Jesus Taught Us How To Live

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

John 1:14 

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

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Sometimes It's Best To Shut Up

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

Ephesians 4:29

When I was a little child I can recall how often my father would instruct me to think before I speak… Even though I never really paid his instruction any mind, today I have come to know and understand exactly what he meant… Words are powerful, and the things that we speak can produce seeds of abundance or failure in one’s life; this is why James writes in the 3^rd chapter of his book about the importance of taming our tongue… In this chapter, he says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ...” Your tongue can positively transform lives or tear them down, your tongue can reap corruption or alter the atmosphere; because of the power that lies in its use, we are reminded today that we must not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth… People are watching you, they are observing your walk and how you handle various situations, show them the God in you and not the side of you that is still a work in progress… The bottom line is to think before you speak, and if that doesn’t work just shut up…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay The Course

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Psalm 11:7

Every day that you see displays God’s justice in your life, He hasn’t let the enemy just trample over you nor has He turned His back on you… The love that God has for you should ignite your faith and take your relationship with Him to another level… When you feel as though you can’t overcome when you feel like life is unfair, remember that God is with you, He’s standing by and His love for fairness has touched you and awakened you this morning… This is the reason why you have seen another day, this is the reason why you can see the sunshine and feel the wind blowing; God has been fair to you… He knows that you were designed to succeed; He knows that you were designed to reach supernatural heights and He wants to give you every opportunity possible to walk in your divine calling… When Jeremiah was called to speak the word of God, look at what takes place in this passage; in the 1st chapter verses 4-10 read as follows, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” 

God continues to call us no matter our age or location, Jeremiah was known of God before He was formed… God already knew you, He already devised a plan for you and this is why He loves justice; no matter how you may feel or even be led to think, the call that God has on your life will trump the chains that the enemy has placed over you… Jeremiah thought that he was too young, but God said I am with you and will rescue you; this same principle applies to us today, we have things that may appear to disqualify us in this life... We may feel as though we are inadequate and cannot overcome certain limitations, if you feel like that today just know that God has brought you to this point so that He can take you through it… The Lord wants nothing more than to have you in the fold, make sure that your heart is aligned with His righteousness and you are assured to get there…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!  

He Wants You

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Psalm 50:10-11

This psalm is penned by Asaph, a young priest from the tribe of Levi. He writes this text during the period when David brings the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem… Asaph served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign, He was in Jerusalem when God gave David the great promise that David would have a son who would be the Messiah, and reign forever. This background provides a segway into today’s devotion which speaks to the love of God amid our filth and corruption… There is nothing on this earth that doesn’t belong to the Lord… This is an encouraging word for us today, reminding us that our travel course should be aligned with God's will… Asaph was a man who observed many things throughout his life that God allowed Him to live… As I stated earlier, through David’s reign and growth, Asaph was there. He served as David's music director and was vital in several of the psalms penned by David himself… Having observed the very life of David, seeing the good days and the bad, Asaph pens these scriptures which we study today… 

Everything on this earth belongs to the Lord, you are a vessel formed from His hand, carved by His words, and designed for His purpose; however, just like many creatures created by God, we have decided to walk according to our own desires and plans… The Lord wants to remind you today that every beast of the forest is His and the cattle upon a thousand hills. He reminds us of this today because He wants us to tune our ears to the fact that He desires more for our lives… Slaughtering a bull, lamb, sheep or goat is not what God desires from you since they belong to Him anyway…God doesn't want an offering or sacrificial lamb, He wants you... He wants to mold you, He wants to protect you and He wants to exalt you; however, you must desire a better life, you must come to the realization that there is more to life than just what you see and call upon His name… This is why, through all His mess David was able to proclaim that “a broken and contrite heart thou will not despise…” In all his mess, David was called a man after God’s own heart....not because He was perfect, but because His desire was to please the Father not with gifts but with His life… In a nutshell, it’s about your heart…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Walk In His Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

Jesus informs us in the gospel of Matthew chapter 15 verse 11 that, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” I share this passage of scripture as we examine today’s focus verse because we must understand the importance of what resides within us… There are a lot of people walking this earth with bitterness and are unhappy simply because the enemy has taken up residence within them… These people are never satisfied even when they get the things they desire because their callous heart still yearns for more… Today, if you want to have peace in your life, if you want to have unspeakable joy, or if you simply want to learn to be content with the things surrounding you, Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly… The word of Christ is the key to your happiness, contentment, and peaceful existence… If the word of Christ is not in you then the darkness in which you were born still resides and therefore the seeds that sprout in your life will do nothing more than feed the corruption that is already present… Stay focused! The Bible records, “let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, you are my strength and my redeemer…” AMEN

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He's Ready To Give It To You

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. 

