The Joy of The Lord Is Your Strength

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

Even in times of despair, heartbreak and frustration you have a reason to celebrate… Whenever you feel down, your pick-me-up can be found in knowing that “the joy of the Lord is your strength…” When you go through things don’t fret because your weakness will open the door for God to display His strength. When you are faced with a daunting task, don’t give room to the debilitating fear that lurks because the joy of the Lord is your strength… We all have fallen short or missed the mark which was the case at the time of this word being recorded in the book of Nehemiah. You can take courage and find peace today in knowing that you will have provisions, protection and prosperity through the good and perfect gifts which only come from above. Even though we don’t like to make mistakes or mess up from time to time, in reading this passage we know that we as well as the people of that particular time should be overjoyed because God’s word has convicted them and paved the way to repentance… Today we mourn for Jesus, but we are overjoyed at the offering He poured out on Calvary knowing and believing that Salvation was made possible by His death and believing that He now sits at the right hand of the father with all power in His hand… 

Now is the time for us to build upon that foundation. We understand that God has paid the penalty of sin on our behalf; we understand that God has delivered us from captivity, now we must put our faith into action by living a life that pleases the Lord… Nehemiah writes today of the desire of the Lord for those who acknowledge Him… This passage of scriptures takes place at a point and time when the children of God are coming back together after being scattered and oppressed. The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed previously and they have just begun to rebuild their respective lives. Ezra the priest has located the scroll of the Lord and in this chapter has read the word of God to the people. At hearing the word of God, the people begin to mourn for all the wrong they had down and felt the convictions of their actions. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites are teaching the people of God that they need to listen to the word and be happy because God has given them a chance to live and turn over a new leaf. I believe that we to have felt the conviction of the word of God knowing that our sins placed Jesus on the cross. 

We mourn daily, knowing that we were just as guilty as Judas because we too have betrayed the Lord. Nehemiah is saying today that God loves your convictions, but desires for you to turn to Him… Nehemiah tells the people that they are to celebrate; they are to give thanks to God because the word of the Lord has been found and instilled in their hearts. We too should be thankful that while we were lost, God didn’t close the door, while we were concerned about our own agendas, God was still concerned about us. Nehemiah says, “Neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength…” Remember when Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and didn’t find His body, she began to mourn and Jesus approached her and asked her why she was crying… Sure, we have fallen short, we have messed up, we have strayed away but now that we are back with the father, now that we are in lock-step with the Lord, now that the lost sheep has been found, we should find joy in the strength of the Lord. Let people talk about your past while you allow God to lead you to your future. Sure we have been down, but now we are up. Sure, we were lost, but now we are found. Sure, our fate was sealed, but God has wiped the slate clean… Like Nehemiah said to the Israelites, “…go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet… neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength…” We have a whole lot to be thankful for, our blessings outweigh our trials…. Praise be to God, for your battle has already been won…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Look Unto Him And Be Saved

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." 

Isaiah 45:22

Your search ends here; all the crevices, nooks and crannies that you have checked which did not produce the results you were looking for can be forgotten… The Lord declares through the prophet Isaiah that if you “Look unto me” you will “be saved…” Simply put, if you aren’t looking to the Lord than you must be looking toward other things and all the wrong things… If you aren’t seeking Him than you must be seeking something else… Wherever you are today and whatever you seek, just know that if your focus is not on the Lord than the emptiness, void or empty space you seek to fill will never be obtained or resolved… Understanding the call to “Look unto me” today leads me to pose a question as we study this powerful verse; how many times have you tried to figure things out on your own? How many times have you tried to take matters into your own hands just to watch your plan fail or come up short…? Today, through the prophetic book of Isaiah we are reminded of how we obtain success; today we are called to remember how it is that we have life and have it more abundantly, today we are called to remember how it is that even in the worse times or situations we still have a reasonable portion of health, food on the table, a roof over our heads and clothes on our back… 

This passage starts off by saying, “Look unto me…” The reason that our plans have failed or keep coming up short is because they are not derived from the will of God… Isaiah writes this passage at a time when the Israelites were dealing with trials and tribulations, he writes this verse at a time when chaos was running wild and the very core of God’s people was being tested and shaken… Understanding what transpired in the lives of the children of God lead me to another realization at it pertains to hardships and focus… As a child of God we often think that we will not endure hardships or suffer the consequences of our actions; however the bondage, turmoil and pain that the Israelites endured was because of their disobedience and bad choices (they decided not to look toward the Lord)… The more you look toward things and not the Lord the more and more your life begins to spiral out of control and pave the way for a bigger gap between you and your divine destiny… The Israelites when through because they wavered in the reliance on the Lord, they endured trying times because of there faltering loyalty and heart… This is of the utmost to capture today because a lot of the consequences we face today are due to our lack of faith in the will of God…When we look unto the Lord we find strength, when we look unto the Lord we find peace, when we look unto the Lord we find understanding… Knowing this simply teaches us that when we look in another direction we are setting ourselves up for failure… Notice that the passage then says, “…and be ye saved…” 

