Submit & Resist

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

In life we are assured of test and temptations, we will experience frustration and misfortune; however, the challenge for every believer in Christ is to stand and faith trusting and believing that God will take care of the very things that are out of our control… This passage taken from the book of James gives us instruction as to how we can overcome the storms and obstacles that plague our lives. In order to be victorious and be taken to another level in Christ, the first thing we must do is to submit ourselves to God, the word submit means to present or offer and this declares to us that if we want to be successful in life and be happy in this world we must present our bodies to the Lord, we must offer our time, gifts and resources to the Most High God. To submit you must humble yourself, you must surrender all; you must completely turn your life over into the hands of God… Understand today that submission requires admission… You must admit that your not perfect, that you can’t make it on your own and that you need the Lord to intervene in your life and guide you… You must acknowledge that without Him you are nothing, you will be nothing and hell awaits your arrival… 

Today let us understand that in order to inherit eternal life, in order to receive the precious promises of God, in order to find peace and happiness we MUST submit TOTALLY to Him… There are doors that will be opened and alteration to your life that will be made when and only if you submit to the Lord… Notice that you must submit first as James tells us and then proceed to the next step which is to resist the devil… You have to change your way of thinking and place a clear focus and perspective on the things of Christ instead of the things of this world if you truly want to receive His bountiful blessings and have life and have it more abundantly… Submission is not a weakness as many have classified it but rather a tool which actually leads to becoming more powerful… You can only resist the devil and make him flee when you have submitted yourself to Christ… It is through your submission that the power of God rest upon you and will provide the resources needed to overcome the temptations and snares that are placed before you… James using the word resist shines light on the fact that the Christian journey is not easy, but rather difficult because the Devil does not want to see you offer (submit) you life to the Lord. We must establish a common ground in our thinking today to know that being a child of God comes with trials and struggles; you will endure tough times and be subject to trying circumstances; however, as long as you hold to His unchanging hand you will be able to resist the Devil and through the power of your submission he will have no choice but to flee! 

In order to resist something you must learn to depreciate its value in your life… Resisting is a learning and growing process, it does not happen over night! This is why its important for you to submit to the Lord first, because you will give into the desires of the flesh otherwise, you will stumble along the way, but when you have turned it over to the Lord, He will come in and refocus your attention, He will shine light on the dark corners of your life and order your steps accordingly! Don’t try to make this journey on your own, the devil will indeed chew you up and spit you out… You must flee to the protective arms of Jesus; you must run to His care, dwell in His tabernacle and know that ONLY through His Grace and Mercy can you be saved! It is by and through Jesus that we have the ability to defeat every attack that we face, so submit to Him (give up everything unto the Lord), so you can gain your blessings and reach the levels of greatness which you were designed uniquely for!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Wants You Just As You Are

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

The psalmist makes a bold request unto the Lord, one that requires total devotion and acceptance of whatever happens next… In the darkest of hours, when all hope seems lost, when we have tried everything we can think of and can’t overcome the obstacle in front of us what do we do? The psalmist turns to the Lord and asks Him to search him… This is a concluding and submissive statement that says I give up, I am tired of living this life, I am tired of experiencing these same results and I desire more… The psalmist realizes that there are things in his life that must be holding him back, there are people in his life that may be causing him trouble and since he cannot figure it our nor can he overcome them, he ask God to search him… This is a powerful declaration today, one that speaks to the heart of man and poses a serious question as well… Have you asked God to search you? 

Are you tired of being tired, are you tired of hiding the skeletons in your closet and tired of lying to cover up the lies of your past, than ask God to search you… In searching you are seeking to find, God will search you today and seek the things that do not need to dwell in you or around you, it is only through His power and grace that you can be led in the way of everlasting… These verses cover a multitude of areas that we must allow God to inspect and clean… Have you asked God to try you and know your thoughts? The psalmist here wants us to understand what it is to have an intimate relationship with God. He has taken his life and placed it at the throne of the Most High. He has inquired of the Lord to cleanse him and mold him into the disciple that he has been called to be. In asking to be searched and tried there is a request being made, but also a pledge of acceptance of whatever painful experiences that must be endured in order to have this request fulfilled… You have to let God have His way in your life even if and when His way does not align with yours… I am pretty sure this psalmist attended church; he worked in the vineyard of the Lord, but still need to wholeheartedly give his life to God. Many of us attend church on a regular basis, we partake in communion and we are there for Bible Study, but have we totally committed ourselves to the Lord. Have we said Lord I want you to cleanse me? 

