Stay The Course

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Psalm 11:7

Everyday that you see displays God’s justice in your life, He hasn’t let the enemy just trample over you nor has He turned His back on you… The love that God has for you should ignite your faith and take your relationship with Him to another level… When you feel as though you can’t overcome, when you feel like life is unfair, remember that God is with you, He’s standing by and His love for fairness has touched you and awaken you this morning… This is the reason why you have seen another day, this is the reason why you can see the sunshine and feel the wind blowing; God has been fair to you… He knows that you were designed to succeed; He knows that you were designed to reach supernatural heights and He wants to give you every opportunity possible to walk in your divine calling… When Jeremiah was called to speak the word of God look at what takes place in this passage; the 1 chapter verses 4-10 read as follows, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ 

You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” God continues to call us no matter our age or location, Jeremiah was known of God before He was formed… God already knew you, He already devised a plan for you and this is why He loves justice; no matter how you may feel or even be led to think, the call that God has on your life will trump the chains that the enemy has placed over you… Jeremiah thought that he was too young, but God said I am with you and will rescue you; this same principle applies to us today, we have things that may appear to disqualify us in this life... We may feel as though we are inadequate and cannot overcome certain limitations, if you feel like that today just know that God has brought you to this point so that He can take you through it… Just keep the faith and hold to His unchanging hand; after all, when you walk upright you are guaranteed to see his face as the psalmist proclaims… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Wants You

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Psalm 50:10-11

This psalm is penned by Asaph who was a young priest from the tribe of Levi, when David brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem… Asaph served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign and set to music, many of the Psalms that God gave David. He was in Jerusalem when God gave David the great promise that David would have a son who would be the Messiah, and reign forever. This background provides a seg-way into today’s devotion which speaks to the love of God in the midst of our filth and corruption… There is nothing on this earth that doesn’t belong to the Lord… This is an encouraging word for us today that should remind us that the course we travel should be aligned with the will of God… Asaph was a man that observed many things throughout his life that God allowed Him to live… Having observed the very life of David, seeing the good days and the bad, Asaph pens these scriptures which we study today… Everything of this earth belongs to the Lord, you are a vessel formed from His hand, carved by His words, and designed for His purpose; however, just like many creatures created by God, we have decided to walk according to our own desires and plans…

The Lord wants you to know that every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, I believe he declares that for us to hear today to remind us that he desires us and not a sacrifice or offering. God wants your heart, He doesn't need you to offer things he already owns... Slaughtering a bull, lamb, sheep or goat is not what God desires from you since they belong to Him anyway… How would you feel if all the hard work you put into your job was paid with something that you created in the first place? You desire more from your job than just to receive what you have put into it and the same can be said of God… This is why Samuel the prophet asked the question “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” This passage reminds us today that it’s your obedience to the will of God which is that the Lord desires from you; it’s not about the sacrifice of an animal but the sacrifice of yourself to Him… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Walk In His Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

Jesus informs us in the gospel of Matthew chapter 15 verse 11 that, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” I share this passage of scripture as we examine today’s focus verse because we must understand the importance of what resides within us… There are a lot of people walking this earth with bitterness and are unhappy simply because the enemy has taken up residence within them… These people are never satisfied even when they get the things they desire because their callous heart still yearns for more… Today if you want to have peace in your life, if you want to have unspeakable joy, or if you simply want to learn to be content with the things surrounding you, Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly… The word of Christ is the key to your happiness, contentment, and peaceful existence… If the word of Christ is not in you then the darkness in which you were born still resides and therefore the seeds that sprout in your life will do nothing more than feed the corruption that is already present… 

Notice that this is not just about thinking positive thoughts, but rather having the word of Christ; you must establish a personal relationship with the Lord, you must choose to totally submit your life to His divine will and plan and you must seek His face and not the approval of your peers… There are a lot of us still seeking the approval of our fellowman and yet we wonder why it is that we are unhappy… Paul goes on to explain to us today how we know when the word of Christ is dwelling in us; your and your speech will be altered when Christ is dwelling within you… Instead of putting one another down, instead of gossiping and trying to step on one another to get ahead, you will find yourself speaking life in the midst of death and providing light in the darkest of situations…. When Christ is in you, His word will be displayed and spoken out of you… The same people who use to become defensive at your words will find themselves receiving your words in kindness knowing that your heart belongs to God… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He's Ready To Give It To You

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. 