When we look to God we not only are promised to have eternal life, but He will lift you out of the muck and mire that you are currently in and plant your feet on solid ground… It doesn’t matter where you are today, His love, grace, mercy and compassion can reach “all the ends of the earth…” God is here there and everywhere just waiting for you to look to Him…The bible tells a story of a man named Lot who was called to leave a perverse and crooked country; he was instructed to leave and not even look back… As his family departed Sodom and Gomorrah God began to reign down fire and brimstone destroying the cities… Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt… The moment we take our eyes of God we open the door to deception, temptation and doubt… It was David looking at Bathsheba bathing that drew him into murder, it was Sampson’s eye for Delilah that lead him to captivity, it was the appearance of the fruit (pleasing to the eye) that lead to the downfall of mankind (Adam and Eve)… Job endured much, but never took his eye off the Lord (he received double what he had), Jesus was mocked and beaten but never took His eye of the father’s will and now sits at his right hand… Don’t question God when he calls you to move, don’t question or second-guess what God desires for you to do or where He has called you to go… There is no reason to look away because there is no other way to inherit Eternal Life, there is no other way to be saved… Don’t look to your finances, your friends or your job stability as a means of comfort for all those things will pass away… Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light, no man come unto the father but by me…” Isaiah echo’s the same thing today, “...for I am God, and there is none else…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Call Unto Me And I Will Answer

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

Your life will never be complete nor accomplish all that it can until you realize that you must call on the Lord… It isn’t until you open your heart, mind and soul unto the Lord that He can begin to impart His divine will and plan for your life… This scripture speaks to the covenant that bonds us with the Lord; He will answer as evident in the many storms we have been able to endure and come through; however, the phone must ring in order for it to be answered and this is the step that often times is missed… I often times here people quote different scriptures about the saving power and grace that is our God, but do we realize that His saving power will be idle until we allow it to be manifested in our lives…? True, God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, He has promised to protect us from the fowler’s snare and be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path…All these promises are real; however they will never see fulfillment in one’s life unless they have faith which requires a connection or call of total submission to the Lord… The book of Jeremiah teaches that God promises to show us great and mighty things, Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly… Until we walk according to the will of God, until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are not living nor do we have abundant life… Jeremiah starts this verse by saying, “Call unto me and I will answer thee…” 

The promises of God can’t be fulfilled until you step up and call upon His name… Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Notice we are promised rest in Jesus; however the first thing that must be done is that we turn from our own path and “Come to me…” We must call on the Lord to find strength, we must call unto the Lord to find healing, and we must call unto the Lord to gain direction, understanding and power… When we call on the Lord He will answer; however it will be in ways “which thou knowest not…” We never know how someone so battered down by life still can fight and stand tall, we never know how a person dealing with financial hardships can climb from underneath their debt, and we never know how relationships that seemed irreparable can be mended… These are the mighty things that we know not, but that God can do and perform for us when we call upon His name… We can agree with this verse in Jeremiah knowing that God will answer, He will make a way out of now way, He will do the mighty things that you thought were simply dreams, He will perform the very works that you didn’t think were possible… 

Look at what this verse says; Jeremiah records that God will show great and mighty things to us if we call upon Him, (if you wondering why things in your household haven’t improved, if you wondering why you are stuck in the same location, it’s because you haven’t called on the Lord…) so many of us have been waiting for a sign from God, waiting for Him to do a miraculous work in our lives so that we know and feel his presences. God has not performed these miracles, nor given you these signs because you have not called on His name! The bible records that the Israelites were in bondage during the prophecy of Jeremiah, “they worship me with their lips, but there hearts are far from me!” The Israelites had fallen by the wayside and had a false confidence that everything would be okay. I believe that often times we have a false confidence that everything in our life will be okay. We have a false confidence that God is a bellhop and that He is going to just show up and bless the situation and we will walk away unharmed; however, on the contrary, God is simply waiting for you to say enough is enough and call upon Him and adhere to His word! Nehemiah 1:9 says, “but if you return to me (Call unto Him) and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”

God can’t answer the phone unless you call!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Has Conquered All

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 

There are two things that we are promised in this life; one is obstacles and two is the ability to overcome them… Notice that Jesus didn’t say in the world you might have tribulation, He said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation…” As a child of God we are sure to endure hardships, we are sure to endure challenges and that’s why Paul said that we must “press toward the mark…” Today find joy in your challenges and obstacles because you know that Jesus has already overcome them and will provide all the tools that you need to do the same… Jesus assures us that there will be many days that we are left scratching our heads and wondering how is it that this young man can take another man’s life… This world is a diseased place that slowly is killing each person that resides within it (those who desire and adhere to worldly standards and ways of living). The desire of Christ is that nobody should perish and that we all be saved… Jesus is preparing for His departure from earth and instructing His disciples of the times which lie ahead of them… Jesus declares to His disciples in this passage that times of hardship will come, He says, “you will grieve while the world is filled with joy…” Speaking directly to His death and the torment that His followers would endure! Jesus goes on to say that “you will mourn but eventually will be filled with joy…” 

We all must suffer from time to time in the body of Christ, we all must endure tribulation on this earth, but we find joy in the fact that we can “be of good cheer” because He has overcome the world… Your victory is assured, your foundation is set and your breakthrough is guaranteed… We will indeed suffer in this world, but we take pride in nothing that this is not our permanent residence and that we are storing up our treasures in heaven “where thief’s cannot steal and moth cannot corrupt…” In this chapter Jesus compares the hardships of our suffering to the birth pains that a woman feels while she is in labor… He tells His disciples that she indeed is in anguish when going through that process, but when the child is born her joy trumps any pain that she has felt and she overcomes… Likewise, the birth pains that we face on this earth bring anguish into our homes, on our jobs and in our communities; but when we see the finished product of our suffering, when we take hold of the will of God and receive the precious promises and gifts of Christ, our joy will indeed overpower the suffering that we have dealt with… Paul wrote that “no suffering seeming joyous at the moment, but that it worketh a far more weight of glory in Christ Jesus…” Paul also said that we will never be tempted beyond what we can bare, but when we are tempted He will provide a way of escape… Notice what Jesus says in the beginning of this verse, “that in him we might have peace!” 

