It's Only Possible Because Of Christ

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 

You can do nothing without the power and presence of God…Even though the world declares to us that we can do a lot of things if we apply ourselves, the word of God informs us today that even Jesus Christ had to be anointed and aided by the Holy Ghost in order to do good and heal all that were oppressed of the devil… Notice that that today’s devotion declares that we need the anointing of God not to just perform miracles but simply to do good… Sin is naturally apart of our being, we are filled with filth and a strong desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh… Doing good embodies so many actions of our daily lives; we need the presence of God in our lives to speak kindness amidst gossip and betrayal, we need His anointing to extend a helping hand to our adversary and enemies…When we are of this world we focus on trying to get ahead using whatever means necessary; however, when we are under the anointing of God we have faith that we will reach new heights and are willing to extend a hand to those we pass along the way… We all have probably heard the saying “what would Jesus do” and after reading this question I am left posing the question how did Jesus do it…? How is it they He could allow Judas to kiss Him in betrayal, how could He heal the ear of the guard, how could He keep quite while all the lies were spoken about Him and how could He endure the cross knowing that His life was lived without blame… 

The answer lies in the words of this passage; God anointed Him and the Holy Ghost guided Him… This same principle must be applied to your life; you won’t be able to do what Jesus did if you don’t have the same in dwelling spirit that He did… In short, you must come to know the Father and allow the father to be within you so that you then can accomplish the most possible on this earth… In the world you will experience some success when displaying a hard work ethic; however, under the anointing of God you will experience great success while working hard and will also be able to  accomplish things that were deemed impossible (miracles being signs of God’s presence in your life)…  Today we understand the power that God imparts within His children; we come to the realization that we have been given a (n) ability to defeat the devil through the power of God’s anointing and Holy Spirit… Acts tells us that God anointed Jesus and He went about doing good and healing the oppressed; the vision of Jesus life was already in place, but now God imparted the tools needed to fulfill His divine destination! We too must understand that God has given us the vision for our lives and He has and will impart within us the tools that we need to succeed… This passage teaches us today that we truly must be under the leadership of the Lord in order to overcome the ways of the devil… Too many of us have tried to take on Satan with our very own hands and have continued to lose the battle, Luke is informing us today that if we want to be victorious our life must line up with the word and will of God! It was the anointing that God gave, the approval that God stamped upon the life of Jesus (from the time of His birth, through His baptism all the way to His resurrection) that not only paved the way to Him sitting on the right hand but also allowing us a chance to inherit Eternal Life… 

The bible tells us that when Jesus was Baptized the Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove and then the voice of God hidden in clouds said this is my Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased… Shortly after Jesus Baptism the bible says that He was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil… God had given Jesus the mission and the strength to fulfill it, so when tempted of the devil He not only refuted Him, but dismissed him from His presences… When we align ourselves with the will of God we are able to overcome any obstacles that may be presented before us… Paul says “Who can separate us from the love of Jesus…?” He then goes on to say that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…” We can draw strength from Christ because He drew it from God… Every time Jesus went into the wilderness to pray He was being strengthened by God; every time He knelt down in prayer He rose with a little more power within Him, and these times prepared Him for His greatest task, the cross…Let us keep this in perspective today, that we must continue to pray and continue to seek the Lord in all that we deal with, knowing and understand that we draw strength from God to carry out the mission that our lives have been given! There are people who need to see your walk, there are children that look up to you, there are elders that are waiting to smile in the atmosphere of your success and overcoming spirit! So continue to seek Him while He may be found and understand that He is the only way to plow through these trying times and come through on top!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Cares; You'll See In Due Time

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humility is the characteristic that if handled correctly will unlock the divine will and plan of God for your life… I say that it must be handled correctly, because humility can also unlock destruction in chaos in once life if you are humbling yourself to the wrong authority… This is why Peter says Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God; your humility can either be used to promote or tear down and it must be handled carefully… The meek temperament shown through humility allows someone to be molded, shaped or fashioned for a specific purpose… In the beatitudes, Jesus Christ declares “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” When you allow yourself to be molded, you then can be transformed to go to another level in Christ which will in turn open up doors in your life to inherit things that you never thought you would be able to obtain… A meek person is submissive; they are complaint to the authority in their lives and are mild mannered… I can reiterating this point because it is of the utmost importance that we understand how humility unlocks Gods favor but can also lead us down a path of darkness and destruction if we submit to the wrong things… A lot of us become frustrated with the will and plan of God; we don’t see Him moving as we desired and so we find ourselves submitting to the desires of the flesh or of this world…  This is why Peter says that we must first submit to the mighty hand of God and then proceeds to say that this must happen so that he may exalt you in due time…You have to know that just because you submit to the will of God doesn’t mean that He is going to act in your favor or own your behalf right away… So many of us are looking for a big miracle and God is simply paving avenues to your divine destiny which are not bordered in gold… 

