Spread The Word; Break The Chains

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.

Isaiah 61:1

Isaiah was called by God to go and prophesy to the children of the Lord, He was called to go to a rebellious people and declare the things that God revealed to him… What I find so fascinating about this scripture is the boldness that Isaiah has to go forward and speak the word of the Lord… Understand today that we are all called to set the captives free; however it is through the spirit of God that we obtain the might, authority and direction in order to fulfill this task and the destiny that God has called us to… Isaiah 6: 5-8 teaches us about where we were and how the spirit’s presence changes and transforms situations… 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? "And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"Isaiah wasn’t always about the work of the Lord, when He saw the glory of the Lord he cried out woe is me, I am undone, I am not worthy to behold this wonder; however when He was touched by the live coal the Lord asked who shall I send and Isaiah replied “Here I am. Send me… We too are not worthy of the glory of the Lord, we are not worthy of the offering that Christ poured out on the cross; however we have received a golden opportunity to walk in the will of the Lord and are promised Eternal Life when we obey His calling... Isaiah’s confidence is found in knowing that God has cleansed him and prepared him for this task… Remember where you were before God gave you that second chance; when you realize that you were filthy and deep in sin, you'd be wise to appreciate the avenue that God has paved for you and therefore can be bold in the midst of a troubled world and society… There is somebody that you will encounter today that is waiting for you to display your boldness in the Spirit of God… Allow God to use you in the way he deems fit; lives will be changed and situations altered…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

I Know My Redeemer Lives

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

Job 19:25

This passage taken from the book of Job speaks to the faith that a Christian must display not only in the good times, but in times of adversity… So often we praise God when things go well and we feel happy, but as a child of God we must understand that persecution is a part of growth, trials bring about maturity and obstacles develop your endurance on this course of life… The devil is seeking whom he may devour and he wants to devour the one who has chosen the will and path of God (he isn’t concerned about those of the world because they aren’t following the will of the most high)! Remember that Jesus was on this earth for 30 whole years, but you never hear about the devil tempting Him until He was baptized and preparing to begin His ministry! Job was a man of faith and this passage speaks to that aspect of His life when everything around him seemed to fail... Remember the circumstances that Job faced in his life; he had everything a man could want (good health, a loving and strong-bonded family, and wealth of cattle). Job was considered by many as a (n) ideal man who had accomplished all that he could and achieved success at every level and avenue of his life. 

In the blink of an eye,by God’s permission; everything was taken away from him. His children died, his cattle were stolen and his health was compromised. The closest person to him left in his life was his wife and she told him to curse God and die. How do we react when things in our lives take a turn for the worst, the one we trust betrays us (Job’s wife and friends) and we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, on an island of misfortune by ourselves…? Today we find Job here declaring to us something that we should too be able to say. I know my redeemer liveth, people have a false belief that being a Christian means you won’t have bad days, trials and tribulations, or sleepless nights, but on the contrary this walk is for those who can endure, and Jesus told his disciples that they hated him first. You will make it through this storm, you will survive and in the end you will win… Jesus made it known that you would struggle, you would have dark days, and definitely you will deal with sleepless nights. But our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. We believe that the suffering of this present time will not equal our reward in heaven, so we await Jesus' return with great anticipation. We live just as Job and say “THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST HIM!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is In Control

Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

 

Revelation 1:17-18

 

As we walk this earth we are reminded that we have nothing to fear; understand that there is nothing in this world or of this world that can overtake the will and plan that God has for your life… The revelation revealed to John teaches us that before us God was there and in the end He will still remain… Jesus indeed did die as all humans will; however, spiritually the bible says that He gave up the ghost and it is by His spirit that we have nothing to fear, by His spirit we can overcome mountains and receive life and life more abundantly… Notice the blessing and strength given unto the Children of God in this passage. It tells us to FEAR NOT, so many of us are worried about what the future holds, where we will be in the next couple of years, will we find that special someone, will we be happy and have a stable job and income. John reminds us through the sacrifice of Jesus that we have nothing to fear. We don’t have to worry; we don’t have to be confused, or unstable in our actions on this earth. Jesus declares that he was the first and the last. This means that He was the first to endure hardships, He was the first to go through the grind of dealing with the penalty of sin, but it also means that He was the last, He went through the obstacles and defeated every last one of them. Your sin has already been dealt with, you future already promised to be fruitful. There is no need for you to fear because God already knows what you stand in need of and as long as you seek Him first, you will receive all you need and more…

