Look To Jesus To Find Strength

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:3

There is no shortcut to reaching the heights and plateau that God has designed for you; there is no way to circumvent the paths and lanes which were uniquely customized for your feet to travel… In today’s devotional, we are reminded that we must focus on our source of strength instead of dwelling on our current problem or situation… There are so many of us who daily find ourselves being caught up in situations to the point that we neglect and negate the power and presence of God… When you find yourself on the verge of throwing in the proverbial towel, when you feel like you are at the end of your rope and can’t see any way out, the author tells you that you must consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners… Remember all the snares, trials, and hardships that Jesus faced; remember the heartache and spiritual pain that was firmly thrust upon His shoulders and know that in the end, He was victorious… You can draw strength from the Lord by simply reflecting on all that He has done in your life and even before you were born… Jesus fought the good fight over 2,000 years ago so that you could see this day; He considered it not robbery to leave His home in glory so that you could one day reside with Him… 

All these things Jesus did for you and this alone should provide your source of strength and motivation to do the same… The enemy can only defeat you if you allow Him to... Today, know that the enemy will present choices in your life; He cannot defeat you, but will try to get you to ultimately be your own worse enemy and thus defeat yourself… Jesus drew strength from the words It is written (Matthew 4); you can draw that same strength from Him today and not allow the enemy to overwhelm you to the point that you give up on your divine calling and destiny… All these things which Jesus endured on this earth were not only to bring Salvation into reality, but it also was to display the Lord’s victory over sin so that you will not grow weary and lose heart… Jesus conquered what people thought was unconquerable (death) and is now sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us… He is a living example that things are not always what they same, and even the most trying situations can produce the most fulfilling results… Keep your hand to the plow; the field will produce the harvest which will make the sowing all that more enjoyable…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Confession + Prayer = Healing

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16

Problems derive from faults not being confessed… Today’s devotion reminds us of the importance of confessing one another’s faults to each other to initiate the healing process… There are a lot of people walking around in life with open wounds; these wounds are infected daily because bitterness has not been removed and anger continues to fester like bacteria with oxygen… This same principle applies to the offender and the offended; as the offender, oftentimes we will deny wrong which will allow a spirit of pride, self-righteousness, and an egotistical mindset to be rooted in us and drive us further from the truth… In order to have closure in your life (which gives way to healing), you must either acknowledge your wounds or confess your actions that led to someone being wounded… This acknowledgment must not only take place, but must also be prayed over; this is why James goes on to say that not only must we confess our faults, but that we must pray one for another… Recognizing the mistake you made or the offense that someone committed against you is the first step; however, until you seek a resolution and closure through prayer, this issue will not and cannot be resolved… 

In understanding the importance of prayer, I am led to remind you that the issues you face in life are not meant for you to handle… There are so many problems that could’ve been resolved and so many issues that could’ve been handled differently if we gave way to the plan and move of the Holy Spirit… Prayer is essential to healing because it removes all the infected items (you and the other person) from being involved and thus keeps matters from becoming even worse… When you carry envy, jealousy, anger, and strife; you are infected and will do nothing but infect everything that you come in contact with… Healing can only be found in and through the hands of God… The Bible declares that Jesus was presented with a situation after being transfigured before James Peter and John about a boy who was possessed and the disciples were unable to cure him… At the command of Jesus, the boy was made whole; in their astonishment, the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t heal him, Jesus declared that this could only be done by fasting and prayer… The confession of the need for healing by the father of the possessed boy and the prayer of Jesus led to the transformation of this young man… Today, know that it is through confessing your faults one to another and by prayer that healing can begin and wholeness can be found... 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay The Course; Your Blessing Is Coming