Notice the wording of this verse, He is not guaranteeing that you will not cry sometimes, He is not guaranteeing that will not feel the presences of evil or danger, He says you might have peace! In the world He says you shall have tribulations… There is no end to your suffering as long as you are focused on living in the world, there is no escape, and there is no salvation! In other words, Jesus is promising you a chance to succeed, He is promising you an avenue to escape, and He is assuring you an opportunity to be victorious. He can proclaim this because all you are facing He faced on the cross. He can declare that, because the evil that has been plotted against you is the same evil that pierced Him in His side. He knows what you are facing, He knows what is attacking you, but you need to just hold fast to the promise that He assured us when He said He will never leave us! Jesus says be of good cheer; always be happy and don’t let your joy be stolen. He is saying, don’t worry about the uncertainty in this life, don’t worry about the obstacles that you face, because He has already faced them and came out victorious. He has already overcome this world, and if you dwell within Him, you will overcome too! SO BE OF GOOD CHEER!!!!!!! I believe James said it best,“consider it pure joy when you face trials and tribulations…” The most peaceful place in a hurricane is in the eye (middle); however, you must endure the storms outer realm before getting there... As a Christian we desire to be with Christ, so endure the outer realm (devil) to get to the place where you will find peace…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

I Will Sing Unto The Lord

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes...

Psalm 101:1-3a

What are the words that come from your lips when in dialogue or discussion about the Lord…? What do you utter from your mouth when you experience His favor or when you go through a rough situation…? Often times we are able to offer up praises to the Lord when things go well, but we indeed change our tune and begin to question Him when things don’t go as planned… These verses taken from the one hundred and first psalm echo the dedication that we must have to the Lord… We all know the story of David and the mistakes that he made, in this psalm we see the expression of David’s love… In the midst of trials and tribulations, let us recognize the beauty of God’s discipline and not think He is distant… Let us recognize that even in the mistakes we make in life God can turn a negative into a positive and help us to learn and mature in Christ… David declares to the Lord today that he will sing of His mercy and judgment… As we look throughout our lives we have a lot to praise God for… Often times we harp on the disappointments in life, but neglect the bountiful blessings that have already been bestowed! David remembers the provisions that God has/had already made in his life; delivering him from the hands of enemies, anointing Him to be king and forgiving him of all his missteps… 

Today let usremember the mercy (withholding) of punishment that God has shown to us! The fact that we should have been dead and suffered the penalty of sin, the fact that we (by one man’s sin) have fallen short of the Glory of God and the fact that we have turned our back on the Lord time and time again! Truth be told, we should all have perished by now, but because of God’s mercy, we have been given a chance to turn unto Him and have all sins forgiven, we indeed do have a lot to praise God for! David praises God not only for His mercy, but also His judgment, a judgment is a verdict, conclusion, finding, decision or result… David is praising God because He (just like the Israelites and us) suffered consequences of our actions, but even then were lifted up by the hand of God and planted on solid ground… Many times the Israelites were in bondage, but God still delivered them and blessed them through their trials and tribulations, the same can be said about you… We need to praise God because His verdict wasn’t eternal damnation, we need to praise God because His conclusion was to send His only begotten son, we need to praise God because His decision was that we should not perish but have everlasting life… This is why David doesn’t stop at singing about His mercy and judgment; David goes on to say not only will I praise you, but “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way… I will walk within my house with a perfect heart…” 

David has found his true love and he doesn’t want to mess things up! He knows the source of his strength and existence… He has found the true “Soul mate…” Think about the times when you have dated or married and you were in love with that “amazing person,” because of your devotion to that special someone you desired to walk your best and be perfect… You didn’t want that individual to find in fault within you and you sought to please them through your living! David desires to walk blamelessly before the Lord, we should desire to give God our very best and not mess this “sweet thing” up that He has graciously given to us… Jesus is that “special someone,” He is that “amazing person” and we need to model our lives accordingly… We celebrate “Good Friday” because of the good deeds which Christ bestowed on mankind by going to the Cross… I don’t know about you, but because of my love for Christ I will “set no wicked thing before mine eyes…” Because of my love for Christ I will continue to ask the question “O when wilt thou come unto me?”Because of my love for Christ I will praise Him all the days of my life; I will walk with a perfect heart and desire to serve Him unconditionally… Do you love him? If so, praise Him through the ups and downs and let your love be manifest in your life by the actions that you display everyday!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's Power In Shutting Your Mouth

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

Philippians 2:14-15

James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Cutting straight to the heart of the matter, we must learn to simply shut up… What plagues most Christians in their pursuit of Christ is the ability to listen and hear; often times we become entrapped with words that we miss out on what it is that God has for us or the very blessings that will be manifested in our lives… Not only must we shut up and learn to listen, but Paul takes it a step further when He instructs us about refraining from disputes and conflict. If you believe God is at work in your life, it should be evident not only through your words but also through how you handle adversity… I have often wondered why is it that Christians believe that by accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior that the temptations of this world and trials will cease… The word of God tells me that when Jesus was baptized (accepted God’s call) and then He was tempted of the devil… One thing that we must come to understand and know is that by accepting Christ’s offering on Calvary we are subject to the schemes of the devil... 