Psalm 84:11-12

Even though you may experience days of darkness and confusion; the passage we focus on today declares that the Lord is a sun and shield… You will experience many days where the enemy appears to have the upper hand; however, in the body of Christ, you are reminded today that the Lord is always near and will deliver you… This passage ends by declaring, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee…” The writer records these words because when you trust in the Lord you are guaranteed to be blessed, the darkness that you face will indeed become light and you will receive a clear vision of the path and will that God has planned for your life when the rays of the sun shine bright all around you and through you… The psalmist starts this psalm by declaring how wonderful the dwelling place of the Lord is; the things you experience in this life should declare the same words spoken of by the psalmist… 

This is a dark and dreary place where we dwell; however, when we are in the presence of the Lord, even the scariest places become peaceful in our lives… We know that this is true because the word of God tells us today that “the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly…” Make no mistake about it, the Lord wants to shine bright in your life, He wants you to walk in His light and not in the darkness, but you must choose to allow Him in and receive His will and divine plan for you… God wants to give you the very best, He isn’t withholding anything from you, so you must ask yourself the question today as to why you haven’t received it…? These words teach us that the things of God can only be denied by us and nothing else… Too often we want to blame God or circumstance for our situations; however, in the body of Christ, we rest assured in the love of God knowing that when we walk according to His will, He will do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Every Ear Shall Hear

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come...

Revelation 14:6-7

There will be no area of land on this earth which will not hear the word of the Lord… No matter the authority or dictatorship of the land, the word of God reveals to us today that the seeds of the gospel will be planted; however, the flower to bloom will be entirely up to the land that bears the seed...  This passage serves as good news as we are informed that all will have a chance to come to know our Lord and Savior; however, this passage also reminds us that the hour of judgment is closer than we imagined… You may think you have plenty of time to get your life in order, but the word of God tells me that once the land has heard of the Salvation of Jesus Christ, then the hour of judgment shall be upon us… 

John reveals to us today the glory and mercy that embodies our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… In his vision, he sees an angel amid heaven having the gospel and preaching to them on the earth, to every nation, kindred, and tongue… His instructions are to fear God, give Him glory, for the hour of judgment has come… We all need to hear the word of God in our lives and John informs us today that God not only desires for all to be saved but that He will not come back until all have heard His word… Today, let us focus on giving God glory with our lives, and present our bodies as a living sacrifice. I recognize and understand that this is not easy, but if we accept the word of God (preached by the angel) and believe it in our hearts, we will be saved and will not suffer the wrath that once awaited us…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Always Give Thanks

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-20

Don’t allow your mind to be controlled by the circumstances around you and thus give the enemy a foothold in your life… In today’s devotional, we are reminded of the importance of speaking over ourselves instead of allowing someone else to… There are a lot of things that we all face in this world, a lot of situations that we find ourselves in which are disheartening to the strongest and most stable individuals; however, the declaration that is made today is that we must maintain our praise, worship, and devotion to the Lord… The enemy has set out to destroy you; however, it will not be a physical fight, it will be a battle within your mind… All Satan wants you to do is focus on the problem and not stand in faith knowing that the Father is the solution… Your adversary has placed strategic things in your life with the focus of derailing your faith; this is why you encounter obstacles that seem impassable and burdens that appear to be unbearable… 

The word of God tells us in Hebrews 9:28, “so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” This is not the only reference we have to know that Christ has delivered us from past, present, and future sins as Peter declares in the 3^rd chapter of his  1^st book, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,” These scriptures are referenced in today’s devotional so that you can see clearly that Satan only has the power that you give Him… He wants you to think (the battle in mind) that you are in bondage because of mistakes and failures; however, the Lord wants you to praise Him in and through your challenges because you know He has and will deliver you… No matter what you're going through, have an attitude of gratitude. When we give thanks, we focus on the positive and usher in the power of God into our lives and the very circumstances we find ourselves in. Don't worry, be thankful, God's got you!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Word Will Go Forth

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come...