And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

Exodus 23:25

The first step that we must take in walking according to the will of God is to serve Him wholeheartedly… When Moses was given the 10 commandments on mount Sinai, the 20^th chapter of Exodus starts off with these words; And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” This first commandment given to mankind was to make sure that God has priority in your life amongst all other things which may serve as detractors or snares throughout your journey… This first commandment echoes today’s focus verse which calls for us to serve the Lord your God… Life is full of decisions; from the time that you open your eyes decisions are being made at a rapid pace… You decide when and/or whether you are going to get out of bed; you decide what to wear and what’s for breakfast… If you have a vehicle to travel in, you decide how fast you want to drive (tickets could be an issue) and how you are going to interact with your co-workers or fellow students… Just about every second we are making decisions and all the decisions that we make carry consequences with them… Today, we are reminded that deciding to serve the Lord unlocks the ability to have all our needs met… Notice that the word of God says He shall bless thy bread, and thy water, but this will happen after we choose to serve the Lord… 

The blessings that God has prepared for you can only be received when your approach to life isn’t about things of this world but of the things of Christ… There are so many of us being plagued by the visible things in this world that we are missing out on the blessings that God has designed for us… You are caught up with the worldly perspective of what success means and so you find yourself adhering to false pretenses that are depriving you of reaching your God-given destiny…The world says that service is a sign of weakness, it is a debilitating position that can produce unwanted comments and insults being hurled toward the person occupying this role… We look down on being a servant when we have the mindset and share the opinions of this world; however, in looking down on services we actually are looking down on God as if we are too good to bow down and get on our knees which in turn is a direct result as to why you aren’t blessed in the manner that you wish you were… The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God… I reference this scripture to make the point that faith requires an ability to serve… Jesus took the lowest position on earth because of the faith He had in the plan of the father… You can willingly submit and humble yourself before the Lord in service knowing that He will exalt you in due time… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Confident In His Word

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek...

Romans 1:16

How much is your faith proclaimed verbally versus being displayed spiritually and physically…? There are a lot of us who put forth great signs of faith when we are around other believers and followers of Christ; however, these same people cower when a situation presents itself for them to stand in faith amongst the darkness within this world… This is the message that is being presented through today’s focus verse, Paul starts off by saying that despite what people may say or dare to even think about Him and His past, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ… You have to have a mindset that people will talk and you just have to stay the course and stand in faith… The bible declares in the 13^th chapter of Matthew a principle that we must apply to our own lives… 

 

 

It is in this text that we must come to know that there are a lot of people in the body of Christ who will not make it to the eternal resting place called heaven… Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. ^“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?^“An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” I reference this scripture just to make the point that the enemy has planted weeds which are sprouting amongst the wheat planted by the Lord and they will be separated when the proclamation of the gospel comes forth… You can tell the wheat from weeds when faith comes into the equation… Wheat says For I am not ashamed while weeds will be manipulated and controlled by their surroundings… The message today is clear, the word of God is the catalyst that paves the way to Salvation in Christ… You have to have the word in you if you want to see the path that God has paved for you…

  

This is why Paul says it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth… The gospel is the power of God which leads to salvation. This is why we can't be ashamed... If you are not standing on the word and walking in Faith; you will not inherit everlasting Life and all that God has planned and purposed for you! Be confident in His word!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's Only Possible Because of Christ

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 

You can do nothing without the power and presence of God…Even though the world declares to us that we can do a lot of things if we apply ourselves, the word of God informs us today that even Jesus Christ had to be anointed and aided by the Holy Ghost in order to do good and heal all that were oppressed of the devil… Notice that today’s devotion declares that we need the anointing of God not to just perform miracles but simply to do good… Sin is naturally a part of our being, we are filled with filth and a strong desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh… Doing good embodies so many actions of our daily lives; we need the presence of God in our lives to speak kindness amidst gossip and betrayal, we need His anointing to extend a helping hand to our adversary and enemies…When we are of this world we focus on trying to get ahead using whatever means necessary; however, when we are under the anointing of God we have faith that we will reach new heights and are willing to extend a hand to those we pass along the way… We all have probably heard the saying “what would Jesus do” and after reading this question I am left posing the question how did Jesus do it…? 

