Love Has To Be Your Foundation

...Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

The societies that we live in and the communities in which we dwell have lost the meaning of the word love… Some people do not understand what love means and/or what it will do; however, Paul pens in our focus verse today the point that a child of God is defined by love… If love isn’t the center of your motivation to act, then the deeds you do are done in vain… Understand today that Love is more than a word, it’s more than a feeling; love is the ability to go above and beyond, to look beyond faults, and extend a hand despite what others may say and/or feel… Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth reminds us again that love has to be the igniting element to the fire which leads us to take action… It doesn’t matter how much you give, but that you give in love… It doesn’t matter how much you do, it matters that you do your acts in love not for prestige or repayment… 

 

What is your intent when you give to someone in need? Are you doing it out of genuine concern, or is it so that everyone around you may see your good deeds and praise you for your efforts? Do you give to those in need expecting something in return, or are you simply wishing to help those who stumble upon hard times? These are the questions that we must ask ourselves as a child of God when it comes to giving and extending a hand… Giving to the poor is indeed a great service, but it loses its value if you’re giving for the wrong reasons… Sacrificing of yourself is truly an awesome commitment, but it is worthless if your sacrifice is in vain… When we think about love, we must remember that the bible clearly tells us that “God is love…” Paul is informing us that when we take part in giving, when we sacrifice, when we extend a hand; make sure that it is for God’s name to be glorified… Make sure that your actions aren’t to promote your own ego, but rather exalt God’s name through your actions! Look at the order of this verse, it talks about giving and sacrifice and then says that it is meaningless without charity… If God is not the center of your life everything is meaningless… If God is not the driving force behind your actions then everything is pointless! God is love...love has to be your foundation!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Duty...Fear God

"Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you."

1 Samuel 12:24

Your only duty on this earth is to “fear the Lord…” When you fear (honor, revere or admonish) the Lord, your life is lived in total submission to Him… This means that you walk according to His will and are not focused on things of this world… This passage provides great advice for us to live by; we are called to “serve him in truth” knowing that He knows what's best. This passage also brings into remembrance all the things that He has done and the paths that He has paved… We have to have an attitude that reflects on what God has done and dispel the notion of living with the mindset of “what have you done for me lately…” According to worldly standards and ways of living, we must approach life seeking our own way and desires; however, we are reminded today that we serve a faithful God; one who already demonstrated His might by sending His son and promising to supply all our needs… 

Don’t lose sight of the fact that as children of God, we often want things to happen according to our desires and standards… When we are faced with opposition, we question or blame God; however, when things are working in our favor, we find a way to place confidence in ourselves or mankind… Just like the Israelites, we need to be reminded to “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart…” The only thing that we should fear (revere, respect, and pay honor to) is the Lord… The Israelites (having been led from bondage) desired a king to rule over them… Samuel reminds them today that they already had a king in the Lord and that they must Only fear Him… As the story continues, we see that Saul, a man of physical gifts (well-built, handsome) was selected to be king and after thirty years was rejected due to disobedience… No matter who is placed in positions of authority, if they do not align themselves with the will of God they will fail. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's A Two-Way Street

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 10:32-33

Religion is not something that we take off of our bookshelves and wear 1 day a week; it isn’t something that we keep hidden in the crevices of our lives and display around certain individuals… As a child of God, we are called to walk daily in His divine light and this means that we are to show our faith in Him and trust that this is the only way… When we second guess speaking up in defense of the name of Jesus or withhold comments concerning our Lord and Savior, we are doing a disservice to those we have come in contact with as well as ourselves… Through speaking up and standing up, we display our belief and initiate the standing power of Jesus Christ who continues to make intercessions on our behalf… Peter denied Christ and left a courtyard weeping; however, when standing after receiving the Holy Ghost 3,000 souls were saved… 

The power that God has and is willing to display in our lives can only be exerted when we “confess him before men…” Make no mistake about it, you will not be able to wheel and deal your way into heaven… The Bible declares that anyone who“confess with their mouth” and believes in their heart shall be saved… You are accountable to the call that God has on your life; however, you are also accountable to bear witness to His name and walk in obedience… You disobey God when you “deny him before men” which is why Jesus will “also deny you before his father…” You are pretending, you are an imposter, you are fraudulent… You cannot talk the talk; you have to walk the walk… Jesus said that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly; however, He walked the walk when faced with the cross and humiliation… Today, you must carry your cross; you must walk through the cities declaring your love and appreciation for the most high… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Is Sacrificing Personal Agendas

