It's All Because Of God

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Psalm 75:6-7

The psalmist says, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor the west, nor the south…”There are people in your life which need to be reminded today that they don’t control you… There are situations that you face which may place limits on what you can do and the message today is that in Christ you are without restrictions… Your supervisor doesn’t control your destiny, your income doesn’t decide your abundance in life and your social connections do not determine your popularity and fame… In knowing that promotions only come from God, I am encouraged today to know that everything that I endure today is serving a purpose… The work you’re performing today is not going unnoticed as the word of God tells us, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” When people don’t recognize you, don’t let that dictate your performance or hinder your ability to carry out your duties. We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Church of Corinth (verse above) the same things which we are reminded of in our focus verses today, which is that God putteth down one, and setteth up another… The true character of an individual is not shown in the peace after the storm, but the peace which one displays while enduring a storm… The situations that you handle without murmuring and complaining put your faith in Christ on display; the circumstances that you don’t necessarily like are the ones which allow God to demonstrate His faithfulness in and through your life… Not everyone wants to see you come out on top, but you can smile even when you encounter those people because you know that they don’t have a say-so in your future endeavors… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Control Your Destiny

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Acts 3:19 

One of my favorite scriptures comes from the book of Jeremiah; the 29^th chapter and 11^thverse declares, “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.” Jeremiah penned this verse at a time when the Israelites were disobeying the will of God and were captive under the Babylonian kingdom… Through this oppression the word of God reminds them that despite what they are enduring, the Lord has a divine plan for them if only they would repent and be converted… This same message embodies our devotion today which comes from the 3^rd chapter of Acts… Understand today that the word of God is founded on His promises; however, His promises can only come to fruition when we adhere to His calling… So many people often say that they are waiting on God and the truth of the matter is that He just might be waiting on you… He is ready to move and before you were formed He already had a plan for you; however, your willingness to walk in faith is what will ignite the plan of God or delay it… Remember that we are governed by time; however, God is above and in command of time… There is no timetable set for God to complete His task, but there is indeed a timetable which we abide by and will never be able to go back in… It’s a sad truth that there are so many in this world who don’t realize how defiled and corrupt their lives are… Many people don’t see the flaws or are disillusioned about how they are negatively impacted by the material things they invest their thoughts and time in… Luke reminds us in this historic book of acts that we must repent and be converted in order for our sins to be blotted out… Understand today, that you must come to a point in your life when you realize that you are messed up, you are a filthy rag and that the ways of this world are the ways that will lead to happiness and peace… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Let Christ's Love Abound

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ

Philippians 1:9-10

Love is not a milestone we achieve, but a mountain without end that we continue to climb… As we examined over the past couple of days, Paul again reminds us of the priority that love plays in the life of a Christian… There are a lot of things which I believe that we all would love to thrive in; business, finances and happiness come to mind; however, Paul speaks today about the fact that we have to seek to be plentiful not in the money that we have in the bank but the love that we dispense and display to others… 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I incorporate this verse into today’s devotional because the love we offer to others puts the knowledge that we have of Christ on display… God is love and this is why Paul says that we must abound in it… When we abound in love, we are growing in God; we walk according to His will and fulfill the plans that He has uniquely designed for us… Being in Christ frees us from the failures of yesterday and provides the path to an abundant future for tomorrow… You have to make the choice to abound in love (in God) if you want to be set free as Peter tells us in his first epistle, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” We already established that God is love; so when we read this passage from 1 Peter we can conclude that it is God that covers a multitude of sins… You need to abound in love to be saved, you need to abound in love to be healed, and you need to abound in love to have a clean slate… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Let Your Answer Set The Tone

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

As we studied yesterday, the way in which we deal with people displays the true character of our heart and how we align ourselves with the will of God… Paul reminded us yesterday that we are to be “…kindly affectionate” to one another… Today we are told that “A soft answer turneth away wrath…” The source of anger which builds up in a person usually derives from how they are spoken to regarding a situation or action… I can recall growing up and even in my adulthood about how I have always been told that it isn’t want you say but how you say it and this principle is what we are focusing on in today’s devotional… The most powerful tool that you have been given to utilize in the body of Christ is your tongue; sadly, this can also be a deadly tool when the enemy has his way with you… As a child of God, you are called to bear witness, to reach others with his word and speak the name of Jesus Christ throughout the world… This is accomplished through the tongue and can only be achieved when we learn to defuse situations instead of igniting them… As I just stated, you can stir up anger with you words or you can speak in love to your fellowman and allow a situation that could’ve spiraled out of control to be used to encourage and uplift a wayward soul… You are called to give the right answer; however the way you give it will either lead someone to Christ or drive them away as the Proverb tells us that A soft answer turneth away wrath… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Puts Others First