How is it that He could allow Judas to kiss Him in betrayal, how could He heal the ear of the guard, how could He keep quiet while all the lies were spoken about Him and how could He endure the cross knowing that His life was lived without blame… The answer lies in the words of this passage; God anointed Him and the Holy Ghost guided Him… This same principle must be applied to your life; you won’t be able to do what Jesus did if you don’t have the same indwelling spirit that He did… In short, you must come to know the Father and allow the father to be within you so that you then can accomplish the most possible on this earth… In the world you will experience some success when displaying a hard work ethic; however, under the anointing of God, you will experience great success while working hard and will also be able to accomplish things that were deemed impossible (miracles being signs of God’s presence in your life)…  Today we understand the power that God imparts within His children; we come to the realization that we have been given the ability to defeat the devil through the power of God’s anointing and Holy Spirit… The Book of Acts tells us that God anointed Jesus and He went about doing good and healing the oppressed; the vision of Jesus' life was already in place, but now God imparted the tools needed to fulfill His divine destination! We too must understand that God has given us the vision for our lives and He has and will impart within us the tools that we need to succeed… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Cares; You'll See In Due Time

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humility is the characteristic that if handled correctly will unlock the divine will and plan of God for your life… I say that it must be handled correctly because humility can also unlock destruction in chaos in one's life if you are humbling yourself to the wrong authority… This is why Peter says Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God; your humility can either be used to promote or tear down and it must be handled carefully… The meek temperament shown through humility allows someone to be molded, shaped or fashioned for a specific purpose… In the Beatitudes, Jesus Christ declares “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” When you allow yourself to be molded, you then can be transformed to go to another level in Christ which will in turn open up doors in your life to inherit things that you never thought you would be able to obtain… A meek person is submissive; they are compliant with the authority in their lives and are mild-mannered… I can reiterate this point because it is of the utmost importance that we understand how humility unlocks God's favor but can also lead us down a path of darkness and destruction if we submit to the wrong things… A lot of us become frustrated with the will and plan of God; we don’t see Him moving as we desired and so we find ourselves submitting to the desires of the flesh or of this world…  This is why Peter says that we must first submit to the mighty hand of God and then proceeds to say that this must happen so that he may exalt you in due time… You have to know that just because you submit to the will of God doesn’t mean that He is going to act in your favor or on your behalf right away… 

The Bible declares very clearly that “his ways are not our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts…” God has a plan being carried out and you must learn today that your humility can not be deterred based on when you see results… Being accountable is the key to experiencing the purpose that God has for your life… Peter says that we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God… The truth of the matter is that we can do nothing on our own when we try to live according to our own standards and priorities… God wants you to leave all your thoughts and cares with Him… He wants you to walk around knowing that He can and will take care of you… This is why humility is key, if you aren’t humble then you will never be compliant with the will of God because you will try to handle every situation on your own… When you are humble, things roll off your back because you take them to the Lord and leave them there… Look at your life and the results that you have seen when it comes to choices that you have made without seeking the guidance of the Lord… In acts of humility, we recognize that we need God's help and that we are full of flaws and mistakes… God will deliver you, but you must be accountable to admit that you need deliverance…Once we accept that humbling factor, we must have enough faith to not give up when situations aren’t changed or corrected in the time in which we desire… Cast all your cares upon him. Everything that is on your mind, take it to the Lord in prayer, knowing that He hears you, but more importantly, believing that He will step in, in DUE TIME!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

All Flesh Shall See It

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 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 40:4-5

Every stumbling block you face in your life is guaranteed to become a stepping stone when you walk according to the will and plan of God… As a child of God, we have to have the mindset that trouble will arise; however in and through it we will not only come out, but we will be better than we were when we first went in… The word that came to Isaiah informs us today that Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…  A valley is a low area of land usually found between a hill or mountain; on the other hand, a hill is a raised area of land (a mountain being a little higher than a hill)… I clarify these things to make the point of what Isaiah is saying to us today, the things in your life that appear in one form will be flipped and transformed into another form when you walk by faith and not sight… There are areas of your life that you think are low points and God wants you to know that He can lift them; there are situations that you face that you think cannot be conquered because they are too high and steep, the word of God for you today is that He can make them manageable so that you can cross over… 

