In Everything Give Thanks

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The will of God is that we should always be thankful, find a reason to rejoice and continue to pray… No matter what storms come your way or obstacles that you face, the challenge of every man and woman of God is to stay the course holding to the precious promises of God and making the most of every situation! Paul told 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 of being content is that you hold to the fact that God has seen you through your ups and downs, you smile because regardless of your abundance or lack, you still have a roof over your head and clothes on your back… I remind myself daily that things could always be worse; knowing and acknowledging that alone keeps me grounded and rejuvenates my joy. A child of God is known by actions, not by what they say… Paul’s letter to the church of Thessalonica reminds us that we are to praise God and pray to God continuously… 

When your time is devoted to praising God and praying you have no room to complain, when your time is devoted to giving thanks unto the Lord you don’t have time to pout or throw temper tantrums… Paul says rejoice evermore! Often times we are looking for a red sea or Damascus road experience in order to rejoice, but we are told today that we should always rejoice… There will be storms in your life, there will be trials that you encounter and we must learn to stop trying to face them on our own, but go to the Lord in prayer… This is why Paul says we must pray without ceasing. We have to stay in dialogue with God knowing that he is the source of our existence and our Savior. Praying keeps us grounded and focused on God, which then allows us to leave out the next step outlined by Paul which is to always give thanks. As I said before, things can always be worse. Staying grounded in praying, rejoicing for every moment and opportunity which God has provided you and giving Thanks unto Him is the way in which we grow as Christians and continue to ascend within the will of God.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Shall Be Filled

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." 

Matthew 5:6

Hunger and thirst are two conditions within our body that we feel daily… The average man can go just a few days without water and (maybe a week or two) without food before losing one's mental stability and life itself… The pain of hunger and the desire for water or drink can alter not only our attitude and conduct, but it can also alter our way of life and priority… Nobody wants to go without food or drink because of the state of misery, discomfort and/or depression that he/she will be exposed to… We feed our bodies several times a day to sustain ourselves as we navigate through life. Everyone in this world is hungry or thirsty for something, but in today’s scripture, we find that only a desire for righteousness shall be filled… There are so many people on this earth who are pursuing so many things and even as they ascend to higher levels, they are never satisfied with their gain… The thirst you have for success can never be filled if you don’t go to the source of Jesus Christ and drink… 

In the 4^th chapter of the gospel of John, we find a story of Jesus encounter with a Samaritan woman (also known as “the woman at the well”); in this passage, there is a back and forth dialogue between Jesus and the woman which starts with a discussion about water (a physical need with a spiritual application)… In the 13^th through the  15^th verses of this chapter, we find these words recorded, “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst..."  The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”  Just like this woman, we too have a desire to be filled. Also, just like this woman, we must come to the realization that we can only be filled through Christ. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Strong And Of Good Courage

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." 

Deuteronomy 31:6

On the verge of your Promise Land you will surely find opposition…  Too often people present a false doctrine and make the voyage of following Christ appear to be an easy task… We believe that we can win souls for Christ by presenting all the things that He will and can do for us and hope that the person we are entertaining doesn’t read the fine print or the disclaimer that informs them that they will deal with persecutions, hardships and trials… As a child of God, we are to “consider it pure joy when we face trials” because we are being developed and molded… The pain you endure today releases the power you need to obtain victory tomorrow… Don’t be fooled by the way things may appear to be in your life; instead, prepare yourself every morning to be attacked by the enemy… This is why we are charged by Paul to “Put on the whole amour of God…”  There is a battle taking place daily over your very soul and you must come to the realization that this is a reality that will be in place until Christ returns and you are called home… Make no mistake about it, the word of God never declares that things will go as we draw them up, His word never tells us that the Christian journey will be peaceful and a smooth ride from point “A” to point “B”; however, His word does tell us today that we are charged to “Be strong and of good courage…” Like I said, there is a battle taking place every day and you are not tasked to run or fear, but to stand strong and fear not…

