Seek Him With Your Whole Life

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

Jeremiah 29:13-14

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Listen More And Talk Less

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

James 1:19-20

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Gracious And Compassionate Is Our God

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

Psalm 145:8-9

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Your Enemies

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

Luke 6:35-36

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Keep Praying Over The Harvest

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:37-38

Yesterday was the national day of prayer; this is a (n) annual time/day when we are to go to the father with petitions and supplication united in lifting up one another unto Him… Many times we go to God in prayer when we are in need of a miracle, when we are in need of healing or we simply are seeking an answer… Jesus reminds us today that we should continually pray for the increase of labors in the vineyard of the Lord…Surely we can agree that there is a lot of wickedness in the world that we live in! One can simply look out of there windows to see kids having kids, the red and blue lights flashing throughout the night, and diseases spiraling out of control. There are many who have lost there sense of direction, there are many that have never known there direction, and there are many that have chosen the wrong direction. Whatever the case maybe, Jesus has declared to His disciples (us) in the gospel of Matthew that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. We don’t need to seek an opportunity to witness; the opportunity presents itself everywhere we look… It is so easy to find evil in this world, but very hard to find good… 

Jesus is telling us today to pray for people to take action, to stop living unfruitful lives and to turn to Him… This passage informs me of two things, one that there are a lot of souls to be saved and second, that there aren’t enough true laborers in the vineyard. Jesus said for us to pray for laborers. One of the biggest reasons that wickedness is continuing to rise in our societies is because we don’t have the commitment to witnessing from the church… Harvesting is more than just dropping a seed; it takes time, effort, and a sense of where to plant! This holds true to the fact that we must give the time in our societies, we must make an effort in our communities, and we must know when and where to plant the seeds of the gospel… For ever one good thing in this world just think of how many bad things you can think of… The harvest is plenteous because there are a ton of souls that are being lost, the harvest is plenteous because everywhere you turn a crop can be produced… What Jesus is saying today is that there will never be too many workers in the field, there will never be a day when a soul can be saved, a heart can’t be mended and a lost child can’t be found… What we also must learn today is that this harvest stretches beyond the comforts of our home or church, the field is bigger than what we can see or comprehend… 

Believe it or not, but planting seeds doesn’t always occur in the church; in fact most seeds that were planted in the bible happened within the societies and communities that people lived in… Saul was on the Damascus road when his seed was planted, Jacob was fleeing his brother when his seed was planted, blind Bartimaeus was sitting on the side of the road when his seed was planted, all the disciples that Jesus called to follow Him were found outside the church (are you getting the point)… The church has lost this sense of belonging, we go to church Sunday morning, and then go back to our lives which revolve around our household and our jobs, where is our harvest, where are the seeds that we plant? There are many out there waiting to hear your witness, many that are yarning for a sense of direction and purpose and these people are waiting for the harvest to take affect, for the seeds to be planted within them… My first two years in high school my GPA was a .85! If it were not for my sister Sabriya stepping in and giving me a sense of direction, I would not have finished my last two years with a 3.41 GPA! Tell me where I would have been if it weren’t for her witness and stepping into my situation by faith… See often times we see the needs of those around us, but we fail to act to help… This is why Jesus is saying that we must pray to the Lord of the harvest… Pray to God that every day of your life can be a changing point in someone else’s, pray that you will be able to identify the lives that God has called you to touch and that you will impact those around you as a beacon light for the Lord, letting everyone know that you are a child of God… Your service to the Lord is not shown by how many times you go to church in a week; your service to the Lord will be called into account on Judgment Day when God ask you, “what have you done with the talents I gave you…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Has A Plan For You