One of the more true sayings I heard was this, “if it comes easy and with out much work or endurance to obtain it than it must not be worth much…” A good friend of mind told me this when I was going through a troubling time and I believe this words are what Paul is trying to convey to the church of Philippi… You have to work in order to achieve, greatness will not fall into you laps and that’s why we are to do all thing without complaining… Paul writes a clerical message to the church of Philippi informing them of the maturation process that a child of God goes through… He speaks today to the fact that as a child of the most high things will not always be the way you desire… Paul says “do all things without murmuring and disputes,” everything you receive of the Lord is not always going to be what you have asked for, but what Paul is saying today is that whether we like the position we are in or we wish things were different, don’t criticize God nor involve yourself in meaningless disputes with another person over things that you can’t control… These are the meaningless disputes that Paul speaks of, the devil will always try to distort the vision that God has for your life and he will use those closest to you to do it… Keep your faith in Jesus and stay the course… The bible is filled with passages that speak to the tribulation that a child of God will face, Isaiah said “this is the way, walk in it” in the 30^th chapter of his prophetic book and then stated that we will be given the bread of adversity and waters of affliction… 

When Paul was Saul and God struck down on the Damascus road, the Lord said that “he will see how much he will have to suffer for my name sake…” Jesus told his disciples to keep in mind that “they hated him first…” There will come times in your life where you are unhappy about your current situations or circumstances. There will certainly be times in your life when things may not make since to you, or you are simply bewildered at why or how these things are taking place within your life. The message on today is for you to simply shut-up (SMILE) J. So often we find ourselves complaining about this, complaining about that, or becoming so disheveled that we just need to rattle on and on about things that nobody else seem to be concerned with. Paul reminds us that we will have to deal with turmoil, we will have to deal with trials, and we need to simply remember who it is that we serve. Remember the story of Job and how he lost everything and his wife told him to “curse God and die…” Through all his trials and tribulations Job kept inquiring of God to no avail. Then God answered Job some time later with a question of his own! “WHO ASSEMBLED THE EARTH AND THE SEAS?” God has a testimony within you, and a light that needs to be shown to men. This can’t be accomplished if you are always complaining. Paul says do all things without murmurings and disputes; he put is nicely, but as I stated earlier, sometimes we just have to shut-up and walk in faith!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Soul Is Priceless

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-3

The enemy has launched a (n) all out assault on your divine destiny… He wants to fulfill the passage of scripture in John 10:10 where Jesus says that the enemy cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy…  The Israelites found themselves dealing with this principle from the time they were lead out of Egypt to the prophetic years of Isaiah… The children of God had to be reminded that the same God that delivered them before will deliver them now… Instead of giving in to the outlook of things, they are reminded to draw water out of the wells of salvation… Several times the enemy bogged down their minds with so much that they begin to defy God and act in disobedience; the message of today’s devotional is to accept the unacceptable (God’s will), be submissive to the unimaginable (God’s plan) and not cower in fear because of the appearance of your current circumstances… The key to your walk upon this earth is the trust that you carry within your heart… There will be several storms in your life, many situations which will test you; however, you must stand strong in your faith, trusting God and having the assurance that He will be glorified through it and you will be exalted because of it… This journey is not about avoiding the enemy but rather overcoming him… The tribulations and hardships that you face are not to break you but to affirm the strength of God in your life… The things that you face upon this earth each and every day are not to mislead you or destroy you but to give you a testimony and a song to sing… Isaiah calls to our remembrance today the fact that even though the battle may be intense, the love of God and the plan of salvation that He has for your life will win… 

Sing your song today and let the devil know that God is my salvation, serve notice to the land that the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song… All the enemy can do is try to get you to neglect the power and plan that God has and will bestow in your life if you follow Him… There are a lot of us that fall into the trap of forgoing our destiny because of the appearance of situations in our lives… The word of God does not tell you that the days of this earth will be peaceful and abundant; the bible doesn’t say that trouble will be non-existent or that joy will be experienced at every turn of your life… This is why Isaiah starts off by saying, Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid… There are things in your life which are strategically put in place by the enemy to bring fear upon you… The loss of a job, the death of a relative and/or in financial difficulties; all these things can have someone so bogged down that they forget who their salvation is derived from… The same grace that provided you a job, the same grace that allowed you to experience that warm embrace from a loved one and the same embrace that provided stability in your finances will always be there… Take a moment to reflect back on your life to this point… Think about the decisions that you have made the consequences you faced and the hills and valley’s that you have been through… Isaiah reminds us today that we can’t make it on our own, we are not able to overcome within our own power and if we continue to live this life according to our abilities we will end up never reaching the potential that is there through the eyes and might of God… Isaiah says “God is my salvation…”  I am reminded of the song, on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand! I understand who my source of strength is, I realize who has the whole world in the palm of his hand and I know that my savior lives! It is because He lives that I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone… 