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

Romans 12:10

Love is not only essential to obtaining peace upon this earth; love is also vital in adhering to the will of God… The word of God tells us that we were given a New Commandment regarding love in the gospel of John through the very mouth of Jesus Christ; in this gospel we find these words recorded, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Notice that Jesus says you MUST love one another; loving is not optional or something that we can turn on and off in the body of Christ… When we love we are not just showing kindness to one another; the love spoken of in that portion of scripture speaks to the fact that we are actually put God on display in our very lives as we are told in the bible that God is love…  This kind of love goes beyond a relationship and can even be seen in how we deal with our adversaries… The love you have for someone must be universal to everyone and not just people who show that love back to you; Christ showed this love in coming to the earth for a people who didn’t accept and rejected Him; remember that the word reminds in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us… He didn’t die because of the love you showed Him, but because of the unconditional love that He had for you… This is the principle we must live by, this love is what governs our ability to adhere to God’s command and live out His will… This is the very reason why Paul pens this verse to the Church of Rome and says, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. One of the biggest indications of our love for God is manifested in how we love our fellow man… The bible reminds us that God is love; so we showcase that God lives inside of us by the acts of love that we display… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He'll Be Your Foundation

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:6

Nothing in this world will last; the foundations you build upon when focused on the measures of success offered according to the worldly views will not last and the dreams you have will soon crash and burn… There are a lot of things which we seek in this world, (happiness, peace and stability) which can only be obtained through the grace and mercy of God… Today’s devotional reminds us that God is the only solidified foundation as Isaiah starts this verse by saying, He will be the sure foundation for your times… No matter the heights or depths that you reach or fall to, the foundation you have upon the Lord will not waver nor give way… Amidst instability you have a stable source who is Jesus Christ… The word of God tells in the 13^th chapter of Hebrews that in times of despair we can look to our elders and call to remembrance how God brought them through and find comfort in knowing that the same God that did it back then can do it today… It is in verses 6 through 8 that we find these words, So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The enemy wants you to seek after things which will not last; however, the word of God tells us (just as we studied previously) that you must lay up your treasures in heaven where a thief cannot steal and moth cannot destroy… This is the sure foundation we see in Isaiah and this is also where we can go to obtain wisdom and knowledge for our everyday affairs as Isaiah says that the Lord is a rich store… God has everything you need to sustain you through the day, week and years that you see upon this earth… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Keep Planting The Seeds

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Micah 4:2

There will come a time when all will come to say let us go up to the mountain of the Lord… This message encourages the believer in Christ to continue his/her pursuit of knowing Him in the most intimate of ways… So many are confounded with the laws of the land that they have begun to turn from the path of Christ and follow the thoughts of mankind… I declare to you today to stay the course, continue to fight the good fight of faith knowing this that your labour is not in vain… Micah says many nations shall come; sadly, this teaches us today that not everyone will turn to the Lord, there will be some who will simply miss the opportunity of salvation which has been placed before them… There are some people on this earth whom you will encounter today and will see there face no more, there are some who will reject Christ and will be begging and pleading for a second chance like Lazarus or even find themselves asking for a warning to be sent to their friends of a similar mindset… 

This is a sobering reality for us to make sure that our houses are in order; however, this message also brings another point to mind in that we must display Christ wherever we go and in whatever we do… We are assured that some will miss out, but knowing that many nations shall come, lets me know that there will be others that will recognize the errors of their ways and will come to know Christ by their encounter with you… Christ desire is that all should be saved and His word must go forth so that we can let others have the chance to inherit Eternal Life! A lot of people have denied Christ simply because they don’t know him; your testimony can go a long way to saving a soul, your life example can be the beacon light that that person needs to be shined into their lives! Christ will return, but right now the time for us has come to let the nations know who we serve and the power that He possesses… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Heaven Is Your Safe Haven

