Mercy Is Obtained Through Confession

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 

A hotel cannot provide a room to a customer if they are all occupied… Likewise, we cannot allow God into our hearts if the space is already taken… Covering sins doesn’t deal with them, but simply stores them away causing us to carry around unnecessary burdens and prevent us from overcoming the trials or errors that we made… The proverb says, “He that covereth his sin shall not prosper…” When we try to cover our tracks or mistakes, we lead a life that allows our mistakes to control us… We become captives to sin and the result of that is that we cannot prosper… To live, we must be freed from the bondage of sin which only comes through confession and belief in God… David recorded in Psalms 51, that a broken and contrite heart is a heart that God cannot turn from. Let’s face it, we all have made mistakes, we have gone to places we had no business going to, engaged in activities that still cause us to cringe at the thought, and allowed the lust and sinful desires to win in different phases of our lives. 

Today’s Proverb deals with the confession aspect of Christian living. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, when you make a mistake in life, you have two choices; either you control it or it controls you! When you control a mistake, you openly confess to God and your peers your wrongdoing, therefore this incident doesn’t grow any legs to haunt you through life and cause unnecessary turmoil or chaos. If you allow the situation to control you, it becomes shackles that bind you to weaving a web of lies at the expense of your sanity and peace. When we lie, we have no choice but to continue down that spiral path, ultimately leading us into a confined and guarded approach. You will walk on eggshells around people and force yourself to believe everything is peaches and cream. When sin possesses you, God can’t prosper you! Stop allowing sin to control you, to hold you captive and oppress you, and keep you from becoming the child that God has called you to be… Forsake the way of darkness so that God can provide the “lamp unto your feet and light unto your path…” God knocking at the door of your spiritual life is likened to a hoarder; I hope you can get through all the junk and answer the door before it's too late…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Call And He'll Answer

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Psalms 145:18-19

God is as close to you as you want Him to be… So many people question the existence of God or His authority as the creator of all things because of the turmoil and hardships they encounter; today’s focus verses remind us that we are created as free mortal beings, we have been given free will to do as we please and it is because of this that we often separate ourselves from the love and protection that is defined in the arms of Christ… Understanding how our minds flip flop so frequently throughout the day, we can understand why the Psalmist states “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him…” You have to make the choice to follow Christ, you have to decide which path you want to travel, and when you make this decision you must stick to it… We cannot waver in our decision-making or desire to follow Christ and align ourselves with His will… James tells us that when we ask of God we must stand firm in our belief to obtain it; “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” 

The same thing that we find in the book of James concerning the fact that an individual coming before the Lord must be of a sound mind and faith in Christ to receive the petitions that He lays before the Lord are the same things that we see here from the Psalmist when he informs us that the Lord  will be nigh “to all that call upon him in truth…” The psalmist starts this passage by declaring to us that God is always near those who call upon Him. This informs us that God is aware of the things you are enduring and the hardships that you face! He knows when you are smiling and when you are crying, He knows when things are peaceful and when your life is filled with chaos… 

The psalmist goes on to say, “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him…” God will answer when you give Him the respect that He is due… He will lift you up when He is lifted up (if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me)… If you fear God, you respect His authority, you acknowledge His power and you give Him priority in and over your life… Despite what storms come my way, despite what obstacles I encounter, despite what pit I have fallen into, I believe that God hears my faintest cry, I believe that He will never put more on me than I can bear, I believe that in my reverence for Him, He will fulfill the desires I have and save me… This is why I call on Him; why do you?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Present Your Body A Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1

Today, in Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome, we find the gift that we are called to give daily unto the Lord… As a child of the most high, we are directed to be a living sacrifice unto the Lord…In this dying world, we are to be examples of God’s faithfulness, love, and compassion… Notice Paul says “a living sacrifice”, we are not called to be mute (dead) in this perishing world as many are right now, but we are to be witnesses to the grace of God… Paul starts this verse off by saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God…” and ends by saying, “which is your reasonable service…” Mercy is forgiveness, sympathy, kindness, and compassion toward another; when you take time to think about your life, I am pretty sure that it is filled with God’s mercy… Paul is saying that we should be willing without thought to be a living sacrifice to the Lord because He has been a willing sacrifice unto us... 

His mercy is what Paul pleads through today, the mercy of God is what sustains you and keeps you from your proper punishment… The mercy of God is what has given you life and life more abundantly... God not only sent His son, but He has given us His spirit to lead, guide, and direct our paths… To beseech is to beg, ask, or request… Paul is requesting for us to look at our lives today and notice how much mercy God has bestowed; when you take that into account he asks that we give our lives back to Him… The fact that you can wake up in the morning, the fact that you are clothed in your right mind, the fact that you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and a job to go to is the fruit of God’s mercy…Think about where we would be if we actually suffered the full brunt of the consequences of our actions. When we put that into perspective, we can see why our sacrifice is reasonable...