I will sing to the Lord a new song, because love lifted me, I will sing His praises because he brought me out of the mire and clay, He placed my feet on solid ground and therefore will I always be filled with joy at the mention of His name! I will draw my focus from His wells, I will draw my confidence from His wells, and I will draw my endurance from His wells and will not allow this world to change my heart and thoughts concerning Him! He is my shield in buckler, He is the lily of the valley, and He is the bright and morning star! Isaiah understood that captivity was on the horizon, bondage was approaching, sleepless nights were imminent and days of sorrow were assured… We too must come to the realization that not every day will be what we expect, not every situation will play out exactly as we desire, and that there will be times of confusion and isolation… The Israelites went through hundreds of years of bondage, but were brought forth praising and honoring God, you will go through adversity, but if you know that God is your salvation, if you know His wells run deep and nothing of this world can break His foundation than you are able to sing a new song in the midst of adversity. These are the words that should embody our walk with Christ! Isaiah reminds us today that we don’t need to be afraid; he reminds us that we have a song to sing, he reminds us that we can draw strength in the time of weakness! Paul said “when I am weak then I am strong for your grace is sufficient!” Paul later wrote that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Isaiah knows today who is in control, he remembers who touched him in his vision with the live coals and sent him on his way! Let us remember who has brought us this far, let us remember who has become our salvation, and let us continue to run this race, knowing that it isn’t given to the swift (we don’t need to be in the fast lane) but to those who endure (don’t give up) and hold to His unchanging hand! When you thirsty, you can draw from His well; not only will you be quenched, but the water of God will give you the strength to run and not faint…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Is Able

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

One thing that’s certain is that God desires for you to have a clear focus in life… He desires for you to prosper beyond your imagination and He doesn’t want to see you fail. Evidence of this desire being true can be found in God sending His only begotten son to die for us while we were still sinners and didn’t even love ourselves let alone Him… Paul makes a powerful statement today through this passage however, the first portion encompasses what the true Christian must come to obtain and remember as he simply states to the body of believers today that “God is able…” Despite the way things may appear, despite how gruesome the outlook may be, you must stand your ground, continue to fight the good fight of faith and hold on to the almighty’s unchanging hand knowing and having full confidence in the fact that He is able… There isn’t any problem He cannot solve, no pain He cannot heal no broken heart that He cannot mend… Wherever your storm wages its biggest attack on your life, wherever you feel like the weight that is upon your shoulders has increased and become unbearable know that not only is God able but that He can “make all grace abound toward you…” This is something that we must depend on and rely on in the basis of our faith… God is able to bring you through the storms of life, love and maturity! 

God is able to lift you up in times of despair, tragedy and hardship. In times of struggle, in times of tribulations, in times of turmoil, when we feel like giving up, when we feel like throwing in the towel, when we feel like the enemy has won, the bible says that we are to “stand still and know that I am God!” Remember where God has already brought you from, remember the things that He has promised to those who remain faithful, remember that God is able… This passage taken from Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth states that God is able to make all grace abound toward you, this tells us that if we walk within the will of God and live within the power of His being, we will be able to complete the task that are put before us and will receive all that we stand in need of. All grace implies that God won’t take any shortcuts, nor will He sell you short of reaching the ultimately goal… The bible says that we are to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness and everything else will be added unto you…” God won’t turn His back on you, He won’t put more on you than you can bare and will always bring you out victoriously… Remember the writer is Paul and He too had trials that he had to face, hills he had to climbs and storms that were purposely designed for him… Paul was given a “thorn in the flesh” and prayed for God to remove it… God did not honor Paul’s request, instead He said “my Grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness…” Through God’s grace you are strong even at your weakest moment, by God’s grace you can finish the race even when there is nothing left in the tank, by God’s grace you can endure this rugged road and make it through… 

The church of Corinth had endured many hardships; they were dealing with many false doctrines, and evil within the church. Paul is sending a letter of encouragement today for them to keep the faith, continue to trust in the Lord, and continue to hold to his unchanging hand. This encouragement is needed for us today, we need to remember that God has said that He will never leave us, we need to remember that He said he will never forsake us, we need to bring back to remembrance that He is able to make all grace abound to you. Paul says you will have sufficiency in all things, you will be capable of handling every obstacle, and you will be competent when the storms of life rage against your home… Paul stated on his death bed that he had fought the good fight; he tells the church that God will do all this to “every good work!” As long as you are doing the work of God all grace will abound, as long as you are serving our God all grace will abound, as long as you remained focused on the will and way of the Lord all grace will abound… So keep fighting the good fight, finish the course, run the race, keep plowing in the vineyard, and keep your faith alive because there is crown of glory waiting for you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Is Your Foundation

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:37-39

This passage deals with the priorities that we set in life, a certain man inquired of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew as to which of the commandments is the greatest, Jesus replied that “thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…” These verses deal with the required level of commitment that one must have in living under the authority of our Lord and Savior… Simply put, God must be preeminent in you life and you must serve Him in all that you do… We cannot be unstable or double-minded when it comes to following Jesus; either we take up our cross or we live according to the will of the world! The book of revelations tells us that a lukewarm church will be vomited out of the mouth of God and Jesus is speaking to us today and telling us that we must be committed to serving the Lord in every aspect of our living. This requires that we believe even when things get tough, that we have faith even in times of uncertainty and that we praise Him even when storms have swept through our households! Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.To love is to sacrifice; to love is to take action towards something and that we are giving up ourselves to exalt another… 

