We Owe It All To God

"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

Romans 11:36

You live for Him because of the life that you have through Him. All of this is even possible because of His death on the cross, which simply means that you owe everything to Him… This is the crux of Paul’s message in our focus verse today… Everything that you do, everything that you accomplish, and every goal you reach is because of Jesus Christ… It is only by the grace and mercy of God that you and I are here today… Make no mistake about it; don’t even think for a moment that you had anything to do with you getting up today nor the alarm clock that sounded this morning… It is for God’s glory (For Him) and exaltation that you saw another day; it's through (through Him) His divine power and authority that you are here and because of this your days should be lived according to His precious promises knowing that you owe it all (to Him)… Everything you do in life should be prompted by your willingness to live so that God may be exalted… Because of all that He has already done and the doors that He has already opened; He indeed is due all honor and praise… Today let us look at the priorities that we have in life… Paul writes to the Church of Rome reminding them of who it is that comes first in all that we do… Every action that we partake in should be “of Him”, every blessing we receive is “through Him” and every praise and thanksgiving we render should be “to Him…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God's Got You Covered

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 

The Lord will provide the shelter and safety that your life desires; however, it is your choice as to whether you dwell in it or not… The last book of the law reminds us that when we align ourselves with the will of God, we don’t have to fear the circumstances or situations that we face. In Christ, we know that we have safety in His arms… 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 rather that you can have confidence in knowing that you are covered and protected by the King of kings... It is important to note the differences as we will see storms rage, and wars take place, but we are to take comfort in knowing that these things will not overtake us, and though you we 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 for our sins, 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, “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, we shall be protected and kept through the struggles of life! Also, note where God dwells (between his shoulders)... As Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood..." The battle we face is in the spirit realm and we must have our minds renewed and steadfast on Jesus. Make no mistake about it, God dwells within you and you can find solace in knowing that today. He is with you, don't become weary in well-doing!!!

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!

Suffering Is Temporary

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10-11

In reading this passage taken from the first epistle of Peter, understand today that you will suffer… There are things in life that you must endure, challenges that you must face, and trials that you will have to encounter; the message today is that you must find peace amidst the storm knowing and trusting in our Lord. Today, remind yourself that He is the God of all grace… This opening statement of the 10th verse declares the very authority and compassion of our God; He will never see you go through more than you can bear and His grace will give you all that you need to endure and overcome… As a child of God, the biggest mistake we can make is thinking that we shouldn’t have to face adversity; the best way to grow is through experiences and this is the very purpose of your current situation or circumstance… God is working behind the scenes, taking you to another level in Him and you must keep this in mind while you face the daunting task ahead… Know today that God will give you grace which is His favor over every situation; in other words, He will give you the resources that you need to withstand and triumph; I point this out today to make the point that God will give you resources so that you will know that God is giving you the ability to fight not to flee… This is the problem that disrupts so many Christians in their faith walk, you have been praying to God about something and He has given you the ability to persevere while you are looking for a detour…This is the true meaning of Grace; God knows that you can’t do it on your own and so He deposits His abilities in your life so that you can have the strength and the power to endure and obtain the victory in and through Him… We must go through so that we understand who brought us through… We must face trials and tribulations so that we know who has fought our every battle and fulfilled our every need! Through trials we recognize Christ’s power, through deliverance from those trials we see that He is full of ALL GRACE!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Breakthrough Is Coming

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Malachi 4:2

I know that it’s very difficult to comprehend; at times it may feel as though you will not be able to make it or overcome, the verse taken from the book of Malachi teaches us today that God will show up and show out… You may feel like your life is fruitless and without accolades; however, we are reminded today to keep our faith and trust in the Lord for a breakthrough is coming our way… When people appear to be moving faster than your faith, keep revering His name… When you feel dejected and ready to throw in the towel, just know that “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings…” Jesus was persecuted and appeared to lose; however, the death on the cross produced His greatest ministry… Today, know that you will be persecuted, but in your most troubling days, your ministry will be that much more intense and exalted…  God knows that walking under His guidelines subjects you to many obstacles and hardships thrust upon you or in your pathway by this world… The Lord realizes that every time you choose to follow Him, you run the risk of losing friends and having sleepless nights; however, He wants us to find encouragement in today’s study verse knowing that we will run free in victory and overcome the storms we face… This verse starts by saying, “But for you who revere my name…” We must stay the course and revere (honor, respect, and admire) the name of the Lord… Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” No matter what you face or what opposition comes before you, stand upon the promises of God and trust Him knowing that when you revere His name He will protect and keep you… 