This is my hope and passion, this is what I rest and look forward to, this is why I don’t fear the current circumstances and NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Reigns

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26

In the midst of your trials and tribulations God is at work… While Jesus was enduring the mocking and agony of the cross His rewards were being prepared as well… Today let us understand that the enemy may appear to have the upper hand, but while we are in the worst of times, God is in the best and will defeat the foe that stands before us… Paul says He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet… Jesus will stand the test of time (as He showed when He took the form of man), there is nothing in or of this world that will outlast God’s love, grace and mercy. We as believers should take courage today in knowing that Paul was right when He said “no weapon formed against you shall prosper”… Isaiah was dead on when he said that “He will make His enemies His footstool”… Every obstacle you face can be overcome, every trial can serve a positive purpose and every tribulation can promote endurance within you… Paul also wrote that this race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure! Let us endure as Jesus did us on the cross, let us endure as Jesus did when He was mocked, and let us endure as Jesus did when He was spit on… A lot of us may be finding ourselves in situations where the enemy seems to be winning, let us not become weary in well-doing for we shall reap a harvest if we faint not… Your task at hand is to hold to God’s unchanging hand, your objective is to maintain your faith throughout every storm that comes your way because God will reign over your life and provides victory through your turmoil… Keep fighting the good fight and finish this race, those running against or those who appear to have the upper hand will not beat you to the finish line!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Word Will Not Return Void

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

Stand true in your faith knowing today that His word “…shall not return unto me void…” God has said that things will change, He has promised in His word that walking with Him will produce fruits that your labor will be worth; however, many of us today become so frustrated with what appears to be fruitless labor to the point that we give up and don’t adhere to the call God has upon our lives…  The word of God is that “If you abide in me I will abide in you…” His word is that “weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning” His word is that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…” You have read plenty of promises that God has for those who keep the faith in a faithless world and today we are assured that even though things may appear deem or unaltered that God is working and His work will continue to be performed “until Christ returns…” You are working in His vineyard and your reward is assured… This call from Isaiah is for you to stay the course and know that your years of blood sweet and tears are producing and watering seeds that God has in you… When you feel as if you labor is in vain, remember what the bible declares, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”God never said it would be easy, but what He did say is that all those who call on His name will be saved! He never said that you wouldn’t see dark days and sleepless nights, but He did say that a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but if you make the Lord your dwelling place it will not come near you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Spend Your Time Wisely

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

The psalmist speaks to the focus and mindset that a child of God must have… We cannot assume things as if we have control of the days we live on this earth! Too often we put off for tomorrow what we should complete today. This psalm is a prayer for guidance and a petition for the Lord to teach us to walk in His marvelous light… The psalmist recognizes that God is the head and founder of all; the foundations of the earth are His... The psalmist states and is stating that God returns man to dust and controls our afflictions. If we are to walk as a child of the most high, we must learn to number our days. This is not speaking of a plan as to when we are going to do x, y and z; but rather it speaks to a humble approach, being thankful for the days (today) you have been privileged to witness and knowing that tomorrow is never promised! Number your days by taking them one at a time, number your days living each day knowing it is a blessing and privilege to see… If God touches you and wakes you in the morning, know that you have been afforded another chance to develop a more intimate relationship with Him, know that you have been given another chance to make peace with your adversaries and submit your life to Christ! See, often times we try to fulfill our own lustful and fleshly desires believing that we will have a chance to repent and God will forgive us (we don’t number our days because we live as if tomorrow we can right all of our wrongs; however, the psalmist is calling for us to focus on living a life that pleases God now and not trying to put off until we have experienced what this world has to offer… We need to number our days so that we can apply our hearts unto wisdom. Believing that today is a gift will put us in the mindset that Christ has blessed us by touching us early this morning! We will awaken with praises flowing from our lips as well as the warm blood within our veins… 