So when you tell someone you love them, do you mean it? Are you willing to sacrifice your own desires to see them succeed, are you willing to humble yourself that they may be exalted, or are you merely saying what they want to hear? This journey takes total humility, reliability and accountability towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… Don’t ask it; don’t say it, unless you are ready to live it… This goes hand and hand with our spiritual journey to, are we speaking the words we believe God wants to hear, or are we living a life of love? Notice that this is the first commandment; this is the first and most important rule to live by. Of course, we are not to kill, we are not to steal, and we are not to covet, or speak the Lords name in vain. Yes we are to keep the Ten Commandments given to Moses, but Jesus is telling us that in order to keep those commandments, we must first build a foundation of love. Jesus goes on to say that the second is like unto it,“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…” Again love is an action word; it requires expression through movement… In acknowledging our love for God, we must show it to our fellow man as well… Jesus said that, “if you enemy is hunger, fed him, if he is thirsty, give him drink…” 

We have a duty and responsibility to serve on this earth… Jesus came to serve, not be served and we are here on this earth to serve Him by serving others… We must give to those in need, lend a helping hand whenever it is needed and sacrifice our own desires to lift our brothers up… James said that it’s not enough to tell someone in need that they shall be well fed and go in peace! We must move and show the love that we claim we have… James also said, “Faith without works is dead…” Let us not be about lip service, but about serving the words that come from our lips by living a life that is pleasing to our king… We often talk of the life that Christ lived, but we never look at His life. He always gave of himself, from the time He was teaching in the synagogues up until the time He was strung out on the cross. His life was sacrifice, His life was obedience, His life was humility, His life was an offering to mankind, when we see all this; we can truly say that Christ life was love!!!! The bible says that we are co-heirs with Christ and are to follow Him, let us live accordingly and treat others as He desires and treated them!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Being Conceited Digs Your Own Grave

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 26:12 

The same point when we think we have figured everything out is the same point that we come to the harsh realities of life and realize that we have figured out nothing… The bible refers countless times about the importance of remaining humble and always seeking to learn and grow… Eartha Kitt said, “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” What is the difference between a wise man in his own conceit and a fool? This is the question that has been put forth within this proverb and the answer can be found in these very words. The wise man spoken of in this passage believes he is wise by his on regard; this is a scary concept that plagues a lot of mankind in this day and age. We get a little money in our pockets, a “dream job” and all of a sudden we have a since that we have arrived… We feel that we are entitled to look down on others and flaunt our success… Solomon is driving us to remember who is at the helm, who touches you in the morning, clothes you in your right mind and sheds His grace upon your life… When we are conceited, we believe that nobody can tell us anything, we believe that we have the ability to do whatever we want whenever we want and that all of our life-decisions are true and pure. This can’t be any further from the truth… 

Jesus said that if we confess our sins that He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This wise man will never confess, because he doesn’t see any wrong. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a “rich man” to enter heaven… This speaks to the heart of a conceited person, this kind of person refuses to humble himself, they deny the flaws that are present within their lives and try to paint this picture of perfection… That is why there is more hope for a fool, a fool acknowledges himself for what he is, and he doesn’t try to pretend and has already observed the lowest position on this earth… The fool has come to a realization that he is messing up, the people around him have told him of his faults and he has acknowledged that there are things in his life that he needs to change, but until that happens he is of no use to God. A fool is a con, a dupe, and a deceiver. This means that this person is a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber! Both people portrayed here are on the wrong path; however, the fool has a better chance at salvation because he knows his faults, the question is, is he willing to change them? 

It’s one thing to know the mistakes you have made, but it is a total different situation when you feel that you don’t make mistakes… The person who can identify mistakes can (over time) learn from them and possibly correct them; however, the man who doesn’t see any wrong and believes that every decision is right will never revisit failures and therefore never inherit the precious promises of God… Ask yourself today, do you know the things in our lives that God is not happy with? Do you realize that there are some things in your lives that God wants you to abstain from, or remove so that you can be purified? We all are faced with these questions because none of us are perfect. These questions are answered daily along this Christian journey as we are challenged and tempted until Jesus returns to this earth. It is only through humility that you can be lifted up, it’s only through turning away that you can find your way… Acknowledge, identify and submit unto the Lord! If you feel that your life is perfect, if you feel that nobody can tell you anything of substance, or if you feel that you are just too wise for people to see; check you self now, you might be the wise man that really is the FOOL without knowing it!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Release The Negative; Embrace The Positive

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

There are two important steps in our Christian walk that must be taken daily… The first is that we must cast down imaginations; everyday of our lives we are tempted by oppositions or the lust of the flesh, Paul calls for us to stand firm in the faith… Second, once we free ourselves from temptation we must set our minds on the thoughts of Christ… The psalm writer said, “I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee…” We must cast down evil while we cleave to good… Paul tells us in his letter to the Church of Rome, the 12 chapter that we are not to be conformed to this world, but that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds… Your mind is one of the most powerful tools that you posses… The bible says that if we believe and not doubt we will be saved and can move mountains… Believing involves your heart and mind (remember Paul said we wrestle not against flesh)… We must focus our thoughts on things of God or we will fall short in every trial or obstacle that we face… Today Paul reminds us that this war we fight daily is not physical, but spiritual and mental. Our thoughts lead to actions and actions lead to results that could be fatal… 