This means that I want you to take anyway anything that may cause me to stumble or lose focus of doing your will. This could be friends; it could be a relationship or even a job you currently have. Understand today that the psalmist desires to be made over, renewed in His mind and have a new lease or perspective on life… This is why He says, “if there is any wicked way in me…” We must remove all wickedness (even the smallest inkling) from our hearts, minds and souls; this can only be done when we accept Jesus Christ has our personal Lord and Savior and allow Him to cleanse us through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1,2). What is it in your life that is holding you back? What are you holding on too? What is stopping you from reaching the spiritual levels that God has for? Pray, turn and seek the face and will of God! He will cleanse you, He will mold you and He will deliver you… Allow the Lord to search you, He will find the voids in your life and fill them with His love and compassion which will in turn lead you to greatness within His will!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Those Who Wait Find Strength

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31  

Trying to make this trek on this journey called life within your own power guarantee’s you one thing and one thing only; FAILURE… It doesn’t matter how prosperous things may appear to be, it doesn’t matter how glowing your life may seem at the moment, Isaiah reminds us today that “Even the youths shall faint and be weary…” The strongest of all men will fail; the smartest of all mankind won’t be smart enough and all “…shall utterly fall…” No matter how much success you have or how good your health is; we must all rely and be solely dependent upon the Lord… This requires us to totally submit ourselves to the will and power of God… So many of us are wondering why it is that we aren’t able to stand, why it is that we aren’t able to maintain and the answer lies in the fact that there are still parts of your life which you are still trying to control; these parts are also the same places where the enemy utilizes his most crafty devices to ruin the being which God created you to be… This is a scary thought, but I can’t help but reemphasize that this passage tells us that there will come a time when the strongest will not be strong enough. 

The toughest will not be tough enough, and trials and tribulations will ravage the land to a point where nobody (walking in their own power) will be able to stand. This passage shines light on the fact that there will be days in our lives when our strength will be futile and our minds will want to give up and give into the ways of evil. The bible is clear that your faith will be tested (i.e. Job) and you will display your true devotion to the Lord or lack thereof…Isaiah reminds us today that those who fight on their own strength will lose, those who try and walk through this life’s journey on their own will surely fail, but he also gives a note of encouragement to those who seek the Lord daily. He provides a positive outlook in your perilous times if you find your dwelling place in the arms of the almighty. He says; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…Notice it does not say you will always be mighty, but what is does say is that when you are down and out, when you feel like giving up, or when you are ready to give in The Lord will step in and step up and give you the strength you need to come out of these circumstance and continue to run this race. The unknown author of the 91^st Psalm teaches us that we will see dangers, we will see chaos, we will experience hardships, but that if we make the Lord our dwelling place we will be covered and protected… “If you say, The LORD is my refuge, and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (Psalms 91: 9-11) 

We won’t be harmed beyond what God will allow or He has given us the ability to withstand… Everything that you are enduring now will not be your end, but actually will make you stronger and perfect you in doing the will of God… This is how your strength is renewed in Christ… Isaiah goes on to say that you will mount up on wings like Eagles; when a storm comes, Eagles see it, but fly above it. When you trials come you will see them, when tribulations come, you will surely encounter them, but you will be lifted above and beyond those storms, you will be taken higher and placed on a security blanket that is Jesus Christ. Isaiah says that you will feel times of despair and see many trials; however, it will be by the strength of God (when you call on his name) that you will be delivered… People often say, “There is strength in numbers,” our mottos as Christians is that there is strength in Christ…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It All Starts With Christ

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

This verse is a verse that clearly defines our religion and the foundation on which we stand… There are 4 non negotiable points that are highlighted below that separate light from darkness, life from death and sickness from health… There are many religions in our societies today, many different temples, churches and synagogues; however, today we must examine why the religions all differ and the piece of the puzzle that divides is Jesus in the declaration made here in the 14^th chapter of John… This passage taken from the gospel of John can be the focus of separation between religious beliefs, why because of the 4 things Jesus states about His divinity while being the very form of man!

The first thing that Jesus says is, “I am the way…” In traveling you can find many routes to reach your destination, you can sometimes stumble upon a shortcut or even find that your route is much longer than another path… Whatever the case maybe, today we are called to remember that there are no shortcuts in reaching heaven… There are no paths that will lead to an easy road of obtaining Salvation… The bible records that we can go in two directions in life; the broad path which lead to destruction or the narrow path which leads to life… The narrow path was paved when Jesus entered in to Jerusalem, it was paved when He carried His cross through the city and it was paved when He laid down His life

“I am the truth…” There are a lot of false doctrines, a lot of people trying to appease the itching ear and a lot of people who want to pick and choose which parts of the bible they want to hold as sacred and true… I don’t know about you, but I am tired of being lied too, tired of being suppressed and tired of being disrespected! Jesus tells us today that all truth is in Him; He has the direction for your life, you won’t find any gimmicks in Him, no tall tales, no hidden fees… James talks about looking in a mirror; the bible will reflect the flaws in our lives so that we can correct them by the aide of the Holy Spirit… Jesus is saying I will show you the correct approach; I will help you and mold you into the person that you have the ability to become… I will tell you the truth (as much as it hurts to hear, as much as it cuts deep to the marrow of your bones) and answer your every question!