Don’t expect tomorrow, trust Him and live today!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Discipline Is For Your Good

...But He (disciplines us) for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:10-11

Understand today that a punishment is only effective when the one being punish learns the errors of his/her ways and improves… There are many people who beat or whip their children, but have not actually reached their child in a means to correct them… It is important today to realize this because God disciplines us in many ways and forms; however, it is “…for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness…” The author of Hebrews reminds us today that God punishes us out of love and a desire to see us succeed; if we truly reaped what we have/had sown, then you and I would be in the midst of hell today; however, God punishes to teach us the right way and for us to come to know and understand that the path that we had choose originally was not the best path for us to walk… As a child when I was whipped I thought that I was enduring the most terrible feeling I could ever feel; however I never thought about how bad a feeling that I placed in the hearts of my parents by conducting myself in a manner that was not pleasing to them… I think we all can agree that there is no fun in being whipped, but when we learn from our mistakes and begin to reap the rewards of our transformation, then that unpleasant feeling is well worth it… Short lived pain is always worth it when you receive a lifetime of bliss… The author today wants you to know that the corrective measures God puts in place are not intended to harm you, these devices get you on the straight and narrow, they place you where He wants and needs you to be so that you can reach and become what He designed you for… The author acknowledges that “…no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous...” Discipline isn’t well received; it isn’t something we want to endure and it painful to accept; however the product that comes from it outweighs the pain that it inflects… 

All For His Glory!

He Hasn't Forgotten About You

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:19

It is hard for me to face the errors of my ways… Daily I try to forget things or remove thoughts from my mind as I journey through this life… Through this passage taken from Micah I find hope for my lost soul… I find encouragement even though I know the mistakes I have made and the fact that a lot of things I deal with are a result of my actions… Micah provides evidence today that we can stand on when others try to keep us down and in the dumps… The passage calls for us to know that where we are isn’t where God wants us to be; however, despite our flaws “He will turn again; he will have compassion upon us…” Take courage in knowing today that trouble won’t last always (even if the trouble is a direct result of your decisions)… Even though you may be in a rut or feeling down and out; you should find peace in knowing that “He will turn again…” God loves you and He wants to see you succeed… His desire is for you to reach levels far above what the human eye can comprehend and for you to obtain a weight of glory which Paul says that our present suffering cannot compare with… The book of Lamentations, written by Jeremiah reminds us that God’s mercies fail not; that they are new every morning, Jeremiah then goes on to tell us that it is because of His compassion that we are not consumed and he concludes by saying great is thy faithfulness… Micah echoes those same sentiments today; the second part of this verse says, “…he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities…” Despite what you have done, despite the decisions you have made, the love of God won’t allow you to be utterly cast down… Sure, you will deal with the consequences of your actions, you will face and reap what you have sown; however, you should be encouraged today to know that God“will subdue our iniquities…” Subdue means to restrain, control, pacify or hold back; iniquity is injustice, evil or wickedness… God will keep you from being overtaken by evil, He will restrain you from the sins you have committed so that you don’t allow them to corrupt or destroy your future…  Let us understand the words that Micah is saying today; God hasn’t forgotten about you, He hasn’t given up on you, but you must endure the hardships of life to be molded and prepared for Christ return…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Ask, Seek and Knock (Three Keys To Victory)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

As a Christian these verses taken from the gospel of Matthew display how it is that we obtain the vision and will God has for our lives. To obtain what it is that God has for you, to walk in the will of God and to ensure your eternal resting place these three steps outlined below must be taken… First, you must ask God; this means that you inquire of Him and develop a relationship with Him knowing that He is the source of your being and happiness. Asking implies that there is a (n) answer you seek and Jesus is reminding us today that God has all the answers and we must indeed turn and ask the proper person to find the correct answer… The bible says we have not because we ask not!!! After asking God, the Second thing you must do is seek Him; a lot of times we take the first step but become frustrated and irritated with the second… The bible says that God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory; many people quote this scripture to imply that God will give you everything you ask for at the drop of a hat; however the bible also says in Jeremiah 29:13 that, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Study God’s word, fast, and pray with earnest. After asking and seeking, the third thing we must do is knock; this is the most important decision that a Christian must make, to knock means that there is something separating you from where you want to be and where you are at the present time. When you knock on a door, you are awaiting the door to be opened and you stand in anticipation. We must knock on the door of heaven, but we must also knock down the obstacle that WILL be placed in front of us as we seek to live within God’s will. 