Psalm 84:11-12

Even though you may experience days of darkness and confusion; the passage we focus on today declares that the Lord is a sun and shield… You will experience many days where the enemy appears to have an upper hand; however, in the body of Christ, you are reminded today that the Lord is always near and will deliver you… This passage ends by declaring, “blessed is the man that trusteth in thee…” The writer records these words because when you trust in the Lord you are guaranteed to be blessed, the darkness that you face will indeed become light and you will receive a clear vision of the path and will that God has planned for your life when the rays of the sun shine bright all around you and through you… The 84th Psalm starts by declaring how wonderful the dwelling place of the Lord is; the things that you experience in this life should declare the same words spoken by the psalmist… 

The Lord desires for you to experience His blessings and to keep you in perfect peace, He desires to transform you into a magnificent creature instead of seeing you be conformed to the ways of this world! He gives grace unto you! If we examine our past, we will know that there are certainly a lot of situations that we found ourselves in and know that only God’s grace brought us out… There were a lot of choices we made that were wrong, a lot of decisions that were fueled by negative thoughts and plots, but through it all, God has never turned his back on us; yes indeed, He gives Grace and will not withhold anything from them that walk uprightly. God wants to see you excel, not be confined, He wants to see you exalted and not belittled, He wants to see you full of joy and not sorrow… His desires are clear, it’s your pathways (choices made) that are foggy… You must be about the work of God if you want God to be about the blessings and grace promised to you… These two things go hand and hand… The psalmist makes clear that these are the desires of the Lord’s heart… He wants to open windows of heaven for you, He wants to pour out blessings upon you, but you must desire Him in order to receive. He's ready to give it; the question at hand is, are you ready to receive?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Safe In His Arms

The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:12 

Those who walk in the will of God are promised safety… This is not to be confused with peace all the days of your life, but to say that when the enemy comes you will be able to win… You will see storms rage, and wars take place, but you are to take comfort in knowing that these things will not overtake you, and though you see them, they will not stand too long… We must come to accept and realize that every day of our lives a battle is being fought, some days we take a step forward and some days we take a step back… Whatever the case, we are taught that the beloved (those who are dear to the heart of God) shall dwell in safety… When you choose the will of God you are then covered under the blood of Jesus… This is the same blood that paid your penalty, the same blood that made the death angel pass over the houses of God’s children, and the same blood that Jesus sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane… Isaiah 26:3 says that “thou will keep you in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee!” We have a comforting assurance today through God’s word! He has promised that if we are the sheep of His pasture and the children of His blood; that we shall be protected and kept through the struggles of life! 

This word was written to encourage the Israelites as they battled for territories and prepared to enter the promised land, it was to inform them of the promises of God as they measured the task which laid before them, Moses' leadership is ending and Joshua is taking the reigns, God is preparing them for great struggles and pains, but wants them to know that victory is on the horizon. You may be in a place of struggle right now, you may be in the midst of a battle right now and the message that I encourage you with today is to know that “the Lord shall cover him (you) all the day long…” He will uphold you, He will sustain you, He will see you through… The Israelites were on the cusp of the Promised Land, you are on the cusp of your breakthrough, you are on the edge of your new beginnings, and you are about to walk into your new territory… So today find encouragement in knowing that trouble doesn’t last always, and realize that God is with you and nothing will stop you… Let us enjoy these truths today; realizing that the Promised Land is before us, although the measure of obstacles that awaits us seems insurmountable… We are filled with worry, we are filled with uncertainty and we have become hopeless (The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years)… Just as the Israelites in this passage, we have been wandering in the wilderness thinking that our former days of bondage are better than the Blessings that God has stored up for us…