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Jeremiah 29:11-12

Though things appear dim or the chances seem slim, take courage in knowing that God has a plan… … Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet, he lived during the bondage that the Israelites encountered under the hand of the Babylonians and witnessed the oppression of God’s children… Even while in captivity and seeing the hand of the enemy prevailing, Jeremiah records this message that we all can live by today… Jeremiah records that God knows the thoughts that He thinks towards you, He knows the path that He wants you to travel; He knows the levels of greatness which He wants to see you reach! His thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace (tranquility, happiness, and joy); not of evil or wickedness! He has an expected end for you life… Here in the midst of trials and tribulations Jeremiah is reminding the people of God that the Lord has not forgotten about them; he is preaching to the masses that even though storms have entered your life, understand that God is still there and He will deliver you… This scripture has as two-fold meaning; the first is that God has thoughts of peace for your life; He wants to give you the best… However, the second is that your bondage is a result of the choices that you have made… 

Often times we want to blame God for the snares we face, we want to question God’s authority when we face trials, but Jeremiah reminds us today that God wants nothing but the best for you, your family and your life, but just like a parent, He must allow you to learn from your mistakes and sometimes you will have to take the rough road and rugged terrain of hardships to experience the promises of God… Proverbs 3: 11,12 says,“¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, ¹²because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”Even though the trials seem evil and the storm seems wicked know that God’s plan is to produce in you a crop that will last longer than your temporary pain…  The fact that God has an expected in shows us where He wants to take you; however, the route that you take to get there is determined by your actions of everyday living… I can get to my grandmother’s house in North Carolina in about 5 hours from my parents doorstep if I try hard enough, at the same token it could take me 7 hours to make the same journey if I procrastinate… The point is that I will arrive to my destination; however, the time that it takes me to get there is determined entirely by me… God wanted to bless His children, He wanted them to prosper under His leadership, but they choice to defy God, which lead them into captivity and the bondage that they currently face… God never wants evil to enter your life, He doesn’t desire to make things hard for you, but will make sure that you learn from every experience and eventually understand the reasoning for your suffering… 

This passage tells me that God sees your future and promise that is bestowed within you, but He also acknowledges in this passage that there will be twist and turns along your journey, that’s why it says that He has an expected end… Jeremiah concludes that,“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you…” Now that you understand that the trials that have entered your life are from the works of your hands, God is waiting for you to call upon Him, He is waiting for you to turn from your wickedness and seek His face… God said, “If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray…” God will not act until you do! He has plans for you to prosper, plans for you to succeed, plans for you to prevail, but you have to turn, you have to confess, you have to repent… The funny thing about the Israelites bondage is that they had the key inside them to be freed; likewise, the key to your freedom lies within you! Call upon His name, throw your hands up in prayer and humble yourself before the Lord knowing that you can’t make it on your own… Hearken unto his word, adhere to His commands, and trust Him in the time of battle and turmoil! Understand that God will see you through, know that you will be lead through the valley of the shadows of death, but you should fear no evil! David didn’t fear evil because he understood that, “Thou are with me…” God is with you, He is right by your side waiting and hoping that you will allow His thoughts of peace to transcend your life… You should remain confident that you will be victorious; you should keep your faith that you will prevail and that the devil will be and already has been defeated!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Seek Him Now

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:6-7

Today’s message is one that is simple and direct, the Lord desires to have you back in the fold and it is not too late for you no matter how many mistakes you have made or how big a ditch you have dug… This passage is certainly the key for us today as we learn to not focus on things of the earth but rather on God… Often times we make plans for tomorrow not knowing if tomorrow will ever come… Isaiah reminds us today of the importance in placing God number one in our lives; his reminder is not only to place God as the center of our lives, but to seek Him now while we still have breath within our lungs and warm blood in our veins… The word of God declares that Jesus said, “BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY!” This means that He will come at a time when we least expect. We must remember that tomorrow is never promised and that today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the present! 

