Through Christ All Things Are Possible

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Mark 16:17-18

As a child of God we are blessed with might and power that we probably don’t even realize that we have… These verses teach us of the supernatural power that we can tap into which only comes from the Lord… When we do things in the name of the Lord positive results will follow, Mark tells us that we can cast out devils, we can speak with new tongues and pick up serpents… All things are possible when we are in the care of our Lord and Savior; however, the key to unlocking these powers is the faith that we must have which cannot waver or be snuffed out… In times of despair, in times of turmoil, in times of chaos, Mark teaches us today that with an unwavering faith and an unquenchable fire or zeal for the Lord, we will be able to do miraculous things… The words In my name speak to the connection and authority that we must receive through Christ in order to perform the impossible in our lives… Remember all the great things that Jesus did upon this earth, but also remember that He said, “Greater things than I will you do…”The mantle is ready to be passed, the limitless heights you can reach are in view, but you must walk according to the will of God and submit yourself totally to Him… We all have heard the saying, “You can tell a Leopard by its spots”, also true; is the fact that you can tell a Christian by their abilities. One who has a vague outlook on life has question marks in their walk with God, one who can’t consider it pure joy when trials come needs to humble themselves a little more and the one who walks aimlessly through life must find the compass that is the Holy Spirit… Mark informs us today that we can distinguish a Christian by their actions on this earth as well as their faith in which they claim to serve. These instructions are given to the Disciples of Christ, we have the ability to cast out devils (resist and he will flee), speak in tongues (Acts 3^rd chapter), and take up serpents (be unafraid of danger). 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Submit and Resist

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

In life we are assured of tests and temptations, we will experience frustration and misfortune; however, the challenge for every believer in Christ is to stand in faith trusting and believing that God will take care of the very things that are out of our control… This passage taken from the book of James gives us instruction as to how we can overcome the storms and obstacles that plague our lives. In order to be victorious and be taken to another level in Christ, the first thing we must do is to submit ourselves to God, the word submit means to present or offer and this declares to us that if we want to be successful in life and be happy in this world we must present our bodies to the Lord, we must offer our time, gifts and resources to the Most High God. To submit you must humble yourself, you must surrender all; you must completely turn your life over into the hands of God… Understand today that submission requires admission… You must admit that you're not perfect, that you can’t make it on your own and that you need the Lord to intervene in your life and guide you… You must acknowledge that without Him you are nothing, you will be nothing and hell awaits your arrival… Today let us understand that in order to inherit eternal life, in order to receive the precious promises of God, in order to find peace and happiness we MUST submit TOTALLY to Him… There are doors that will be opened and alteration to your life that will be made when and only if you submit to the Lord… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Wants You Just As You Are

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

The psalmist makes a bold request unto the Lord, one that requires total devotion and acceptance of whatever happens next… In the darkest of hours, when all hope seems lost, when we have tried everything we can think of and can’t overcome the obstacle in front of us what do we do? The psalmist turns to the Lord and asks Him to search him… This is a concluding and submissive statement that says I give up, I am tired of living this life, I am tired of experiencing these same results and I desire more… The psalmist realizes that there are things in his life that must be holding him back, there are people in his life that may be causing him trouble and since he cannot figure it out nor can he overcome them, he asks God to search him… This is a powerful declaration today, one that speaks to the heart of man and poses a serious question as well… Have you asked God to search you? Are you tired of being tired, are you tired of hiding the skeletons in your closet and tired of lying to cover up the lies of your past, then ask God to search you… In searching you are seeking to find, God will search you today and seek the things that do not need to dwell in you or around you, it is only through His power and grace that you can be led in the way of everlasting… These verses cover a multitude of areas that we must allow God to inspect and clean… Have you asked God to try you and know your thoughts? The psalmist here wants us to understand what it is to have an intimate relationship with God. He has taken his life and placed it at the throne of the Most High. He has inquired of the Lord to cleanse him and mold him into the disciple that he has been called to be. In asking to be searched and tried there is a request being made, but also a pledge of acceptance of whatever painful experiences that must be endured in order to have this request fulfilled… You have to let God have His way in your life even if and when His way does not align with yours… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Those Who Wait Find Strength