This passage was written at a point in the lives of the children of God after they had endured the ten plagues, they have already exited the land of Egypt, and the children of God have already crossed the red sea on dry ground and have been fed manna from heaven… This has come after the exalted snake which healed all manner of disease and they have received water from a rock… On the verge of their destiny, Moses (their fearless physically present leader through the whole ordeal) is now passing the mantel to Joshua… It is in this passage we can find uncertainty and also find encouragement… Uncertainty is easily found in our lives when things change… The same can be said with the children of God as Moses is removed in our focus verse… Just like the Hebrews, we are on the cusp of something great and right when we are beginning to celebrate there is a perceived setback that takes place or comes into play… The challenge that we face in our Christian journey is not the setback, but displaying the ability to “Be strong and of good courage…” You can’t be strong (as this passage indicates that you have to be) if you are not prepared and this is why it is so important that we understand that trials and tribulations are a very important part of our growth and maturity in Christ… When you expect the unexpected, when you prepare for the worse, you can move from being strong and of good courage into the next level of Christian maturity which teaches and instills in you that you should “fear not, nor be afraid…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Return Is Closer Than You Think

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand." 

Joel 2:1

In today’s study, we have a word of warning and a word of victory solely deriving from where you stand as a person of this world or a person of Christ… Through the message of warning, we find the directive to “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,” this call to the priest was to let the people know of the divine judgment that is to come… There are so many people who we encounter in our daily lives that do not know Christ… Please come to the realization today and understand that there is a difference between not knowing Him and rejecting Him; a lot of times we meet people who have never had Christ shared with them, we engage with people daily that don’t know what Christ has done for us and as a child of God the great commission commands us, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”We are called to bear witness of Christ and let our light shine before men… It is our divine assignment to let people know of the joy we have which was not given of this world but made obtainable by the nail-scarred hands of Christ… The bible declares that “Faith cometh by hearing…” People cannot believe in something that they have never heard of; this is why the Bible also declares “and how can they hear without a preacher…”You have faith that was ignited in you to keep you going through this dark and dreary world; however, you also have a measure of faith that was distinctly deposited in you to be poured out into the lives of those you encounter… The world has a standard of living that we conform to from birth; however, as a child of God it is up to us to capture what Paul has told us in his letter to the Church of Rome and “be transformed…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay Humble

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3  

As a child of God, one of the biggest signs of maturity is how you deal with situations and people… Just as Jesus made it clear that He wants you to give from your heart, Paul reminds the church of Philippi that we are to strive to do things out of love and not out of strife, which is friction, discord or rivalry… How do you respond when someone asks you to do something, do you act like it is the end of the world, do you pout and let out a despairing cry? This letter to the church of Philippi urges the true disciple to focus on living for God and not worldly respect! There are two main points that we must understand when it comes to dealing with things through strife… The bible says that we aren’t supposed to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing, this simply means that we are to be about the work of God without worrying about making sure that people see all that we do… First, many of us have lost sight of humbling ourselves before the Lord and exalting God through our living. Instead, we have wanted to make sure that everyone and their mother knows what we have been asked to do or how difficult people are making our lives… We will throw our hands up with a massive sigh as if to say that this is a ton of bricks that have been placed upon our shoulders. The second thing to this is that we try to draw attention to ourselves so that the people around us will praise our efforts… Jesus said wherever your treasures are there your heart will be… If you are focused on pleasing men and seeking their approval, you have lost sight of God and His approval which is the only one that matters… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Blessed Is The One Who Trust In The Lord

Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Psalm 40:4

How you live your life demonstrates who the head of your life is and what matters most to you… The Lord cannot be “our trust” if we give up the value He has within our lives to fit in with others… This verse taken from the 40^th psalm informs us of what it takes to be called BLESSED! So often we hear people say that they are blessed and highly favored… Highly favored coming from the announcement made to Mary by the angels that she would give birth to Christ! Notice that Mary was an upright woman who lived a life adhering to God’s will and standard of living, she adapted to every situation she faced and never gained an ego nor lived by worldly views… One who trusts in the Lord remains humble while being exalted; they stay the course in rocky situations and seek to fulfill the desires of God… There are stipulations that come with this territory of being called BLESSED. If you claim that you are blessed, then that means you trust the Lord, aren’t concerned about the respect of peers and aren’t caught up in the ways of this world… To be a blessed individual, there are a lot of sacrifices that you must make and they are broken down below: Keep in mind that we all are blessed, but we must understand that this doesn’t just mean that God has favored us or brought us through storms, to be blessed is indeed a validation to where you stand as a child of God!