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:20-21

Paul, in his first letter to the church of Corinth, pens the characteristics of love in the 13th chapter… Throughout these verses he writes and describes how important love is; however, it is one particular piece from this chapter that we will look at today as it relates to John’s writings in our focus verses today… This particular piece is found in the 5^th verse where Paul says, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” You cannot be rude to someone, seek to do what is best for you, and become upset when things don’t go your way or keep a record as to why it is that you don’t like a particular person and then say that you are so “in love with God…” There are so many people who openly profess their love for Christ; however, they often fall short in showing it when that love must be displayed not only upward to Him but also horizontally to all that you come in contact with… 

The rich man had a love for God; however, He was not willing to give his possessions away (show a love for his brethren and thus he fell short)… This is why John says that a person who claims to love God but hates his brother is “a liar…” Ask yourself today, how is it possible to love someone without displaying it? Love is an action word and it requires movement beyond your lips… The question I just posed to you is the question that we must ask ourselves as a child of God… John records in this passage that we can’t love God without loving our brother; this statement is very true because the only way we can show our love for the Lord is by loving our fellowman… Our Father desires for us to extend a loving hand to one another, He desires for us to keep no record of wrongs, He desires for us to walk in humility, never focusing on our own desires… These are the ways we show our love and appreciation to the Lord… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY! 

Love Him And Let Him Work

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

There are positive outcomes to your circumstances that appear to be negative… Notice that I used the word “Appear”... Oftentimes we equate obstacles with negativity, but Paul reminds us today that this concept is false… In the Old Testament Abraham had to relocate to be blessed and called the father of many nations, Joseph had to endure slavery to see His dream fulfilled, Jacob ran from Esau and was subject to countless attacks before being named Israel… The point is that when we are walking according to the will of God, everything in our paths will be used as a tool to mold us and guide us toward the ultimate prize… Paul wrote a letter to the church of Corinth about his “thorn in his flesh”, he ended by saying that God told him “His grace is sufficient…” 

When storms arise, learn to appreciate the rain because that is what helps flowers grow, just like the sunny days… Paul declares to the Church of Rome that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Notice that he states all things work, the bad and the good will come together and fulfill God’s purpose. Some of us take this verse to read that everything will be peaches and cream, when in reality Paul is saying your suffering has a place in God’s divine will for your life! Every obstacle you face, every trial that is presented, and every storm that comes knocking will align you and prepare you for a new level in the will of God… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Chastens Those He Loves

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverbs 3:11-12

Growing up, I believe I was whipped more than congratulated… I think that scars and welts on my backside far outnumbered the hugs for a job well done… That said, I look back on my childhood and thank my parents for correcting me back then instead of allowing me to suffer the consequences of my actions now… When a parent loves a child, correction is a form of throwing a life-line before it’s too late… There is nothing worse in life than to lose the support of your parents… I can recall a time in my life when I was all about fitting the image and being amongst my friends… School was nothing to me and my grades showed that very thing. I can remember a time when I received my report card and it seemed as if my parents would have been proud just to see a “C” on the paper. There was one time in particular when my actions actually sunk in, my father looked at my report card and said, “If this is what you have decided that you want to be and do, fine…” 

I realized at that point that my father wasn’t going to beat me, he wasn’t going to ground me, but that he simply had come to the realization that his love to see me prosper was completely poured out. I could feel the disappointment, but more importantly, I could feel the separation… The book of Proverbs teaches us today that discipline is love, not that your parents love to beat you, but that they love you enough to try and get you on the right path and course. These verses from Proverbs draw a parallel to the fact that correction equals love. When God punishes you, or corrects you, it is in love! When He makes you face consequences, it's because He doesn’t want to see you fall by the wayside. On the contrary, He wants to see you reach the heights and goals He has ordained for your life! So when you are dealing with hardships, when you are disciplined, when you are facing the corrective rod of God, know that He loves you and cares for you! If you are doing the things YOU want to do, without chastisement or correction, this is the time when you need to be concerned and worried…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God's Spirit Empowers You