I can recall a very bad accident that took place several years ago involving a group of teenager’s drag racing in Montgomery County when one lost control and hit a tree… The driver was rushed to the ER and survived; however, his passenger wasn’t so fortunate and was found ejected several feet from the vehicle… Through all the high, thrilling times in life we often neglect the importance of having a right relationship with the Lord… We think we have time to fix the wrongs or repair the broken hearts… Do you think the seventeen year old boy that died that day on veirs mill road in Rockville, Maryland a couple of years ago believed that his “now” had come, do you believe that the passengers aboard the planes on September 11^th knew that this was their last day, what about the lacrosse girl at UVA, the shootings at VA Tech? Whether we want to accept it or not, the bottom line is that we have to prepare ourselves for the end; we have to live each and every day as if it’s our last. By living in this manner and placing God first, we will be prepared and have our priorities set in the right order whenever the death angel arrives at our doorstep and we will be assured to ascend unto unmerited bliss and favor… Instead of putting off your bad habits until the New Year or the next month, do it now, instead of avoiding a task that you know belongs to you, do it now! Step up to your responsibilities; take charge of the opportunities before you and don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today! 

After all, tomorrow is never promised! Jesus said in the 9^th chapter of John the 4^th verse that, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” He understood the importance of laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, but also emphasized to us the importance of not delaying your calling… Think about where we would be if Jesus had not done the works of God… Think about the people around you that are suffering because of your unwillingness to do the will of the Lord… Isaiah’s plea shows the love and kindness of God… He says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord…” God desires all to be saved, the door to salvation remains open and all we have to do is walk through it… There will come a time when that door will be shut, there will come a time when Jesus will say, “depart from me, I know you not” and you do not want to have those words uttered to you… Isaiah is informing you that you have a free-will, the choice is yours and the decision will be made one way or the other… The last piece of this scripture says, “For he will abundantly pardon…” Not only will God save you, but He will wipe the slate clean… It doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes that you have made, it doesn’t matter how many people have said that you were a lost cause, at the same degree, it doesn’t matter how much your kids have gone astray, it doesn’t matter how far they have strayed or even how deep they are in the sins of this world… God still sits high and looks low, He still has all power in the palm of His hand, and He is still Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End… His arms are open, He’s waiting, but this opportunity doesn’t last forever…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Desires You To Live

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:11

Ezekiel brings to the matchless love and compassion that God has for His creation to the forefront of our minds today… The God you serve is happy that you serve Him, but He desires for all to come to accept Him and be saved… This is why God spoke to Ezekiel in the third chapter of his prophetic book and commanded him to “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel…” No matter how much you resist, no matter how much you reject, no matter how much you refuse; God still loves you and desires to develop a (n) intimate relationship with you… Anything you can think of, the children of God were doing during the time of Ezekiel; however, God wants them to know through his prophet that “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked…” Even though you deserve death, God finds no pleasure in losing your soul…  The love of God is evident in the fact that He sent His only begotten son to die for us; the love of God is evident as well in today’s passage taken from Ezekiel which teaches us that not matter how messed up you are, God desires that you turn unto Him and not suffer the Eternal Damnation that awaits you… 

When people wronged me growing up there was no way on earth that I would wish well on them, but we learn today that God has always desired the best for us even when we have been the worse we could be to Him… Ezekiel writes this letter to the children of God at a time when they have turned there backs on the Lord… They have found themselves in bondage under the authority of Babylon and even then, have not turned to the Lord… The book of Ezekiel starts off with God preparing the prophet by telling him to (eat the scroll) and then informing him to go to a rebellious people… The focus scripture today reminds us that even though we make mistakes and must suffer the consequences of our actions, God still loves us and wants us to live within His will… Consider all the things that God had already done for the Israelites; leading them out of Egypt, feeding them manna in the wilderness, protecting them in the land of Canaan, but they continue to rebel against him… God could have simply turned away, neglected them and said, “I tried”, but instead He sends Ezekiel to remind them of His desires… Place yourself in place of the Israelites, how many times has God delivered you, supplied all your needs and loved you unconditionally, but yet you still find yourself turning away from Him and seeking your own agenda… If God took pleasure in seeing people suffer He would not have sent His son; likewise, He would not have spoke through Ezekiel today to remind us of His love and compassion… Ezekiel makes it clear to us today of the desires that God has for all mankind… 