Your mindset amidst this battle is of the utmost importance. This is why the verse concludes by stating "...and he shall dwell between his shoulders." Make sure you spend time in the word of God. Make sure you prioritize things in your life and that your thoughts align with your desires. I believe Paul said it best in his letter to the church of Philippi:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. [Philippians 4:8]

You are covered by his blood; you are protected by his sacrifice, so live according to his will and fight the good fight!!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Always Give Thanks

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-20

Don’t allow your mind to be controlled by the circumstances around you and thus give the enemy a foothold in your life… In today’s devotional, we are reminded of the importance of speaking over ourselves instead of allowing someone else to… There are a lot of things that we all face in this world, a lot of situations that we find ourselves in which are disheartening to the strongest and most stable individuals; however, the declaration that is made today is that we must maintain our praise, worship, and devotion to the Lord… The enemy has set out to destroy you; however, it will not be a physical fight, it will be a battle within your mind… All Satan once you to do is focus on the problem and not stand in faith knowing that the Father is the solution… Your adversary has placed strategic things in your life with the focus of derailing your faith; this is why you encounter obstacles that seem impassable and burdens that appear to be unbearable… The word of God tells in Hebrews 9:28, “so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” This is not the only reference we have to know that Christ has delivered us from past, present, and future sins as Peter declares in the 3^rd chapter of his  1^st book, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,” 

These scriptures are referenced in today’s devotional so that you can see clearly that Satan only has the power that you give Him… He wants you to think (battle in the mind) that you are in bondage because of mistakes and failures; however, the Lord wants you to praise Him in and through your challenges because you know that He has and will deliver you… Your thoughts are powerful and today make the decision to make melody in your heart to God… Things may not be going as you desire, but you can praise God for the simple fact that His ways are flawless and He has a plan for you, to give you hope and a future… I was once told this following quote by my father many years ago, it reads as follows: “Be careful what you think, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful what you say, for your words become your actions. Be careful what you do, for your actions become your habits. Be careful what becomes habitual, for your habits become your destiny.”Whether we acknowledge it or not, the truth of the matter is that the things we think about lead to the path that we choose to travel… Paul echoes this very thing in his letter to the church of Ephesus… If we want to walk according to the will of God and do the things that are pleasing in His sight, then we must first change our mindset and focus on our spiritual identity which will lead us to spiritual thoughts… When we begin to think spiritually instead of seeking worldly possession, we begin to speak life (God’s word) over every situation and circumstance and when we reach that level, we are able to “…give thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

A Childlike Mentality

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Luke 18:17

Receiving the kingdom of God is not a verbal expression, but an act that requires total submission and openness of one’s heart… The words recorded in today’s focus verse shine a light on the fact that we must have the mindset and attitude of a child when it comes to the kingdom of God… A child is very gullible (innocent, trusting) and accepting in their early years; having this mindset allows them in their youth to believe any and everything that they are told by their parents… Santa is real because of the words spoken, the tooth fairy exists because they are taught of his or her being, and fear is eased when a parent says everything is okay…  In Christ, when we have this mindset we trust and hang on every word of God… We can stand in the midst of adversity and smile because we remember what our father told us and we declare it to be true… When the enemy seems to be on the attack, having the mind of a child says you will not win and joy comes in the morning… Even when faced with trials and tribulations and obstacles that appear to be too steep to overcome; having a child’s mindset allows you to rely on our heavenly father and declare this too shall pass… This is why we are reminded today that the kingdom of God can only be entered when you have this mindset… When you lose sight of thinking like a child in the aspects of your spiritual life, you then allow that crevice of opportunity for the enemy to slip in and get you to start thinking according to your own desires… 