Your faith and humility are stable when your foundation is knowing that God will move in due time… The things of this world which teach that results should be instant do not flow with the design of the very will of God… The bible declares very clearly that “his ways are not our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts…” God has plan being carried out and you must learn today that your humility can not be deterred based on when you see results… Being accountable is the key to experiencing the purpose that God has for your life… Peter says that we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God… The truth of the matter is that we can do nothing on our own, when we try to live according to our own standards and priorities we end up in a world of hurt and pain… God wants you to leave all your thoughts and cares with Him… He wants you to walk around knowing that He can and will take care of you… This is why humility is key, if you aren’t humble than you will never be compliant to the will of God because you will try to handle every situation on your own… When you are humble, things roll off your back because you take them to the Lord and leave them there… Look at your life and the results that you have seen when it comes to choices that you have made without seeking the guidance of the Lord… In acts of humility we recognize that we need Gods help and that we are full of flaws and mistakes… God will deliver you, but you must be accountable to admit that you need deliverance…Once we accept that humbling factor, we must have enough faith to not give up when situations aren’t changed or corrected in the time in which we desire… How strong is your faith? Think about it as we examine these scriptures taken from 1 Peter the 5^th chapter… The fact of the matter is that God knows what you stand in need; He sees your aches, your valleys, and your mountains! 

He knows all to well the course of rocky plains and hurdles that lay before you, the question is do you truly believe that? To humble yourself is to sacrifice your focus and shift to the authority of another! Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God; go through the trials and tribulations, face the storms that rage and intensify knowing through Faith that God is with you, knowing that trials come and serve purposes in our lives and as the psalm writer said, believe that “we will understand it better by and by…” There will be many things that don’t make sense, many problems that we don’t want to face, but it is through these circumstances that God is asking the first question, how strong is your faith? Before you can be blessed, God must be assured that you are ready, before you can be exalted God must be assured that you are ready for exaltation! He must be assured that you are accountable to your own sins and know that He is the way, the truth and the light… Growing involves growing pains, maturing involves spiritual and physical adjustments… We were made in His image, and He is trying to bring His image out since it has been clouded by our own desires! You will be exalted in due time, your breakthrough is coming, your victory is assured, and your triumph has been ordained under the heavens! So don’t become weary, don’t give up, don’t settle, but press toward the mark, hold your head up, and keep the faith! Cast all your cares on the Lord, when your struggling, Pray; when your hurt, Pray; when your back is against the wall, Pray, when you feel alone or isolated, Pray…. Cast all your cares upon him. Everything that is on your mind take it to the Lord in prayer, knowing that He hears you, but more importantly, believing that He will step in, in DUE TIME!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

All Flesh Shall See His Glory

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:4-5

Every stumbling block you face in your life is guaranteed to become a stepping stone when you walk according to the will and plan of God… As a child of God we have to have the mindset that trouble will arise; however in and through it we will not only come out, but we will be better than we were when we first went in… The word that came to Isaiah informs us today that Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…  A valley is a low area of land usually found between a hill or mountain; on the other hand, a hill is a raised area of land (a mountain being a little higher than a hill)… I clarify these things to make the point of what Isaiah is saying to us today, the things in your life that appear in one form will be flipped and transformed into another form when you walk by faith and not sight… There are areas of you life that you think are low points and God wants you to know that He can lift; there are situations that you face which you think cannot be conquered because they are to high and steep, the word of God for you today is that He can make them manageable so that you can cross over… No situation is too hard for our God; even when things seem to be spiraling out of control in your life, know that the crooked shall be made straight… The things you face in life are challenging you to display your faith and not just speak about it… This is why we are assured to have trials and tribulations, hardships and despair… 

There is a greater work being performed in the midst of the storm you face and you can maintain your standing in Christ by knowing that the glory of the Lord shall be revealed… For something to be revealed, it must first be concealed… The things in your life that are concealing your destiny and God’s grace are serving the purpose of setting the stage for you and the hand of God to be revealed in the lives of others… Despite how daunting this Christian journey may appear to be, there is good news for you and I to hold on to… There are many people of this world who appear to be succeeding and many phases of life, many who don’t walk according to the will of God; however, they seem to be living life to the fullest… Isaiah informs us today that we must be careful not to get caught of in the way things appear or seem to be because “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” God is revealed in the most uncertain situations, it’s when you know that you can’t handle it or that you don’t have the authority over it that God is revealed in and through it… This is how the beauty and majesty of the Lord is revealed in your life… You face valleys, hills, mountains and crooked paths so that you know and others see that God is the only one, who can transform, lift and overcome… Make no mistake about it; in the end, God will be exalted… Everyone will come to know your path and see how God has kept you and secured you… His glory is revealed when people come to know that it wasn’t anything that you did, but the grace and mercy that God deposited in your life that has been your crutch… There are times in life when circumstances aren’t what you desire them to be; situations that seem unfair and unjust; times when the trials and tribulations, the storms and rain just are too much to even comprehend. Again, this passage taken today informs us that the glory of the Lord will be revealed. 