No situation is too hard for our God; even when things seem to be spiraling out of control in your life, know that the crooked shall be made straight… The things you face in life are challenging you to display your faith. This is why we are assured to have trials and tribulations, hardships and despair… There is a greater work being performed in the midst of the storm you face and you can maintain your standing in Christ by knowing that the glory of the Lord shall be revealed… For something to be revealed, it must first be concealed… The things in your life that are concealing your destiny and God’s grace are serving the purpose of setting the stage for you and the hand of God to be revealed in the lives of others… Everyone will come to know your path and see how God has kept you and secured you… His glory is revealed when people come to know that it wasn’t anything that you did, but the grace and mercy that God deposited in your life that has been your crutch… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Trials Are Vital To Growth

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 5:3-5

It is easy for Christians to boast about the goodness of Jesus when things are well in their respective lives, and it’s easy for them to share their joy with others when they feel the presence of God in their lives; however, through today’s devotional, we are reminded of the greatest ministry that we have which is developed through our trials and tribulations… Understand today that the same joy we experience in the sunshine we must display and experience in the rain… So many of us claim to be about the work of the Lord, but in crunch time, when the sweat begins to come forth, we don’t keep our hands to the plow… This message today serves as a reminder that you can’t have one without the other… You can’t love Christ and not obey His commands; you can’t seek His face and not seek His will… This is why Paul writes this chapter in his letter to the Church of Rome; the message of Christ had gone forth, but the toiling and persecution which accompanied the word was not accepted… This same principle is what plagues the church of today… We want the cake, but we don’t want to be in the kitchen to bring all the ingredients together… We want the end result, but not the beginning equation…Look at the first part of these verses, Paul says, “And not only so…” In the midst of this uncontrollable bliss, Paul wants us to remember that there is a marriage in the body of Christ that binds the grace of God with the trials and tribulations of the world… 

These two are inseparable and it’s simply all or nothing…So many of us spend our days trying to experience the grace of God without the persecutions that come with the grace and therefore we find ourselves trying to tip-toe through life and never walk by faith… The faith you need to please God is lacking in your life, the absence of that faith is what will lead you to endure more through your storms and not get more out of them… Paul says that we glory in tribulations also; you must have a mindset that will take on the hardest obstacle and steepest mountain because of your trust and faith in Christ… Look at the passage, Paul is speaking about having glory amidst hardships and tribulations; He is referring to us as individuals and how we display our faith and devotion to God while dealing with the storms of life… Glory is beauty, splendor, brilliance, or fame; there are some people in your life that need to see your beauty and splendor when you go through stuff and not just when you feel comfortable or content. When you walk in faith, your splendor will be evident no matter what you face…You thank God when things are good and praise Him for learning when you go through a test… This is why Paul says we glory in tribulations also: knowing… Your glory can be seen through all the clouds of life when you have faith in God knowing that the storms you face will not overtake you but are preparing you for your next level or phase of life… The key to your beauty, the key to your smile, the key to your joy is found in knowing… When you know that God loves you, you don’t fret about the situation or the circumstances of tomorrow, when you know God loves you, you can embrace the most disgusting and ugliest of situations, when you know that God loves you, you can see the ray of hope in the rain and the light at the end of what appears to be a dark and scary tunnel… You can accept the course of life which prevents challenges and changes, not because you love a test, but because you love God and know that all things work for the Good!!! The storm won't break you, it's watering the seed inside that is about to produce a harvest for you!!! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Be Afraid; Trust God

