Joy Comes In The Morning

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5

When you go through trying times in life, complaining should not be in your vocabulary; we are reminded today that we must cast and sing from the two psalms that we are set to examine today. As we travel through this earth, no matter what we face or encounter along the way; it is important to know and realize today that as a child of God, things could always be worse… There are storms and trials that we all will be subject to; however, the true Christian finds the silver lining and comes to the conclusion that things are not as bad as they could be… Take your very life, you may not have all the things you desire, but you are alive and are not perishing as you should have from your mother’s womb… I say that to make the point that there are storms in life that we will face and when we endure these storms we must know that the things that we experience are serving a purpose that promotes growth and not death... Yes, life can be hard to deal with on a daily basis, but we are reminded today that we serve a God that shall never suffer the righteous to be moved… There are things in your life that you will endure, but you can take pride and comfort in knowing that the things that the enemy tries to use to break you will be transformed to exalt you… The stumbling blocks placed in your path today will become the stepping stones for your destiny tomorrow… We are reminded today of the importance of not being overcome by situations and continuing to rely on God instead of turning to peers or substances for comfort… 

God knew that you would go through troubling times; His word tells us that there will be ups and downs and this is why the Psalmist says Cast thy burden upon the Lord…  It’s okay to let God know about your problems, the trouble comes when you try to solve them… Notice that the writer goes on to say He shall sustain thee… Go to God in prayer when you face trying times, He already knew the storms were coming and He is waiting for you to turn to Him so He can work in and through you so that you can handle them… God wants the things of this earth to point you to Him and not another direction; this is the problem that we face in our daily walk; we become so bogged down in the mess of this world that we allow our minds to become cluttered. When this happens we cannot clearly focus on the Lord and the sustaining power that He possesses… A lot of the things we go through in this life can be avoided if we cast our cares instead of seeking our own way… By understanding the trials that we face and knowing that they are but for a moment, we can come out stronger and better than before! God has said that he will never leave you nor forsake you… So stand still, seek Him, and smile knowing that your burdens were nailed to the cross and buried when he rose! Praise Him while you have the chance because tomorrow is never promised…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's All Because Of God

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Psalm 75:6-7

The psalmist says, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor the west, nor the south…” There are people in your life who need to be reminded today that they don’t control you… There are situations that you face that may place limits on what you can do and the message today is that in Christ you are without restrictions… Your supervisor doesn’t control your destiny, your income doesn’t decide your abundance in life and your social connections do not determine your popularity and fame… In knowing that promotions only come from God, I am encouraged today to know that everything that I endure today is serving a purpose… The work you’re performing today is not going unnoticed as the word of God tells us, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” When people don’t recognize you, don’t let that dictate your performance or hinder your ability to carry out your duties. We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Church of Corinth (verse above) the same things which we are reminded of in our focus verses today, which is that God putteth down one, and setteth up another… The true character of an individual is not shown in the peace after the storm, but the peace which one displays while enduring a storm… The situations that you handle without murmuring and complaining put your faith in Christ on display; the circumstances that you don’t necessarily like are the ones that allow God to demonstrate His faithfulness in and through your life… Not everyone wants to see you come out on top, but you can smile even when you encounter those people because you know that they don’t have a say in your future endeavors… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Control Your Destiny

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Acts 3:19 

One of my favorite scriptures comes from the book of Jeremiah; the 29^th chapter and 11^th verse declare, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah penned this verse at a time when the Israelites were disobeying the will of God and were captive under the Babylonian kingdom… Through this oppression, the word of God reminds them that despite what they are enduring, the Lord has a divine plan for them if only they would repent and be converted… This same message embodies our devotion today which comes from the 3^rd chapter of Acts… Understand today that the word of God is founded on His promises; however, His promises can only come to fruition when we adhere to His calling… So many people often say that they are waiting on God and the truth of the matter is that He just might be waiting on you… He is ready to move and before you were formed He already had a plan for you; however, your willingness to walk in faith is what will ignite the plan of God or delay it… Remember that we are governed by time; however, God is above and in command of time… There is no timetable set for God to complete His task, but there is indeed a timetable which we abide by and will never be able to go back in… It’s a sad truth that there are so many in this world who don’t realize how defiled and corrupt their lives are… Many people don’t see the flaws or are disillusioned about how they are negatively impacted by the material things they invest their thoughts and time in… Luke reminds us in the book of Acts that we must repent and be converted in order for our sins to be blotted out… Understand today, that you must come to a point in your life when you realize that you are messed up, you are a filthy rag, and that the ways of this world cannot and will not lead to happiness and peace… Those things only come from above and are obtained when we repent and are converted!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Let Christ's Love Abound