This is encouraging to me because I firmly believe that God has our best interest at heart, He never said that the road would be easy, but He did say that His glory would be revealed. That means that we will behold His majesty, we will see His omnipotence and feel His favor. Some things take place in your life so that you will understand that only God can deliver you, some things happen so that you will increase in faith in the Lord. This text tells us that all flesh will see it, those who persecute you will see His goodness; those who rob you of your joy will see His mercy upon you; all this will come to fruition simply because as Isaiah says, “…the Lord hath spoken it…” There will be dark days where people will see your sorrows, but know that this is the time where God is manifesting His will, this is the time that He is instilling His plan, this is the time where He makes sure that His name is exalted by your deliverance…, Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” What God is saying through the prophet today is that we don’t mourn as a people without hope, what God is saying is that you should consider it pure joy whenever you face trials and tribulations… What God is saying today is that your trials allow people to see His glory! Sometimes the trials that you face aren’t meant for you, but you have to go through them so that you may show others your faith and God may show the world His faithfulness… He said He would never leave you nor forsake you; God said it, I believe it and that settles it!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Trials Are Vital To Your Growth

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 5:3-5

It is easy for a Christian to boast about the goodness of Jesus when things are well in their respective lives, it’s easy for them to share their joy with others who are down or sad when they feel the presences of God in their lives; however, through today’s devotional we are reminded of the greatest ministry that we have which is developed through our trials and tribulations… Understand today that the same joy we experience in the sunshine we must display and experience in the rain… So many of us claim to be about the work of the Lord, but in crunch time when the sweat begins to come forth we don’t keep our hands to the plow… This message today serves as a reminder that you can’t have one without the other… You can’t love Christ and not obey His commands; you can’t seek His face and not seek His will… This is why Paul writes this chapter in his letter to the Church of Rome; the message of Christ had gone forth, but the toiling and persecution was not accepted… This same principle is what plagues the church of today… We want the cake, but we don’t want to be in the kitchen to bring all the ingredients together… We want the end result, but not the beginning equation…Look at the first part of these verses, Paul says, “And not only so…” 

There’s so much joy experienced when one turns their life over to Christ, there is a newness felt within that cannot be put into words and the greatest artist of all cannot even begin to imagine and put to a canvass the speechless feeling that one gains when they now know they are now co-heirs with Christ… In the midst of this uncontrollable bliss, Paul wants us to remember that there is a marriage in the body of Christ that binds the grace of God with the trials and tribulations of the world… These two are inseparable and it’s simply all or nothing…So many of us spend our days trying to experience the grace of God without the persecutions that come with the grace and therefore we find ourselves trying to tip top through life and never walk by faith… The faith you need to please God is lacking in our life which will then lead you to enduring more through your storms and not getting more out of them… Paul says that we glory in tribulations also; you must have a mindset which will take on the hardest obstacle and steepest mountain because of your trust and faith in Christ… Look at the passage, Paul is speaking about having glory amidst hardships and tribulations; He is referring to the individual deal with the storm and how you display yourself in the rain… Glory is beauty, splendor, brilliance or fame; there are some people in your life that need see your beauty in splendor when you go through stuff and not just when you feel comfortable and there is no storm in your current forecast… When you walk in faith your splendor will be evident no matter what you face…You thank God when things are God and praise Him for learning when you go through a test… This is why Paul says we glory in tribulations also: knowing… Your glory can been seen through all the clouds of life when you have faith in God knowing that the storms you face will not over take you but are preparing you for your next level or phase of life… 

The key to your beauty, the key to your smile, the key to your joy is found in knowing… When you know that God loves you, you don’t fret about the situation or the circumstances of tomorrow, when you know God loves you, you can embrace the most disgusting and ugliest of situations, when you know that God loves you, you can see the ray of hope in the rain and the light at the end of what appears to be a dark scary tunnel… You can accept the course of life which prevents challenges and changes, not because you love a test, but because you love God and know that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us…You are not enduring this rough time or dark situation on your own… The GPS (God’s Plan of Salvation) will lead you and give you the turn by turn directions that you need to arrive to your divine destination safely… James tells us that we should consider it pure joy whenever we face trials and tribulations… We have to acknowledge that fact that we must go through growing pains and hardships in order to reach the plateau which Christ has called us too… Jesus told us to keep in mind that they hated him first, you will be hated on, you will be abused, scorned, mocked, and insulated; but, the greatest testimony you can have is to cling to God’s unchanging hand and know that you are on a road to victory! Jesus endured the most humiliating hardships known to man; the cross, but just as a sheep before his shearers he never said a mumbling word… Let us maintain our joy, stay encouraged and remember that each trial you face serves a purpose in your life… The love of God has been shed on your life, it will cover you, keep you, and sustain you until he returns… The word says He will never put more on us than we can bare, the focus should be on the fact that we each have to bare a load and not that we presume this road to be easily traveled!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Be Afraid; Trust God