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31  

Trying to make this trek on this journey called life within your own power guarantee’s you one thing and one thing only; FAILURE… It doesn’t matter how prosperous things may appear to be, it doesn’t matter how glowing your life may seem at the moment, Isaiah reminds us today that “Even the youths shall faint and be weary…” The strongest of all men will fail; the smartest of all mankind won’t be smart enough and all “…shall utterly fall…” No matter how much success you have or how good your health is; we must all rely and be solely dependent upon the Lord… This requires us to totally submit ourselves to the will and power of God… So many of us are wondering why it is that we aren’t able to stand, why it is that we aren’t able to maintain and the answer lies in the fact that there are still parts of your life which you are still trying to control; these parts are also the same places where the enemy utilizes his most crafty devices to ruin the being which God created you to be… This is a scary thought, but I can’t help but reemphasize that this passage tells us that there will come a time when the strongest will not be strong enough. The toughest will not be tough enough, and trials and tribulations will ravage the land to a point where nobody (walking in their own power) will be able to stand. This passage shines light on the fact that there will be days in our lives when our strength will be futile and our minds will want to give up and give into the ways of evil. The bible is clear that your faith will be tested (i.e. Job) and you will display your true devotion to the Lord or lack thereof… People often say, “There is strength in numbers,” our mottos as Christians is that there is strength in Christ…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's Only Possible Through Christ

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

This verse is a verse that clearly defines our religion and the foundation on which we stand… There are 4 non negotiable points that are highlighted below that separate light from darkness, life from death and sickness from health… There are many religions in our societies today, many different temples, churches and synagogues; however, today we must examine why the religions all differ...

1) “I am the way…” In traveling you can find many routes to reach your destination, you can sometimes stumble upon a shortcut or even find that your route is much longer than another path… Whatever the case maybe, today we are called to remember that there are no shortcuts in reaching heaven… There are no paths that will lead to an easy road of obtaining Salvation… All must go through Jesus!

2) “I am the truth…” There are a lot of false doctrines, a lot of people trying to appease the itching ear and a lot of people who want to pick and choose which parts of the bible they want to hold as sacred and true… I don’t know about you, but I am tired of being lied too, tired of being suppressed and tired of being disrespected! Jesus tells us today that all truth is in Him; He has the direction for your life, you won’t find any gimmicks in Him, no tall tales, no hidden fees… 

3) “…and the life!” Jesus told us that He came to give life and give it more abundantly… This simply tells me that I am not living until I come to know Him… Ezekiel was faced with a valley of dry bones, they came together; however until He prophesied to the winds there was no life in them… This rule applies to us today; a lot of us are moving, but not living… We are active but not alive and this passage teaches us that without Jesus, death is certain and is already being experienced.

4) “…no man cometh to the father, but by me!” This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for many who want to reach the destiny in which God has called them too… Remember that before Jesus death on the cross we could not go to the father in prayer; however as Jesus gave up His spirit the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, symbolizing the fact that we can now go to God in prayer… It is through Jesus and only through Him that we obtain the righteousness to be fit for the Kingdom of God…

In Jesus you have your being; it is only through Him that you can find your way, live in truth, have life and be with the Father for all Eternity…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are One In Christ

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Corinthians 12:13-14

There is only one avenue paved by the blood of Jesus which leads to Eternal Life… Paul starts of these verses by declaring, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” There are many religions in this world, many gods that people worship; however, it is important for us to know and remember just as Paul states to the church of Corinth that we serve the True God… We cannot in any way, shape or form negotiate our faith in Jesus Christ… More importantly, we cannot try and place ourselves above others who come into the Faith… There is a big problem in churches today where people are turned away because of others who look down on them… We are to be mindful that all people from all walks of life have been given a chance to inherit Eternal Life and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior… You weren't always saved, there were and are still dark areas in your life and just like Jesus has saved you by His bloodshed; you also must allow for His saving power to draw whomever to Him and embrace them with open arms… This very reason is why Paul says it doesn't matter what culture you are from, it doesn't matter “…whether we be Jews or Gentiles, weather we be bond or free…” Jesus proclaimed that He came for the sick (this taught the people of yesterday and today that there is no barrier to God’s love or what depths He can go to reach or save a soul)… It is of the utmost importance that we stop judging one another based on age, race or gender and realize that God looks at the heart of man and not the body that houses it… 

ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

The Earth Is Filled With His Glory

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Numbers 14:21

The bible records that at the creation of the world (darkness had covered the face of the deep)… There are so many dark areas in our lives, so many things that we are not proud of, so many choices that we have made that we don’t want people to know about nor do we want to acknowledge… Today, in the book of numbers we see that all darkness will be expunged from the earth… Truly the Lord does live and because He lives we can take pride today in knowing that “…all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord…” The glory of the Lord is His splendor, beauty and wonder; knowing that His beauty will fill the earth gives enough confidence to the believer today to smile in the midst of trials… His splendor will fill the earth, He will be exalted through the darkness of this land, His light will shine and your path will grow brighter and brighter as you walk according to His will and plan for you… It is imperative that we understand today that in reading this verse we confidently make the claim that the light of God shines in us and through us… Today’s focus verse starts off with the words, But as truly as I live; this is a statement of faith and confidence in God which should be the same claim that we make daily… As surely as I live I know that God loves me and will continue to mold me, I can allow all the mistakes of yesterday, all the dark areas of my life to be exposed after reading this passage because I don’t want to carry this weight anymore, I don’t want to give the enemy a foothold anymore (Ephesians 4:27) and I am tired of walking on egg shells… I know there is beauty in me and in the path which God has for me… He shall be revealed and the life I have in Him shall be fulfilled... 

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Christ's Death Saved Us

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:24

If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side, where would I be…? This is the question that I desire to ask myself on a daily basis… I believe that in asking this question, we can break down strong holds and overcome temptations… Knowing that Jesus paid the price, knowing that my sins (past, present and future) have been forgiven and understanding that I have a chance to inherit Eternal Life, I can rebuke the attacks and devices that the enemy uses… Our focus verse taken from 1 Peter starts off by saying, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” Jesus took it upon Himself to bare our sins, He took upon Himself to receive them upon His own body and He took it upon Himself to carry them to the tree… There was nothing that we could offer Him, nothing that we could give or pay Him to do it; He did it “…his own self…” This is good news today because it speaks to the love and care that Jesus has for us; this is good news today because it demonstrates the desires of God to reconcile with His creation and this is a sweet verse to carry in the forefronts of our minds because it reminds us that God wants to see us at our best… Jesus laid down His life before we were formed in our mother’s womb, He paid our debt before we even were engulfed by it; recognize where you would be without the love of God, recognize today where you would be if His grace and mercy was not deposited in the form of His son, recognize today that things can and would be worse if it were not for the life shed on Calvary… 

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Hearing The Word Isn't Enough

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

James 1:22

There are two vital elements to the life of a Christian; one is hearing the word of God and the other is applying and/or doing the word of God… We cannot hear and be satisfied, the word of God must not only be heard, but be rooted within so that it can sprout and bring forth fruit from the lives we live and the examples we display to others…  You deceive nobody but yourself when you think that you have done enough by being able to say that you faithfully attend church; you deceive yourself when you put on your Sunday’s best and display the worse example of a Christian each and every other day of the week… Applying the word of God is what leads to positive fruits and results in ones life… The word of God being heard without being applied is the same as instruction being received and not carried out… You wonder why you fall short over and over again, you wonder why your life continues to spiral out of control as you attend church faithfully and the answer may be in your application of what God is providing to you verses what you have heard and have chosen to demonstrate… This passage taken from James so often reminds me of how many people will leave a church service and speak of how powerful and moving it was… You ask them how the Pastor’s sermon was and they immediately say “Oh, pastor did a wonderful job, he was so powerful!” The next question you ask is what was it that he or she preached about, and they don’t have the slightest clue and began to think back to the service. How can we be of God if we do not listen and act upon what He has given us? James is calling for us to not talk a good game, but walk a Godly life. 

The proof is in the pudding, the question is “how does your life taste?”

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Let Your Light Shine

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

It is up to you to display Christ in your life and not to allow the things of this world to dim the light which God has placed inside of you… Notice that this passage says for you to let you light shine that men may see your good works. Many Christians patrol around in our societies uttering the words that I am God’s child, I am a Christian, but this passage shines light of the fact that we are to live a life that will let people know we are of the household of faith without the need for words to supply the answer... This passage tells us that we should not have to tell somebody about our religious beliefs, but rather that the individuals who come into contact with us should be able to see that Christ dwells within us. Our mission on this Earth is to walk in Gods will and in all things give Him glory and honor! It is not for you to proclaim your religion through words, so refrain from speaking and live what you use to verbally preach!! 

Understand today that your actions are imperative to your witness; in order for your light to shine for others to see it, it must first be positioned in the right place! Light is a powerful resource when used properly, the key being that it is in fact used properly… Your light services a purpose and must be used for that and not to simply commingle with other light bearers… If you were to take a flashlight out into the day during the early afternoon there would be no affect of the flashlight and it would be useless… A light is needed when direction isn’t visible; there are many whose direction in life is not visible, they are simply wandering from day to day and haven’t found there calling in life! Your light can be the direction that they need…Your light must be pointed in the direction of darkness for it to be effective (your light should not only provide clear sight in your purpose but it should also lead others to theirs in Christ)… Don’t go on your job and hide your light until Sunday morning worship; don’t turn your light off when you are faced with peers that don’t know Jesus and don’t cut your light off because you are scared of what people may say! True Christians will shine light on every dark situation and will lead others to Christ… 

Let Your Light Shine

ALL FOR CHRIST!