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Serve Him Without Fear

"That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life."

Luke 1:74-75

Make no mistake about it, though you face trials and tribulations and deal with hardships, the desire of God is for you to be reunited with Him… Luke records today, verses that echo this same sentiment… It is by God’s grace that you and I have been delivered out of the hand of the enemy… As we walk through this life, we need not only to take note of God’s grace as far as being alive, but we also need to understand that things could always be worse… Luke is clear that we have been delivered out of the hand of the enemy… Whether you realize it or not, if the enemy had his way with you only God knows where you would be… The fact that you can overcome, the fact that you can stand, the fact that you have just enough is a testament to God’s goodness and His grace that has kept you and will continue to keep you all the days of your life… 

Notice the intent behind God’s grace that delivered you, Luke says that He did this so that we, “…might serve him without fear…” There are two different kinds of fear, we are called to fear God and keep His commandments; however, the fear that is spoken of in the gospel of Luke is a fear that leads one to second-guess and allow lordship over them. When we fear God, we respect and honor Him, when we fear the enemy, we are intimidated, scared, and controlled by him. Satan desires for you to fear him because fear can be a device used to control and manipulate an individual or situation. If I fear someone, I am more gullible to do whatever it is that they ask of me; however, if I fear the Lord, I want to bring honor to Him by living a life that pleases Him and shines His beacon light upon the lives and hearts of others…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Sober & Vigilant

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 

1 Peter 5:8-9

Making the decision to follow Christ doesn’t mean that your life will be an easy road from that point forward. As a matter of fact, when you choose to follow Christ, you should come to understand that the battles in your life will only intensify… The sooner we grasp this important fact the more clearer these words penned in today’s focus verses will become to us. Even in the protective arms of Jesus, we are reminded today that we must “Be sober, be vigilant…” You have to stay on guard as a child of God… The minute you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior is the same minute that the enemy ramps up His attack towards you. The problem in the lives of many Christians isn’t that they are confused as to their calling but that they have become unaware of their surroundings… We accept Christ as our Savior and forget that the sin we lived in before knowing Him still exists and will try to serve as a stumbling block or hindrance in our advancement in the ministry that He has for us… 

The fact that Peter calls the devil a “roaring lion” should shine light on the fact that he isn’t as hard to spot as we try to portray him to be… In reviewing the history and makeup of the lion I came across some very interesting facts regarding this animal as it relates to his roar. The first thing is that the roar of a lion can be a sign of territorial dominance; this means that the lion is staking his claim to the area his paws land upon. The second type of roar found with lions deals with their food. A lion will roar to intimidate or scare off other predators while he enjoys his meal… Each roar of the lion lays claim to something in one way or another… The message that we must obtain today is that the enemy is laying claim to certain things and/or aspects of your life. When you go against the grain and dare to upset the status quo he will roar “seeking whom he may devour…” The devour spoken of in today's text is not about consuming you as some suggestion. The roar is to deter you from obtaining all that God has in store for you by getting you to detour from your divine destiny. This is why you must be sober and vigilant. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Things Could Always Be Worse

"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 best and that we must remember all the things He has done and the paths 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 promised 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 and we can lose hope or become discouraged when things don't go as planned… Whatever the challenge, obstacle, or outcome you face right now, know that God's plan is perfect and will bring about an expected end. No matter how low you may feel about your current situation, know that things could always be worse...  One of my close friends once told me that He didn’t like the rain, but that he appreciated the fact that he could observe it without getting wet… Today, make no mistake about it, the rain is falling all over the world; illness, division, strife, racism and so many other forms of disaster; however, we thank God that each day we see is another day to move forward and become the men and women He has designed and called us to be. Instead of losing hope, take courage in the fact that you have the warm blood in your veins and you can impact and change this world for the better. I am sure that there is someone on this earth who would love the opportunity to switch places with you and walk in your shoes… Don’t take for granted where you are today, because you could be somewhere else…

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Thankful For His Mercy

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Psalm 130:3-4

Have you ever taken time out of your day to think about where you would be if God had not shown mercy toward you? We are called to take note today that if God really marked our iniquity (wickedness, evil, crime, sin) we would not be here nor would we be able to obtain Eternal Life… The psalmist reminds us today to simply reflect upon our lives and the mistakes we have made (even the ones we made just a second ago or last night) and thank God for His mercy… If we are truthful with ourselves, we know that there are many things we desire in this life that would cause us to divert from the very path of God and lead us down a path of evil… Something as simple as a desire to have more can lead us to love material things which the bible tells us is the root of all evil… 