Revelation 14:6-7

These verses in John’s revelation today speak to God's love, compassion, and desire for all His creation to return unto Him… No matter what you have done in this life, no matter how ashamed you may be of the things in your past or the skeletons in your closet; John writes today to let us know that there will be a loud voice that will be heard by all mankind with the declaration for you to fear God… Your life is built upon your choices, and these same principles apply to your relationship with Christ… The Lord desires to save you and to record your name in the Book of Life; however, it is ultimately up to you and the decisions that you make to decide whether or not you want to dwell there… If you want God to write your name down, if you want Jesus to be “preparing a place for you”, then you must submit and have fear (reverence, respect, and admiration) for the Lord… 

In John’s revelation the last words recorded state “for the hour of his judgment is come…” You don’t have as long as you believe you have and even the next day let alone the next second is not promised…  God’s desire is that all would come to know Him and receive Him… This is His desire, but the ball is in your court… You cannot honor Him with your lips; you must fear Him and give Him glory… Glory is beauty, wonder, or credit… When we give God glory, we are crediting Him with our change in life, we exalt Him by our living because we recognize that victory, success, and prosperity all flow from His blood… Today let us focus on giving God glory with our lives, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. Please not and understand that this is not easy to do; however, if we accept the word of God (preached by the angel) and believe it in our hearts, we will be saved and will not suffer the wrath that once awaited us… TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

A Child Mentality

 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Luke 18:17

Receiving the kingdom of God is not a verbal expression, but an act that requires a total submission and openness of one’s heart… The words recorded in today’s focus verse shine light on the fact that we must have the mindset and attitude of a child when it comes to the kingdom of God… Children are very gullible (innocent, trusting) and accepting in their early years; having this mindset allows them in their youth to believe any and everything that they are told by their parents… Santa is real because of the words spoken, the tooth fairy exists because they are taught of this being, and fear is eased when a parent says everything is okay…  In Christ, when we have this mindset we trust and hang on every word of God… 

We can stand amid adversity and smile because we remember what our father told us and declare it true… When the enemy seems to be on the attack, having the mind of a child says you will not win and joy comes in the morning… Even when faced with trials and tribulations and obstacles that appear to be too steep to overcome; having a child’s mindset allows you to rely on our heavenly father knowing that He will not only provide the source of comfort but that He also will provide the ability to withstand the situation that you are faced with. Knowing this you can declare and speak into the atmosphere that this too shall pass… This is why we are reminded today that the kingdom of God can only be entered when you have this mindset… When you lose sight of thinking like a child in the aspects of your spiritual life, you allow that crevice of opportunity for the enemy to slip in and get you to start thinking according to your desires… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Preach The Word; The Hour Has Come

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come...

Revelation 14:6-7

These verses penned in John’s revelation today speak to God's love, compassion, and desire for all His creation to return unto Him… No matter what you have done in this life, no matter how ashamed you may be of the things in your past or the skeletons in your closet; John writes today to let us know that there will be a loud voice that will be heard of all mankind with the declaration for you to fear God… Your life is built upon your choices, and this same principle applies to your relationship with Christ… The Lord desires to save you and record your name in the Book of Life; however, it is ultimately up to you and your decisions to decide whether you want to dwell there… If you want God to write your name down, if you want Jesus to be “preparing a place for you”, then you must submit and have fear (reverence, respect, and admiration) for the Lord… In John’s revelation, the last words recorded state “for the hour of his judgment is come…” You don’t have as long as you believe you have and even the next day let alone the next second is not promised… The enemy has a lot of us under the belief that we can do as we please because we have tomorrow to change our ways and get ourselves together; sadly, millions of people thought this way and will spend their eternity in hell because of it… Open your eyes to see and know how much the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the world… There were and still are several areas where the bible is not allowed; however, there are also several countries that have had their eyes opened and the truth penetrate their borders… The word informs us that the gospel will be preached and seeds will be planted in every area of the world before Christ comes. Preach His word, the hour has come... 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Teach Christ From The Womb