The start of this verse says, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked…” God lives forever and desires for you to live with Him… God it telling us that the life He experiences is not the life that we think we are living while on this earth, there is a better tomorrow if you only would turn today… This verse refers to spiritual prosperity of being able to look beyond the realm of material things, this is what we (like the Israelites) had lost and become blinded by… The book of Jeremiah informs us the will of God and confirms what Ezekiel has written today to the house of Israel… “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Every person that chooses the path of wickedness is cut off from the Lord, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a sincere love for that individual… Think about a mother or father that sees their son or daughter go down the wrong path of life… Even though you must accept their choice, it doesn’t mean that the pain is any less to bear… God wants to see us excel, He wants to see us conquer and overcome and even in the lowest of states He continues to pour out His love as we see here in Ezekiel… Today, God speaking through Ezekiel is letting us know that He desires for us to enjoy prosperity for all eternity… God’s life has no end (As I live…)and the compassion of the Lord is manifest in this scripture because He longs for your life to have no end as well… The verse ends by asking, “For why will ye die…” What on this earth is worth dying for? Why would you choose to perish, why would you give up all the precious promises God has for you, what’s worth your soul? If only you would turn from your wickedness, then you would realize how much God has in store…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

One Day With Christ Is Priceless

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." 

Psalm 84:10

No matter how nice your day may go or appear to be going; it simply doesn’t compare to a day in the realm of the supernatural… Being in the very presences of God is more than we can even begin to imagine or comprehend. Think about this for a moment, have you ever imagined a world filled with peace and harmony? Have you ever taken time out of your day to contemplate what life would be like if there was no violence, suffering or sin? The psalmist today reminds us of the hope we have to one day live in a world outlined just like that… As a child of God, we yearn to dwell within His courts, we desire to have peace within our hearts and have love poured out all around us… I don’t know about you, but I yearn for that moment where trouble will cease and sin will be no more… Through this psalm we learn the value that we should place on life; but more importantly we learn about the value that we should place on the life to come… This verse starts off by saying, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand…” A thousand days of success on this Earth will never lead to the completeness that we will feel on the day when we hear God say “well done…” Most of us probably find this hard to believe, most probably don’t even think that this is possible, but to understand this concept we must appreciate what a day in the courts of the Lord is… Imagine a day when happiness is present from the time you awake to the time you slumber, imagine a day when your kids walked the will of God and not the ways of the world, imagine a day when you could smile and tears would run down your face because of uncontrollable joy… 

This is the day that the psalmist is writing about; this is the day that we await when Christ returns… One day with the Lord is more valuable than a thousand on this earth… Think about the first true love you had in your life, think about how much you would give just to spend one more day or one more hour in their presences… This is the same feeling we should have with the Lord, we should want to be in His midst every chance we have, and we should be willing to give up the desires of the flesh to develop a more intimate relationship with Him… A lot of us “love the Lord” when it’s feasible or sufficient; however we are reminded today that the love that we must have should be displayed not matter what and our desires to be with the Lord should outweigh the desires we have on this earth… What I like about today’s scriptures is that the psalmist has realized that being in the presences of God is worth more than anything… These thousand days could be unmerited blessings, it could be riches that every human desires, it could be financial security an the ability to buy any and everything that we want; however, it still does not compare to spending one day with the Lord… The psalmist says, “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness…”The psalmist realizes that there is no happiness in the tent of wickedness; he understands that there is no true value in the tent of wickedness; he realizes that the way of the world is not the way to go… 