The first verse says, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” Let us take some time to ponder that, these verses should provide perspective in our lives by reminding us that we are filthy rags that don’t deserve the Love of God to shine upon us… If we look over our lives, we will soon realize that we are not worthy to be counted in the number of God, we will recognize that our name should not appear in the Book of Life, and we will understand that hell should be our eternal resting home… The next portion of scripture says, “…But there is forgiveness with thee…” We are forgiven through His nail-scarred hands, we received a clean slate through the blood that flowed from His side and it is because of the words “it is finished…” that you and I are not judged according to the errors of our ways… The psalmist acknowledges that he is not worthy of God’s blessings, he understands that he isn’t worthy to simply be alive and because of that, he informs us as to why we should revere the Lord and be thankful for His mercy… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're In Good Hands With Christ

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

John 10:28-30

Your future is not tomorrow in the eyesight of God; your future is the place where you will spend eternity… This is important for us to understand because oftentimes we expect things to happen in our immediate future, all of our good deeds appear to go unnoticed, our faith seems to be ineffective and we find ourselves wondering if we really are walking in the right direction. Jesus teaches us today that the true gift for our walk will be manifest in hearing God say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant…” Today’s scriptures remind us of the assured deliverance that a person obtains when he or she has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior… Again, Jesus says, “I give them eternal life…”As a child of God, we are under the grace that He dispensed through His son on the cross… It is because of His grace that we shall not perish. When we read this scripture, it reminds us that we have not nor can we obtain anything in this life or grasp anything spiritually if Jesus is not the center focus within us…Jesus is clarifying some things for us today, the bible says, “It is not by any works of your hands lest you should boast…” Be careful to remember that Jesus has made every day of your life possible, know that He touched you this morning, clothed you in your right mind, and started you on your way… Not only that but let us remember that Eternal Life is only possible through Him… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Sow Righteousness; Reap Mercy

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." 

Hosea 10:12

Even though you may appear to be in the vineyard alone, sow the seeds you desire to reap in your harvest… As a child of God we are tested to think outside the box, step out in faith, and walk in the trust in belief that His desires will produce unimaginable results… Remember that when Jesus spoke amongst His disciples He declared in Matthew 9:37 “Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Hosea was called by the Lord at a time when the house of Judah was carrying on in disobedience… The Lord called Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman and have her bear him a child; later on in the chapter, the Lord compares the adulterous woman that Hosea married to the children of God… 

Make no mistake about it; even if we don’t see it immediately, the bible is clear that we reap what we sow… Hosea is calling for the children of God to sow seeds of righteousness… Righteousness is virtue, morality, decency, and uprightness… We are called to live according to the will of God and the seeds that we sow are evidence of how we walk… Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruit, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”The seed that you sow today is what you will indeed reap tomorrow…Take the seed of God’s word, love it, nurture it, and stand on it… You may be going through now, but when God shows up He will bless you in such a way that the good will indeed outweigh the bad and you will see the fruits of your labor…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are One In Christ

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:27-28

In Christ, there are no classifications or factions; your past doesn’t determine your standing or the group that you are associated with… It never ceases to amaze me that the most segregated time in our societies and communities is the time in which we go into the church to praise & worship…. Paul wants you to remember that the world classifies you on your abilities; however, in Christ, you are classified through accepting the offering that Christ extended from the cross… There is no difference between you or I in the body of Christ; yes we all have different gifts but your importance in the body of Christ is no less significant than anyone else… This is why Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek…” The biggest stumbling block found in churches is the people who attend them… You have people who think they are better than others, people who think they have the right to look down or despise others and Paul is trying to set the record straight… The Bible records that “all have fallen short of the glory of God…” We all have a path we have traveled, we all have done things that we aren’t proud of and we should be thankful just to have the opportunity to enter His courts with praise… Jesus went to the cross for all mankind. You are no better than me and I am no better than you, we need to join together in being grateful that God thought it not robbery to leave His home in glory…  It is because of politics and tradition that I believe churches are going astray, it’s because of these things that people have lost faith in the church, and why the devil is actively taking over our church. Believe it or not, segregation is still alive in the entire world, (it is most obvious on Sunday mornings). We are to be about fellowship, we are to be about exaltation, we are to be about GOD, and to be about Christ, we must be able to look beyond self and see that we are one in and through Him!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Always Fulfills His Promise

The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.