1)      You must trust the Lord: Trusting is not only believing but also expecting in any and every situation (whether good or bad)… This means that even in the dark days of your life you must continue to hold to God’s word, when things are uncertain, your faith must remain certain and when tribulations arise, you must believe that HE is, and that HE is a reward of them that diligently seek him! Trusting God is not simply praying, but withstanding the test without complaining… Do you trust Him?

2)      Respect NOT the Proud: How hard is it for you to ignore what the world views as success, how hard is it for you to stand still and hold on to God's hand despite what people may say? There will be many chances in life for you to show your trust in the Lord and dealing with peer pressure is one of them. Christ came to this earth and went against the Sanhedrin and Pharisees; He turned the tide and went against the grain… To be blessed you must do the same, it is a lot easier to be of the world than to just be in it, but a true BLESSED child of God will go against the status quo and deliver a powerful witness against those who proclaim the ways of evil!

3)      Nor turn aside to Lies: This last task may be the most daunting of them all, we are called to walk upright before the Lord and this means that we must avoid the temptations of this world and sacrifice our sinful nature daily… Walking a Christian journey is filled with ups and downs strengths and weaknesses… Due to this fact, there will be many opportunities for you to lean away from God’s calling. People will come against the Lord at your weakest hour, they will blaspheme Him when you feel alone and isolated, but you must be capable of rising against the falsehoods and staying focused on the one who is THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF YOUR FAITH! 

You are blessed not because God has let you see another day, but because you trust the Lord! You are blessed not because things are coming with ease, but because you don’t respect the proud and egotistic people. Jesus said, “Take up your cross!” Another way to interpret these words is to simply ask the following question:

Are you truly BLESSED and do you have what it takes to be called BLESSED?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Sheep Know His Voice

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28

A sheep is an animal that is steered and directed towards a certain destination; unlike many animals, sheep are aimless, harmless creatures that must be guided daily and must be protected… The bible refers to mankind as sheep and this analogy fits us to a tee… Just as sheep, we wander through this life aimlessly with no sense of direction and if we aren’t guided, we will end up in harm’s way and be devoured…Sheep not only must be watched over just as we need to be, but they also must develop a sense of trust and obedience with their shepherd… Over time sheep learn the voice of their master and will follow without hesitation, this speaks to the maturity that takes place in the lives of Christians, because of the sinful nature you will not willingly follow Jesus at the outset, but with time you will not only learn to trust Him, but you will be able to decipher His voice from the voice of the enemy… Christ says in this passage taken from John that His sheep hear His voice and that He knows them just as they know Him! Notice the first statement is rather general to the point that His sheep hear His voice, but the next statement shows that intimacy that must be present within our lives as Christians… Christ says, I know them and they follow me… Christ understands that you aren’t perfect, He knows that you make mistakes and what this passage informs me is that He is ready and willing to protect you, but you must first hear His voice and follow Him… So many people hear the voice of the Lord calling them, but they don’t follow, they pretend to be okay and don’t seek the help and cure that only God can provide… A shepherd must protect His sheep or they will be lost, Jesus wants to protect you, but you must follow Him or you will indeed be lost… 

Listen to his voice, continue to walk in his path and believe in his word!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He'll Give You Power & Strength

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Isaiah 40:28-29

Do you know the God that you serve? I hope that you know and understand that as a co-heir with Jesus Christ we serve a God that is limitless and almighty… Even though you may have experienced a setback or may not be where you desire; Isaiah has a question for you while you are in the midst of your current circumstance… “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard…?” If you really feel like giving up or throwing in the towel today you must not realize the authority and power which lies in the hand of the God you serve… If you are waving your white flag in the direction of the enemy as a sign of surrender, then you must not know the everlasting God that is bigger than any situation or conflict… The bible declares that God is every present, the bible also declares that we must run this race with perseverance… This means that we must believe and stand in faith that the word of God is true when it says that “you will reap a harvest in due time if you faint not…” No matter what has taken place in your life, no matter how great or mighty the storm may appear to be, you can find comfort and solace in knowing that you serve a God that is unmatched and like no other… He is as Isaiah records in today’s focus verses “the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator…” Despite what you may be facing right now, proclaim through your faith that the word is true and serve notice to the enemy today that God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that he should repent… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Power Comes From The Cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