SO, ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK!!!! Surely you will find what you stand in need of even if it isn’t what you expected!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Eternal Life Is Found In Knowing Christ

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3

Eternal Life was deposited upon this earth in the form of God’s son, it was laid before you in His outstretched arms and all He endured on the cross… John reminds us today that Eternal Life is found in the “The Only True God…” There is only one God; there is only one prince of peace and one savior… A good friend of mine once told me that the distance between you and salvation is the same distance that your mouth is from your heart… Eternal Life is free, but it only comes through knowing (faith), acknowledging (mouth) and accepting (heart) the only True God… Some religions believe that good deeds are rewarded with eternal life, but my Bible tells me that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light, no man come to the father but by me…” This is life eternal, this is all that we have and all that we should cling too; that we may know the ONLY true God! There are many gods in this world, but notice this passage says to know thee only true God. After we have ventured the wrong way, sought the wrong things and turned to vain glory, we see that Christ still remains… When we have placed idols in our lives in the form of money, relationships and pride, we see that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… John reminds us today that there is only One true God and that salvation was made possible through the sacrifice of His beloved son! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God's Given You The Power

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luke 10:19

What plagues this world that we live in is not sin; but that we have ignored the power that we have the ability to obtain as a child of God… Jesus says that He gives us all power; through Jesus we can obtain all the might that we need to overcome trials, endure hardships and move mountains… In light of this passage and the words that Jesus speaks today, the question I have is a simple one, why do you live as a  captive when you have been freed? Why do we settle for less when God has given us so much more? This passage declares that we have the power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Serpents and Scorpions are two of the most feared and dangerous creatures on this earth, we know the devil took the form of a serpent and deceived mankind; however, we are being told that we can overcome and face any challenge or obstacle in this life. Jesus uses these two reptiles to display the limitless power we receive as a child of God! The bible says you will be tried, you will have persecutions, but Jesus assures us today that no weapon formed against you shall prosper and that you will be victorious and all you do according to His name… You are surrounded by scorpions and serpents, but know that you can turn those stumbling blocks into stepping stones…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Magnify The Lord With Me

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:3-4

Read this next line very carefully, when we try things on our own we will never experience what could be… These verses taken from the book of psalms reminds us of the grace and mercy that is accredited to us daily… David calls for us to “magnify the Lord” and “exalt his name”… You might ask the question why (as if you don’t know that God is deserving of all praise, honor confidence and love – Revelations 4:11); however, David proclaims this because God has made ways out of no way and has always delivered us even when we didn’t deserve it… It is important to note the time in which these verses were penned… Let us examine these verses written by King David in the 34 psalms and come to understand the period of time that David “sought the Lord…” This psalm is recorded while David was under attack by Saul and fled to the land of Gath… He ended up in the camp of Abimelech who was the King of Shechem and despised the Israelites… 

While living in the land of the enemy David decided to change his behavior and act crazy so that he would not be killed by the Philistines! It was a statue of tradition that they didn’t kill people who were insane, so Abimelech decided to drive him away, and David left. David was faced with opposition on both sides (Saul on one and Abimelech on the other) and although he fled to the enemy’s camp and caused more anguish on himself, God still showed up and delivered him out of his circumstances, this is why David finds complete joy in the Lord, so much so that he encourages you today and says “O Magnify the Lord with me!” In reading this psalm and knowing the background, we can draw a direct parallel to our lives… We have tried to handle situation on our own and face trials with our own agenda in mind and as a result made things worse… We have made the gap wider or the hole deeper and as a result we find ourselves in a worse position than we started off in… Even though we have walked a will that we decided, God still has shown mercy on our behalf and raised us up out of the pit we had dug… David is saying that we should all magnify the Lord with him, we should exalt His name together because of His Grace and Mercy, because of His faithfulness and Compassion and because He has delivered us from all our fears… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Peacemakers - The Children of God