Psalm 25:14

We must learn to hold to God’s unchanging hand in times of despair. Knowing that through our fear (reverence, honor, and admiration) of Him we will be kept and brought through whatever trial or hardship we face… The “secret” of this life lies in our relationship with the Most High God… The fear of the Lord led Jesus to the cross and the defeat of sin and death… It was the fear of the Lord that allowed Peter to stand up and preach a word that saved 3,000 souls; it was the fear of the Lord that allowed David to pick up 5 smooth stones and defeat Goliath… When going through this life, rely on the secret of God’s power… The enemy doesn’t know how to contend to fight against God so He tries to get you to denounce His authority over your life… The secret that Satan doesn’t want you to know is that he is powerless; the secret that the enemy doesn’t want you to know is that Christ has already freed you from the penalty of sin and bondage… You were made in perfection and clothed in the very image of God, when you call on the name of the Lord there is power and grace imparted to you that breaks strongholds, heals wounds, and redirects our path… The secret to living is found in your reverence of the Lord… This why the Psalmist says that when you fear, you obtain the secret that “he will show them his covenant…” God will write the vision and make it plain for your life; He will give you the desires of your heart and wipe your slate clean… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be At Peace And Let God Work

Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Job 22:21 

Today’s devotion is centered around two very vital points that we must come to understand as we journey through this life. The first is that we must know God more intimately each and every day of our lives. This requires a desire to grow, mature, and develop in the very will of God. To acquaint yourself with something is to open yourself up, expose your past, or submit to something. God is waiting for you to open up to Him, He is waiting for you to reveal the skeletons in your closet and He is waiting for you to submit to the divine plan He has for your life…   We will face obstacles in life; however, when we are acquainted with the Lord, we are able to trust Him, continue to worship Him, and hold on to His unchanging hand… It is only through this acquaintance with the Lord that your mind, body, and soul can be at peace… You can accept the challenges of life, you can face the most daunting of tasks and you can endure the severest of storms because you know who God is, and more importantly, you have grown in knowing what the scriptures say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you…” I challenge you today to find peace amidst your storms.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Has The Power

...Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

1 Chronicles 29:11b-12

Make no mistake about it; all power resides within the hands of the man above… Jesus was mocked, beaten, and whipped; He was nailed to a cross and pierced in His side… The Bible says that when He gave up the ghost He hung His head and died, but we know that three days later he rose with all power in His hand… Matthew 28:18-20 says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” We know that we do not have the ability unless it is provided to us through the grace and mercy of God… 

When Paul was afflicted with a thorn in the flesh he is recorded as saying that “three times” he prayed for it to be removed but God told him, “My grace is sufficient…” These verses taken from the book of Chronicles remind us that we must have our priorities set in life; we must exalt the Lord above the earth as the head and center of our being… We must give God glory for every good and perfect gift comes from above… Even when we are faced with times of despair, the writer reminds us that “thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might…” When you submit to God, He will deliver you and see that you have victory… Remember that situations aren’t always what we see, but rather what God sees, so just walk by faith knowing and believing you will be exalted as you exalt Him and understand that God has given you the power and might to overcome… Just as Jesus endured the CROSS to sit at the right hand, we will endure to reach OUR heavenly goals, keep fighting, but more importantly, keep praising and adoring His name!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Power Comes When You Overcome

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.

Revelation 2:26

The first thing that a Christian must do in this journey is overcome the power of the natural desire to dwell in sin… The Book of Revelations is the foretelling of things to come… This book speaks to the return of Jesus Christ for His co-heirs and the deliverance from this earth unto the promised mansions of God… Today John reminds us of where God wants us to end up, but more importantly, He speaks to the journey we must endure to get there… God's revelation to John is one that we can live by as well. The revelation that is revealed unto John informs us of the gift that awaits those who endure. The verse of the day starts off by saying, “he that overcometh…” John sets the table for every trial that comes knocking on your door, this word prepares you for every obstacle that is thrust in your path and this message equips you for the snares that are set when you wake up in the morning… The bottom line is that we must overcome, there are no freebies when it comes to this spiritual war that we are fighting; every inch will be tough to go by and every step will draw sweat and blood from within… John knows a little about overcoming, this revelation that he is writing to us has been given to him as he sits on the island of Patmus exiled from his native land… John witnessed the evil plots against Jesus, he watched Jesus be strung up on the cross, now he himself has been persecuted and writes today to let us know that we (just like him) must overcome… Sure it’s very easy to take the clear path and walk the level ground, but we know that in becoming all that you can become, there must be some hills and mountains that come into your journey… You must experience the lows of life to appreciate the highs of Christ and this is the journey that God knows will prepare you to appreciate His bountiful blessings… 

So continue to fight, and don’t give up, your blessing, breakthrough, and deliverance are INDEED on the way!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!