When you look at the sin that has taken this world captive, when you look at the evil that has entrapped so many, we begin to understand why it doesn’t matter what title we hold in the kingdom of God… It doesn’t matter about what position I am in, it doesn’t matter about the status that I hold, the psalmist is simply saying that I just want to be counted in the number, I want to see my name in the lamb’s book of life and enjoy the riches of God… We will agree that we would rather be with the Lord than to be in the world… The tents of the wicked can appear to be safe, a tent can protect you from the rain, but if the storm is strong enough it will destroy that tent in a matter of seconds… Today let us stop putting trust in temporary things, let us stop running to a protective covering that won’t last always… Some of the protective coverings are alcohol, drugs and even lustful relationships… These tents appear safe and they may make you feel protected for a moment, but if you want to be secure all the days of your life, if you want to be covered from any hurt, harm or danger than you must place your hand in the hand of the one who sticks closer than a brother…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Can Overcome

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:5-6

Jesus is ready to “confess your name before His father and before his angels”, He’s ready to open the door to eternity and record you name in the book of life… All these things He has said in His word that He will and would do and through John’s revelation we are reminded that they are still possible… In order for these promises to become reality you must hold up your end of the covenant; you must do your part and “overcome (as we see in our focus verses)”… The question may be posed at this time, what is it that we must overcome? The sin that we are born with is a sin that we do not recognize is present until we encounter Jesus… Saul thought that he was doing the right thing until Jesus spoke to Him, the rich young man thought he had done everything right until his heart was brought into question and Nicodemus observed the law as best he could; however, he became a follower of Jesus when he learned from the savior that “you must be born again…” The world will have you think that the things of this life is what you need to be focused on; it is far easier for us to go with the flow than to go against the grain; however this is what we are called and challenged to do… 

This is what John means when he speaks about overcoming; the desires and temptations that you face must be overcome and in order to do that your life must be placed in the saviors hands… Sin is a natural pleasure and it is one that we (just like babies) must be weaned off of… Often times when people talk about Jesus and the saving power that is bestowed through His sacrifice of love; however, they forget to mention that you must choose to accept this offering and in order to do that you must first turn from your natural way of thinking…. Despite what people may try to portray to you, this journey in seeking the very presences and will of God is no “cakewalk”…

This passage declares to the true Christian how hard this journey really is… It shines light on the fact that walking as a child of God is much harder and trying tha living a life of sin and adhering to the standards of the world. Notice and take to heart how the revelation begins with “HE THAT OVERCOMETH!” This immediately draws attention to the fact that even beginning your Christian walk comes with a lot of trials and temptations. What is it that you have to overcome, for some it could be the mistakes of history, it could be the lust of the flesh, generational curses, or even the power of ego and greed. Whatever the case maybe, we have to be prepared for this journey and all the twist and turns that will come along the way. I can assure you that every step you take on this path will be a little rocky and uncertain, people that you love may be withdrawn from you, jobs that you have may be stripped from you, and even your family relationships may become desolate.

Jesus said he will never leave you nor forsake you, he didn’t say that I will make sure that you don’t have sleepless nights or pain. God said we will reap a harvest if we faint not, he didn’t say I will make sure that the sun doesn’t beat down on you so that you feel the hardships of labor! We all must endure, that is why Paul said that we must forsake everything behind us and press toward the mark. You will sweat when you press toward the mark, you will cry out sometimes when you press toward the mark, you will feel only sometimes when you press toward the mark, you will be frustrated sometimes as you press on, you will feel abandoned sometimes when you press on, but know that God has assured you that your work is not in vain. Know that he has assured you that he will be with you always. This revelation states that you will be clothed in white, a sign of purity, all you sins will be forgiven as you press, your failures will be transformed into testimonies and you name shall appear in the book of life. When you cross over you will hear the words “WELL DONE THOW GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!” You will be able to enter in and not be turned away. So even in the uncertain times, even in the confused times, press on, continue to strive, don’t give up, and keep the faith. Remember that passage starts off by saying, HE THAT OVERCOMETH, it will be hard, but every hurdle can be jumped, every test can be passed, and the devil can be defeated… You have the ability to succeed on this journey no matter what comes your way; the question is whether or not you want to!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Evidence Of God Is Everywhere