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

There is nothing of this world that we should fear… In this world so many people have their minds filled with nonsense and things of no significant value that they inherit this worldly fear spoken of in this passage by the apostle Paul… We fear losing jobs, a lower income, or alterations to our lifestyle; however, in the body of Christ, we are reminded today that we have not been given a spirit of fear… More importantly, the spirit we have and have been given in Christ is a spirit that contradicts what the world thinks we should be afraid of… When you are under the spirit of fear, there are elements in your life that you are scared to lose or allow to change; however, when you are in Christ, you don’t fear these things but learn to trust that God doesn’t make mistakes and that He has my best interest at heart. This is why Paul says the spirit you have been given is a spirit of “power, and of love, and of a sound mind…” Understand today that you cannot be a child of God if you are walking in fear of things changing in this world or around you… Children resemble their parents; so if you call yourself a child of God, you shouldn’t fear what circumstances you face in this world or endure through your life’s journey… Jesus endured the most humiliating death known to mankind; however, His spirit didn’t fear and He stole the sting and victory of death and the grave… Remember who is writing this passage today, Paul faced many obstacles, trials, and tribulations… 

Even through His trials, He goes on in the book of Romans to ask the question, “Who can separate us from the love of God…?” He then goes on to say after dealing with much pain, controversy, and suffering (remember throughout his missionary journeys that he was shipwrecked and stoned by a faction formed from Antioch and Iconium), “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul wrote this at a time when several distractions were present. At the time of this writing, the scholars of the law were trying to discredit him and punish him for his faith and these are the words that he spoke… We should echo these words when we face obstacles and hurdles knowing that nothing will separate us from God’s love and His divine will… Understand that trouble doesn’t last always and know that God will never leave you nor forsake you. The days that we live in now were made possible because the ones who lived before us were not controlled by fear… Likewise, you have been given a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind! USE IT! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Joy of The Lord Is Your Strength

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

Even in times of despair, heartbreak, and frustration, you have a reason to celebrate… When you feel down, your pick-me-up can be found knowing that “the joy of the Lord is your strength…” When you go through things don’t fret because your weakness will open the door for God to display His strength. When you are faced with a daunting task, don’t give room to the debilitating fear that lurks because the joy of the Lord is your strength… We all have fallen short or missed the mark which was the case at the time of this word being recorded in the book of Nehemiah. You can take courage and find peace today by knowing you will have provisions, protection, and prosperity through the good and perfect gifts that only come from above. Even though we don’t like to make mistakes or mess up from time to time, in reading this passage, we know that we and the people of that particular time should be overjoyed because God’s word has convicted us and paved the way to repentance… 

Now is the time for us to build upon that foundation. We understand that God has paid the penalty of sin on our behalf; we understand that God has delivered us from captivity, now we must put our faith into action by living a life that pleases the Lord… Nehemiah writes today of the desire of the Lord for those who acknowledge Him… This passage of scriptures takes place at a point and time when the children of God are coming back together after being scattered and oppressed. The wall of Jerusalem has been destroyed and they have begun to rebuild their respective lives. Ezra the priest has located the scroll of the Lord and in this chapter has read the word of God to the people. At hearing the word of God, the people begin to mourn for all the wrong they have done and begin to feel the convictions of their actions. Nehemiah tells the people that they are to celebrate; they are to give thanks to God because the word of the Lord has been found and instilled in their hearts. We too should be thankful that while we were lost, God didn’t close the door, while we were concerned about our own agendas, God was still concerned about us. Nehemiah says, “Neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength…” We have a whole lot to be thankful for, our blessings outweigh our trials…. Praise be to God, for your battle has already been won…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Look Unto Him And Be Saved

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." 

Isaiah 45:22

Your search ends here; all the crevices, nooks, and crannies that you have checked that did not produce the results you were looking for can be forgotten… The Lord declares through the prophet Isaiah that if you “Look unto me” you will “be saved…” Simply put, if you aren’t looking to the Lord then you must be looking toward other things…anything other than God is wrong! If you aren’t seeking Him then you must be seeking something else… Wherever you are today and whatever you seek, just know that if your focus is not on the Lord then the emptiness, void, or empty space you seek to fill will never be obtained or resolved… Understanding the call to “Look unto me” today leads me to pose a question as we study this powerful verse; how many times have you tried to figure things out on your own? How many times have you tried to take matters into your own hands just to watch your plan fail or come up short…? Today, through the prophetic book of Isaiah we are reminded of how we obtain success; today we are called to remember how it is that we have life and have it more abundantly, today we are called to remember how it is that even in the worse times or situations we still have a reasonable portion of health, food on the table, a roof over our heads and clothes on our back… 