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ

Philippians 1:9-10

Love is not a milestone we achieve, but a mountain without end that we continue to climb… As we examined over the past couple of days, Paul again reminds us of the priority that love plays in the life of a Christian… There are a lot of things which I believe that we all would love to thrive in; business, finances, and happiness come to mind; however, Paul speaks today about the fact that we have to seek to be plentiful not in the money that we have in the bank but the love that we dispense and display to others… 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I incorporate this verse into today’s devotional because the love we offer to others puts the knowledge that we have of Christ on display… God is love and this is why Paul says that we must abound in it… When we abound in love, we are growing in God; we walk according to His will and fulfill the plans that He has uniquely designed for us… Being in Christ frees us from the failures of yesterday and provides the path to an abundant future for tomorrow… You have to make the choice to abound in love (in God) if you want to be set free as Peter tells us in his first epistle, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” We already established that God is love; so when we read this passage from 1 Peter we can conclude that it is God that covers a multitude of sins… You need to abound in love to be saved, you need to abound in love to be healed, and you need to abound in love to have a clean slate… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Let Your Answer Set The Tone

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

The way in which we deal with people displays the true character of our hearts and how we align ourselves with the will of God… Paul reminded us in a previous devotional that we are to be “…kindly affectionate” to one another… Today we are told that “A soft answer turneth away wrath…” The source of anger which builds up in a person usually derives from how they are spoken to regarding a situation or action… I can recall growing up and even in my adulthood how I have always been told that it isn’t what you say but how you say it... This principle is what we are focusing on in today’s devotional… The most powerful tool that you have been given to utilize in the body of Christ is your tongue; sadly, this can also be a deadly tool when the enemy has his way with you… As a child of God, you are called to bear witness, to reach others with his word, and speak the name of Jesus Christ throughout the world… This is accomplished through the tongue and can only be achieved when we learn to defuse situations instead of igniting them… As I just stated, you can stir up anger with your words or you can speak in love to your fellowman and allow a situation that could’ve spiraled out of control to be used to encourage and uplift a wayward soul… You are called to give the right answer; however, the way you give it will either lead someone to Christ or drive them away as the Proverb tells us that A soft answer turneth away wrath… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Puts Others First

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

Romans 12:10

Love is not only essential to obtaining peace on this earth; love is also vital in adhering to the will of God… The word of God tells us that we were given a New Commandment regarding love in the gospel of John through the very mouth of Jesus Christ. In this gospel, we find these words recorded, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Notice that Jesus says you MUST love one another; loving is not optional or something that we can turn on and off in the body of Christ… When we love, we are not just showing kindness to one another; the love spoken of in scripture refers to the fact that we are actually putting God on display in our very lives as we are told in the bible that God is love…  This kind of love goes beyond a relationship and can even be seen in how we deal with our adversaries… The love you have for someone must be universal to everyone and not just people who show that love back to you; Christ showed this love in coming to the earth for a people who didn’t even accept Him; remember that the word reminds us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us… He didn’t die because of the love you showed Him, but because of the unconditional love that He had for you… This is the principle we must live by, this love is what governs our ability to adhere to God’s command and live out His will… This is the very reason why Paul pens this verse to the Church of Rome and says, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. One of the biggest indications of our love for God is manifested in how we love our fellow man… The bible reminds us that God is love; so we showcase that God lives inside of us by the acts of love that we display… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He'll Be Your Foundation

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:6

Nothing in this world will last; the foundations you build upon when focused on the measures of success offered according to the worldly views will not last and the dreams you have will soon crash and burn… There are a lot of things that we seek in this world, (happiness, peace, and stability) which can only be obtained through the grace and mercy of God… Today’s devotional reminds us that God is the only solidified foundation as Isaiah starts this verse by saying, He will be the sure foundation for your times… No matter the heights or depths that you reach or fall to, the foundation you have upon the Lord will not waver nor give way… Amidst instability, you have a stable source who is Jesus Christ… The word of God tells us in the 13^th chapter of Hebrews that in times of despair, we can look to our elders and call to remembrance how God brought them through. We can find comfort in knowing that the same God that did it back then can do it today… It is in verses 6 through 8 that we find these words, So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The enemy wants you to seek after things that will not last; however, the word of God tells us (just as we studied previously) that you must lay up your treasures in heaven where a thief cannot steal and a moth cannot destroy… This is the sure foundation we see in Isaiah and this is also where we can go to obtain wisdom and knowledge for our everyday affairs as Isaiah says that the Lord is a rich store… God has everything you need to sustain you through the day, week, and years that you see upon this earth… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Keep Planting The Seeds