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

Isaiah 54:13

Believe it or not, one thing that is for sure in this life is that your child will learn something… It may not be what you desire, but this is why teaching and training in the home are of the utmost importance… So many people have delayed the teaching and training aspect of parenting and this has allowed the enemy to take the reins in the classroom and teach all the things the child doesn’t need to learn… It’s imperative that “Thy children shall be taught of the Lord,” the enemy is a very enticing teacher and if you allow him in, your child will never be at peace and therefore you will have several sleepless nights and a mind full of worry… This is why we are told today that teaching your child of the Lord will bring peace… 

The sooner that you realize that you must teach about the Lord even in the womb, the sooner you can begin to instill peace in your offspring… Make no mistake about it, whether you want to deal with it or not; the truth of the matter is that your child will learn from whomever speaks into their lives… If you don’t take this word and begin to teach, you will see what becomes of your child and soon realize that you should’ve been the one teaching… Teaching and training are required in the will of God because without them we all will perish… Your child needs to know about Jesus, but they also need to have Jesus broken down and implanted in their lives… This means that you as a parent must spend time in study and not just quote a scripture that you learned and remembered… To teach Christ, you must know him...

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Beware Of False Teachings

And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mark 13:5-6 

Not everyone who speaks the name of Christ is a child of God… I was once told that Satan spends his days in the church; not because he wants to be converted but because he wants to pull others from their faith… Those in the world are not of God and therefore Satan doesn’t have to worry about them… Understanding that Satan does attend church keeps me informed that I must be on guard at all times and as Paul tells the church of Ephesus “put on the full amour of God…” This battle we face is not in the flesh but in principalities and darkness in high places… These high places can be in the pulpit, and these high places can be positions of leadership; whatever the case may be, I know that I must stay alert and be vigilant at all times… Our focus verses today shine a light on Jesus telling us to take heed… Don’t for a second let your guard down; don’t for the smallest window of time become complacent… 

The devil only needs a small window of time to tear you down… Look at David when he became King, his small window came in the form of Bathsheba; think about Sampson in all His might and how he let his guard down to Delilah, think about Solomon who was the wisest man to ever live but saw his kingdom divided and torn down before his very eyes, think about Peter who vowed to follow Jesus at all cost, but before the cook crowed he denied knowing the savior and left the courtyard weeping… This list can go on and on and on and we need to take note today that we must open our eyes to the will of God and not lean to our own understanding and comfort… Today’s message reminds us of two crucial things; one, we must be careful with whom we associate with and second, we must study the word of God for ourselves and apply it to our everyday life… The devil can appear in many forms, stay immersed in the word and will of God and beware of false teachings...

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Talk Is Cheap

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luke 6:46

The saddest thing about the return of Christ to this earth is the number of people who believe that they can get over on Him… Many people we encounter daily fit this scripture; they call on the Lord verbally, but don’t have the faith and belief in Him to allow His will to be done… So many of us display our true lack of faith when a storm arises or adversity hits us, as children of the most high, we have read scriptures upon scriptures that tell us about trusting in the Lord and the question that is posed today is do we really believe what we have read…? The bible never says that this road will be easy, it never declares that your journey will be smooth; it does however say that you must endure temptations and suffer from many things… I am quite sure that we all have heard people quote or even at times have quoted the familiar passage from the 3^rdchapter of Proverbs which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” This passage is often spoken when one declares that while enduring any and all situations you must stay within the will of God knowing and believing that He will direct you and lead you… So many speak these scriptures, but yet they do not abide in them; this same principle applies to today’s focus verse; how can you serve or call on a Lord which you don’t obey and adhere too…? Today's devotional deals with your faith in Christ and how much you truly love the Lord… More importantly, it speaks to the actions that you must take so that the things you declare verbally are displayed visibly to others…  Don’t tell me about the God you serve, show me when the storms of life hit that you are a tree planted by the rivers that shall not be moved… 

Talk is Cheap!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!