When God Comes First, All Things Fall Into Place

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalm 37:4

Often times we prioritize things in the wrong order which leads us to getting the wrong results… In the natural realm of thinking we chase after our desires at all cost, stopping at nothing to obtain them… The psalmist reminds us today the true direction in which everyone must travel to receive “…the desires of thine heart…” There are steps which we must take in obtaining the things which we desire to have and the first step which must be taken is that we must “Delight thyself also in the Lord…” You can have desires in life, but your focus and top priority must be delighting yourself in the way and will of the Lord… You must turn away from your own desires and walk by faith knowing that God not only knows your heart, but that He will answer your prayers… It is so easy, when things don’t go the way we expected for us to try and make our own path… We find ourselves praying for something and when God doesn’t’ answer in our way we immediately try to step in and get the results that we are looking for… From studying this verse today, it’s imperative that we not only learn to be obedient to God’s desires and patient within our walk, but we also must remember that God answers in “ways that are not our ways”… Today let us practice the proverb which says lean not unto thy own understanding, in order to avoid becoming ensnared with our own desires we must make the commitment today to “delight ourselves in the Lord…” So many of us are seeking happiness, we are seeking security, we are seeking stability and the psalmist reminds us today that all this and more can be found in the Lord… Understand that God must be the priority in your life in order for you to receive the “desires of your heart…” 

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Power Comes By Way Of The Holy Spirit

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

The disciples were told to wait and stand down until the Holy Ghost had come… Despite the power that you may think you have; you are powerless without the divine authority from above… We remember that without Christ we are nothing… You can’t overcome, you can’t win and you can’t obtain; however, through Christ all things are possible, relationships can be healed, debts can be paid and new levels can be reached… The instruction uttered by Christ in this verse reminds us to stop trying to find answers within our own finite abilities… Stop trying to pave your own path and go your own direction… You must come to know and trust the Lord (remember the people had all things in common with their focus on God when the Holy Spirit descended upon them as tongues of fire)… Your focus in the New Year should not be on solutions, but on praise… Praise Him through your difficulties, praise Him through your trials, praise Him through your hours of loneliness and allow Him to take care of all your cares… He will deposit the strength you need (just praise Him), He will give you the grace you need (just praise Him) and He will open up doors for your beacon light to shine for all to see (just focus on praising Him)… Take note today and remember that until we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are powerless… Jesus informs His disciples of the winning edge that they will receive in the form of the Holy Spirit… We all should realize that we have a winning edge as a child of God; we have a “secret weapon” that will lead us to victory and give us the strength to overcome any obstacle that we face… 

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Rest Is ONLY Found In Christ

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Are you tired of being alive but not living? Do you ever find yourself frustrated by the things of this world and wonder how you are going to make it…? The truth of the matter is the enemy wants you to be so bogged down by the cares of this world that you have no time to really start living (which is to give your life to Christ)… Matthew records the call that Jesus makes to all mankind, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden…” Jesus bids you to come out from the places you currently reside or the mental captivity that so many of us are currently being oppressed by… This isn’t a physical call, but a voice which desires to lead you in the path of truth and to give you life and give it to you more abundantly… We labour by trying to live up to other peoples expectations, we are heavy laden when we allow the thoughts of others and the temptations we face to weigh us down and strip our attention from the things that matter… This isn’t to suggest or say that the life of a Christian is easy; however, it is to suggest that there are things that are worth laboring for and being burden by when we walk in the will of God because these things lead to eternal rewards and joy… If you are laboring in the Lord than this message provides a since of comfort and stability in the heaviest laden times in your life… Jesus gives a message of hope today to all those who feel the weight of the world upon their shoulders, He gives a (n) encouraging word to all that are laboring and fighting the “good fight…” The message of hope today and the encouraging word that we are to grasp is that the Lord is indeed with us… In order for someone to come, there first must be someone or something present for them to come too… In the midst of trials and tribulations Jesus reminds us through the gospel of Matthew that we can find rest in Him; we can have our load lightened so that it is bearable and we can find comfort for the road ahead as He declares that He is meek (gentle) and lowly in heart… 

ALL FOR CHRIST!