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Micah 4:2

There will come a time when all will come to say let us go up to the mountain of the Lord… This message encourages the believer in Christ to continue his/her pursuit of knowing God in the most intimate of ways… So many are confounded with the laws of the land that they have begun to turn from the path of Christ and follow the thoughts of mankind… I declare to you today to stay the course, continue to fight the good fight of faith knowing that your labour is not in vain… Micah says many nations shall come; sadly, this teaches us today that not everyone will turn to the Lord, there will be some who will simply miss the opportunity of salvation which has been placed before them… There are some people on this earth whom you will encounter today and will see their face no more, there are some who will reject Christ and will be begging and pleading for a second chance like Lazarus or even find themselves asking for a warning to be sent to their friends of a similar mindset… 

This is a sobering reality for us to make sure that our houses are in order; however, this message also brings another point to mind in that we must display Christ wherever we go and in whatever we do… We are assured that some will miss out, but knowing that many nations shall come, lets me know that there will be others that will recognize the errors of their ways and will come to know Christ through their encounter with you… Christ's desire is that all should be saved and His word must go forth so that we can let others have the chance to inherit Eternal Life! A lot of people have denied Christ simply because they don’t know him; your testimony can go a long way to saving a soul, your life example can be the beacon light that that person needs to be shined into their lives! Christ will return, but right now the time for us has come to let the nations know who we serve and the power that He possesses… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Heaven Is Your Safe Haven

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:20-21

Today’s devotion focuses on the goals we have set for ourselves along the journey of life that we travel… As a child of God, your main goal is pleasing the Lord; this is obtained by living today’s focus verses daily instead of speaking them verbally… The things that you cherish most are oftentimes the things that your heart desires and the word of God reminds us throughout its pages about the importance of our heart… Remember in the Old Testament when Samuel was sent to anoint David as king, the Lord told him that “the Lord looks at the heart…” I recall this to our attention to reinforce the point that no matter what you do with the life that God has given you, every action will be judged by the motivation which came from your heart… This is why Jesus tells us to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… You have to have your heart focused on the Lord if you want to achieve and accomplish the divine will that He has designed and ordained for you… It wasn’t until Jesus was taken up from this earth that the disciples begin to realize that the true reward wasn’t here on earth but in heaven… 

As we study these verses, we must come to realize just as the disciples who walked with Jesus did; that we are not working for a reward we can receive in this lifetime… We may say promotions, we may say increase, we may see abundance, but we are never to mistake these things for the true riches that God has stored up for us in heaven… In the blink of an eye, people can change, situations can flip-flop and jobs can be lost… This is why we are told to “…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal…” The term, “here today and gone the next” does apply to this life and all that we can obtain in it; however, as a child of God, we are promised not only victory but are assured that once we are in the Father’s hand, nothing in this world or outside of it can pluck us out of His grace and mercy… We are protected and our salvation is secured... Place your treasures in God’s hand, it’s the safest place for you to invest!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Avoid The Headache; Teach Your Children

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

Isaiah 54:13

Instilling the word of God from the womb is how you assure a right path and plain vision for your offspring… This is not to say that everything will be perfect, but what this does mean is that when you bring up your child in the word of God, he or she will always have that seed which will sprout at some point in their lives… This is why the great proverb says that as we train up our children in the way that they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it… Training has to take place in your home, through your words as well as your actions… We don’t have to look any further than our own household to see the damage that this world has done in the lives of children and young adults… Technology has made the temptations of the flesh so easy to be cured along with the visible defiling of one’s body and spiritual makeup… So many people in today’s life are looking for love and have found a door open to them that leads to all kinds of destruction and despair… I know that that there have been many opportunities in my life that have presented themselves and truthfully speaking, had I accepted them I probably wouldn’t be here today… We see the problems that we face daily; we see the problems that are presented before our very eyes; however the question that I pose to you today is what are you going to do about it…? Kids are being taught how to dance provocatively at early ages, they are being taught curse words as soon as they can utter their first words and the question that we are asked today through the prophet Isaiah is what are we teaching our children… 

There is a difference between instructing and teaching… Instructing is giving direction or steps, but teaching is the ability to break down instructions and show how to reach and obtain the end result… Isaiah says in today’s focus verse, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord…” If you want your child on the right path, devote time in your day to teach them the goodness of God… If you want them to respect their body and themselves, show them the love that Christ has poured out on the cross for them and the desire that He has for all to love and adore His name… Make sure that your children know that they are loved, make sure they know that they have a bright future, and make sure that they know that they always have a friend to talk too… The peace of your child comes through love, support and encouragement… Teach them the will of God no matter how long or hard it may seem. If you want peace and prosperity for your child, don’t let them go, keep teaching them in the ways of God and watch how they turn out!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!