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:20-21

Today’s devotion focuses on the goals we have set for ourselves along the journey of life that we travel… As a child of God your main goal is pleasing the Lord; this is obtained by living today’s focus verses daily instead of speaking them verbally… The things that you cherish most are often times the things that your heart desires and the word of God reminds us throughout its pages about the importance of our heart… Remember in the Old Testament when Samuel was sent to anoint David as king, the Lord told him that “the Lord looks at the heart…” I recall this to our attention to reinforce the point that no matter what you do with the life that God has given you, every action will be judged by the motivation which came from your heart… This is why Jesus tells us to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… You have to have your heart focused on the Lord if you want to achieve and accomplish the divine will that He has designed and ordained for you… It wasn’t until Jesus was taken up from this earth that the disciples begin to realize that the true reward wasn’t here on earth but in heaven… 

As we study these verses, we must come to realize just as the disciples whom walked with Jesus; that we are not working for a reward we can receive in this lifetime… We may say promotions, we may say increase we may see abundance, but we are never to mistake these things for the true richest that God has stored up for us in heaven… In the blink of an eye people can change, situations can flip-flop and jobs can be lost… This is why we are told to “…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal…” The term, “here today and gone the next” does apply to this life and all that we can obtain in it; however as a child of God we are promised not only victory, but we are assured that once we are in the Father’s hand, nothing in this world or outside of it can pluck us out of His grace and mercy… We are protected and our salvation is secured... Place your treasures in God’s hand, it’s the safest place for you to invest!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Avoid The Headache; Teach Your Children

And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Isaiah 54:13

Instilling the word of God from the womb is how you assure a right path and plain vision for your offspring… This is not to say that everything will be perfect, but what this does mean is that when you bring up your child in the word of God, he or she will always have that seed which will sprout at some point in their lives… This is why the great proverb says that as we train up our children in the way that they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it… Training has to take place in your home, through your words as well as your actions… We don’t have to look any further than our own household to see the damage that this world has done in the lives of children and young adults… Technology has made the temptations of the flesh so easy to be cured along with the visible defiling of one’s body and spiritual makeup… The desire of peace and love has been uprooted by the desire to be accepted and to belong… So many young people in today’s life are looking for love and have found a door open to them that lead to all kinds of destruction and despair… I know that that there have been many opportunities in my life that have presented themselves and truthfully speaking, had I accepted them I probably wouldn’t be here today… We see the problems that we face daily; we see the problems that are presented before our very eyes; however the question that I pose to you today is what are you going to do about it…? Kids are being taught how to dance provocatively at early ages, they are being taught curse words as soon as they can utter their first words and the question that we are asked today through the prophet Isaiah is what are we teaching our children… 

There is a difference between instructing and teaching… Instructing is giving direction or steps, but teaching is the ability to break down instructions and show how to reach and obtain the end result… Isaiah says in today’s focus verse, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord…” If you want your child on the right path devote time in your day to teach them the goodness of God… If you want them to respect their body and themselves, show them the love that Christ has poured out on the cross for them and the desire that He has for all to love and adore His name… Make sure that you children know that they are loved, make sure they know that they have a bright future, and make sure that they know that they always have a friend to talk too… The peace of your child comes through love, support and encouragement… Teach them the will of God no matter how long or hard it may seem; if you want peace and prosperity for your child, then don’t let them go and stay on them and watch how they turn out!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He's Able To Keep You From Falling

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.

Jude 1:24-25

Notice how Jude starts off by saying, Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling; we just talked on yesterday about how the Lord gave His angels command over you and today Jude reminds us that the Lord is the only one who can keep you from falling… You will not make it on your own, you will not overcome without the Lord and you will not reach higher heights without the wings of His angels… When I imagine the beauty of heaven I cannot wait to see it; however, the key to the pearly gates is only found in the blood of the lamb… Not only is Jesus the one source to keep from falling, He has the ability to make you a co-heir and justify your entry to Eternal Life… This is why Jude doesn’t stop at saying that He can keep you from falling, he goes on to say and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy… Christ finds joy in your commitment to His will and plan… Christ knows the bumpy road you travel, He knows the scars that you have picked up along the way and this devotion today reminds us that as long as we continue to look to Him, He will continue to prepare that special place for us… As a child I often wondered why I heard this particular passage so often in church, I don’t know about you, but often times I hear this scripture repeated at the close of worship service as part of the preacher’s Benediction… 

So as we close today, let us NOW LOOK UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Angels Are Watching Over You

"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." 