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 ultimate goal and plan of Satan is no secret to the true believer of Jesus Christ; however, many of us fall short because we don’t recognize the ways and forms that the enemy will take on to accomplish his goals… We know that he is attacking us, but we don’t recognize the way in which he is coming… 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 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 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 grace 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 and overcome… 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…” The choice is yours, either you will walk according to the will of God or you will walk according to your own standards… 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, you able to sing a new song in the midst of trials because you know that when you draw from His deep wells you will be that tree planted by the rivers that shall not be moved… 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 faint… When you know He’s your strength and your salvation, you can draw from Him with joy as Isaiah says; the enemy says that weakness is failure; however, God says your weakness is power… So don’t feel bad when you can’t handle things on your own, you were never meant to in the first place…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Learn To Keep Your Promises

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

We all have heard the saying that “talk is cheap”, today Solomon reminds us that to renege on your word is the biggest sin you can commit! Every day you make a promise, if you are going to work (your boss expects you to come in on time), if you are attending a class you are expected to be there promptly, and these are unwritten promises that one vows when you accept the task that is put before you… Solomon teaches us today that we must honor our word and commitments, too often people say things that they can’t live up to and eventually place themselves in harm’s way for failure and eventually leave someone else disappointed! Think about how you felt when someone wronged you by not keeping the promise or vow that they made! You feel betrayed, you feel deceived, and let down. When it is all said in done, the only thing that a man really has in this life is his word, when that is removed so is he…. Now that we understand the importance of vows, we can surely understand why Solomon tells us that God takes no pleasure in a fool… God desires your best; He doesn’t want to hear excuses and will not be bogged down by them. 

Your commitments to Him will be called into account and you will have to answer to them in your day of judgment! God spoke this world into existence; He breathed the breath of life into our lungs and formed us in His image… All power resides within His hands and all things are maintained because of His goodness… Understanding this lets me know the importance of keeping vows to the Lord if we decide to make them… God knows the future and can allow anything to happen as He ordains… Think about where we would be if Jesus got on the cross, but decided not to die, think about where we would be if God saw His son in anguish and decided to pull the life-line away from us! Broken promises can end lives and destroy dreams literally; they can scar people and cause a lot of negative thoughts to be formed about the character of individuals… So remember to keep your word (especially to God)!  

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Jesus Taught Us How To Live

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 

The word of God declared in the Old Testament that a savior would come, that He would pay our debt of sin and redeem us unto a path of salvation through His death as the ultimate sacrifice! Since the beginning of time, the Jews have been waiting for a savior, they have been sitting and pondering the very day that Christ would come to this earth…The bible declares here in John that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the savior has already come, He has already paid sin’s penalty and He currently sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf and patiently awaiting His triumphant return when we shall be caught up in the air to meet Him… The word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, it serves as a compass to reach our spiritual heights and comfort when we stumble along the way, the word is our encouragement to maintain our Faith and the source of strength to overcome every obstacle that we face, Jesus embodies all these things for us… He came to show us how to walk, how to live according to God’s commands and laws, He came to pave the way for us to come back into fellowship and truth within the knowledge of God… 

He took on the form of man so that we can have a (n) example in the flesh of how we should desire to walk! He came in the flesh to instruct us at our level of how we can reach the Promised Land, and He came in the flesh to resurrect our possibilities of having eternal life! John says that “we beheld His glory”; we saw His love when He was strung out on the cross, we knew He was the only begotten son when He cried out and sought the forgiveness of us all. He is full of grace and truth, grace was dispensed when He thought it not robbery to leave His home and glory, grace was dispensed when He never said a mumbling word, grace was dispensed when He took the lashes to His back… The truth was revealed when He rose with all power in His hands, the truth was revealed when He appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room, the truth was revealed when the gospels were recorded and Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you and I… The word was made flesh when He offered himself for us, it dwelt among us when He died for us even while we were still in sin; Christ has already come, and He has already fulfilled His purpose on this earth as far as conquering sin! Many people refer to the Bible as (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) and that is a very accurate assessment; however, let us live by these instructions understanding that the next time Christ comes; we will leave this place and be called home to be with Him in glory! The instructions were written by the prophets; Jesus acted them out on this earth, now the ball is in our court to be prepared for His return!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Sometimes It's Best To Just Shut Up

