God Cares For And About You

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him."

Deuteronomy 32:11-12

Despite what people may want you to believe, you are here by the grace, mercy and directive of God… The bible records in the book of Jeremiah that God knew you before “…you were formed in your mother’s womb…” In Luke 12:7 we are informed that “God knows the very hairs on your head and therefore we should not fear for He knows what we stand in need of…” God is the creator and you are the creation, each person on this earth was designed for a specific task in the divine plan according to the will of God… You are a unique creation, one which literally means everything to God, this is the very reason why He sent His only begotten son and why He will watch over you just like an eagle who oversees her offspring… Make no mistake about it today; even if you have accumulated multiple degrees, obtained a sound financial future and a good job; God is with you and has been with you in every facet of your life… In today’s focus verses, the historical book of Deuteronomy compares the care of God to that of an eagle with her young… Look back at these verses and notice how many different avenues the mother takes to ensure the security of her offspring… She “stirreth the nest, fluttereth her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them and beareth them on her wings…” Remember in Isaiah we are told that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles… 

Know today that there is no point in time in your life where God is not present… A baby as it grows never really knows all the avenues and paths that their mother has taken to ensure their protection and security… When a child is born, it doesn’t know how a mother goes to check the temperature to make sure the baby is clothed correctly, a baby doesn’t see how much the life of their parent revolves around them and very rarely even comes to understand how many things are sacrificed to tend to their needs; likewise, as we grow in Christ we never really understand how much effort, attention and love is poured out upon us from the windows of heaven each day of our lives… The bible often talks about God’s mercy and the book of Lamentations tells us that they are new every morning… God is going out into the day before you wake up, He checks the temperature of the obstacles you will face, He sets the thermostat for your path so that you can maintain a level of comfort and then He clothes you with His hedge of protection which you never physically can see… God cares for you; He shows it every day in every way possible just like an Eagle over her young…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Worry; The Lord Will Deliver You

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."

Psalm 34:19

Make no mistake about it, as a child of the Most High God you are guaranteed afflictions along this Christian journey… When you are walking upright, in honesty and blameless throughout this world (which are all characteristics of righteousness) you are assured to be persecuted and afflicted… There are none on this earth who are righteous; however, through the bloodshed of Jesus we can be clothed in righteousness and therefore walk in victory as oppose to darkness… I state this about righteousness because it is important to understand that when you face trials because of your desire to walk in righteousness you must remember that the attack isn’t’ against you but against the one you are clothed in… This is why the psalmist states that even though we are afflicted, “…the Lord delivereth him out of them all…” This battle is about the God you serve; remember this in the midst of your storm because it will help you to know that you are not alone and not fighting this battle within your own abilities… This Christian walk isn’t green pastures, it isn’t fields of orchards or streams of rivers and despite what you may want to believe, you must understand this so that you don’t find yourself susceptible to the attacks within your mind by the enemy… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Dwell On The Past

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

The biggest challenge of a Christian is the ability to forget yesterday while striving for tomorrow… There are a lot of things in life I am not proud of, but in Christ we must make the decision that our past will not restrict or limit our future; in fact, the past will provide experiences for a foundation of better decision making and yearning to do the will of God… Not only must we be able to overcome failures and skeletons, we must also realize the weight and bondage associated with our past if we do not overcome and release it… Ponder this statement very closely as we study today’s verses from Paul’s epistle to the church of Philippi… The more you carry on your shoulders, the more energy that is required to take a step… We all are probably aware of the great work Paul completed or begin in his life upon this earth… Several missionary journeys, many letters of encouragement and/or reform and even through all the years, at this point in his life he pens to the church that “I count not myself to have apprehended…” Though we toil in the garden that we have been called to tend, we can never make the mistake of thinking we have reached the heights of success that we are called to meet… We can never be satisfied or become satisfied on this earth as we are clothed in imperfection from the womb… I contend that every day you see on this earth is a day in which God has something that you have been designed to do… You have more work in your vineyard, you have more toiling in your fields and to understand this you must be able to leave the past in the past… To leave the past in the past means that we must not only forget about failures and/or past mistakes, but that we cannot fall into the snare of the enemy to become complacent with a small, finite measure of success… There are so many people who have sold themselves short not only by holding on to things, but by also allowing themselves to believe that they have gone as far as they need to or can on this earth… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Came To Destroy The Works Of The Enemy