When I want to give up on this journey I find strength in the cross… When I feel like I can’t make it another day, I can go to sleep with a smile on my face because of the cross… It is through the cross that children of God find hope and strength… In suffering the most humiliating death on earth, Jesus obtained the greatest victory known to man which is defeating death… The cross reminds me that nothing thrust against me will overcome the will and divine plan of God… The cross reminds me to accept challenges, endure hardships and embrace obstacles because in the midst of my pain and suffering a victory is being obtained that will far surpass my current predicament… There are people who are in this world and don’t know the hope that they have or can have in Christ Jesus… There are people who you encounter on a daily basis that don’t know the authority the enemy has over them is only given to him by them because the cross has set them free… People don’t know that they have been freed and are in bondage by choice and not circumstance… Since people don’t realize what Jesus did and haven’t realized that the situations they face and the chaos that surrounds their everyday lives is a result of their own actions “the message of the cross is foolishness…” Your life can be better than it is, you can have a peace that is stable amidst this unstable world, but you must let go and allow God to work… Jesus let go after praying for the cup to pass from Him, as a result, God not only delivered Him but placed Him in high esteem… As a Christian, our faith lives in what took place on the cross… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

My Peace I Give To You

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

You may not see Him, but there is evidence of His presence in your life… Jesus encourages us today to know that we can find comfort through our sleepless nights and tear-soaked pillowcases… You have been going through a rough patch in your life, you have been challenged and have felt the weight of the world upon your shoulders; however, know that you have a symbol of hope in the remnant of God’s peace… Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…” It was the peace of knowing that He would have the victory that allowed Him to be mocked and whipped… It was the peace of knowing that He would be reunited to the Father that allowed Him to be strung out on the Cross and it was the peace of His coming ascension which allowed Him to descend into the belly of this earth… Christ calls for you to take courage in knowing that you can be at peace today because the war has already been won… He leaves His peace to you today so you can know that storms on the horizon have already been passed through by His nail-scarred hands and His blood will keep you safe from all harm… Psalms 91 says “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you if you make the Lord your dwelling place…” Smile today no matter what you are going through because you know that you will be okay and everything will work out; in other words, be at PEACE…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Door Is Still Open

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Revelation 3:8

Despite what people may have told you or even have attempted to persuade you to believe, this Christian journey isn’t easy… From the time we wake up until the time we lay down again we are surrounded by temptations and snares... While you are resting the enemy is devising new plans to be carried out against you to steal, kill and destroy all that God has in store for you… You may be wondering why the minute you come out of a storm there is another one on the horizon; this coming and going of obstacles can wreak havoc on you physically and mentally; however, through John’s revelation today we are reminded that God “knows thy works…” No matter how daunting the task may appear to be, no matter how much sweat and tears are poured out or energy is exerted through your ordeals, be encouraged today that your perseverance will pay off and even though it may feel at times that God isn’t there, the truth of the matter is that He is right by your side… The Lord sees your struggles; He knows the desires of your heart and has provided you a way of escape and a means of obtaining victory by “setting before thee an open door…” God acknowledges that we are weak, that we are not perfect, but he sees that you have kept his word, you haven’t denied Him before men; so He is preparing your riches, he has gone to set you up for greatness never imagined and a victory never seen. No man can thwart God’s plan, so keep the faith and know that God has prepared your exaltation!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Everything Will Be Revealed In Time