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

Ephesians 4:29

When I was a little child I can recall how often my father would instruct me to think before I speak… Even though I never really paid his instruction in mind, today I have come to know and understand what exactly he meant… Words are powerful, the things that we speak can produce seeds of abundance or failure in one’s life; this is why James writes in the 3^rd chapter of his book of the importance in taming our tongue… In this chapter he says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ...”Your tongue has the ability to transforms lives or tear them down, your tongue has the ability to reap corruption or alter the atmosphere; because of the power that lies in it’s use, we are reminded today that we must not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth… When I read this passage there are two points that jump out to me; either you think before you speak or you need to just learn to shut up… Through today’s devotion we learn the importance of control our tempers and not allowing any crack or crevice to be created so that the enemy can manipulate his way into our lives and situations through a bit of anger within us… 

There are many verses in the bible that deal with anger; however, to become angry is not a sin… Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” You can and will become anger (even Jesus became anger), but the key is not allowing your anger to be vented and the easiest way to keep this from happening is controlling the things that come out of your mouth… Paul writes to the church of Ephesus today and instructs them about how to conduct themselves in their relationships with other people… All of us have a boiling point, a height of anger or rage in which we will lose our minds and be careless with the things that are spoken out of our mouths! Our patience’s has been pushed to the brink of the cliff and we just can’t bite our tongue any longer; we have tried to be kind but it just seems like different words must be used to address this person and resolve this conflict… Paul tells us today that we should not let any unwholesome talk come from our mouths; we should be about building each other up and not trying to tear each other down. When you speak to someone in love, this directly displays the love that lives inside of you; on the contrary, when you allow unwholesome talk to come from your mouth you really are putting forth a public display of how ugly you are inside… This is why Paul reminds the church that unwholesome talk is not acceptable… How can you lead someone to Christ if you are talking in a way that will allow their paths to be blurred…? How do you expect others to come to church and join in the fellowship when you run down all those people who you turn around and smile in the midst of…? The things that come out of you are the things that defile you, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” 

There are people who you are assigned to encounter on a daily basis and they cannot see Christ in you if profanity and unwholesome talk is coming out of you… This is the problem that has plagued the church for quite some time, we speak one thing and display another… Understand that you are called to a higher standard and that means that you must display yourself in a higher realm of Christ daily… This is why Paul goes on to say that only things that should come out of you are things that are helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen… When we engage in unwholesome talk, we are in essences placing ourselves on the same level of a fool. We are allowing Satan to corrupt our thoughts and distract us from bringing a positive spin on a negative point… People will always talk about you, they will always say things that you may not agree with or may be hurt by, but the ultimate sign of a true Christian is not your response in words to the accusations, but how you flip this trial so that God receives glory and honor. Isaiah 53:7 says,” He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The bible says that when Jesus was on trial He remained silent, when people hurled insults He remained focus to the goal at hand and was able to not only complete His task but also bring glory to His father and become victorious… We don’t stoop to other peoples level because all it does it keeps us from reaching the level God wants us to get too… People are watching you, they are observing your walk and how you handle various situations, show them the God in you and the not the side of you that is still a work in progress… Bottom line, think before you speak and if that doesn’t work just shut up…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay The Course

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Psalm 11:7

Everyday that you see displays God’s justice in your life, He hasn’t let the enemy just trample over you nor has He turned His back on you… The love that God has for you should ignite your faith and take your relationship with Him to another level… When you feel as though you can’t overcome, when you feel like life is unfair, remember that God is with you, He’s standing by and His love for fairness has touched you and awaken you this morning… This is the reason why you have seen another day, this is the reason why you can see the sunshine and feel the wind blowing; God has been fair to you… He knows that you were designed to succeed; He knows that you were designed to reach supernatural heights and He wants to give you every opportunity possible to walk in your divine calling… When Jeremiah was called to speak the word of God look at what takes place in this passage; the 1 chapter verses 4-10 read as follows, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ 

You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” God continues to call us no matter our age or location, Jeremiah was known of God before He was formed… God already knew you, He already devised a plan for you and this is why He loves justice; no matter how you may feel or even be led to think, the call that God has on your life will trump the chains that the enemy has placed over you… Jeremiah thought that he was too young, but God said I am with you and will rescue you; this same principle applies to us today, we have things that may appear to disqualify us in this life... We may feel as though we are inadequate and cannot overcome certain limitations, if you feel like that today just know that God has brought you to this point so that He can take you through it… Just keep the faith and hold to His unchanging hand; after all, when you walk upright you are guaranteed to see his face as the psalmist proclaims… In reading this passage of scripture I cannot help but begin to examine the life of the writer and how it foreshadows the foundational principle that we are called to obtain through this passage… 

