand that only rejuvenates my joy. A child of God is known by actions, not by what they say… Paul’s letter to the church of Thessalonica reminds us that we are to praise God and pray to God continuously… When your time is devoted to praising God and praying you have no room to complain, when your time is devoted to giving thanks unto the Lord you don’t have time to pout or throw temper tantrums… 

Paul’s says rejoice evermore!Often times we are looking for a red sea or Damascus road experience in order to rejoice, but we are told today that we should always rejoice… There will be storms in your life, there will be trials that you encounter and we must learn to stop trying to face them on our own, but go to the Lord in prayer… So often people face challenges and try to defeat them by themselves, that’s what the church is for, that’s what the body of believers is for; God said when two or three are gathered in His name He will be in the midst…Pray to God, but also surround yourself with people of God to pray with you and for you… James said that when we ask of the Lord we cannot waver, we already know what God has done for us that’s why we can rejoice, we know that we can take anything too Him through prayer and if you believe Paul’s next statement says “In everything give thanks…” We as a child of God can give thanks simple because God promised to never put more on us than we can bear, we can give thanks because we know that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, we can give thanks because we know that even when are closest friends turned there backs on us Christ died on the cross so that we might have life and have it more abundantly… Paul says that these things that we are to do are the will of God toward us… Our job on this earth is to minister, to serve others and to let others know that grace that God has dispensed on the cross for all mankind… 

You touch the lives of people in so many ways and we must let them know that we are a child of God! This isn’t done by wearing a cross around our necks, this isn’t done by carrying a bible everywhere we go and it isn’t done by listening to gospel music all day long… People will know you’re a child of the King when they see you rejoicing in all things, they will know when they see you praying about situations, they will know when you are able to give thanks unto the Lord even when people don’t understand what you’re thankful for… There is an old saying, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. This simply implies that you should never allow your circumstances to destroy your goals or focus for you life, in fact you should take the sour taste and use it to make something good out of a bad situation. This passage in 1 Thessalonians reminds us to rejoice evermore, meaning that we must keep the joy of Jesus in our hearts at all times, we must never get down upon the current situations because we can look to Jesus and know that He went to the cross and now seats at the right hand of the father. This passage also tells us to always stay in prayer; it doesn’t matter what the doctor has said, or what you friends have told you (look at Job), we must stay in communication with God knowing that He has the final answer, but more importantly that He has what we stand in need of. That’s why we should be thankful for any and everything that comes our way, because we know that walking in the will of God will have the dark days and bumpy roads, but in the end our crown awaits. In the end we will have uncontrollable joy and we will be caught up to a place where there will be no more weeping, crying, or sin!!!! So be thankful and press on!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!