We must learn to remove negative thoughts that labor in our minds daily (cast down imaginations) and bring into our thoughts the obedience of Christ; that is, learning, studying and applying His word within our lives…First we must cast down imaginations and high thoughts; in short we must pry ourselves away from the worldly view and physical gains on this earth. The three P’s (Power, Prestige and Pride) of life are the biggest hurdles that we must overcome in order to abide within the perimeters of this passage… Power is a vice that all too often people will do whatever it takes to obtain, when we seek vain glory and positions of authority we are focused on Prestige, the accolades associated with a title and this leads to a haughty attitude which is better known by its five letter name Pride… So many of us have become so prideful and power hungry that we have eased away from God and have a false since of confidence that we have now placed in the flesh. That’s why Paul says to cast down imaginations, we are imagining the safety in money, and we are imagining the safety in man, or in wealth, when we need to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Every high thing could be positions of authority, it could be items that cost a substantial amount of money, or it could be relationships built upon everything but God. Notice that Paul says these things go against God, how many things in your life have tried and or become more substantial to you than knowing Jesus? 

This walk as a Christian begins with you, Christ is standing with open arms, but we must humble ourselves by casting down the evils of this world, and the schemes of the devil. Once we have hurdled the obstacle of self value and ego, we must cling to the word of God. Notice this verse say to bring into captivity. Not only must we turn from evil, but we must cleave to that which is good… The Israelites were in bondage for hundreds of years in Babylon, to bring into captivity is to capture, and never let go! We have to capture God’s word within our hearts, we have to put the word of God into bondage within our temple and never let go! Jacob wrestled with all night long and said, “I will not let go unless you bless me…” Again, I believe the Psalmist said it best when he said “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you…” It is not good enough to read the bible every now and then, or go to church every now and then, because we are not being equipped for the battles ahead. Think of it this way, everyday that you go without reading Gods word is a day you have lost in the battle. We say its okay, and I am too tired to study tonight, or that God understands. The ironic thing about saying that is that these words are the false imaginations that Paul is writing about to us today that must be cast down!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Angels Are Watching Over You

Are (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

Angels are spiritual beings which serve in many facets; one being messengers of God… Angels were the very beings that came to tend to Jesus after His fast in the wilderness and the temptation He faced with Satan; Angels brought forth the decrees to Mary about her immaculate conception, Joseph about taking Mary as His wife and Zechariah about Elizabeth conceiving; Angels are the ones spoken of in John’s revelation about the bowls of God’s wrath being poured out; angels were coming from the 4 points of the earth… Angels serve very prominent and powerful positions in the kingdom of God… The bible records the love and affection that God had for His creation of man and how everything on this earth was under his authority; however, Hebrews 2 reminds us that as powerful as man was and is, he was made “a little lower than the angels…” I quote this verse from the book of Hebrews to echo the divine rank that angels hold. God, through the grace and mercy that He continues to display toward us wants us to take courage in knowing that there have been ministering spirits placed throughout the world and our daily journeys to encourage, uplift and comfort us. 

This passage brings me to understand that there will be days when I am frustrated, there will be times when I want to give in or give up, there will be points in this walk when I will become unglued and feel like the weight of the world is upon my shoulders… In these perilous times, we should find encouragement in knowing that God has designed spiritual beings for the purpose of “ministering. One of my favorite passages from the bible is Psalms 91; this psalm speaks to the shelter that one finds in the shadows of the almighty… In this 91^st Psalm, the writer records in the 11^th verse that God will deploy angels to journey with you, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” As you go up the rough steep incline that is your daily mountain, know that Angels are there aiding you, pushing you and even sustaining you… This is why our focus verse starts of by posing a question concerning the duties of angels… Make no mistake about it; Angels are all around you, conducting works that you don’t even know are being done…. The kind word you receive to give you enough motivation to push a little harder can be bestowed by an Angel, the pat on your back for a job well done when you think nobody recognizes your worth can be from an Angel; the person you met on the street that really touched and wormed your heart can be an Angel… Knowing the institutional makeup of an Angel and the duties they carry brings me to another key component that we must grasp from this verse. 

As a child of God we are held to a higher standard and are also charged to embrace; we must embrace strangers, embrace situations, and embrace obstacles knowing that we are called to walk in faith… The same obstacle you reject could be the very obstacle that will take you to your God given destiny… The stranger you avoid could be the same stranger that will lead you to the path of your prosperity in Christ… Learn to love, learn to be content, and learn to be worry free from this passage knowing that God has dispatched His angels to take care of you… Receive those kind words, speak to that person that everyone avoids, that person you encounter today could be your Angel… The bible records in Hebrews 13:2,“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” We have heard many times about angels bringing forth information to a person or a people regarding the pathway of God… Many of us now are encountering Angels on a daily basis (people in our lives); they bring you comfort, they bring you peace, they bring you joy, they bring you happiness, they bring you encouragement… They minister to your needs; however, you’re missing the blessing because you don’t’ see the wings or the halo…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Provides You A Clean Slate

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

You aren’t a child of God if your lifestyle and attributes have not changed… Paul (the writer of this letter to the church of Corinth) once recognized himself as the chief sinner; however, after His encounter with the Lord on the Damascus road his outlook on life changed... This same thing can be said for Nicodemus after speaking with Jesus in the night; the bottom line being that when we become a member of the body of Christ we are a “new creature”, your life cannot be the same. I recall several stories that people have told me regarding different things that they experienced in their respective lives. Near death experiences, death defying stunts that completely altered their way of thinking. The same is to be said about encounters with the Lord. The things your eyes are opened to defy the odds, they defeat the stronghold of death and temptation and they expose you to God’s sovereign power and the might He possess to pull you out of near death experiences… Paul was headed to hell if it where not for the grace and mercy of God… 