A child can be formed and molded for a specific task or purpose; however, we all have heard the saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks… You have to be able to be molded to reach the levels that God has designed you to reach, you have to have the mindset to think outside of the proverbial box and display your faith which means that you don’t have to know everything that is going on… Jesus is referring to a reformation that must take place in one's life and it starts in the mind… If you can’t bring yourself to believe what your Eternal Father is telling you, how do you expect to reach and enter the gates of heaven…? Your faith and relationship with God is shown by how you accept His ways, will, and plans… The problems that we face in this life are not because we are ill-equipped, but because we are set in our ways even when it comes to serving a God who says that “His ways are not our ways…” This isn’t even about compromising with God, but about transforming your way of thinking like Paul said in his letter to the church of Rome (Romans 12:2)…  Stop focusing on being an adult as the world defines adulthood. Assume the childlike mentality before the Lord and allow Him to use you for His glory. Dismiss fear and a lack of clarity for a second and just surrender to the Lord, putting all your trust in Him. When you do that, watch what happens!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Preach The Word; The Hour Has Come

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come...

Revelation 14:6-7

These verses penned in John’s revelation today speak to the love, compassion, and desire that God has for all His creation to return unto Him… No matter what you have done in this life, no matter how ashamed you may be of the things in your past or the skeletons in your closet; John writes today to let us know that there will be a loud voice that will be heard by all mankind with the declaration for you to fear God… Your life is built upon the choices that you make and these same principles apply to your relationship with Christ… The Lord desires to save you and to record your name in the book of life; however, it is ultimately up to you and the decisions that you make to decide whether or not you want to dwell there… If you want God to write your name down if you want Jesus to be “preparing a place for you” then you must submit and have fear (reverence, respect, and admiration) for the Lord… In John’s revelation the last words recorded state “for the hour of his judgment is come…” You don’t have as long as you believe you have and even the next day let alone the next second is not promised… The enemy has a lot of us under the belief that we can do as we please because we have tomorrow to change our ways and get ourselves together; sadly, there are millions of people who thought this way and will spend their eternity in hell because of it… 

Open your eyes to see and know how much the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the world… There were and still are several areas where the bible is not allowed; however, there are also several countries that have had their eyes opened and the truth penetrate their borders… The word informs us that the gospel will be preached and seeds will be planted in every area of the world before Christ comes; the gospel of Matthew declares it in the 24^th chapter, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The gospel of Jesus Christ will be and is being preached, it’s just that we must unstop our ears to hear it… John saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven; this angel was being prepped for assignment and sent to the earth with the gospel to preach… This angel spoken of is here today; there are many angels which we encounter and don’t even know it… This is why we must have the mindset of Christ knowing that His word will not come back void but that it will accomplish what it was set out to do… Hebrews the 13^th chapter and 2^nd verse says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” You have already been visited in your life and the word of God has been planted; make sure that it takes root and that you nurture that seed to spring forth abundant life in the form of Eternity… Again, John reveals to us today the glory and mercy that embodies our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… This passage should be encouraging to all who partake of it, we need to understand that God doesn’t want to see any perish, He doesn’t want to see you or I left on the side of the road, but we must recognize that his judgment won't wait forever. We must act now and align ourselves with His will before it's too late. Whatever purpose God has placed within you, whatever path God has set before you; now is the time to walk and make your faith known, the hour has come! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Teach Christ From The Womb

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

Isaiah 54:13

Believe it or not, one thing that is for sure in this life is that your child is going to learn something… It may not be the things you desire, but this is why teaching and training in the home are of the utmost importance… So many people have delayed the teaching and training aspect of parenting and this has allowed the enemy to take the reins in the classroom and teach all the things which the child doesn’t need to learn… It’s imperative that “Thy children shall be taught of the Lord,” the enemy is a very enticing teacher, and if you allow him in then your child will never be at peace and therefore you will have several sleepless nights and a mind full of worry… This is why we are told today that teaching your child of the Lord will bring peace… The sooner that you realize that you must teach about the Lord even in the womb, the sooner you can begin to instill peace in your offspring… Jesus declares in John 14:27 that he has left his peace with us. It is through knowing Jesus that we obtain the peace of God. For your children to know God, they must be taught, trained, and/or experience Him. This is how the peace which surpasses all understanding is obtained. Make no mistake about it, whether you want to deal with it or not; the truth of the matter is that your child will learn from whoever speaks into their lives… If you don’t take this word and begin to teach you will see what becomes of your child and soon realize that you should’ve been the one teaching… Teaching and training are required in the will of God because without them we all will perish… Your child needs to know about Jesus, but they also need to have Jesus broken down and implanted in their lives… This means that you as a parent must spend time in study and not just quote a scripture that you learn and remembered… 