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8

The path of life you travel does not have a happy ending without the bloodshed and nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ… There are no works of our own which can justify our walk of life, you and I enter this world as sinners headed to hell and it is only through Jesus that we have a chance to inherit Eternal Life… Know that you are a filthy rag and in need of a Savior, this is why John declares to us today that it was for this purpose the Son of God was manifested… The bondage of Sin was too great for us to overcome, the shackles could not be broken by our finite power, and there was a dire need for a Savior and Redeemer… Mankind was unfit for the task which would lead to liberation; there were none who could pay the penalty of sin which is another reason why it took the very Son of God… Today’s focus verse not only speaks to the damnation of mankind, it also speaks to the love and admiration which God displayed for His creation… There are very few of us who would give their son or daughter for the greater good of the world (let alone for a people which do not love and desire you); however, this is the very act which God partook in over 2,000 years ago… The bible declares that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us… It wasn’t that we love God, but that He loved us in spite of… Before you were even in the midst of your situation, before you were neck deep in sin, Christ was born in a little town called Bethlehem… Before you even know God and the level of love and reverence you have for Him, the bible declares that Jesus laid down His life for you and destroyed the works of the devil… The works of the devil are the very snares and vices which we face each and every day of our lives… The works of the devil have trapped us and limited us in our walk; however, it is good to know that we don’t have to be subject to the enemy’s desires as Christ has defeated Him and given us the ability to make the enemy our footstool if we so desire… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Suffering Is A Part of Your Calling (Part 2)

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

Philippians 1:29

Paul writes to the church of Philippi encouraging them in their time of despair and need! The church is going and has gone through some rough spots and many have turned to idol worship… Paul reminds them today that Christ’s death is a privilege for us to partake of, to suffer for His name sake is also to be considered a (n) honor… The church was under heavy persecutions; many had become weary and began to lose hope in the future and precious promises of God… Paul is reminding them that the same Christ that gave Himself up for you is the same Christ that will lead you through times of despair! Paul wants us to understand today that we will indeed be tested, we will indeed have weary days, we will indeed feel the pains of life, but we must overcome, we must hold to His unchanging hand, we must remember that Christ suffered and said that we would suffer for his name! We can take joy in our suffering because we are carrying out the will and word of God, we can smile in adversity because we know that Christ died and now lives for all eternity! 

Paul is informing the church that we have two things in this world that we can hold onto that will be certain as a child of God! The first thing we are guaranteed of is that we have something to believe in… Paul says we have been given something to believe in. A lot of times in life we are let down, we get our hopes up and things don’t go the way we planned! People don’t hold their word or oath and trust goes out of the proverbial window. Paul is saying to us that in times of uncertainty we have something that we can be certain about, in times of hardship we have a (n) anchor whose name is Jesus. The bible says that, “we don’t mourn as a people without hope!” The bible says, “behold, I show you a mystery!” The bible says, “All who come unto me will find rest!” Take courage in knowing that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! The second guarantee is that we will suffer… Paul was stoned and imprisoned, but he told Timothy he had fought the good fight! John the Baptist was beheaded, but paved the way for the coming Messiah! Peter left the courtyard weeping, but ended up preaching a sermon that brought 3,000 souls to Christ! We will suffer in this life, but know that when you suffer for the Lord, you reap heavenly rewards! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Suffering Is Part of Your Calling (Part 1)

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Philippians 1:29

You may not think this to be true at first, but to believe in Christ and to suffer for His name sake is a gift… We would never truly equate suffering with a gift; however, in the body of Christ suffering is gaining… This is why Paul says “For unto you it is given…” You have been given a chance to allow your tears to water a seed, you have been afforded an opportunity to allow your pain to produce growth and allow your work to not be in vain… We believe in a lot of things, when we are young, we believe in Santa Clause, when we get a little older, we believe in our friends and soon we believe in the first relationship we have… Each of these things are either untrue or lead to disappointment… Today, place your belief in something real, place your belief in something that will last throughout eternity, place your belief in Christ… It is only in Him that through suffering we can smile knowing what will eventually come to pass… It is only in Jesus that we can be cast down amongst our peers and have faith that we will be exalted… I was once told that if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything… I was also told that when you don’t make a choice you have already made one… Today, many of us are trying to straddle the fence of life that divides good and evil… We want to “have our cake and eat it too;” however, for many of us the one thing we don’t want to do is work to succeed… Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi teaches us a very valuable lesson in life; this lesson is simply that suffering is inevitable… We are given a golden opportunity to suffer for the name of Christ as oppose to suffering for monetary gain and worldly riches… When one suffers, they bear, endure or go through something… Challenges are at every turn in life; however, the outcome can either be positive or negative… Today let us look at our lives and see how much suffering we try to avoid for the name of Christ, take a look at how many times you have quenched your thirst for Christ because of what people might say or do, let’s see how often we refute His name around certain people or how often we put our religion on the shelf to fit in or get ahead… Like I said earlier, suffering is a part of life, the thing to note though, is that it can either lead to growth or death… Which path of suffering are you choosing today?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's No Life Without Christ