Psalm 91:11-12

David records in the 37^th psalm verses 23 and 24 that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and that the Lord will uphold Him… “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” This same message is recorded in today’s focus verses taken from the 91^st psalm… I refer to the verses from the 37^th Psalm while focusing on today’s devotional because of the fact that as a child of God we will stumble; however, we can take pride in knowing that we shall not fall or be utterly cast down… There are things in life that will trip you up, situations that will cause you to become uneasy and sometimes we may find ourselves wavering amidst the storms we face; wherever you are and whatever you are going through, the message of the day is that God has given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in al thy ways… The writer of this Psalm is unknown; I say that to let you know that you can claim ownership of these powerful verses in your life… You can place your name as the writer to declare that God will protect you wherever you go and whatever type of situations that you face… I tell you to declare this today because we have to get out of the mindset that things will not happen to us… Notice what the verses say, God has given His angels charge over you to keep you, this does not mean to prevent or deter, but simply to keep you… There are things in your life that you have to endure and be exposed to and the angels of the Lord are here to keep you together when you faced with something that will tear you apart without the assistance of the aforementioned angels… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Blessings Follow Obedience

In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Genesis 22:17-18

There is blessing in obedience… The things that you do which God has commanded you to do have not gone unnoticed and you have to stand in faith knowing that a blessing is on the way… The Lord says that you will be blessed like Abraham because of the fact that thou hast obeyed my voice… God has been speaking to mankind since the very creation of man and it is up to us as to whether or not we hear and obey His voice… There are a lot of things in this life which clutter our ear gate to the point that we cannot hear the voice of God; however Jesus Christ tells us in the 10^th chapter of John, verse 27 that “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” You may be at a point in your life where you are constantly praying to God for a blessing; you are laying before Him all your cares and have come to the conclusion that He may simply not be answering your prayers… This devotion today reminds us that we must obey the voice of God if we want to receive the blessings of God… Make no mistake about it, God indeed is hearing even the faintest of cries; however, the problem is not God hearing you but you having the ability to hear Him… As you pray God may be calling your to walk in obedience and you have not adhered to that call which is why the blessing your anticipate has been delayed in coming… This passage taken from the book of Genesis is penned at the time in which Abram has received his call from the Lord… Abraham was promised manifold blessing from the Lord… The Lord tells him in our two focus verses today that He will bless him, multiply his seed and allow him to possess the gate of his enemies… One can read these promises and say that Abraham must have been favored by the Lord and truly was “…a friend of God…” which he is called in a couple of scriptures recorded in the bible… The favor of God which resulted in this manifold blessing in the life of Abraham did not come without a measure of obedience and faith displayed in Abraham’s life… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Lord Is Good And Ready To Forgive

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Psalm 86:5

The Lord is ready to bless you, He is ready to open up doors on your behalf and give you a clean slate… The word of God tells us that “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” I have heard so many people talk about how they have prayed to God and are awaiting an answer as to how to handle this or that situation; however, we are reminded today that we are not waiting on the Lord, but that He is waiting on us… We all have missed the mark, we all have made mistakes, but the reality is that you are the one which delays the goals set before you… Even though you have gone the wrong way, David recalls to our attention the fact that the Lord is ready to forgive and that He is plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee… The Lord desires nothing but the best for you and when things go south in your life He is simply waiting for you to turn to Him rather than trying to find your own way out… There are so many of us who have allowed our past to dictate our future and this simply is not of God… The enemy has so many of us deceived, we feel like we are beyond saving and like a pig we find ourselves wallowing in our mess… This passage tells us that you hold the very keys to your life; you can be all that you want to be and more in Christ, but you first must acknowledge your mistakes and look to Him in order to overcome them… Think about how much you have tried to conceal from your peers; think about how many choices which you have made that you have tried to hide or keep locked away… This is not the life which God designed you to live; everyday that you conceal is another day where you have fastened your eyes behind you and therefore continue to have accidents on the road which lies ahead of you… You cannot drive a car and make it safely to your destination if you are constantly looking in your review mirror… This same principle applies to life; you have to move past yesterday, you have to overcome your failures and even though some people in your life may want to hold them over your head, you must declare that the past is the past and Christ had died for my sins and the father has forgiven me… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Has Freed You