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14

The word of God was never intended to be concealed or stored away within you… The bible declares that God desires for all men to come to know Him and be saved… The greatest work for all followers of Christ is to spread His word wherever we go and whenever the opportunity presents itself… The things that you endure in life are a witness of your faith and God’s faithfulness; you have been through a lot of storms and may be battling with the enemy as we speak, remind yourself that all people will have a (n) opportunity to know “of the glory of the Lord” and sometimes this comes about through your struggles… Despite the way things are done according to today’s standards, no matter how ridiculous things may appear to be according to the opinions of misguided leadership, the bible calls us to be encouraged in these chaotic times because we have faith and are assured that “the earth shall be filled with knowledge…” 

People will come to know that there is only one God, people will come to realize the error of their ways and despite how many people may come against you, you can claim victory and extend a hand of love and peace toward them because you know that the God you serve will have His name revealed and revered before all mankind… This is why the bible declares that “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that He is Lord…” You might have a lot of people around you doing what they want to do, you might have a lot of friends that criticize your faith and appear to be doing better than you are today; however, through this passage taken from Habakkuk you can stand strong against the attacks which want to tear down your faith and push you back to what you were before you came to know who the living God was… The way things appear to be may not be the reality of what they are… The message of Habakkuk the minor prophet is one that challenges the wayward man as well as the man of faith… The wayward man is challenged to repent and turn before it is too late… 

The man of faith is called to take his foundation of faith and build upon it through the removal of any traces of doubt forming a solid trust in the absolute ability and authority of God… Make no mistake about it, all manner of man; all forms of religious beliefs will be visited by the move of God… Again, the bible declares that in the last days preceding judgment that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess… As a Christian we thrive upon this message which assures us that the devil has not won, nor has God withdrew himself from us. Habakkuk reminds us of this same principal today as it is penned in our focus verse; surely we can look at this world today and can see how many people have strayed away from God. Violence upon one another is spiraling out of control, kids are falling by the wayside daily, and the church has become an institution instead of a place of worship. Yes we can agree that these times and days we live in seem as if the earth has chosen its course and God has been alienated from our journey. 

Take courage as a child of God that you can still impact your community, you can still alter your society and the way this is done is found ten verses prior to this one… The word of God informs us that “the just shall live by faith…” Continue to pray, continue to fast, continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling… This passage reminds us once again that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; even in the midst of chaos and confusion, betrayal and corruption, the will of God will be manifested in these very times. God’s plan for you and for this season will be active and run its course. More importantly, when it is all said and done everyone shall know of the God you serve, everyone shall bare witness to His awesome power and might, everyone shall see His glory and sovereignty! David was not given a chance against Goliath, but God manifested His power and showed that David had an advocate. Daniel faced destruction in the lions den, but was exalted to a higher position in the kingdom; Jonah was thrown overboard, but was really thrown into God’s will and plan! Chaos brings about God’s faithfulness! So understand that even in these times of uncertainty (looking at today) know that God will be exalted, and you will surely be caught up with Him! The earth SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Abilities Are Beyond Your Imagination

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

When Paul wrote this letter to the church of Ephesus, the church had been dealing with various hardships and tumultuous situations. There were many instances where the church had become a value monetarily and not spiritually. The people in the church had become very ego-friendly and self worth driven. Everything in this church began to fall apart, every battle seemed to have been lost and the members who cling to the promises of God where slowly beginning to question their faith and focus on this spiritual journey. Through this background we can surely draw a parallel from the circumstances yesterday to our present standing. Church has become big business, the devil seems to have control over the pulpit and those who hold to their faith have begun to believe that the “church age” is over. Paul reasons with us today as to how we are to keep our composure through these frustrating times. The first thing we see is that we must remember that God can do exceeding and abundantly more than we can ever imagine.Paul says that God is able to exceeding above all we can ask or think… 