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Matthew 5:9

To be at peace, one is calm, quiet or walking in harmony with others… All these traits are very rarely displayed or obtained as we go throughout this journey of life… We find people who pluck our nerves, get under our skin or encounter situations that leave us disgusted and confused… Either way you look at it, the circumstances that we face daily in our lives make it very easy for us to showcase or display the exact opposite of what we are called to do and/or be in today’s focus verse… Make no mistake about it; the enemy wants you to do the things that are not pleasing to God… Satan doesn’t want you to be“called the children of God” as outlined in this verse, so he brings confusion, chaos and destruction as storms to wreck havoc in your everyday life and affairs… Matthew records in the fifth chapter the “beatitudes” of Christ or the blessings that Christ bestowed in His sermon on the mountain… In these words Christ describes the rewards that each child will receive when they walk in the uniqueness that they were created… Today we examine one verse in particular that speaks to the heart of a child of God! Jesus says, “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”One of the center focuses of Christianity is that we know how to control ourselves when dealing with flesh and anger… To be a peacemaker we must kill the uncontrolled emotions within, we must look beyond faults and see needs… We must see every trial as a measuring stick to gauge our progress within this Christian walk. As a peacemaker we literally must model Christ, after all, that’s the only way we can be called a “child of God!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Listen More and Talk Less

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

James 1:19-20

I was once told you were given one mouth and two ears for a reason… You should listen twice as much as you speak… Growing up with 7 siblings, arguments seem to be a daily routine within our household; whether someone was wronged, a(n) item was taken or the channel on the television was switched; it was never a matter of talking through things but rather yelling out of control until our parents stepped in and took whatever we were arguing about away from us… Being rebellious and retaliatory are natural traits of human nature… When someone has wronged us we naturally want to get them back or at the very least let them know our thoughts (most of the time these are not kind words)… If we come to the realization that the state we enter this world in produces negative things, than we will understand that as a child of God we show our maturity and growth in how we resolve issues and communicate with others… Personally speaking, my father will tell you that I was beat the most of any of my siblings and that I caused the most chaos, there was no question that if you crossed my path in a negative manner you were susceptible to my wrath; however over the years I can truly say that I have grown as a child of God because I can turn situations over to the Lord in prayer and not allow my emotions to get the best of me… To be able to refrain from what comes naturally is a testament to your faith and advancement in the will of God… Sin is natural; however when we make attempts to avoid sin and live a life that is pleasing to God we are displaying the characteristics that a child of God should display and we are living the life that James speaks of in our focus verses today… Self control demonstrates how far we have grown in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… James reminds us today that we must be swift to hear, but slow to speak… In other words, it’s best that you shut your mouth and open your ears… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Bore Our Iniquities

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

There is no one upon this earth who is blameless or without flaw… The biggest step toward becoming what you were created to be is realizing that you aren’t what you were designed to be…  Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray…” A sheep is a animal that needs guidance, discipline and structure provided for them… Sheep are frequently thought of as extremely unintelligent animals who can become frightened easily, intimidated and subdued… We “being like sheep” can easily be lead astray because of the self discipline we lack and the fear of the unknown that leads us to cling to the inferiority of the present… Sheep have to be monitored and guided because they can very easily wonder off… The same is true of the body of Christ; we need the presence of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in order to keep from wondering off and becoming subject to many snares and traps… This verse taken from Isaiah tells me that since my birth I have wondered aimlessly through life, I have wondered away from the destiny God has for me and have turned away… It is because of this that “…the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all...” This is why Isaiah says in the previous verse “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” We can’t find the way through the fall of mankind and it was only through the blood of the savior that we have a guiding light which will lead us to the path that we were created to travel with a  clean slate and hope for a better tomorrow… I once read a billboard that had this recorded, “Lost??? Try GPS – God’s Plan of Salvation…” Remember when Jesus was on this earth, He told His disciples, “No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends…” In the midst of our crooked and perverse ways, while we were yet sinners, while we continued to disobey the will of God Christ died for us… He indeed bore our iniquities!!! PRAISE GOD!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Grace Is Given When Pride Is Resisted