Isaiah says thy children shall be taught of the Lord… You are required to teach them and this requires you to observe and walk in obedience to Him as well… What god is it if you tell me about Jesus, but cannot elaborate on why it is that I should follow Him…? What good is it if you quote scripture but cannot give me the background on what it means… It pains me to hear people who quote scripture and in quoting it they use it out of context… Children have been taught about Jesus, but the training (which requires in-depth devotion) is lacking, so the peace you seek is not found… The children of God were rebellious people; however, Isaiah instructs us how to obtain peace even in the most precarious situation and it starts with teaching…  Isaiah reminds us today that we are called to bring up our children in the way of the Lord… So many youths have gone astray and have fallen short and it is not because the children are bad, but because they have not been trained in the way and will of God… Proverbs 22:6 tells us to, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it…” People have often wondered why their children did not walk in what they were taught. One reason for this is that many parents did not "train" their children, but only "taught" their children about the things of God. Teaching is sharing information, while training integrates that teaching into a lifestyle. Children need to be encouraged in this day and age, we need to recognize the God-given gifts they possess and encourage them along those lines. Training is a lot more tedious and takes a committed effort on the part of parents. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Beware of False Teachings

And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mark 13:5-6 

Not every one that speaks the name of Christ really is a child of God… I was once told that Satan spends his days in the church; not because he wants to be converted but because he wants to pull others from their faith… Those in the world are not of God and therefore Satan doesn’t have to worry about them… Understanding that Satan does attend church keeps me informed that I must be on guard at all times and as Paul tells the church of Ephesus “put on the full amour of God…” This battle we face is indeed NOT in the flesh but in principalities and darkness in high places… These high places can be in the pulpit, and these high places can be positions of leadership; whatever the case may be, I know that I must stay alert and be vigilant at all times… Our focus verses today shine a light on Jesus telling us to take heed… Don’t for a second let your guard down; don’t for the smallest window of time become complacent… The devil only needs a small window of time to tear you down… Look at David when he became King, his small window came in the form of Bathsheba; think about Sampson in all His might and how he let his guard down to Delilah, think about Solomon who was the wisest man to ever live but saw his kingdom divided and torn down before his very eyes, think about Peter who vowed to follow Jesus at all cost, but before the cook crowed he denied knowing the savior and left the courtyard weeping… 

This list can go on and on and we need to take note today that we must open our eyes to the will of God and not lean to our own understanding and comfort… Today’s message reminds us of two very important things; one, we must be careful with whom we associate and second, we must study the word of God for ourselves and apply it to our everyday life… Mark informs us today that many people will come into our lives claiming to be of God, but the fruit that they bare is totally different… Jesus says to take heed, and be slow to accept people into your inner circle (Jesus had 3 disciples that He was close to), but more importantly, pray about every situation that you encounter! The Bible records that the devil is a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he has the appearance of a loving character but is scheming like a wolf trying to destroy any and everything around him… We must be careful that we are not destroyed. We must stay vigilant and alert at all times. The devil will show up and various forms, sometimes even in the church, and will lead many astray. This is why we must know the Lord for ourselves, this is why we must study His word for ourselves. We can't take someone else's word for it, or we are running the risk of being led down the wrong path that will produce an undesired outcome.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Talk Is Cheap

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luke 6:46

The saddest thing about the return of Christ to this earth is the number of people who believe that they can get over on Him… There are so many people we encounter on a daily basis who fit this scripture; they call on the Lord verbally, but don’t have the faith and belief in Him to allow His will to be done… So many of us display our true lack of faith when a storm arises or adversity hits us, we as children of the most high have read scriptures upon scriptures that tell us about trusting in the Lord and the question that is posed today, do we really believe what we have read… The Bible never says that this road will be easy, it never declares that your journey would be smooth; it does however say that you must endure temptations and sufferings… I am quite sure that we all have heard people quote or even at times have quoted the familiar passage from the 3^rdchapter of Proverbs which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” So many speak these scriptures, but yet they do not abide in them; this same principle applies to today’s focus verse; how can you serve or call on a Lord which you don’t obey and adhere too…? 