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Luke 8:17

There are times in life when we don’t understand, there are points in our Christian journey where we are puzzled by some of the situations that we face… Today, Luke reminds us that everything will be revealed to us in time…The songwriter said “Ooo by and by when the morning comes, all the saints of God are gathered home, we will tell the story of how we overcome and we’ll understand it better by and by…” Let us realize today that as the years pass and we grow in Christ, the understanding as to the path and reason behind every turn will be clearer and clearer for us... You may not understand why this or that happened right now, you may not have a clue as to what impact this situation that you are going through will have on your life, but Luke assures us that at God’s appointed time, we will understand… God informed us in the 55^th chapter of Isaiah about the lack of understanding that we would have at times in our lives… We can’t comprehend the magnitude of God’s actions; the word says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Our faith shouldn’t rely on living a life of harmony, but on accepting every avenue that this Christian journey takes us on knowing and believing that God knows what’s best for us… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Wants To Dwell Within You

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

If you want to experience the power and might of God, allow Him into the midst of you… Jesus said behold I stand at the door and knock and we are informed today that God is mighty and when we allow Him in, He will save us! Zephaniah reminds us today that it doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how far you have strayed away or even how many mistakes that you have made; God still sits high and looks low, He still has all power in the palm of His hand and can save you… One of the most interesting things that I also see in this passage is that God’s power can only be manifested by your allowance! This verse starts off by saying that “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty…” God must first dwell in you in order to display His mighty hand through you… You must sacrifice your desires of the flesh and strive to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord… We often talk about the trials that we are facing and how much anguish we are in, but the bigger storm in our lives is whether or not God is in the midst of thee… Is God the head of your life, is He the focus of your daily walk, is he the driving force behind your purpose in life? If so, Zephaniah tells us that the God who dwells in you will surely save you… It is of the utmost importance that we establish a relationship with God in order for Him to enter in and mend our hearts… Zephaniah is speaking to a people who are in a confused and dark place, he is speaking to the hearts of a people that have rebelled against God and found themselves in the lowest of places, Zephaniah is speaking to a people who have lost hope and feel as if there is no way out… Zephaniah is speaking to you when you feel that the pain is too much to bear, he is speaking to you when you feel that your household is in shambles, the prophet is speaking to you when your job becomes so hectic, your finances are in flux and your children have strayed off the course of promise and hope… This message is for the true believer in God when you feel that God isn’t present, this message is for the person in prayer that hasn’t seen any results, it’s for the parent who is trying to make ends meet but can’t seem to stay afloat… The answer to all your struggles begins with your relationship with God! One of the greatest evangelists and apostles was Paul, as he grew in age he begin to have some medical challenges in his life… Paul said in 2^nd Corinthians the 12^th chapter that God has given him a thorn in his flesh… He continuously prayed that God would remove, but went on to say that God answered by saying, “My grace is sufficient; my strength is made perfect in weakness…” Later Paul says, “When I am weak, He (God) is strong…” Paul wanted to experience better days than he was facing, he wanted to be able to move freely without pain or suffering, but he also understood that even in the midst of hardships that God is mighty… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Watch & Pray

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Matthew 26:41

As a child of God, you must always be on guard… The moment you become comfortable is the same moment when you become susceptible to the devices of the enemy… Being alert is not an optional trait that we carry, but a command from the very mouth of Jesus which was spoken to His disciples as He began to prepare for crucifixion… If you want to reach the levels that God desires and has planned for you to reach, you must learn to “watch and pray…” Today, through this passage we learn how easy temptation can seep into our hearts and minds… It is through these words that we learn how much danger lies at our doorstep every morning or even cuddles beside us in our beds… Jesus speaks to the disciples about temptation knowing that they didn’t even realize what was taking place… A lot of times we overlook the small things (like falling asleep) but Jesus teaches us today that we need to learn to deal with the small issues in life before they lead to bigger problems… There are a lot of things that lead us to temptation; there are a lot of doors that we have left open in our lives that entice us to do wrong… Some of these doors could be acquaintances that we need to shut off, some of these doors could be old habits that we never fully removed from our lives or even places that we visit. The point that we need to learn today is that no matter where you are in life, temptation is around you… So many people think that they are above certain things based on their economic or social standing; however, the truth of the matter is that when you begin to put confidence in your flesh, you open the door to the enemy taking advantage of your weaknesses which is why Jesus goes on to say “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak….” You can overcome the attack of the enemy; however, the only way to conquer him is through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit which is realized by submission and prayer… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!