Paul is encouraging the believer at the church of Ephesus to remember what God they server… It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are or what people may be saying; God is able… It doesn’t matter what the doctor has told you, God is able… You may be at a low point in your life and Paul is saying that you can be lifted up! Even the best things that you can imagine happening in your life, Paul is saying that God can and will go above and beyond your greatest imaginations… In times of uncertainty we must pray, believing that God has the authority to change to situation, but more importantly that He is still in control of the situation regardless of what it looks like. When you feel confused, know that God isn’t and everything works together for His GOOD PLEASURE!  Secondly, we must remember that the abundant works that God does begin within us. Paul says there is a power that is at work in you… God is there when it seems He isn’t… He is walking right by your side and will always be your shield and buckler… The verse says that He does these things according to the power that worketh within us; we must remember that we have been given a free will, the ability to choose and set our own course. 

God surely can change things, but we must have the attitude and faith in the power of God. The scriptures declare that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. The mountain can always be moved, but God will wait for your mustard seed of faith to root within you first. The church age is not over, God is still alive, and He is simply waiting for us to realize that we have a way-maker in our corner; we have a sustainer who shed his blood on Calvary, and that we have been assured that as long as we are still competing for the prize, we will hit our mark! There may be situations that make one believe that the world is winning, the evil won has taken a step out front and the church is perishing, but Paul reminds us that the church will stand the test of time, the church will last throughout all ages; we can draw strength in this verse; knowing that we will stand the test of time, we will survive and we will be lifted up above all things!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Confessing Unblocks His Mercy

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 

A hotel cannot provide a room to a customer if they are all occupied… Likewise, we cannot allow God into our hearts if the space is already taken… Covering sins doesn’t deal with them, but simply stores them away within causing us to carry around unnecessary burdens and prevent us from overcoming the trials or errors that we made… The proverb says, “He that covereth his sin shall not prosper…” When we try to cover our tracks or mistakes, we lead a life that allows our mistakes to controls us… We become captives to sin and the result of that is that we cannot prosper… To live, we must be freed from the bondage of sin which only comes through confession and belief in God… David recorded in Psalms 51, that a broken and contrite heart is a heart that God cannot turn from. Let’s face it, we all have made mistakes, we have gone to places we had no business going too, engaged in activities that still cause us to cringe at the thought and allowed the lust and sinful desires to win in different phases of our lives. Today’s Proverb deals with the confession aspect of Christian living. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, when you make a mistake in life, you have two choices; either you control it or it controls you! When you control a mistake, you openly confess to God and your peers of your wrong, therefore this incident doesn’t grow any legs to haunt you through life and cause unnecessary turmoil or chaos. If you allow the situation to control you, it becomes shackles that bind you to weaving a web of lives at the expense of your sanity and peace. 

When we lie, we have no choice but to continue down that spiral path which will ultimately lead us into a confined and guarded approach. You will walk on egg shells around people and force yourself into believing that everything is peaches and cream. When sin possesses you, God can’t prosper you! The sin must be dealt with, the sin must be confronted, and you must develop an attitude of righteousness. Notice that the passage says that “whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” To receive the manifold blessing of God, we must not only acknowledge our wrongs, but we must turn from them. So many of us pray to God for forgiveness of the same sin daily! God forgive me for smoking (while you pick up another cigarette), God forgive me of not educating my children about you (as you continue to put work before your household duties)! God forgive me for gossiping (while you tell all your new information), God forgive me for getting drunk (as you call your friend and tell him/her that you were to intoxicated to remember what happened last night), God forgive me for this and that (then in the very next moment you have reverted back to your old ways… These situations occur on a daily basis and we are praying to God, but not seeing the results that we expect. You have taken the first step in confessing; now practice your confession by abstaining from those situations! Of course it is not easy, of course it is not done overnight, but know and understand that until you take the necessary steps to better your life (prosper) God will not intervene! 