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-3

The enemy has launched an all-out assault on your divine destiny… He wants to fulfill the passage of scripture in John 10:10 where Jesus says that the enemy cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy… The ultimate goal and plan of Satan is no secret to the true believer of Jesus Christ; however, many of us fall short because we don’t recognize the ways and forms that the enemy will take on to accomplish his goals… We know that he is attacking us, but we don’t recognize the way in which he is coming… The Israelites found themselves dealing with this principle from the time they were led out of Egypt to the prophetic years of Isaiah… The children of God had to be reminded that the same God that delivered them before will deliver them now… Instead of giving in to the outlook of things, they are reminded to draw water out of the wells of salvation… Several times the enemy bogged down their minds with so much that they begin to defy God and act in disobedience; the message of today’s devotional is to accept the unacceptable (God’s will), be submissive to the unimaginable (God’s plan) and not cower in fear because of the appearance of your current circumstances… The things that you face upon this earth each and every day are not to mislead you or destroy you but to give you a testimony and a song to sing… Isaiah calls to our remembrance today the fact that even though the battle may be intense, the love of God and the plan of salvation that He has for your life will win… Sing your song today and let the devil know that God is my salvation, serve notice to the land that the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song… 

All the enemy can do is try to get you to neglect the power and plan that God has and will bestow in your life if you follow Him… There are a lot of us that fall into the trap of forgoing our destiny because of the appearance of situations in our lives… The loss of a job, the death of a relative, financial difficulties; all these things can have someone so bogged down that they forget who their salvation is derived from… The same grace that provided you a job, the same grace that allowed you to experience that warm embrace from a loved one and the same grace that provided stability in your finances will always be there… Take a moment to reflect back on your life to this point… Think about the decisions that you have made the consequences you faced and the hills and valleys that you have been through and overcome… Isaiah reminds us today that we can’t make it on our own, we are not able to overcome in our own power and if we continue to live this life according to our abilities we will end up never reaching the potential that is there through the eyes and might of God… Isaiah says “God is my salvation…” The choice is yours, either you will walk according to the will of God or you will walk according to your own standards… Isaiah understood that captivity was on the horizon, bondage was approaching, sleepless nights were imminent and days of sorrow were assured… We too must come to the realization that not every day will be what we expect, not every situation will play out exactly as we desire, and there will be times of confusion and isolation… The Israelites went through hundreds of years of bondage, but were brought forth praising and honoring God, you will go through adversity, but if you know that God is your salvation if you know His wells run deep and nothing of this world can break His foundation than you are able to sing a new song in the midst of adversity, you able to sing a new song in the midst of trials because you know that when you draw from His deep wells you will be that tree planted by the rivers that shall not be moved… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Learn To Keep Your Promises

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

We all have heard the saying that “talk is cheap”, today Solomon reminds us that to renege on your word is one of the biggest sins you can commit! Every day you make a promise; if you are going to work (your boss expects you to come in on time), if you are attending a class you are expected to be there promptly, and these are unwritten promises that one vows when you accept the task that is put before you… Solomon teaches us today that we must honor our word and commitments, too often people say things that they can’t live up to and eventually place themselves in harm’s way for failure and eventually leave someone else disappointed! Think about how you felt when someone wronged you by not keeping the promise or vow that they made! You feel betrayed, you feel deceived, and let down. When it is all said in done, the only thing that a man really has in this life is his word, when that is removed so is he…. 

Now that we understand the importance of vows, we can surely understand why Solomon tells us that God takes no pleasure in a fool… God desires your best; He doesn’t want to hear excuses and will not be bogged down by them. Your commitments to Him will be called into account and you will have to answer for them on your day of judgment! God spoke this world into existence; He breathed the breath of life into our lungs and formed us in His image… All power resides within His hands and all things are maintained because of His goodness… Understanding this lets me know the importance of keeping vows to the Lord if we decide to make them… God knows the future and can allow anything to happen as He ordains… Think about where we would be if Jesus got on the cross, but decided not to die, think about where we would be if God saw His son in anguish and decided to pull the life-line away from us! Broken promises can end lives and destroy dreams literally; they can scar people and cause a lot of negative thoughts to be formed about the character of individuals… So remember to keep your word (especially to God)!  