“…and the life!” Jesus told us that He came to give life and give it more abundantly… This simply tells me that I am not living until I come to know Him… Ezekiel was faced with a valley of dry bones, they came together; however until He prophesied to the winds there was no life in them… This rule applies to us today; a lot of us are moving, but not living… We are active but not alive and this passage teaches us that without Jesus, death is certain. He came to this world to seek and save that which was lost; he died so that we could live and live more abundantly… Jesus is life and ONLY through Him can we live…

“…no man cometh to the father, but by me!” This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for many who want to reach the destiny in which God has called them too… Remember that before Jesus death on the cross we could not go to the father in prayer; however as Jesus gave up His spirit the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom symbolizing the fact that we can now go to God in prayer… It is through Jesus and only through Him that we obtain the righteousness to be fit for the Kingdom of God…

In Jesus you have your being; it is only through Him that you can find your way, live in truth, have life and be with the Father for all Eternity…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are One In Christ

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Corinthians 12:13-14

There is only one avenue paved by the blood of Jesus which leads to Eternal Life… Paul starts of these verses by declaring, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” There are many religions in this world, many gods that people worship; however, it is important for us to know and remember just as Paul states to the church of Corinth that we serve the True God… We cannot in any way, shape or form negotiate our faith in Jesus Christ… More importantly, we cannot try and place ourselves above others who come into the Faith… There is a big problem in churches today where people are turned away because of others who look down on them… We are to be mindful that all people from all walks of life have been given a chance to inherit Eternal Life and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior… You weren't always saved, there were and are still dark areas in your life and just like Jesus has saved you by His bloodshed; you also must allow for His saving power to draw whomever to Him and embrace them with open arms… This very reason is why Paul says it doesn't matter what culture you are from, it doesn't matter “…whether we be Jews or Gentiles, weather we be bond or free…” 

Jesus proclaimed that He came for the sick (this taught the people of yesterday and today that there is no barrier to God’s love or what depths He can go to reach or save a soul)… It is of the utmost importance that we stop judging one another based on age, race or gender and realize that God looks at the heart of man and not the body that houses it… Jesus entered this world to make salvation possible… He died on the cross so that all may have a chance to live and live abundantly! Paul reminds the church of Corinth that there is no difference as to who may call on the name of Jesus; there aren't any color-bearers or physical requirements to receive the gift that Jesus poured out on Calvary… Simply by accepting Jesus as your personal savior and receiving the Holy Spirit we all shall be bound together in the Love of Christ… Paul says by one spirit are we all baptized into one body! This is as clear cut as you can make it, either you’re a child of God or you aren't… You live for Jesus or you don’t, there is no middle ground, no gray area or spots of inconsistency within the household of faith! It was through the bloodshed of Jesus that we have Eternal Life; it was by the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit that we have our direction and can obtain God’s promises… 

If you have been pushed aside; guess what, He died for you, if you have been through trials and tribulations; He shed His blood for you, if you have had ups and downs, He came to this earth to give you life and if you have been headed down the wrong path, He came to give you a clean slate… My bible says that we all enter this world as sinners through the disobedience of Adam and Eve… I state this to enforce the fact that Jesus came to save you, He came to save me, He came to save everyone that would turn from their wickedness and follow Him! It doesn't matter what your social status is (so stop trying to gain popularity), it doesn't matter what kind of background or pedigree you come from (stop trying to showboat), and it doesn't matter about your political affiliation or who you know (stop focusing on appearance)… Jesus is the way the truth and the light, no man goes to the father but by Him… He came to save all who would accept Him! Paul is simply reminding us not to become like the world and disenfranchise people based on things of the pass; for none of us deserved Christ and His sacrifice…

ALL IN FOR CHRIST!

The Earth Is Filled With His Glory

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Numbers 14:21

The bible records that at the creation of the world (darkness had covered the face of the deep)… There are so many dark areas in our lives, so many things that we are not proud of, so many choices that we have made that we don’t want people to know about nor do we want to acknowledge… Today, in the book of numbers we see that all darkness will be expunged from the earth… Truly the Lord does live and because He lives we can take pride today in knowing that “…all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord…” The glory of the Lord is His splendor, beauty and wonder; knowing that His beauty will fill the earth gives enough confidence to the believer today to smile in the midst of trials… His splendor will fill the earth, He will be exalted through the darkness of this land, His light will shine and your path will grow brighter and brighter as you walk according to His will and plan for you… It is imperative that we understand today that in reading this verse we confidently make the claim that the light of God shines in us and through us… 