Again, the end of this proverb says, “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy…”Mercy is withholding punishment to fulfill the need of that individual… God will show mercy toward you, but you must show wisdom from the experience that you have encountered. Once you confess you open the door to prosperity, but it is not until you forsake that path of life that you will obtain mercy… This road to living a life pleasing to God is accomplished in two phases; understanding the mistakes that you have made in life and learning from them so that you don’t continue down that same slippery slope… Today confess your sins unto Lord, tell Him about all the mistakes that you have made, free yourself from the burden of darkness and allow the healing that is needed to take place within your life… Stop allowing sin to control you, to hold you captive and oppress you and keep you from becoming the child that God has called you to be… Forsake the way of darkness so that God can provide the “lamp unto your fight and light unto your path…” God is indeed knocking at the door, if your spiritual life is likened to a hoarder; I hope that you can get through all the junk and answer the door before its too late…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Call On Him In Truth And He Will Answer

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Psalms 145:18-19

God is as close to you as you want Him to be… So many people question the existence of God or His authority as the creator of all things because of the turmoil and hardships they encounter; today’s focus verses remind us that we are created as free mortal beings, we have been given a free will to do as we please and it is because of this that we often times separate ourselves from the love and protection that id defined in the arms of Christ… Understanding how our minds flip flop so often throughout the course of a day, we can gain a understanding as to why the Psalmist states that “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him…” You have to make the choice to follow Christ, you have to decide which path you want to travel and when you make this decision you must stick too it… We cannot waver in our decision-making or desire to follow Christ and align ourselves with His will… James tells us that when we ask of God we must stand firm in our belief in order to obtain it; “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” 

The same thing that we find in the book of James concerning the fact that a (n) individual coming before the Lord must be of a sound mind and faith in Christ to receive the petitions that He lays before the Lord are the same things that we see here from the Psalmist when he informs us that the Lord will be nigh but that He will be nigh “to all that call upon him in truth…” The psalmist starts this passage by declaring to us that God is always near those who call upon Him. This informs us that God is aware of the things you are enduring and the hardships that you face! He knows when you are smiling and when you are in tears, He knows when things are peaceful and when your life is filled with chaos… Notice the very next line though; He is near “to all who call on Him in truth…” So many of us call on the Lord out of necessity or fear, we call on Him when things seem beyond our own ability and this is not calling on Him in truth… To call in truth, is to call out of sincerity, calling on the Lord out of HIS sovereignty and might! The bible says, “The true worshipper will worship in spirit and in truth…” Often times we find ourselves calling on the Lord to do miraculous things and when He doesn’t answer on our timetable we take things into our own hands (this embodies the fact that we have not called on the Lord in truth), we begin to devise our own plan of attack and end up in more turmoil than before… Calling in truth is recognition of God’s place within your life, but also it is trusting God’s plan despite the path that you may have wanted to take… God told us in His holy word that, “My ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts…” So if you are going to call on the Lord in truth, don’t doubt when He takes you over the mountain instead of through the lilies… 

The book of James teaches us in the first chapter (6 & 7 verse) about how doubt will delay or deny our ability to receive of the Lord… “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”God is always near to you and when you have undivided faith in Him you will see just how close He really is; Paul said “my strength is made perfect in weakness…” When we have faith in God, the lowest of states that we find ourselves in is the highest of states that the Lord can work in your life, that’s why we must be a true worshipper and trust Him always. The psalmist says, “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him…” God will answer when you give Him the respect that He is due… He will lift you up when He is lifted up (if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me)… If you fear God, you respect His authority, you acknowledge His power and you give Him priority in and over your life… Despite what storms come my way, despite what obstacles I encounter, despite what pit I have fallen into, I believe that God hears my faintest cry, I believe that He will never put more on me than I can bare, I believe that in my reverence for Him, He will fulfill the desires I have and save me… This is why I call on Him; why do you?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!