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Jesus Taught Us How To Live

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 

The word of God declared in the Old Testament that a savior would come, that He would pay our debt of sin and redeem us unto a path of salvation through His death as the ultimate sacrifice! Since the beginning of time, the Jews have been waiting for a savior, they have been sitting and pondering the very day that Christ would come to this earth…The Bible declares here in John that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the savior has already come, He has already paid sin’s penalty and He currently sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf and patiently awaiting His triumphant return when we shall be caught up in the air to meet Him… The word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, it serves as a compass to reach our spiritual heights and comfort when we stumble along the way, the word is our encouragement to maintain our Faith and the source of strength to overcome every obstacle that we face, Jesus embodies all these things for us… He came to show us how to walk, and how to live according to God’s commands and laws, He came to pave the way for us to come back into fellowship and truth within the knowledge of God… 

He took on the form of man so that we can have an example in the flesh of how we should desire to walk! He came in the flesh to instruct us at our level on how we can reach the Promised Land, and He came in the flesh to resurrect our possibilities of having eternal life! John says that “we beheld His glory”; we saw His love when He was strung out on the cross, and we knew He was the only begotten son when He cried out and sought the forgiveness of us all. He is full of grace and truth, grace was dispensed when He thought it, not robbery to leave His home in glory, grace was dispensed when He never said a mumbling word, grace was dispensed when He took the lashes to His back… The truth was revealed when He rose with all power in His hands, the truth was revealed when He appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room, the truth was revealed when the gospels were recorded and Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you and I… The word was made flesh when He offered himself for us, it dwelt among us when He died for us even while we were still in sin; Christ has already come, and He has already fulfilled His purpose on this earth as far as conquering sin! Many people refer to the Bible as (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) and that is a very accurate assessment; however, let us live by these instructions, understanding that the next time Christ comes; we will leave this place and be called home to be with Him in glory! The instructions were written by the prophets; Jesus acted them out on this earth, and now the ball is in our court to be prepared for His return!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Sometimes It's Best To Just Shut Up

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

Ephesians 4:29

When I was a little child I can recall how often my father would instruct me to think before I speak… Even though I never really paid any mind to his instructions, today I have come to know and understand exactly what he meant… Words are powerful, and the things that we speak can produce seeds of abundance or failure in one’s life; this is why James writes in the 3^rd chapter of his book about the importance of taming our tongue… Your tongue has the ability to transform lives or tear them down, your tongue has the ability to reap corruption or alter the atmosphere; because of the power that lies in its use, we are reminded today that we must not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth… When I read this passage there are two points that jump out to me; either you think before you speak or you need to just learn to shut up… Through today's devotion, we learn the importance of controlling our tempers and not allowing any crack or crevice to be created so that the enemy can manipulate his way into our lives and situations through a bit of anger within us… 

There are many verses in the bible that deal with anger; however, to become angry is not a sin… Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” You can and will become angry (even Jesus became angry), but the key is not allowing your anger to be vented and the easiest way to keep this from happening is controlling the things that come out of your mouth… Paul writes to the church of Ephesus today and instructs them about how to conduct themselves in their relationships with other people… All of us have a boiling point, a height of anger or rage in which we will lose our minds and can become careless with the things that are spoken out of our mouths!  While we can be pushed to our breaking point, we are also called as children of God to model Christ, this means we must strive to handle situations in the same manner he did... The Bible says that when Jesus was on trial He remained silent, when people hurled insults He remained focused on the goal at hand and was able to not only complete His task but also bring glory to His father… We don’t stoop to other people's level because all it does it keep us from reaching the level God wants us to get to… People are watching you, they are observing your walk and how you handle various situations, show them the God in you and not the side of you that is still a work in progress… Bottom line, think before you speak, and if that doesn’t work, just shut up…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!