We all know the story of David and how his life was filled with many errors and failures; we know wall about the ups and downs that he endured and even the consequences of his actions which literally tore his family apart… No matter how many failures that occurred in the life of David, the penning of this psalm allows us to understand the magnitude of the love that God has for us… David was called a man after God’s own heart… It wasn’t that David was perfect, but that God knew the desires that were within Him… Today, know that God looks beyond the surface, He knows your desires and you can find comfort in knowing that even though you make mistakes He continues to wipe the slate clean, teach you through discipline and plant your feet back on course… The heart of David is what God honored and therefore judged him accordingly, no matter how many times you mess up; make sure that your heart is in the right place… This is not to say that sin is acceptable, but rather that God will not judge you according to your sin but the intentions that led to your actions which were developed in your heart… The enemy wants you to become so ensnared with your failures that you don’t see God’s sifting taking place in you… Every mistake can be learned from and used as a stepping stone, when you have this approach to life then you will be able to see the very face of God… You will begin to see God move in your life, you will begin to see God open up doors before you and you will be able to recognize truth (which is his righteousness) verse false (which the snares and traps of the enemy)…. The Lord wants nothing more than to have you in the fold, make sure that your heart is aligned with His righteousness and you are assured to get there…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Wants You

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Psalm 50:10-11

This psalm is penned by Asaph who was a young priest from the tribe of Levi, when David brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem… Asaph served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign, and no doubt set to music, many of the Psalms that God gave David. He was in Jerusalem when God gave David the great promise that David would have a son who would be the Messiah, and reign forever. This background provides a seg-way into today’s devotion which speaks to the love of God in the midst of our filth and corruption… There is nothing on this earth that doesn’t belong to the Lord… This is a (n) encouraging word for us today which should remind us that the course we travel should be aligned with the will of God… Asaph, the psalmist who penned today’s devotion scripture was a man that observed many things throughout the life that God allowed Him to live… As I stated earlier, through David’s reign and growth, Asaph was their as his music director and was vital in several of the psalms penned by David himself… Having observed the very life of David, seeing the good days and the bad, Asaph pens these scriptures which we study today… 

Everything of this earth belongs to the Lord, you are a vessel formed from His hand, carved by His words and designed for His purpose; however, just like many creatures created by God, we have decided to walk according to our own desires and plans… I clarify your design in the eyesight of God to inform you today that God doesn’t desire your sacrifices but your obedience… The Lord wants you to know that every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, because He wants you to tune you ear to the fact that He desires more for your life… Slaughtering a bull, lamb, sheep or goat is not what God desires from you since they belong to Him anyway… How would you feel if all the hard work you put into your job was paid with something that you created in the first place? You desire more from your job than just to receive what you have put into it and the same can be said of God… This is why Samuel the prophet asked the question “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” This passage reminds us today that it’s your obedience to the will of God which is what the Lord desires from you; it’s not about the sacrifice of an animal but the sacrifice of yourself to Him… I believe the words recorded hear from Asaph are confirmed some several hundred years later by the apostle Paul when he declared in the 12 chapter of his letter to the Church of Rome, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Our lives can truly be abundant if we only learn to serve… The Lord can make rock cry out to Him if He so desires, but yet He still has focused on loving you despite your lack of love for Him… 

This is why this passage is so powerful; the Lord is speaking through these words to His children informing them that He isn’t worried about what they can give to Him on the outside, but that they love Him on the inside… So many of us can learn a valuable lesson concerning love from this particular passage… We think that material things register as acts of love, when in reality love brings actions by itself… Just because you bring a bull doesn’t mean you love God (referring to our focus passage today), when you seek to deny your earthly flesh and consecrate yourself to His purpose and plan, then the Love you have for Him is on its greatest display… This same principle applies to our daily lives, don’t display your love when you make a mistake, display it when you try to turn from that wrong path in the first place… Show the love that you have for God by devoting time to Him daily and not just when you are in need of forgiveness or a breakthrough… God is in control of everything on this earth with the exception of your heart… He can change the seasons, provide rain for the earth or famine in the land, but you He cannot force to love Him… This is why He declares today the wild beasts of the field are mine… He created you in His image, but unlike the beast of the field and the fowl of the air He has given you a free will to make choices in this life… The Lord is disappointed when you have to offer a sacrifice that is not of your own will… Every time you offer something materialistic He wants you to know that He is waiting for you to offer your heart… He wants to mold you, He wants to protect you and He wants to exalt you; however, you must desire a better life, you must come to the realization that there is more to life than just what you see and call upon His name… This is why, through all His mess David was able to proclaim that “a broken and contrite heart thou will not despise…” In all his mess, David was a called a man after God’s own heart not because He was perfect, but because His desire was to please the father not with gifts but with His life… In a nutshell, it’s about your heart…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Walk In His Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

Jesus informs us in the gospel of Matthew chapter 15 verse 11 that, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” I share this passage of scripture as we examine today’s focus verse because we must understand the importance of what resides within us… There are a lot of people walking this earth with bitterness and are unhappy simply because the enemy has taken up residence within them… These people are never satisfied even when they get the things they desire because their callous heart still yearns for more… Today, if you want to have peace in your life, if you want to have unspeakable joy or if you simply want to learn to be content with the things surrounding you, Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly… The word of Christ is the key to your happiness, contentment and peaceful existence… If the word of Christ is not in you than the darkness which you were born in still resides and therefore the seeds that sprout in your life will do nothing more than to feed the corruption that is already present… 