This passage starts off by saying, “Look unto me…” The reason that our plans have failed or keep coming up short is because they are not derived from the will of God… Isaiah writes this passage at a time when the Israelites were dealing with trials and tribulations, he writes this verse at a time when chaos was running wild and the very core of God’s people was being tested and shaken… Understanding what transpired in the lives of the children of God leads me to another realization as it pertains to hardships and focus… As a child of God, we often think that we will not endure hardships or suffer the consequences of our actions; however, the bondage, turmoil, and pain that the Israelites endured were because of their disobedience and bad choices (they decided not to look toward the Lord)… The more you look toward things and not the Lord, the more and more your life begins to spiral out of control and you pave the way for a bigger gap between you and your divine destiny… Knowing this simply teaches us that when we look in another direction we are setting ourselves up for failure… Notice that the passage then says, “…and be ye saved…” When we look to God, we not only are promised to have eternal life, but He will lift us out of the muck and mire that we are currently in and plant our feet on solid ground… It doesn’t matter where you are today, His love, grace, mercy, and compassion can reach “all the ends of the earth…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Call Unto Me And I Will Answer

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

Your life will never be complete nor accomplish all it can until you realize that you must call on the Lord… It isn’t until you open your heart, mind, and soul unto the Lord, that He can begin to impart His divine will and plan for your life… This scripture speaks to the covenant that bonds us with the Lord; He will answer as evident in the many storms we have been able to endure and come through; however, the phone must ring for it to be answered and this is the step that often is missed… I frequently hear people quote different scriptures about the saving power and grace that is our God, but do we realize that His saving power will be idle until we allow it to be manifested in our lives…? True, God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, He has promised to protect us from the Fowler’s snare and be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path…All these promises are real; however, they will never see fulfillment in one’s life unless they have faith which requires a connection or call of total submission to the Lord… The book of Jeremiah teaches that God promises to show us great and mighty things, Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly… Until we walk according to the will of God, until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are not living nor do we have abundant life… 

Jeremiah starts this verse by saying, “Call unto me and I will answer thee…” The promises of God can’t be fulfilled until you step up and call upon His name… Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Notice we are promised rest in Jesus; however, the first thing that must be done is that we turn from our own path and “Come to me…” We must call on the Lord to find strength, we must call upon the Lord to find healing, and we must call upon the Lord to gain direction, understanding, and power… When we call on the Lord He will answer; however, it will be in ways “which thou knowest not…” He will make a way out of no way, He will do the mighty things that you thought were simply dreams, He will perform the very works that you didn’t think were possible… Call upon Him and watch Him work!

God can’t answer the phone unless you call!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Has Conquered All

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 

There are two things that we are promised in this life; one is obstacles and two is the ability to overcome them… Notice that Jesus didn’t say in the world you might have tribulation, He said, “In the world, ye shall have tribulation…” As a child of God, we are sure to endure hardships, we are sure to endure challenges and that’s why Paul said that we must “press toward the mark…” Today find joy in your challenges and obstacles because you know that Jesus has already overcome them and will provide all the tools that you need to do the same… Jesus assures us that there will be many days that we are left scratching our heads and wondering what our eyes see and ears hear as the latest news headlines are released. This world is a diseased place that is slowly killing each person that resides within it (those who desire and adhere to worldly standards and ways of living). 

The desire of Christ is that nobody should perish and that we all be saved… In this passage, Jesus is preparing for His departure from earth and instructing His disciples of the times which lie ahead of them… Jesus declares to His disciples that times of hardship will come, He says, “You will grieve while the world is filled with joy…” Speaking directly to His death and the torment that His followers would endure! Jesus goes on to say that “you will mourn but eventually will be filled with joy…” We all must suffer from time to time in the body of Christ, we all must endure tribulation on this earth, but we find joy in the fact that we can “be of good cheer” because He has overcome the world… Your victory is assured, your foundation is set and your breakthrough is guaranteed… We will indeed suffer in this world, but we take pride in knowing that this is not our permanent residence and that we are storing up our treasures in heaven “where thieves cannot steal and moth cannot corrupt…” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

I Will Sing Unto The Lord

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes...