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:24-25

There are two paths that one can travel in this life, the first is the path of eternal life paved with submission, humbleness and modesty while on this earth… This path requires one to sacrifice the desires of the eye in order to store up rewards for when this physical life has ended… The second path is the path of worldly lust; this path is paved with all the fine riches and measures of success as decreed by the standards of the world we live in… In choosing this path, one is required to focus on self, seek the advancement of their lives at any cost and to reject future rewards always desiring to have things now… As we come to understand these two contrasting paths, the question I pose to you today is simple, what is your spiritual destination worth to you? So many of us proclaim that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, but how much does Christ really mean to you and the direction in which your life will go? These two profound and critical questions are the questions that we must ask as we decide on whether we will pursue the dreams that the world lays out or the vision that God has for us which will not bear its truest rewards on this earth… Understand that Jesus wants us all to understand that walking in the will of God is no small task and it takes a dedicated, enduring and persevering person to reach the levels of which God has set… Take up our cross today, don’t be troubled by the ways of the world or the views that people may hold; know that by giving up yourself you will find your true worth and live life more abundantly!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

A Mess Won't Be Blessed

"Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order."

1 Corinthians 14: 39-40

There are a lot of things that go on in a church service, there are a lot of “moves of the Holy Spirit” aligned with shouts of praise and adoration… Even though these things are apparent, it’s imperative that we come to understand and realize today that “…all things be done decently and in order…” We intentionally examine these verses from back to front knowing that we serve a God of order… We all desire to please God and walk in the gifts that He has bestowed upon us; however, it is of the utmost importance that in walking in our gifts, we travel the path that has been laid before us instead of putting the cart before the horse… There is nothing wrong with prophesying or speaking in tongues; however, there is a correct order in which these things are to be carried out… I can recall a story that my father has shared with me several times; this particular story depicts a woman who attended his home church in Washington D.C. Every Sunday at the same time this individual would catch the “Holy Ghost” and begin to shout… One Sunday, at the appointed time this lady jumped up, swung her hand out and knocked another ladies hat off of her head… To my knowledge, no fights broke out or words were exchanged; however the following Sunday the lady who had her hat knocked off confronted the lady with the “timed praise” and told her that she better not touch her hat again… Wouldn’t you know when the clock struck her appointed time to shout, she lifted her hand up ensuring that she would miss the ladies hat… I recall this story today to highlight the importance of sincerity within our praise… The Holy Spirit flows without a timetable; however, there are some people in the church who want to display gifts that God has not given them and so when they do this they are not “done decently and in order…” Speaking in tongues isn’t a bad thing, prophesying isn’t a sin, but understand that in all things God is to be glorified and His name is to be exalted (not yours)… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's Still Room For You

Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger forever.

Jeremiah 3:12 

Despite the many avenues you have traveled in life and the dark paths you may be on right now; be encouraged to know that God desires for you to “Return…” Just like the prodigal son; no matter your current situation or how far you have fallen, God is standing with open arms waiting for you to come home… In a vision concerning Jerusalem and Judea, Isaiah the son of Amoz records words from the mouth of God in the 1st chapter and 18th verse of his prophetic book. The words are as follows; "Come now, let us reason together, "says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Make no mistake about it today, you are a filthy rag and without the cleansing blood of Jesus, hell has a (n) RSVP with your name on it… Even as ugly as it may be or hard it may seem to acknowledge, know that you have made mistakes, acknowledge that you have given into temptations; however, come to the realization today that you can overcome and be victorious through the saving power of Jesus Christ… Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet, his words were recorded in light of the coming destruction that the house of Israel would face… His tears were sown knowing of the coming doom and bondage that was on the horizon… Today, know that these same tears are sown in your life when others see you heading down the wrong path; these tears are sown in your life when people see the direction in which you are headed and how your life seems to be spiraling out of control… These tears are sown not because of the destruction, but because God’s desire is not for you to go against His will… Today, stop asking why you have all these bills piling up on your coffee table and be thankful that you aren’t out on the streets… God keeps providing opportunities for you to return to Him… The father’s arms are open, He wants you to let Him in and allow Him to transform your life… Just like we read in multiple passages, Jesus is waiting with open arms saying, “WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME”.