When you really come to understand that Jesus loves you, when you really come to understand and know that God thought enough of His creation to save you, your life cannot be the same. When I hear about kind words that have been spoken about me they impact my life. When I hear about the potential that someone sees in me that means more than you can imagine. These are the same things that God says and thinks about you. This is why He was willing to allow His son to lay down His life for you… When you realize that you were created in God’s image, you were made in perfection and clothed in humility; your life can no longer be subject to people’s perspectives or thoughts…. This is why Paul goes on to say “old things are passed away…” Your mindset changes; what was important before is a (n) afterthought now and you soon realize that beauty is more than skin deep… After encountering Jesus, Paul realized how ugly and dark His life was… It isn’t until you see the beauty of God and the wonders of His desires that you realize how misguided your way of thinking is without Him… It isn’t until you feel His unconditional love and warmth that you realize that this is a love that exceeds what any man or woman can give you… Knowing that “all things become new” tells me that there should be evidence of God in your life through the actions and steps you take. 

Your directive should be altered, your direction should be rerouted and your focus should be on things eternal and not seen… This is why Paul also says that we are called to “walk by faith and not by sight…” Your old way of thinking was focused on the physical, you approached life from a visible state; however, in Christ you see things on earth but recognize that they can be altered and overcome with your attention being eternal. In Christ you indeed are a new creature and I should see it with the new walk that you demonstrate… Things that could annoy you or upset you should be discarded and brushed off in Christ. People who speak unkind words will be prayed for and over in Christ. You indeed will show forth proof of Christ indwelling Spirit and a transformation will be apparent in your life… Through Jesus death on the cross, we have been enabled to experience eternal life… All sin was bore on the cross, all power is now in His hands, and He has given us that same power to overcome sin, and eternal damnation if we believe in Him and His bloodshed… Thanks be to God our father forever, if you can’t say amen to things below, you may still be in the world instead of being in Christ…

Are you in Christ Jesus? You should have a new walk.  Are you in Christ Jesus? You should have a new talk. Are you in Christ Jesus? There should be a beat of a different drum. Old things are passed away, your slate is clean; you have a fresh start, you’re a new creature!

The bible declares that we are called as children of God to do the following:

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Fast With A Purpose

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 

Isaiah 58:6

I find it ironic how many times we throw our hands up in despair and wonder why God would allow trials and tribulations to ravage our lives. We continually find ourselves complaining and becoming frustrated as we proclaim that we are trying to live a Christian life, but things are just too complicated and are never easy. Isaiah declared to the Israelites the same thing that he declares to us today; God has not caused your pain and chaos, it was of your own doing. The Israelites had become so prideful amongst themselves, they believed that they could just do want they wanted and if things got dicey God would show up and deliver them out of whatever it is they were facing; sound familiar?They remembered slavery in Egypt, they remembered the cloud by day and fire by night, and they remembered the red sea and manna from heaven. They just know that God would always provide for them and never allow them to see pain, even if they deserved it! Sound familiar? Today, Isaiah reminds us that the desires of God are “To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens…” 

The plan that God has for creation didn’t involve suffering, it didn’t involve persecution nor did it involve pain; however, through the enticing that is our sinful nature we incurred several complications which caused unnecessary chaos and confusion… This is why our prayers fall on deaf ears, this is why the children of God fasted and the movement of God was not felt… We often times pray about situations and then go on with our lives doing exactly what we are not suppose to do… God desires more than just prayer, He desires more than sackcloth and ashes (which is written in the previous verses of this chapter)… He desires a willingness and determination to bind wickedness; break strongholds and set the captives free… The true fast isn’t simply giving up food for a period of time; it involves a total sacrifice of mind, spirit and body… The true fast is a willingness to completely depend on God to supply all your needs… The children of God had become engulfed with tradition instead of intent which is what so easily besets the church of today… This is why Isaiah is called to remind them of the true fast and what it is that God desires from them… Verse 3 and 4 or our focus chapter today says, “³Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. ⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.” 

The time has come for us to worship God in spirit and in truth… Playing church is no longer a (n) option… Your connection with God is evident in your walk as it will display the traits listed above in the 6^th verse… When you are fasting in total submission to God things will change, lives will be transformed and hearts will be mended… Understand today that what plagued the Israelites back then is what plagues mankind today; we have this false impression that God is a bell-hop waiting at our beaconing call to remove evil and trials from our lives. On contrary, God allows us to go through tough times because we don’t allow Him to guide our lives. Notice the message from Isaiah to God’s children; is this not the fast I have chosen; to loose the wickedness, undo burdens, let oppressed go free, and break every yoke! God has chosen to remove the dominion of wickedness, bare our burdens, and set the captives free. All this was accomplished through the bloodshed of Jesus Christ. He makes it clear in the beginning of this verse that this is what HE has chosen to do, God had a choice, and we have choices. He choose to give us a second chance, He choose to send His son to die that we might live, He choose to clothe is son in imperfection, that we might be perfected! A lot of our burdens are self-inflected; God doesn’t want to see you suffer without the fruits that will promote growth and maturation; so ask yourself today, what is the reasons behind your pain?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!