This devotional today deals with the faith you have in Christ and how much you truly love the Lord… More importantly, it speaks to the actions that you must take so that the things you declare verbally are displayed and visible to others… Don’t forget that the Lord looks at the heart of man and is not fooled by the fabulous jargon which comes from your lips… You are called to action as a Christian; speaking words are meaningless without the Love of God dwelling in them…  Today, remember that it isn’t about what you say to others, it’s about how you show it… Your actions must align with your words in order for you to know that this statement proclaimed by Jesus Himself is not referring to you… Ask yourself today, are you speaking mere words or is everything that comes out of your mouth backed by actions and deeds… Remember in the gospel of Mathew, chapter 15 and verse 8 that Jesus declares, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Jesus knows your every breath, He knows what you do behind closed doors and what you proclaim in front of people; Jesus desires for all to be saved, but He really is waiting for you to realize that the things you say must align with the things you do and that in all things must demonstrate the faith and relationship that you have with Him. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Lord Shows Up When You Do

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

Psalm 41:1

This verse taken from the 41^st psalm sheds light on the heart we must have as Christians… This is not to say that we must allow ourselves to be used and manipulated, but to say that we must not set our priorities on material things… In reading this passage I instantly think about the rich young ruler who encounters Jesus in the gospel of Mark… He declared that he had conducted his life according to the book of the law; however, when Jesus declared for him to give away his prized possessions there was a sadness that came upon him… Mark 10:22 says, “²² But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.” Understand today that this rich young ruler was on the cusp of salvation; however, the way he cherished material things led him to leave the company of Jesus… In reading this, a question now arises; how hard is it for you to give (even if it’s your last)…? This is something that I think all of us may answer one way; however, when faced with the situation our actions may speak differently… As a child of God, we are called to walk by faith and it’s imperative that we understand that this faith is displayed through our actions and not mere words… 

Faith is total trust, confidence and reliance in a person, spirit, or object… When we place our confidence in Jesus Christ, we can give to the needy even if it is our last knowing and believing that the psalmist is right in today’s focus verse declaring that we will be “blessed…” Paul (a New Testament servant of the Lord) dealt with great trials and tribulations as he worked within the will of God… During his greatest need, the church of Philippi (founded by Paul) was supportive of him by sending gifts and offerings to him… After receiving these gifts, Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Understand that when you give out of love you are giving out of the depths of your heart and this means that you are relying on God to sustain and take care of you… We are called to seek the kingdom of God first along with His righteousness and we are promised that when we do this everything else will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33)… In seeking God first, we don’t place our focus or priority on worldly things… This is a great testament to our faith because if we are solely dependent on God then we can extend a helping hand in the time of need without hesitation… God promises to bless you and keep you, but you must open up your hand and let go of the things you are currently holding on to (walk by faith)…. I was once told an empty hand is a poor hand… The psalmist teaches us a different way to view that hand today… An empty hand isn’t poor; it's just waiting for God’s blessing to arrive… One of my favorite quotes is from Erma Bombeck who said, "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me".

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Discover Your Inner Beauty

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4:7

The desires of God are to see you become what He designed you to be; anything less than that is simply unacceptable… Today’s focus verse emphasizes the importance of abstaining from the ways and views of this world… There are a lot of things that are deemed acceptable according to our peer standards, but they do not align with the will of God… There are a lot of things that people may tell you aren’t so bad or are okay for you to engage in; however, in today's focus verse, we are reminded that those very things will corrupt your mind and your way of life… As children of God, it is of the utmost importance that we remember that we are called into holiness, this means that we are separated from the ways and paths of this world and called to adhere to the ways and standards of our Heavenly Father… To be holy means that you are consecrated, sanctified, and/or blessed… God wants to take you to higher heights; He wants to open up doors in your life; however, He needs you to stop allowing filthiness to corrupt your being… This filthiness could be defiling your physical body with drugs, sex or alcohol; or it could be a more subtle unrecognized tool that corrupts like the music you listen to, the places you hang out, or even the people you associate with… 