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:5

As a child, growing up it was very challenging for me to respect my elders, especially if I felt that they were wrong or not understanding me… I can recall as if it was yesterday how often I would become upset and feel a sense of anger toward those who thought that just because of their years upon this earth, respect was due to them… There is no tougher situation that I have faced in this life, than to respect and submit to someone who I didn’t or don’t think deserves it… Rolling back 3 chapters in this book and looking at verse 9 you will find these words, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” The reason why I bring this verse to the forefront of our study today is because we are a chosen generation and called a peculiar people… Understand today that you are held to a higher standard, though others may talk about people and slander their brothers or sisters we are “chosen” to extend a hand to the needy and to not give way to our own vengeance… In walking this Christian journey remember that you are a “peculiar people,” this means that you will handle situations different then the norm and you will find happiness in things the world counts as useless… This is the very reason why Jesus was able to call Judas “friend” even though he had come to betray Him, it’s the same reason why Jesus prayed for forgiveness on the cross and healed the soldier’s ear which had been cut off… The work we do on this earth is for the purpose of building God’s kingdom… We willingly submit knowing that there is power in submission… Christ submitted to the will of His father and received all power in heaven and on earth…  We are called to remain humble and “be subject one to another” simply because we need each other… We have to keep ourselves grounded in God’s word and desires in order to carry out this directive recorded by Peter. If you seek to be humble, God will provide the things you need to obtain that level of humbleness so that you will be respected and be able to give respect to one another!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You'll Know Them By Their Fruit

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:20-21

This passage taken from Matthew simply reminds us that talk is cheap. This verse declares a statement in the very beginning that by their fruits you will know them; this means that we have to be careful to observe the people we interact with and the kind of fruit they bare. So many of us get caught up in the elaborate or eloquent words that people use, but Jesus reminds us today that we must look deeper than the outward appearance… Taking this to a worldly view, we see many mega-churches today and so much corruption at the same time! How is this possible you ask, because people are following the messenger with his style a(n) swag instead of heeding and seeking the word of God! So many people end up in abusive relationships or get hurt because they focus on the wrong things in a person and ignore the fruit that they bare… These are the things that we are being warned about today, as a child of God we must be proactive in defeating the enemy; this is accomplished by seeking the will of God and not allowing others to deter us from his divine paths… Jesus says, “Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven…” This tells me that not everyone who speaks the word of God is about the word of God, not everyone that goes to church is a part of the church and that it is only by the fruit that they bare that we can know who they are… Let us remember today that it is no about appearance when it comes to the will of God, it’s not about what you say, it is not about how well you talk or how intelligent you are, but rather how you profess your love for Christ through your actions and you lifestyle! In short, TALK IS CHEAP!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Prayer + Faith = Saved

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

  

James 5:15

If you want to see the sick healed, pray; if you want to see the one in the midst of adversity lifted up, pray; if you want to have sins forgiven and blotted out, pray… This is not to suggest that every healing sought through prayer will always be granted (as God has a perfect plan which at times we may not understand; this passage just teaches us that the most powerful tool that we have is the ability to go directly to the Father in prayer casting all our cares upon Him knowing that He cares for us... The very next verse in this chapter says that the prayers of the righteous availeth much… Understand that when we pray, the key is not the words that you uttered, but the foundation of faith that your prayers stand on… James says the prayer of faith, when we pray in faith we leave it with God, we don’t get consumed with the outcome or results, we simply pray knowing that God has the authority and power to change and transform situations… This passage today focuses on the importance of Prayer, not in the since of closing your eyes and speaking to God, but that we must believe in what we are doing… So many of us pray every day of our lives, but we don’t feel or see God moving because we haven’t trusted in His word… The bible says that we are able to go “boldly before the Lord…” Through the Holy Spirit we cast all our cares upon the Lord, we don’t hold on to them and we don’t simply go to God just to vent… Let your prayers be prayers of faith; knowing, trusting, believing and focusing on the power of God! This saying is indeed true and we see it in this passage; PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!!!!!!!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is Coming Back