Notice that this is not just about thinking positive thoughts, but rather having the word of Christ; you must establish a personal relationship with the Lord, you must choose to totally submit your life to His divine will and plan and you must seek His face and no the approval of your peers… There are a lot of us still seeking the approval of our fellowman and yet we wonder why it is that we are unhappy… Paul goes on to explain to us today how we know when the word of Christ is dwelling in us; your attitude you’re your speech will be altered when Christ is dwelling within you… Instead of putting one another down, instead of gossiping and trying to step on one another to get ahead you will find yourself speaking life in the midst of death and providing light in the darkest situations…. When Christ is in you, His word will be displayed and spoken out of you… The same people who use to become defensive at your words will find themselves receiving your words in kindness knowing that your heart belongs to God… When we have a nasty attitude living within it can’t help but rear its ugly head on the outside, the same can be said about being in Christ… Your life is built upon chooses; you must make several decisions in your life and this fact is the foundation of this particular scripture… The word of Christ dwelling in you is a choice that must be made by a person and not something that is just planted on its own… The parable of the sower and the seed speaks to the different kinds of soil which the seed feel upon; based on the soil, the seed either grow and have a full life or was up rooted before it even had a sturdy foundation… The soil of your life is your decision; the steps you take and the moves you make display the type of soil you have… When the seed falls on your landscape, it’s entirely up to you as to whether or not it grows and brings forth fruit… 

The good soil will bring about healing in a relationship, order in a household and apologizes in the workplace; the good soil takes hold of the seed planted and allows it to grow in the midst of it… So, how is your seed doing? We all have a seed; however, how we act in this daily life displays whether it is taking root and growing or not… Understand today that in this passage Paul instructs us that there is a right and wrong way to address problems or conflicts… We all have seen a lot of situations in life that have been escalated far beyond the necessary realm of the actual weight that the conflict holds… We have seen situations get blown out of proportion and feelings and friendships be ended! Paul teaches us today that the word of God is not just what you hear in church, but it should be the very words that come from your lips, despite the fall that someone has taken or the choice that was made which damaged or offended you, we must be able to speak the words of Christ in wisdom…You must appreciate the situation that you encounter, understand the other side of the story and seek a resolution that will not tear down but will reinforce. When you are wronged you are being tested, to see if you are truly as godly as you say you are… Don’t let burdens be carried that should have been buried; likewise, don’t allow the devil to destroy God’s appointment in your life to bring someone out of darkness into his marvelous light… Stay focused! The bible records, “let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, you are my strength and my redeemer…” AMEN

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He's Ready To Give It To You

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. 

Psalm 84:11-12

Even though you may experience days of darkness and confusion; the passage we focus on today declares that the Lord is a sun and shield… You will experience many days where the enemy appears to have an upper hand; however, in the body of Christ you are reminded today that the Lord is always near and will deliver you… This passage ends by declaring, “blessed is the man that trusteth in the…” The writer records these words because when you trust in the Lord you are guaranteed to be blessed, the darkness that you face will indeed become light and you will receive a clear vision of the path and will that God has planned for your life when the rays of the sun shine bright all around you and through you… The psalmist starts this psalm by declaring how wonderful the dwelling place of the Lord is; the things that you experience in this life should declare the same words spoken of by the psalmist… This is a dark and dreary place which we dwell; however, when we are in the presences of the Lord even the scariest places become peaceful in our lives… We know that this is true because the word of God tells us today that “the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly…” Make no mistake about it, the Lord wants to shine bright in your life, He wants you to walk in His light and not in His darkness, but you must choose to allow Him and receive His will and divine plan for you… God wants to give you the very best, He isn’t withhold anything from you, so you must ask yourself the question today as to why you haven’t received it…? These words teach us that the things of God can only be denied by us and nothing else… To often we want to blame God or circumstance for our situations; however, in the body of Christ we rest assured in the love of God knowing that when we walk according to His will He will do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think… 

The Lord desires for you to experiences His blessings and to keep you in perfect peace, He desires to transform you into a magnificent creature instead of seeing you be conformed to the ways of this world! He gives grace unto you, if we examine our past we will know that there are certainly a lot of situations that we found ourselves in and know that only God’s grace brought us out… There were a lot of choices we made that were wrong and misfortunate, a lot of decisions that were fueled by negative thoughts and plots, but through it all, God has never turned his back on us; yes indeed, He gives Grace and will not withhold anything from them that walk uprightly. As stated early, God wants to see you excel, not be confined, He wants to see you exalted and not belittled, He wants to see you full of joy and not sorrow… His desires are, it’s your pathways that are foggy… You must be about the work of God if you want God to be about the blessings and grace promised to you… These two things go hand and hand… The psalmist makes clear that these are the desires of the Lord’s heart… He wants to open windows of heaven for you, He wants to pour out blessings upon you, but you must desire Him in order to receive His blessings and honor. If we trust in the Lord, we are blessed, not blessed because of our trust in Him, but because we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us, we are blessed because we have never seen the righteous forsaken, we are blessed because He said that He will return and that He will not suffer us to be moved… This passage says blessed is the man that trusteth in thee… You are blessed because you are able to keep your head up not because you have given in, you are blessed because you are holding to God’s unchanging hand not because you are falling by the wayside… God will not withhold anything from those who walk uprightly… 