Psalm 101:1-3a

What words come from your lips when in dialogue or discussion about the Lord…? What do you utter from your mouth when you experience His favor or you go through a rough situation…? Oftentimes we can offer up praises to the Lord when things go well, but we indeed change our tune and begin to question Him when things don’t go as planned… These verses taken from the one hundred and first psalm echo the dedication that we must have to the Lord… We all know the story of David and the mistakes that he made, in this psalm we see the expression of David’s love… Amid trials and tribulations, let us recognize the beauty of God’s discipline and not think He is distant… Let us acknowledge that even in the mistakes we make in life, God can turn a negative into positive and help us to learn and mature in Christ… David declares to the Lord today that he will sing of His mercy and judgment… As we look throughout our lives, we have a lot to praise God for… Often we harp on the disappointments in life, but neglect the bountiful blessings that have already been bestowed! David remembers the provisions that God has/had already made in his life; delivering him from the hands of enemies, anointing Him to be king, and forgiving him of all his missteps… Today, let us remember the mercy (withholding) of punishment that God has shown to us! The fact that we should have been dead and suffered the penalty of sin, the fact that we (by one man’s sin) have fallen short of the Glory of God, and the fact that we have turned our back on the Lord time and time again! Truth be told, we should all have perished by now, but because of God’s mercy, we have been given a chance to turn unto Him and have all sins forgiven, we indeed do have a lot to praise God for! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's Power In Shutting Your Mouth

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

Philippians 2:14-15

James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” Cutting straight to the heart of the matter, we must learn to simply shut up… What plagues most Christians in their pursuit of Christ is the ability to listen and hear; oftentimes we become so entrapped with words that we miss out on what it is that God has for us or the very blessings that will be manifested in our lives… Not only must we shut up and learn to listen, but Paul takes it a step further when He instructs us about refraining from disputes and conflict. If you believe God is at work in your life, it should be evident not only through your words but also through how you handle adversity… I have often wondered why is it that Christians believe that by accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior that the temptations of this world and trials will cease… The word of God tells me that it was after Jesus was baptized (accepted God’s call) that He was tempted by the devil… One thing that we must come to understand and know is that by accepting Christ’s offering on Calvary, we are now subject to the schemes of the devil more so than ever before... 

One of the more true sayings I heard was this, “if it comes easy and without much work or endurance to obtain it, then it must not be worth much…” A good friend of mine told me this when I was going through a troubling time and I believe these words are what Paul is trying to convey to the church of Philippi… You have to work to achieve, greatness will not fall into your lap and that’s why we are to do all things without complaining… Paul writes a clerical message to the church of Philippi informing them of the maturation process that a child of God goes through… He speaks today to the fact that as a child of the most high, things will not always be the way you desire… Yet it is the call for every believer to walk in His will, exercise their faith, and hold to His unchanging hand. In other words, hush and keep grinding! Paul says to do all things without murmurings and disputes; he put it nicely, but as I stated earlier, sometimes we just have to shut up and walk in faith!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Soul Is Priceless

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 Israelites dealt with these attacks from when 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 began 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 (God's protection)… The key to your walk upon this earth is your trust within your heart… There will be several storms in your life, many situations that will test you; however, you must stand strong in your faith, trusting God and having the assurance that He will be glorified through it and you will be exalted because of it… This journey is not about avoiding the enemy but rather overcoming him… The tribulations and hardships that you face are not to break you but to affirm the strength of God in your life… 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 word of God does not tell you that your days upon this earth will be peaceful and abundant; the bible doesn’t say that trouble will be non-existent or that joy will be experienced at every turn of your life… This is why Isaiah starts off by saying, Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid… There are things in your life that are strategically put in place by the enemy to bring fear upon you… The loss of a job, the death of a relative, and/or 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 embrace that provided stability in your finances will always be there… Take a moment to reflect back on your life to this point… Isaiah knows today who is in control, he remembers who touched him in his vision with the live coals and sent him on his way! Let us remember who has brought us this far, let us remember who has become our salvation, and let us continue to run this race, knowing that it isn’t given to the swift (we don’t need to be in the fast lane) but to those who endure (don’t give up) and hold to His unchanging hand! When you are thirsty, you can draw from His well; not only will you be quenched, but the water of God will give you the strength to run and not faint…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Is Able