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1

Take the time periodically throughout the day to remind yourself that you are free in Christ… This is not to say that you should abandon your job or that you should speak freely to your co-workers; this is just to remind you that your past restrictions will not limit your future progress… Paul was a man who was opposed because of the years of his life when he was known as Saul; there were many who wanted to focus on his past and use that to negate his future… This same thing happens to us daily, there are people who want to hold you back based on yesterday, they want you to be defined by your past instead of learning from it and the word of God says that we need to “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert...” God took a man with a speech impediment and made him a leader (Moses), he took a shepherd and made him a king (David) and he took a young man fleeing from his twin brother and made him the father of the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob)… All these men had a past, all of them encountered obstacles and made mistakes along the way; however, the biggest point about these men is that they didn’t let their past determine their future, they believed in the liberty which is received by all who believe and were able to overcome their detractors… Moses lead the children of God to the cusp of the Promise Land, David was called a man after God’s own heart and Jacob was transformed into Israel after wrestling a man (God) all night long… These men were liberated from their mistakes and errors; this same liberation we also can obtain as Paul speaks to the fact that we have been liberated by Christ which has made us free… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Will Is That You Believe And Are Saved

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:40 

You are loved by God and He wants nothing but the best for you… These words are words for you to hang your hat on in the body of Christ… This doesn’t mean that you won’t experience your fair share of ups and downs; this passage just reminds you that the very will of God is that you know Him and that you are saved through His son Jesus Christ… The beginning of this verse says, “And this is the will of Him that sent me…” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ declares in this verse the will of God before men in this very passage… He informs us that even in the midst of our perverse ways, even while we seek pleasures of this world and turn our backs on the Lord that He desires for us to come to know Him so that we can be saved from the certain death that awaits us… Previously, we examined a verse from the psalmist talking about “who is man that thou are mindful of him…” Make no mistake about it, God wants you to be with Him in glory; however He does not need you to be there (there is a big difference between the two)… God wants you to turn, He wants you to open your eyes, see that the path you choose of this world is not the way and trust that He can still bring you out... Understanding that Jesus came to do the will of God lets me know that God has a will and plan for me as well… The bible teaches us that God desires all to be saved and come to know Him more intimately; this passage reminds us that even in the worse of situations or the worst of times we can still draw strength in knowing that God desires us…God’s desire is for us to have Eternal Life; however, one must work in order to receive that gift that has been set aside for them… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are Not Worthy Of His Mercy

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 8:3-4

Have you ever asked yourself why God cares so much about you…? This is the same God who made the heavens and earth, the same God who inhabits the praises of His people and the same God who is surrounded by angels and hymns of praise… Even in the midst of all that, He turns His attention toward you and cares about you… Why is that? This is the question that is asked by the psalmist today… “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained…” Take time out of your day to think about all the things that God has created, think about the things He has spoken into existence, this mere reality make me often wonder this same thing that is asked today, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” The truth of the matter is we don’t deserve His goodness, we don’t deserve His mercy, we don’t deserve His grace but yet and still He gives us new mercies every morning and provides enough grace to open up doors that we never thought could be opened… I am living witness of God’s faithfulness not just because I am here, but because I have been between a rock and a hard place and know that it was only by His grace and mercy that I was kept and able to overcome (now is another display of His authority)… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Offer Unto God Thanksgiving

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalm 50:15

Despite the ups and downs that you may face or encounter; the words which come from your lips should be words of thanksgiving unto the Lord… The devotion calls for us to remember that things can always be worse; when facing storms in your life, you must get to the point where you are able to smile because of the ability that you have to feel the rain… There are so many people who would love to go through the things which you are going through; however, the path which they are traveling calls for a different storm for them to face… I make this point because we all encounter storms, there is no life paved from the womb to the gates of heaven which will not subject you to storms during your travel… This is why you have to be thankful; you can thank God in the midst of your storms because you know that you will come out of them and the water which has fallen will simply provide the nutrients needed for the seed which God planted in you to sprout… There is a purpose to the trials you face and this is why the writer goes on to say, pay thy vows unto the most High… Don’t hold back because of the things you face; as a matter of fact, give even more when the trials become that much more intense… There are people learning from your walk of faith and you too will be exalted because God will definitely show His faithfulness when you adhere to His calling despite the obstacles which are before you… Make no mistake about it, I will deliver thee; says the Lord… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Order To Partake You Must Overcome