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:7

There is one thing guaranteed in life and that is that Jesus is coming back… Paul states in his letter to the church of Philippi “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” The “secret” Paul is referring to is trusting and having faith in Christ… No matter what you face or encounter in this life, you must have the understanding that Christ will be exalted and through all things His name will be glorified… As I go through life, my hope is neither in the present nor in the conditions of this earth, but in the promise of Christ’s return to this earth… Through John’s suffering and isolation God reveals a plan and purpose behind all that we go through… We are reminded in the 22 chapter of Revelations (12^th verse) that the Lord’s coming is approaching “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”… As a Christian we are to live everyday as if it’s our last (not live it up according to the world but live knowing that pleasing Christ should be our desire knowing that tomorrow isn’t promised… We are called to leave no stone unturned and always go about conducting business as if we are doing it for the Lord.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It Was Christ Who Delivered You

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

It is only through the mercy of God and the grace of His son that you have been “delivered from darkness…” This passage cautions me to be thankful unto the mercy and saving power of our God… As I read these verses, this epistle informs me that there is news for the one who thinks more highly upon himself than he ought to think, this letter provides a bit of information for the one who places all his care into the hands of physical wealth or power… Paul asks a question to the church of Colossae that should be echoed to us today, “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness…?” As the songwriter said, “If it were not for the Lord who was on my side, tell me where would we be?” Make no mistake about it, you are here by the grace of God and are alive because He has afforded you the opportunity to experience His love, affection and tender mercies… It is of the utmost importance that we remember who has delivered us from darkness. Paul posed this question to the body of believers and it is very germane to today’s church as well… The bible cautions us several times that we “are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think…” You cannot do it on your own, if you look at your life when you have tried to handle things in your own power, I am sure that you can agree with that statement knowing that nothing worked as you planned… We couldn’t save ourselves and the filth that we are wasn’t nor is it worthy of heaven… Jesus paid the price for our sins and not we ourselves… We didn’t have the pure sacrifice that was needed to pay the debt that we owed and if we understand that, we can understand and know that Christ has delivered us and wiped our sins away!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Victory Is In Christ

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

The word of God declares that you have the ability through the offering of Jesus Christ to “come boldly before the thrown of grace…” We are promised that “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you…” This is very good news to know as we are assured that our prayers do not fall on deaf ears; however, in order to see this promise come to fruition you must first choose the path of life that you desire to travel… Notice that Jesus says before you can ask and it will be done that you must“…abide in me…” Your prayers haven’t been answered because your life hasn't been submitted or surrendered… How many times have you heard people say that God will do whatever it is that you ask? How many times have you heard people recite John 14:14 or say that if you ask God He indeed will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)…? These sayings and the reciting of these scriptures are frequently uttered in the church or serve as reminders when we are in the face of adversity or opposition; however, we are called today to remember that asking God to do something or praying for a breakthrough is one thing that can be done, but in order to experience God’s goodness we must first submit to Him… The bible says that “when you seek me with your WHOLE heart, then you will find me…” You must have a desire to totally give your life to Christ; you must be abiding in the plan for your life and making the word of God a part of your everyday being in order to see these promises come to light…This command is not negotiable, there is no reading between the lines or loop holes to a quick turnaround; if you abide in Him, He will abide in you!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Edification Requires Thought Before Action

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

Ephesians 4:29

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Purification Works From The Inside Out

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

1 Peter 1:22

Notice that this passage says that you have purified your souls through obeying the truth by the Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit residing within you, you can not accomplish anything. We have to be led by the spirit; we have to have the Holy Spirit abiding within us. Remember Christ spoke to the disciples prior to His departure and said that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes; we, through the Spirit have the ability to overcome and be victorious on this earth. It is also through the Spirit that we can love unconditionally; we can help our enemies, and be kind to those who show no kindness towards us. This passage emphasizes the fact that I should be able to tell your spiritual makeup, by the way you fervently love one to another. To be fervent means that you are passionate, eager, zealous about something, I should be able to see all those traits in your lifestyle as a Christian. Remember, greater man have no love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends!!!!!! That is Jesus showing his fervent love for us! This is the same love we are to show and will show through the aide and presence of the Holy Spirit… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!