You must walk according to God’s will if you want to experience God’s blessings, you must humble yourself if you want to be exalted… These verses should provide the energy that we need to continue to press on and fight back against the enemy… Knowing that God will not withhold from you should be the motivation that you need to continue to dig deep down within yourself to make sure that all the darkest closets of your life have been opened… He wants to bless you, but you cannot walk upright before Him if you have not totally surrendered to Him… This passage also leads me to the struggles of faith that we all encounter in the body of Christ… We think that the Lord should simply be satisfied with our willingness to accept His offering on the Cross; however, we fail on this journey because we never take up the cross that has been laid before us to bear… Notice that the Lord will not bless until you trust, He will not give you anything if you are not walking upright before Him… Know that you will have to sweat, you will have to work hard, you will have to toil through the night and this passage should simply encourage you to know you’re your work will not be in vain nor will you be left on the outside looking in… The bible declares, “Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Safe In His Arms

The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:12 

Those who walk in the will of God are promised safety… This is not to be confused with peace all the days of your life, but to say that when the enemy comes you will be able to win… You will see storms rage, wars take place, but you are to take comfort in knowing that these things will not overtake you and though you see them, they will not stand too long… We must come to accept and realize that everyday of our lives a battle is being fought, some days we take a step forward and some days we take a step back… Whatever the case, we are taught that the beloved (those who are dear to the heart of God) shall dwell in safety… When you choose the will of God you are then covered under the blood of Jesus… This is the same blood that paid your penalty, the same blood that made the death angel pass over the houses of God’s children and the same blood that Jesus sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane… Isaiah 26:3 says that “thou will keep you in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee!” We have a comforting assurance today through God’s word! He has promised that if we are the sheep of His pasture and the children of His blood we shall be protected and kept through the struggles of life! Today’s focus verse was penned to hearten and support the children of God… 

This word was written to encourage the Israelites as they battled for territories and prepared to enter the promise land, it was to inform them of the promises of God as they measured the task that laid before them, Moses leadership is ending and Joshua is taking the reigns, God is preparing them for great struggles and pains, but wants them to know that victory is on the horizon. You may be in a place of struggle right now, you may be in the midst of a battle right now and the message that I encourage you by today is to know that “the Lord shall cover him (you) all the day long…” He will uphold you, He will sustain you, He will see you through… The Israelites were on the cusp of the Promised Land, you are on the cusp of your breakthrough, you are on the edge of your new beginnings, and you are about to walk into your new territory… So today find encouragement in know that trouble doesn’t last always, realize that God is with you and nothing will stop you… Let us enjoy these truths today; realizing that the Promised Land is before us, but the measure of obstacles that awaits us seems insurmountable… We are filled with worry, we are filled with uncertainty and we have become hopeless (The Israelites wondered in the wilderness for forty years)… Just as the Israelites in this passage, we have been wondering in the wilderness thinking that our former days of bondage are better than the Blessings that God has stored up for us… My bible tells me that we will reap a harvest if we faint not; it tells me that we must remember that this world hated Him first, and we must acknowledge that God said He will never put more on us than we can bear! We have a cross to bear; we have burdens to carry, there are trials that await us and situations that we MUST face… 

God is informing us that we shall prosper; He is telling us that you will win, and He is assuring us that the devil will NOT be victorious… How are we guaranteed to win; because we aren’t fighting under our own power, but we find our strength in the Lord knowing that we “…shall dwell between his shoulders…” We use our shoulders to support and or carry things, today be encouraged to know that God is caring you… He is working it out in your favor and He will left you up and keep you going when you feel like you have nothing left… Paul asked a question in his letter to the Church of Rome… If God be for us, who can be against us? Who can stop the will of God? Who has the ability to thwart the plan of the King of kings Lord of lords…? Everything that has come against Him has failed and been cast down; your enemies are being made your footstool… Take courage today, because you have one fighting for you who has never lost and as long as you allow Jesus to lead the way you are guaranteed victory… You will see trouble, you will hear storms, but you will be lifted up and come through whatever you face… Plead the blood of Jesus over every situation and allow Him to work knowing that when His will is set in motion it will be fulfilled… The 91^st psalm says it best verse 1 says, ¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  Verses 7 and 8 say, “⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. ⁸ You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.”

You are covered by his blood; you are protected by his sacrifice, so live according to his will and fight the good fight!!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!