You Can Do It Through Christ

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:12-13

On this roller coaster of life we are sure to experience highs and lows, we will have days of joy and days of sadness, laughter and pain go hand and hand along with great abundance and fearing that you don’t have enough… Thou the season of life change and we experience them all; Paul reminds us today that we must be content not in our earthly possessions but in our standing with Christ…  Paul says I know how to live when I am low (abased) and how to live when I abound (have plenty)… No matter where you are in your life today, whether you have plenty or don’t think you have enough you must make sure that your faith in Christ reminds and that you continue to seek His will… When we have little it is a time where we can be tempted to question God and give up; likewise, when we have plenty we can find ourselves taking the credit that God deserves by becoming confident in what we can do… 

In both scenarios we begin to ease God out and this is why we must go through seasons… The seasons that we face change at any given time; however we are told in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We can learn to be content with what we have and what we are dealing with because we know that through it all Christ is with us and will always be our guide and our sustainer… The more you focus on God and turn away from the cares of this world reflects your growth and showcases your contentment in Him… Paul is not content because he doesn’t desire more; he is content because he knows that in doing the will of God all his needs will be taken care of… This is why he says in the 19^th verse of this chapter, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” When we have faith in Christ we will endure the suffering and face the adversity knowing that the reward will be that much sweeter and the place of rest will be more enjoyable… Again, if we understand that we all have experienced ups and downs, joy and sorrow, or even happiness and sadness than we can attest to what Paul writes today... Not only are we to be content in knowing that Christ is with us, but we also must be content in knowing that the pains of life are for our benefit and maturity… These verses in Philippians remind us to be content knowing that we are being molded into a masterpiece. Paul needed to be humbled after serving as a high-ranking official who sought to persecute Christians… We too must be humbled at times to keep us in line with the will of God and allow us to grow into the children God has called us to be… 

The book of James tells us in chapter 1, verses 2-4 to, “² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  Every trial you face serves a purpose, every obstacle is there for a reason and part of your contentment in Christ is knowing that He doesn’t make mistakes and that He will not only be exalted but that you will grow from your experiences… Paul concludes by saying that “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me…” Don’t forget who your source of strength is, don’t forget who has brought you this far and don’t forget who will lead you on… The bible says every good and perfect gift comes from above… When the sunshine comes remember who brings it, when the rains fall remember who gives you shelter… We all have known the feeling of hitting rock bottom, we have known the feeling of seeming invincible, but what we need to know and remember is that everything is possible through Christ. Think about all the things that you have been through, and then ask your self how you made it. When the sun was shining so bright but in the blink of an eye darkness covered your sky… When things at your job were so peaceful and all of a sudden you were unemployed who kept you, who opened another do for you…? Be content because Christ has already done it before, be content because you are growing and be content because you know that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… The same results that we see in the bible when people remained content are the same results we will see in our lives when and if we remain content in the will of God…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay Focused On God's Word

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

Joshua 1:8

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Worldly Perception Is Flawed

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

Proverbs 23:17-18

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Return Is Imminent

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

Revelation 22:12-13

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Christ, Whom Shall I Fear

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

Psalm 27:1

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Vows To You Are Everlasting

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

Hosea 2:19-20

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's No Condemnation In Christ

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

Romans 8:1-2

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Serve A Living God

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

Daniel 6:26

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Conquers All

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

1 John 4:18

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Provides Wisdom and Knowledge

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

Daniel 2:21b-22

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

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

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Not Alone

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8-9

This may come to you as a shock, but the truth of the matter is that you are not perfect… Even though you may strive for perfection in everything you do, you must come to the realization today that you are not without need of assistance… Your perfection is found in your flaws if you let your flaws lead you to Christ… This is why John says “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us…” The lie is to believe that you are fine and can make it on your own, the perfection is found in your humbleness and acceptance of your low stat… The first step a drug addict or a (n) alcoholic must take on the road to recovery is accepting and realizing where they are… Without knowing where you are, how can you get to where you want to go…? In this day of technology we utilized GPS systems to assist us when we are lost… A GPS must first know your current coordinates before giving you the route to take to arrive at your destination… In Christ, we have a GPS that will lead us to a brighter future and a better tomorrow… Our turn by turn directions are ordered by the Holy Spirit; however, if we do not recognize that we are lost; we will never realize or obtain what could have been… When you say you have no sin, you are that person who is wandering aimlessly through life and telling everyone you encounter that you know where you are going… 