Today’s focus verse starts off with the words, But as truly as I live; this is a statement of faith and confidence in God which should be the same claim that we make daily… As surely as I live I know that God loves me and will continue to mold me, I can allow all the mistakes of yesterday, all the dark areas of my life to be exposed after reading this passage because I don’t want to carry this weight anymore, I don’t want to give the enemy a foothold anymore (Ephesians 4:27) and I am tired of walking on egg shells… I know there is beauty in me and in the path which God has for me… He shall be revealed and the life I have in Him shall be fulfilled... This passage comes at a time when Moses instructed 12 men to go into the Promise land and spy; he told them to bring back a report of their findings as to the layout of the land and who currently possessed it… Of the 12 that came back only two were able to give a good report, because of this the children of God began an uproar wondering why they were at this point and why they were not allowed to simply die in Egypt or in the wilderness… How often to we forget the deliverance power that God has already displayed in our lives when we are faced or challenged with another obstacle? Today is the day we stay on track, this year we keep the ball rolling and hold to God’s unchanging hand… Moses listened to the good reports and spoke to the Lord on behalf of the people, God responds to Moses by saying,“But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord…”

Stay dedicated to God’s word this year because you know that great things are capable of happening and will indeed happen… The earth shall be filled with God’s glory, this lets us know that there is no power to great, no circumstance to tough, no obstacle too large for the Lord to breakdown or allow us to overcome… Don’t look back on yesterday; focus on the bright path ahead… Today, whether you are facing financial hardships or overcoming bad habits, know that your victory is secured in the blood of Christ and you will win… The statement that God’s glory shall fill the earth is God news, everyone will come to know the power He possesses, and everyone will see the ways that He can make and the paths that He ordains… You are a called today to walk according to His will so that others can see what you go through, but more importantly, so they can see you come out… God doesn’t need you, He wants you (there’s a big difference); He knows the flaws on the outside of you and desires to fill you with His purpose and plan so that the beauty within you can begin to shine through you…

ALL FOR CHRIST!

Christ's Death Saved Us

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:24

If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side, where would I be…? This is question that I desire to ask myself on a daily basis… I believe that in asking this question, we can break down strong holds and overcome temptations… Knowing that Jesus paid the price, knowing that my sins (past, present and future) have been forgiven and understanding that I have a chance to inherit Eternal Life I can rebuke the attacks and devices that the enemy uses… Our focus verse taken from 1 Peter starts off by saying, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” Jesus took it upon Himself to bare our sins, He took upon Himself to receive them upon His own body and He took it upon Himself to carry them to the tree… There was nothing that we could offer Him, nothing that we could give or pay Him to do it; He did it “…his own self…” 

This is good news today because it speaks to the love and care that Jesus has for us; this is good news today because it demonstrates the desires of God to reconcile with His creation and this is a sweet verse to carry in the forefronts of our minds because it reminds us that God wants to see us at our best… Jesus laid down His life before we were formed in our mother’s womb, He paid our debt before we even were engulfed by it; recognize where you would be without the love of God, recognize today where you would be if His grace and mercy was not deposited in the form of His son, recognize today that things can and would be worse if it were not for the life shed on Calvary… The verse goes on to say “…we, being dead to sins…” We were powerless in the fight to overcome, man had fallen and there was no way (in our own power) that we could get up… Some of us have been battling within ourselves for a long time, we have been fighting and losing because we are using our own strength; however, we must turn to Him and know that it is not only through Him that we can live but that we can live unto righteousness… God will get us back on track; He will have you walking the right path which will lead to His expected end for your life… We can live and live abundantly, we can sow seeds that will sprout with much fruit, and we can allow the will of God to rework us, remake us and mold us into the beautiful creation that we are…You were dead to sin, but you don’t have to stay there… Jesus died and rose; you have the ability through the Savior to rise… There are obstacles in your life that have stripped you and made you appear as one who was dead… 

You are dead because you have not connected yourself or aligned yourself with God… You’re dead because you are giving the enemy power; you’re dead because your holding on to past hurts, you’re dead because you are concealing yourself to things that shouldn't have any authority or voice in your life… Jesus came to take your pain, this is why the writer goes on to say “…by whose stripes ye were healed…” The bottom line is the enemy wants you to think you are still wounded, He wants you to be deceived into believing that you can’t get better, you can’t turn and go a new direction; however, we must declare that this is the very reason Jesus came… He took the flaws through the lashes so that you can be flawless… He took the scars so that you can be without blemish… He hung on the tree so that you can hang all your impurities and infections upon Him… He bore your sins so that you would not be subject to carrying them through this life… You have the ability to succeed not because of the decisions that you make, but because of the decision that He made…

ALL FOR CHRIST!