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is All You Need

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Isaiah 55:1

This verse written by the prophet Isaiah speaks to the fact that God doesn’t desire your monetary riches but you and your humility; through the prophet Isaiah the Lord says he that hath no money; come ye… God has opened the door to your transformation, He has given you a chance to overcome the mistakes of yesterday to inherit a bright future without condemnation, pain, or suffering… This is not to say that you will not go through tough times; however, this simply lets you know that your latter will outweigh your former and the suffering you endure will not compare to the richest you receive in and through Him…Understand today that the debt we enter under once born into this world can never be paid by our own riches and abilities… The sin that fills our hearts from our youth can never be purged by our own hands and eternal death awaits all mankind… Isaiah writes this passage today informing us of the greatest gift that has ever been and will ever be offered to us...Salvation… There is nothing we can do on this earth that will save us, nothing that we can obtain as far as material possessions or financial wealth that will open the door to eternal life. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can really begin to live in the form that God created us to… Your life has significance, you are unique, you are beautiful and you have a path that was paved just for you… I say that because many of us have begun to think less of ourselves, we have allowed the enemy to tell us that we are worthless, that nothing good can come from us, and that our fate is sealed; however, Isaiah wants you to know that if you thirst you can drink if you hunger, you can be feed and all this is possible through the offering that Christ made on Calvary… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Lord Delivers

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

Psalm 34:19

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Desires You To Return Home

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

Jeremiah 3:12

The greatest sin we commit is not the times when we fall but when we stay down and give up… Today’s focus verse reminds us that God already knows that we will make mistakes and the request that He puts forth through the mouth of Jeremiah is the same request which He has made since our birth; return to Him… You are not beyond the saving power that is our Lord Jesus Christ, understand today that every time Jesus cried out from the cross He was referring to all mankind, and at this appointed time even a thief realized in his final hours that God can still open the doors to paradise no matter the magnitude of your shortcomings or mistakes… It’s not too late for you to be saved, it’s not too late for you to extend the plan of Salvation to a neighbor, acquaintance, or wayward child; the Lord says I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you… You may feel like you are beyond redemption, and you may feel like the skeletons in your closet are too much to overcome; however, the message for you is that God will not allow these things to overtake you and cause your utter demise if you return to Him… The anger of God can end your very life; however, He is ready to pardon you and give you a clean slate… This is why He says that He won’t let His anger fall upon you; He knows that you messed up, but He also knows the good you can achieve if you are aligned with His will and on the prosperous path that He has outlined for your life… Know that you have made mistakes, and acknowledge that you have given in to temptations; however, come to the realization today that you can overcome and be victorious through the saving power of Jesus Christ... The Bible says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock…” The Father’s arms are open, He wants you to let Him in and allow Him to transform your life… Just like we read in multiple passages, Jesus is waiting with open arms saying, “WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME”.

The question is, is He speaking to you?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Were Created By And For Him

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16-17

There is nothing in this life that does not exist without the direct involvement of the hand of God; I state this simply to remind you today that the day which you have been allowed to see is a day which has been afforded to you by the mercy and desires of God… When you grab hold of the notion that God is over all things, then you will soon realize why you must submit to Him and adhere to His will and plan for your life… You were created with a purpose which is outlined in this passage by the words for Him… God designed you to bring pleasure and honor to His Holy name, He designed you to bring others to Him and open up the door for others to receive knowledge of Him from you… Make no mistake about it today, there are things in life that we do not understand nor do we comprehend; however, you can put full confidence in the fact that God created you and everything around you to be used by Him for His glory… The life you lead is not about the things that you obtain or the happiness that you possess, but rather the joy you bring and the reverence that you have for the one who created you… When I read this passage I am just overjoyed to know that God has a plan, this plan may not be the plan that I desire or even the one that I feel (without seeing the whole picture) is best; however, as we see the tragic events that take place in our societies and communities we must turn from the thoughts and concepts of the world and cling to the unknown designed outcome of God… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Only Christ Can Do That

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Philippians 3:21

The answer to the question posed in today’s focus verse is an answer that we must learn to recite and believe which simply is that God is able…  Ephesians 3:20 says, “He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think”; we bring this scripture into today’s devotion to highlight the point that God is able to transform, mend and reconcile even the most daunting of all challenges… The message today is to have Faith in God regardless of the situation or circumstance… There are so many who have given up, so many who have gone astray and so many that have turned from their divine destiny; know today that God can change your vile body… No matter the flaws, scars or open words, He is able to fashion you like unto his glorious body… Despite the amount of people who have written you off, no matter the amount of missteps you have taken or how far you have indulged in your sin; know that God can take everything into captivity, He can make the worst situation work in your favor and bring you to a place of prominence which you never thought possible… The key to this verse is your belief and trust in God, you must declare today that it’s not too late, you must open your mouth and serve notice to the enemy and your situation that things can and will get better as you turn and focus on the Lord and not the weight of your past decisions… God has not disqualified you; however, you disqualify yourself when you pay attention to people and past failures instead of Him and His plan for your future… It’s not about what you did yesterday, but what you do with what you learned yesterday to make it through today…  Sure, we all have made mistakes, we all have messed up, but when you learn from your mistakes and turn to Christ you allow the scriptures to be fulfilled in your very life; you can quote from the bible in and over your life and serve notice to those around you that your stumbling block is really a stepping stone… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's All Because Of His Mercies