The question of the day, is He speaking to you?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay Positive; Things Could Always Be Worse

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The challenge of every Christian is to live every day and every hour of their life with the purpose of fulfilling God’s will… This doesn’t mean simply inquiring about God’s will, but executing the very steps outlined in today’s devotional scriptures… We are called to rejoice, pray and give thanks in all circumstances… The part we tend to lose sight of is the “in all circumstances” as we find ourselves from time to time becoming distracted by situations both positive and negative and ultimately losing sight of what God’s will is… Understand today that it is very easy and even natural to rejoice when things are pleasant; it can become second nature to pray when things become difficult and we can bear thanksgiving when we hear things which we have longed for… But how do we handle the opposite; are we able to rejoice when things or situations are unpleasant? Can you continue to pray to the Father when the storm has left your doorstep? Can you give thanks when you don’t receive what you desire…? These are the questions that we must ask ourselves today knowing that we are to live these points in every area and situation of our lives. As a Christian we are to rejoice no matter what, we are to pray without ceasing and we are to be thankful for everything… God has a plan for you and it is perfect, you rejoice because your Master is in control, you pray because this is your communication line directly to the Father and you remain thankful because things could always be worse… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It All Starts With Christ

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26-28

We live in a world where people are constantly frowned upon based on their religion, upbringing and color of skin or nationality. The same things that plague our communities today are the same things which existed at the time of this letter written by the Apostle Paul. It is through today’s devotion that we are reminded that Christ justifies every walk of life to be clothed with Him in and through Faith… Your economic status nor your popularity has any impact on your heavenly dwelling… It is only through Christ Jesus that we have life and have it more abundantly… This message today is an important one as we all at some point in time have felt or have been deemed unqualified...  To understand that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, teaches us that your former doesn’t have to restrict your latter in Christ… Yes we all have done things which we are not proud of; we all have missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God… Paul once called himself the chief sinner; however, through Christ His former was wiped clean and His latter included writing a majority of the New Testament… It is imperative that we understand the message written to the church of Galatia and how it applies to our lives today; we cannot allow our thoughts to be captivated by the enemy and thus begin to disqualify others from knowing Christ based on their past… You yourself do not have a right but have been afforded a privilege and an opportunity to come to know Christ and it is your duty to share Him with others... We all have our own testimony as to how we came to know Christ as our personal savior; we all have a past; however, the end result of each member of Christ is the same (we are saved through Him)… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Give God Your Best

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10

The priority that God holds in your life is demonstrated not when you are without but when you have plenty… It is very easy to cry out to God when we are in need of something; however, how many times have we found ourselves forgetting about His saving/delivering power when we seem to be ascending…? In all phases of life, The Lord should be honored “…with thy substance…” This isn’t just a monetary application, but a principle that we as Christians are called to live by… When God receives the firstfruits you are making a declaration not only to the position He holds in your life, but you are recognizing that it is only by His grace that you have obtained the level of increase in your life… The 6^th chapter of Matthew verse 33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The key to success is not how much money you make or how many degrees you have; on the contrary, the key to success lies in the priorities that you have in life… Hardships come knocking on everyone’s door; however, when we are aligned with the will of God, we see numerous times throughout the bible and in our everyday life that success follows thereafter... The book of Proverbs tells us that our barns will be filled with plenty and they shall burst out with new wine; in short, you will be prosperous, you will do great things and reach higher heights, but let us notice the first thing that we are to do in this scripture, “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase…” Recognize God in all things and give Him your best!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Everybody Will See His Glory

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:5

Despite how daunting this Christian journey may appear to be, there is good news for you and I today to hold on to… There are many people of this world who appear to be succeeding in many phases of life, many who don’t walk according to the will of God; however, they seem to be living life to the fullest… Isaiah informs us today that we must be careful not to get caught up in the way things appear or seem to be because “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…”God will be exalted, He will be recognized as Lord of Lord and King of Kings and you should find courage today in your walk because you know that when His glory is revealed you will be as well… Those who think they are mighty will become weak, those who think they have plenty will not have enough and it’s good news for all those serving in whatever capacity that God desires of them to know that “…all flesh shall see it together…” Everyone will come to know your path and see how God has kept you and secured you… There are times in life when circumstances aren’t what you desire them to be; situations that seem unfair and unjust; times when the trials and tribulations, the storms and rain just are too much to even comprehend. Again, this passage that we focus on today informs us that the glory of the Lord will be revealed.  That means that we will behold His majesty, we will see His omnipotence and feel His favor. Some things take place in your life so that you will understand that only God can deliver you, some things happen so that you will increase in faith in the Lord. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Talk About It, Be About It

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 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 worst 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 one's 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 failure of applying what you heard in church to your life.

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

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, an 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!