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

One certain thing is that God desires you to have a clear focus in life… He wants you to prosper beyond your imagination and doesn’t want to see you fail. Evidence of this desire being true can be found in God sending His only begotten son to die for us while we were still sinners and didn’t even love ourselves let alone Him… Paul makes a powerful statement today through this passage however, the first portion encompasses what the true Christian must come to obtain and remember as he simply states to the body of believers today that “God is able…” Despite how things may appear and how gruesome the outlook may be, you must stand your ground, continue to fight the good fight of faith, and hold on to the almighty’s unchanging hand knowing and having full confidence in the fact that He is able… There isn’t any problem He cannot solve, no pain He cannot heal no broken heart that He cannot mend… 

Whenever storms rage in your life, whenever you feel like the weight upon your shoulders has increased and become unbearable, know that not only is God able but that He can “make all grace abound toward you…” This is something that we must depend and rely on in the basis of our faith… God can bring you through the storms of life and the growing pains of maturation! God can lift you up in times of despair, tragedy, and hardship. In times of struggle, in times of tribulations, in times of turmoil, when we feel like giving up, when we feel like throwing in the towel, and when we feel like the enemy has won, the bible says that we are to “stand still and know that I am God!” Remember where God has already brought you from, remember the things that He has promised to those who remain faithful, remember that God is able… Through God’s grace, you are strong even at your weakest moment, by God’s grace you can finish the race even when there is nothing left in the tank, by God’s grace you can endure this rugged road and make it through… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Is Your Foundation

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:37-39

This passage deals with the priorities that we set in life, a certain man inquired of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew as to which of the commandments is the greatest, and Jesus replied “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…” These verses deal with the required level of commitment that one must have in living under the authority of our Lord and Savior… Simply put, God must be preeminent in your life and you must serve Him in all that you do… We cannot be unstable or double-minded when it comes to following Jesus; either we take up our cross or we live according to the will of the world! The Book of Revelations tells us that a lukewarm church will be vomited out of the mouth of God and Jesus is speaking to us today and telling us that we must be committed to serving the Lord in every aspect of our living. 

This requires that we believe even when things get tough, that we have faith even in times of uncertainty, and that we praise Him even when storms have swept through our households! Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. To love is to sacrifice; to love is to take action towards something and that we are giving up ourselves to exalt another… So when you tell someone you love them, do you mean it? Are you willing to sacrifice your own desires to see them succeed, are you willing to humble yourself that they may be exalted, or are you merely saying what they want to hear? This journey takes total humility, reliability, and accountability towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… Don’t ask it; don’t say it, unless you are ready to live it… Love has to be your foundation!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Being Conceited Digs Your Own Grave

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 26:12 

The same point when we think we have figured everything out is the same point that we come to the harsh realities of life and realize that we have figured out nothing… The Bible refers countless times to the importance of remaining humble and always seeking to learn and grow… Eartha Kitt said, “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” What is the difference between a wise man in his own conceit and a fool? This question has been put forth within this proverb and the answer can be found in these words. The wise man spoken of in this passage believes he is wise in his own regard; this is a scary concept that plagues a lot of mankind in this day and age.

We get a little money in our pockets, a “dream job” and all of a sudden we have a sense that we have arrived… We feel that we are entitled to look down on others and flaunt our success… Solomon is driving us to remember who is at the helm, who touches you in the morning, clothes you in your right mind, and sheds His grace upon your life… When we are conceited, we believe that nobody can tell us anything, we believe that we can do whatever we want whenever we want, and that all of our life decisions are true and pure. This can’t be any further from the truth… 

Jesus said that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This wise man will never confess, because he doesn’t see any wrong. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a “rich man” to enter heaven… This speaks to the heart of a conceited person, this kind of person refuses to humble himself, denies the flaws that are present within their lives, and tries to paint this picture of perfection… That is why there is more hope for a fool, a fool acknowledges himself for what he is, and he doesn’t try to pretend… The fool has come to a realization that he is messing up, the people around him have told him of his faults and he has acknowledged that there are things in his life that he needs to change, but until that happens, he is of no use to God. A fool is a con, a dupe, and a deceiver. This means that this person is a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber! Both people portrayed here are on the wrong path; however, the fool has a better chance at salvation because he knows his faults, the question is, is he willing to change them? 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!