This is how you deceive yourself, you deprive yourself of the help you need and the guidance that will lead you to living and living more abundantly (which is the reason Jesus came to this earth – John 10:10)… This principle applies also to those who desire to follow Christ and adhere to the will of God… The first thing that we must realize is that we are sinners and that we have fallen short… The bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the key to understand is that “all” of us have made mistakes, “all”of us have done things we shouldn’t have and we “all” have missed the mark! John says,“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us…”Stop trying to cover up your impurities, stop trying to display a fallacy and misrepresent yourself… The bible says that “the truth shall set you free…” You digger a deeper whole and separate yourself from God when you deny the sins of your past, present and future; on the contrary, you are set free from the bondage and weight of your sins when you expose them and confess them too the Lord…There are many people that we find encouragement from in the bible, there are many prophets, apostles and disciples that we often hear referred to in sermons or any biblical discussions… People always talk about the leadership of Moses, the perseverance of David and the faith of Paul, but people never really focus on why they were able to accomplish so much under the hand of God…Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt after killing a man, David was called a man after God’s own heart after committing adultery, Paul was on of the greatest apostles and wrote over a third of the New Testament after persecuting and killing the people of “the way”… 

These men were great in the eyesight of God not because they were perfect, but because they admitted their faults and confessed them before the Lord… God wants to heal you, He wants to deliver you, He wants to forgive you, but the choice of whether these things happen ultimately lie within your ability to admit your flaws and turn your life over to Him… Again, John says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…” Your freedom relies upon the word “if” and your breakthrough is conditioned on the word “if”… John confirms today what was written in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Are you willing to admit your imperfections, are you willing to expose your flaws, “if” you are than God assures us today through John that it doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you have made, it doesn’t matter how deep a pit you have dug and it doesn’t matter how far you have strayed… God will lift you up; God will plant you feet on solid ground and will cleanse you of all evil… Today expose yourself and open the door to your “secret closet…” Even though you expose yourself to this world (pain, mocking and insults), the blessing is that you also expose yourself to God to see where you are and what you want to be… By opening the door you expose things but also give God an avenue into your heart…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Take Up Your Cross

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 10:38-39

To walk in the pathways of Christ, one must have a desire and be committed through all the levels in phases of life that he/she will be exposed too…  This voyage isn’t for the weak at heart nor is it for those who don’t appreciate the trials and tribulations that you will have to endure… This is why Jesus says that if he (anybody) doesn’t take his cross and follow after Him “is not worthy of me…” Taking up your cross and following Jesus separates the true believer from the church attendee; it draws the dividing line between those who are fighting the good fight of faith and those who are provoked by the things of this world… Jesus declares in Matthew 15:8, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Not everyone who attends church is a true believer in Christ; not everyone who calls on Him through their lips has allowed Him in their heart… Again, in today’s verses Jesus tells us that if we do not take up our cross that we are not worthy of Him… To be counted unworthy means that we have been classified as not fit, undeserving or shameful… The goodness of Jesus outweighs the sweat and tears that will be poured out in following Him… Jesus doesn’t lose when one doesn’t take up their cross and follow Him, this is why you are the one who will be deemed unworthy… 

Are you worthy today of receiving His unmerited favor and blessings upon your life…? This passage teaches us today that taking up your cross is a (n) honor and a privilege that we should eagerly undertake knowing that to be counted in that number is of the most value to our lives… The gospel of Matthew reminds us today of the responsibilities, duties and obligations that we have as a child of God… So many of us walk around proclaiming with our tongue that we are Christians, but Matthew informs us that there is only one way that is shown, by taking up your cross… The term taking up your cross has several meanings for us to understand and adhere too, but the biggest duty that that phrase embodies is denying the desires of the sinful nature and clinging to the will of God… The truth of the matter is that we all entered this world as sinners and it is only by taking up your cross that we find life and freedom… During the life of Jesus on this earth crucifixion represented humiliation; someone who was being crucified had to carry their cross through the city while people hurled insults and mocked them… Just like Jesus, we must carry our cross throughout the city, no matter how many people mock us, no matter how many people try to humiliate us, no matter how many insults are hurled upon us, we have a cross to bear and must bear it if we want to be with Him in glory…