You have to be careful and vigilant to see clearly that there are many aspects of your life that can be filthy… We must recognize today that it is possible to be clean on the outside and filthy inside. Understand today that when dealing with the enemy, you can’t become too comfortable with your surroundings… Paul writes this letter to the church of Thessalonica at a time when they are being tested by the Jews or were jealous and envious of their walk in the will of God… This church was a working church in that they strived to adhere to the will of God even in the midst of adversity and tribulations… Today, we can stand to learn a great deal from this church, so many of our churches today have allowed this world to dictate how we deal with situations and turmoil… Instead of living according to the will of God, we find ourselves living to please the itching ears of society… Paul is writing to set the record straight, even though people will rise in opposition to your work, He wants to remind you that you have been called unto holiness and not uncleanness… The will of God is that you are molded into perfection so that you can be used for His glory and reach the heights of His will for your life... 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Put God First

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

The sooner you put God first in your life, the sooner you will notice a transition taking place… God has made a promise to you that He will carry out; however, the delay in seeing it fulfilled may be the seeking of His kingdom and righteousness which you have not done… The gospel of Matthew reminds us today of the importance that God not only has in our lives but also the priority that He requires… This verse starts off by saying“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” You actually hold the very keys to your destiny and divine future; you can unlock the fullest potential that God has placed in your life by seeking Him… This simply means that God must come first in your life… In other words, today is the time for you to rearrange your agenda and make sure that the things of Christ are the first to be checked off of your to-do list… So many of us always put God on the back burner of life and wonder why He hasn’t moved on our behalf… We wonder why our lives are spiraling out of control, why there is so much division in our homes, why we keep missing the mark, and in this passage, we are told the very answer to those aforementioned questions… God has not moved in your life because you haven’t moved toward Him…” 

When you seek His kingdom you develop a more personal and intimate relationship with the Lord… There is so much that goes into the seeking of a Christian; your life is devoted to leaving no stone unturned and no door closed in Christ… Understand that to seek Him isn’t just related to a time during the day, but that it is a progressive work that requires a motivated, persistent, and unwavering soul… A lot of us say that we are seeking the Lord; however, the things that occupy our day say otherwise… We work to seek contentment, stability, money, and assurance… We date to seek a mate, companionship, and love… We remove things from our life to seek clarity, peace, and understanding… I state all these things to shed light on the fact that when we do things there is always a motive behind them… When we go to church, what is our motive? When we pray at night, what is our desire…? Are you simply trying to appease God or are you really seeking His kingdom and righteousness… This verse calls for us to totally dismiss the things and cares of this world when they try to occupy our mind in place of the Most High…  You cannot try to put forth a little bit of effort on your job and expect to take home a king’s ransom… You cannot put forth a little bit of companionship and expect to have a relationship that will last; likewise, you cannot do the bare minimum when dealing with Christ and expect bigger and better things to come about… Notice the promise that is made in this verse; when you put God first and continue to abide according to His will all these things will be given to you as well… The more effort that you put forth in getting to a deeper level within Christ, the more the doors in your life will begin to open up before you... The sweat and tears that drop from your face today when you seek Him will be the same drops that nurture and bring forth your abundant garden or harvest… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Trust The Covenant God Has Made With You

Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

2 Samuel 7:28

Have you ever taken a step back in your life to really understand the love of God and how He demonstrates it in your life…? Have you ever really analyzed your life to the point that you have a better grasp of God’s impact on your life versus your own hands…? These are the questions that come to mind when I read this passage… The realization that is found in this passage is that God will keep His covenant even though you don’t uphold your end of the bargain… This is not to say that God can be taken advantage of, but it lets me know that God looks beyond appearance and accepts the heart and its allegiance to Him… Think about all the promises that you may have broken in your life, all the times that you didn’t do what you promised to do, and all the effects and results that came because of it… I know that I am human and can fail at any given time; however, I also know that God isn’t human which means that He will never fail… This is why we can proclaim like David that “Your covenant is trustworthy…” We can be confident in any situation knowing that God will do what He said He would… There are so many things that we do daily which cause heartache, pain, and suffering in our lives; there are so many people who have written us off or cast us to the side… David was a man that could’ve easily given up on the desires of his heart because of the errors of his ways; however, he is assured that the love of God transcends barriers and can reach you in the deepest and darkest pit… 

Don’t give life to the negativity around you; don’t feed the fire of negative comments hurled your way… When someone speaks about you in a demeaning manner, this verse today allows you to smile in their face knowing that they don’t control your destiny because the sovereign Lord is God… He still sits high and looks low, He still has all power in the palm of His hand and He still can pluck you out of the most precarious situation… David’s life is a testimony to the fact that God has the final say and even though your life may be headed one way; it’s not too late for a redirection to take place… David knew the error of his ways; however, in today’s passage David is in prayer to the Lord and says “you have promised these good things to your servant…” Just because you messed up doesn’t mean you are no longer a servant… Even though you made mistakes, the goodness that God planted in you will still sprout and come to life… Jesus said that He came for the sick; this means that He came for you… This is why God’s covenant is trustworthy; this is why His promises are valid… He didn’t come expecting you to be perfect, He came expecting you to give Him a chance to perfect you… The good things referred to by David are that His throne would reign forever; these good things are that His sins have been forgiven; these good things are that God has looked beyond his faults and seen his needs… I believe we all can come to know how this prayer/period was inspiring to David's life and should serve the same purpose in our lives as well… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Skies The Limit

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:1-2

In reading today’s focus verse I am reminded of the old saying talk is cheap; there are a lot of Christians that do the talking, but in the heat of the moment they are the same Christians who fold under the pressures of this world… There are a lot of pretenders and procrastinators in the body of believers and this is also why verse 1 starts off by using the word if… In other words, you may say that you are of the body of Christ, but if your actions say differently then there is a disconnect somewhere… Paul uses the word “if” because the words which follow it serve as a filter to separate the real from the phony… When we read the word if we can then grasp the words that follow and apply them to our lives and ask the question as to whether we really are a child of God or not… The things which motivate you to act on this earth are the things that you desire to obtain and/or please… There are a lot of us who pledge our allegiance to Christ, but when our lives are examined under the proverbial microscope, we find that there are a lot of other things which come before our Savior… We say that we love Christ; however, He doesn’t hold priority in our lives… We say that we love the Lord; however, prayer is an afterthought in our daily routine… We remember when to get up for work, we remember that our physical bodies need nourishment, but someone has to remind us to pray about it or ask us if we have talked to the Lord about our problems… 

As a child of God, this should not be, we must have a mindset where the cares of this world are taking a backseat to the matters of Christ… Our lives are so cluttered and bombarded with so much that we have no room for intimacy with Christ… The enemy has you right where he wants you if you find yourself forgetting to pray and spending time in devotion… The devil has a mighty grip on your life if you are focused on the daily task and the things of this world as opposed to what God can do and what He has already done in your life… The Bible declares in Hebrews that without faith it is impossible to please God… Faith must be a part of every Christian’s life and it is shown when we live the verses recorded in this passage… We walk by faith when we seek things above and not the approval of our peers…  It is important that we understand that what we seek is what drives us. This is why we are reminded in the Bible that we must seek Him with all our hearts and that we must seek him while he may be found… We must be committed to this journey and align ourselves with the will of God. We must set out minds on things above and not be so caught up or focused on public opinion. Likewise, we must recognize that time is running out (seek Him while he may be found), tomorrow is never promised and the real desires of your heart are seen by God and displayed to men by what you obtain/seek on this earth… Is your relationship growing in Christ or are you just trying to acheive worldly success? This is also why we are charged as Christians to seek those things which are above… Your attitude and altitude should reflect your Christianity… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!