"The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

Psalm 145:8-9

Your very life is evidence of God's love and compassion... Even though you may experience much heartache and hardship in your life, the psalmist reminds us that The Lord is gracious and full of compassion... Understand today that God is working behind the scenes, the things you are enduring are not the full weight that your actions deserve and this is only because of His mercy... Make no mistake about it, you don't even deserve the air that you breathe; however, because the Lord is slow to anger, you have been afforded ample opportunities to become all that God has created you to be... God has a divine plan for you and because of His desire to see you fulfill it, you still exist and have been given 2nd and 3rd chances to walk in His will... This message today is for the one who has endured the tribulations of life and I declare to you today that you are enduring to have your eyes open and your path set by the will of God and not the ideas of this world... The only thing you have ever deserved in this life is condemnation… The sooner you grasp this, the sooner you can open the door to experiencing God’s love and desires for your life… The Bible records in Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus in the second chapter the foundation by which we have life and success, in this passage, Paul proclaims, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Eternal Life Is Found In Christ

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3

Jesus declared in the 14^th chapter 6^th verse of the gospel of John, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me…” The only way to obtain the path you seek which leads to peace, joy, and love is found through the trail of blood from the city gates of Jerusalem to the hill of Golgotha… Eternal Life was deposited upon this earth in the form of God’s son, it was laid before you in and through His outstretched arms and all He endured on the cross… John reminds us today that Eternal Life is found in the “The Only True God…” There is only one God; there is only one prince of peace and one savior… A good friend of mine once told me that the distance between you and salvation is the same distance that your mouth is from your heart… Eternal Life is free, but it only comes through knowing (faith), acknowledging (mouth), and accepting (heart) the only True God… Some religions believe that good deeds are rewarded with eternal life, but my Bible tells me that Jesus has paved the way to salvation and that we are only justified by faith which derives only from the just savior that took the form of mankind… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!!!

Look For The Rainbow Amidst The Storm

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

Genesis 9:16

A rainbow is very significant in the eyes of a child of God; It means more than just an arc with a dazzling array of colors as some see it to be. We as Christians should all draw a sense of God’s presence and protection upon seeing this symbol of His love and awareness…  Today’s focus verse reminds us of the fact that God will give us signs of His existence and attendance in our everyday affairs and lives; however, it is our task and duty to see the signs for what they are instead of being too bogged down or occupied with the cares of this world to notice them… This devotion speaks to those who say that they are waiting on the Lord and have not received an answer, the truth of the matter is that God has given you the answer already; it's just in a form that you did not expect it to be… You have been dealing with trials and tribulations, you have been praying and waiting, instead of showing up and showing out. You're waiting for God to do the unthinkable instead of moving in Faith knowing that he has shown signs of his power. God should not have to move and perform for you to trust Him... A rainbow is a sign of his presence, today let you find strength and comfort in the signs of His presence instead of waiting for His deliverance... Your breakthrough and victory are in the sign and not God simply overthrowing your adversary. For the believer in Christ, the answer is in the rainbow spoken of in this passage taken from the book of Genesis… You are protected, you are safe and you are going to be victorious in the affairs of life because of the symbolic meaning of the rainbow spoken of in today’s focus verse... The rainbow to Noah was a sign of God’s commitment to him and the land; God is committed to us and is with us through all we go through; sometimes we don’t see Him or acknowledge His presence because of the things we face, but the reality is that He has been there the whole time! Through your storms, look for the rainbow, look for the light of hope, look for God’s presence, and know that He is always with you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!!!

Christ Came To Show The Way

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Luke 1:77-79

 

As we studied previously regarding the door which God has left open to all; today, we examine scriptures from the gospel of Luke which speak to the love and desire of God concerning His creation… We all know that Jesus declared that He came to this earth so that you might have life and have it more abundantly; however, there is another message that Jesus brought to this earth which is outlined in today’s focus verse… He came not only to give life but to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins… The mission of Jesus and the message of Jesus go hand and hand as we can come to the conclusion that in order to have life and have it abundantly, one must first know that there is a way to overcome the mistakes of yesterday to obtain the joys of tomorrow… Not everyone knows that it is not too late to overcome and be what you have been designed to be; there are some of us who continue to sink deeper into our sin not knowing that there is a safety net that can reach the darkest and gloomiest of situations and pull you out… This is the knowledge that Jesus came to impart to all mankind, this is the task at hand that we as Christians carry, we must bring the message that if a person will turn from their path of sin, then there is surely light at the end of the tunnel… Remember that in the beginning, God formed us from the dust of the ground; however, it was not until He breathed the breath of life into our nostrils that we became living beings… This bit of information speaks to the life that we receive only through the authority of God… Today, Luke records the reasons why Jesus came to this earth… “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of God; whereby the dayspring from on high and hath visited us…” Luke was called to give knowledge that we are nothing without the one to come. He was to declare that we will see the break of day, the hope and joys of tomorrow, and the promises of eternal security when the one from on high hath visited us… 

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!