The bible says that “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me…” The proof is in the pudding and the reality is that we all have a cross to bear… Understand that in bearing your cross you will experience some bad days, in bearing your cross you will experience some sleepless nights, understand that in bearing your cross there will be heartache, there will be pain and there indeed will be suffering… Jesus bore His cross and we find many times when He was nailed to it that He cried out, He cried out because of the pain, the loneliness, the misery, the discomfort and the heartache He felt and endured, but He now sits at the right hand of God… We too have a place in heaven, but we must go through and endure the agony, pain and strife that carrying our cross brings in order to get there… Matthew says,“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it...” So many of us are wondering through this life trying to please everybody and live the “American Dream” and the reality is that we are simply losing our chance to receive the blessings that Jesus poured out on the cross… A Christian isn’t worried about social status, a Christian isn’t worried about pleasing mankind, and a Christian isn’t worried about materialistic things… We are losing our lives every day when we lose focus of God’s calling… Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God wants to give you hope, He wants you to have a bright future, He wants you to prosper and reach the highest of heights in both your physical and spiritual life… We are humbled by the fact that taking up our cross will cause us to lose some friends, we are humbled by the fact that taking up our cross will have us enduring insults and mockery, we are humbled by the fact that taking up our cross will be a painful endeavor; however, we find joy in knowing that we will find life, happiness, love, we find joy in taking up our cross because we know that we will understand and fulfill our purpose.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Best Is Yet To Come

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

You haven’t seen all that God has in store for you; the best indeed is yet to come… Even though you may be facing a hardship or trying time in your life, you can take pleasure in knowing that God is with you and is working behind the scenes… Paul encourages us to know that “It is written…” Today declare to the adversary that your victory is certain and his defeat is imminent… Count it all joy when you go through as we studied previously because you know that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Despite what you face, despite how challenging the terrain may appear, know that the battle has already been won and you are on the horizon of greatness… Today’s passage simply tells us that what God has in store for us is unmatched by the snares and traps that the enemy lays in front of us daily… This passage also tells us that no matter what kind of storm you face, you can rest assured that “this too shall pass…” There is a powerful message that Paul is sending through today’s devotion scripture, he is calling for you to declare when you are faced with opposition that “it is written…”

 The word “but” at the beginning of this verse negates all that precedes it…  You may have made mistakes, but the wisdom you have found in Christ will assure you that great things are in store (things you can’t even imagine)… Your storm has a conclusion that has already been penned, your hardships have an expiry date and just like Paul told the Church of Rome, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Your wildest dreams aren’t wild enough; your highest goals don’t even compare and your desires aren’t even on the same plateau of what God has in store for you… Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth reminds us today that no man knows or has even heard of the things that God has prepared for those who love Him… I can image what life would be like if we didn’t have crime, I can envision how life would be if we didn’t have aches and pains; however, even the visions we have, the images we see and the outlines of this perfect world we sketch aren’t even close to how things will actually be… This is good news to those who love the Lord because this tells me that it will even be better than I imagine… Have you ever anticipated something in your life and when it arrived it was not only worth the wait, but it completely blew your mind? Have you ever patiently waited for a time to come and when it came you knew that all your patience paid off… 

Jesus said that when He left the earth He was going to prepare a place for us… I believe that this place is going to be awesome, it is going to be beyond our wildest dreams and that everything we endure on this earth, everything we deal with throughout our lives will not even compare to the goodness of God… I imagine that for every trial we face or every temptation we overcome, an abundance of prosperity is in heaven deposited to our eternal accounts… I believe that this city will indeed be perfect and all of our dreams will be filled beyond the limits that we have… Paul says that no man knows; understand today that in this life we have and will only experience on this earth just a small portion of God’s love, grace and mercy (this alone should make you excited)! God has been good to us, but yet and still He has saved the best for last… As a child of God this gives me the motivation to keep fighting and not give up, this gives me the strength to keep going and not become weary in well doing… I know that my father is watching over me and when this life is over my days in eternity will be well worth my battles upon this earth…Every time you feel down and out think about the things to come… Every time you want to give up think about what’s in store… Even in all my imaginations, Paul says the things God has for me haven’t even entered my heart… There is no understanding of comprehension to the magnitude of what God will and can do… Image that when this life is over and you have completed the race on this side of Zion, that God has built a mansion just for you. Once you have passed the test and tribulations of this world, that you will walk the streets of gold. Stress will be gone, work will all be over, sorrow and pain are a distant memory, and the devil has been sent with all his followers to eternal damnation. This is all true and made known to us through the promises of God in His holy word. What’s funny is that that would be all I need to hear and know; however, we have been promised all that in more if we love Him and do His will.Today let us dream of the days to come knowing that when it arrives it will blow our minds, take our breath away and have tears of joy rolling down our faces.. Crazy to imagine a day like that I know, but as Paul tells us today, IT”S TRUE!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!