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7

We all have ears; however we all are not listening or hearing the same things…God will open doors, He will make ways out of no way and He will bestow blessings upon you; however, you must hear the steps which you must take which derive from the motivation to overcome the obstacles and challenges of this life… God is speaking to the church, He is speaking to you and is reminding us today that He will provide if we make our mind up not to give in when adversity comes to our home… The average church attendee will speak words of praise and reverences regarding the Lord when things are going well; however, those same words soon change from praise to complaints when trials and hardships have to be faced… The message today is that your times of despair will either separate you from God or sanctify you unto Him… If the hardships and trials bring you closer to the Lord than you have a good pair of ears as you’ve heard what the spirit saith unto the churches… God never promised life without struggle, He never said you would have paths paved on smooth roads and He never said that your life would be exactly how you imagined; the Lord did however make several promises of the blessings and prosperity that we would receive and come to know if we abide in Him and this is what is echoed here when we are called to be over comers… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Still And Know That I Am God

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

Not everything that you see upon this earth requires you to act… There are too many instances where people jump into a situation or react to a situation when the word of God calls for us to walk by faith and not by sight… You must get to a point in your faith where even the most drastic unforeseen circumstance do not alter your ability to stand still and wait upon the Lord… I am a true believer that times of adversity show the true character and faith of an individual and today we are given evidence through this passage of how it is that we must handle various situations… Not everything will turn out the way you planned and everyday of your life will not be happy go luck; on the contrary, you will endure challenges and trying times and it is of the utmost importance that when these challenges arrive you have the staying power in the Lord and are not swayed into action and therefore cause more damage… The Lord knows everything, He sees what you are going through and He has a plan that will fulfill the second part of this scripture which states, I will be exalted among the heathen…  The Lord will be victorious; His name will be exalted and as the scriptures state, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess… Don’t get caught up in this battle; after all you are not the one fighting it when you walk in faith… Don’t allow the enemy to try and thwart God's divine will and plan by having you press the panic button when a storm approaches your doorstep… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We All, Like Sheep Have Gone Astray

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

Christ didn’t lay down His life for one person on this earth, but for every man who has taken a breath upon this earth knowing that we all fallen short of the glory of God… The message from today’s devotion is that none of us are perfect; as a matter of fact, we all have flaws and if it were not for the grace and mercy of God, we would all dwell together in the pits of hell… The bible refers to us as sheep for the simply fact that we must be guided or else we will surely be loss and eventually devoured by the enemy…You have to come to grips that you cannot get through this life on your own ability… There are so many of us that think we have the answers or that we can obtain them within our own finite minds, when you think like this you have already given your very soul over to the predator and don’t stand a chance in this battle let alone the war… Understand that temptation upon this earth is real and if given a small crack or whole in the plan, we will go astray (like sheep) not knowing the consequences of our actions or the fate which lies ahead when we take the detour… I can recall countless light bulb moments in my life where I wish I could have gone back in time and changed my decisions the day prior… This passage not only speaks to our imperfection, but it also speaks to the humility that a child of God must have and display on this earth… One of the things that plagues Christians on this earth is the ability to admit that they don’t have the answers and may not even know what the end result will be… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Is The Bread of Life

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6:51

In this life we all are hungry for something; money is something that some of us will stop at nothing to obtain along with power and respect… The message today is one that calls for us to acknowledge our hunger and turn to the Lord to be filled… You are not called to pursue after money at all cost, you are not called to strive for a position of power on this earth; all you are asked to do is seek ye first the kingdom of God… The Lord knows the things you stand in need of, He knows your desires and has the ability to satisfy your hunger and fill it completely… The things of this world will never satisfy the soul which yearns for more… This is why Jesus said I am the living bread which came down from heaven… He came to this earth to fill you in the depths of your being and not just on the surface which is all that you can obtain on this earth… It took the very son of God, sent from heaven to become a man upon this earth so that the void in our lives could be filled… In this world, we too often try the quick fix and patching up circumstance and situations instead of relying on the Lord knowing that He not only will show up, but that He is the only one capable of fixing and totally restoring situations… The declaration is presented by Jesus that if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever… Your life, your happiness, your joy and being are assured in the arms of Christ… The question that comes to mind, do you really want to live…? Are you really tired of settling for less, is the quick fix no longer an option and are you’re ready to have your life made whole even if it means that you will lose some people along the way… This is the question that you have to answer today, you can be filled, but you will have to leave the nonsense of this world behind… You have to alter your mindset and starting thinking with a mind of Christ which will have you changing the people you associate with and even the things which you consume through your ears… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!