Don't Indulge In Nonsense

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

 

Proverbs 1:32-33

 

Temptation is at every turn or our head… There are so many people that we encounter on a daily basis that simply do not have our best interest at heart and today we are reminded of the importance of having a sober mind and steady focus on the Lord… As I read the opening portion of this scripture which says, “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them…” I immediately begin to think about Lot (in the book of Genesis) leaving his home at the command of God and how his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt… The entrapment of Lot’s wife was founded on the hills of her focusing on the past while God was leading them to a new home and future… The simple things in life are often the hardest things to overcome and let go of… Success (making money), an addiction or even a relationship all pose major problems in our lives; however, we are reminded today that when we fall victim to seeing someone’s success, pick up a beer based on the suggestion of someone or become envious of a relationship we have allowed these simple devices to ruin us and ultimately slay us… In understanding the word simple used in the passage taken from the book of Proverbs I come to the conclusion that the matters that will affect you the most and deter your growth in the Lord are the simple matters that are allowed to fester in your life instead of being handled in a mature manner at the time of their conception… Arguing with your spouse about matters which can be rectified can be a simple thing which grows to something larger and ends in divorce if not handled correctly… As the word of God says, you have to be faithful over a few things… Don’t allow small matters to occupy huge chunks of your time; don’t allow worldly prosperity of fools to destroy you… Turn from those fleshly and lustful desires; the more you see and feel tempted to chase after vainglory is the more that you need to run from it and hearken unto the Lord… Not every door is for you to venture through, not every path laid before you is of God and you must abide in Him so that He can write the vision and make it plain…  

You have to know that the pastures you dwell in today may not be the green pastures you think exist on the other side; however, you must stand in faith knowing that God is and that God can do anything but fail… You are where you are for a reason and a seasons; don’t get caught up in what appears pleasing to the eye (it could be damaging to the soul)… We all have heard the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover” today; let us apply this in our Christian walk… Solomon gives important advice today as to how we are to handle situations or opportunities that arise in our lives… There are so many people that we come across that are in need, they are in need of financial assistance, they are in need or prayer and they are in need of a relationship with Christ… We view this people in our lives as a situation or something that happened on one of our days journeys; however, I refer to all these examples as opportunities… When you are faced with a person in need, this is an opportunity for you to share Christ power, faithfulness and love to that person or individual… Solomon tells us that “the turning away of the simple shall slay them…” When we turn away from these opportunities we slay ourselves by denying Christ to move in our lives and impact the lives of others through us… Solomon was given the title of the wisest man to ever live... Today he gives us reasons for his wisdom when it comes to living according to the word and will of God… So many of us have turned away from God, we have set our eyes on things of this earth and have lost focus of the bigger picture at hand… Solomon reminds us today that we perish not because of mistakes, but because we have set our minds and chased after the wrong things… Every situation you face in life presents you a choice and Solomon calls for us to recognize on today that when we make choices that turn us away from God we will end up perishing… If you are motivated by earthly gains and prosperity than you are not motivated by the love of Christ and His offering on the cross; likewise, when you are motivated by God you live a Godly life that is acceptable in His sight… The way to find out what kind of life you are living is to simply look at how you conduct yourself in your everyday affairs… Hosea 4:6 records that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Not knowing the God you server in the most adverse situation will allow the enemy to control you at your weakest and lowest point… 

We are dying because we do not know God, we are not motivated by His love, and we aren’t walking according to His calling… Solomon goes on to say “the prosperity of fools shall destroy them…”It’s so easy for us to get caught up in what someone else has or a level of success that we think someone else has achieved… However, as a child of God we must know that we seek a crown that is incorruptible, a mansion that will never fade a way and a life that will never end… We must remember that we will be tempted and their will be many things that will come in to our lives which may lead us to question the path we are currently on; however, we must stay the course, deny the desire to try a (n) easier path and hold to God’s unchanging hand… Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” When things seem right to you and God is not the center you need to recheck your ways… When things seem right and you know God is not pleased you need to take a step back… The bible tells us that those who walk according to their own desires will succumb to them; however, we are promised to overcome when we walk with God as our head… “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quit from fear of evil…” God promises your protection, He promises your safety and He promises your deliverance… This is a two-way street; you must hearken unto Him… You must turn to Him, you must adhere to Him, and you must abide according to His will and plan for your life… Even the richest men shall perish; the most prosperous shall be in want if they are not under the guidance of Jesus Christ… All those of this world shall perish when the Day of Judgment comes, all those living according to this world shall be cast into the pits of hell and never know the true prosperity that comes from God… You must fight the good fight, keep the faith and finish the race… Knowing that your work is not in vain when it is in the Lord…

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are Justified And Blessed Through Him

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed.

Galatians 3:8

No matter the situation or how drastic the circumstance may appear to be; today’s focus verse reminds us that it’s not too late for the wayward soul, there is still time for the one who is lost to be found and a ray of hope for the one who so many have wrote off… The word of God can redirect the paths of whoever comes in contact with it and the grace of God can justify any man no matter their prior history… In reading this verse, it is vital that we understand and know that we can only be justified by faith… There is no deed or process which you can complete to have your name recorded in the book of life and be assured that heaven is your Eternal resting place… The things you deserve to receive are not the things that you desire to receive; however, through your acceptance of the blood which Jesus shed on Calvary, you have a door opened unto you where the things you desire can actually be manifested in your life… This is how you can gain the things you desire (not because you deserve them), but because you are justified by Christ to receive them… Abraham was promised by God to be the father of many nations; however, up until he turned 100 years of age his wife Sarah was barren… In believing that the promise would not be fulfilled, Abraham took the advice of his wife and had a child with her maidservant… This was not the child promised to Abraham and led to a seed of bitterness to take root within the heart of his wife Sarah… The point of summarizing this message today is to say that we must stand on the promises of God and know that He is only one who can bring them into fruition…  We must come to a point in our lives where we firmly believe and trust in the Lord… So many of us have claimed to be Disciples of Christ, but we allow other things or circumstances to “Lord” over us… 

The bible tells us that “without faith it’s impossible to please God…”Going to church isn’t enough, paying your tithes and offerings isn’t enough, praying every now and then isn’t enough; however, trusting that God doesn’t make mistakes, believing that He is the great I am and having complete confidence that He is the way is enough… We all have fallen short, we all have made mistakes and we all have a reservation for hell as soon as we exit our mother’s womb; however Paul writes to the church of Galatia teaching them about the promise that God has made for all those who walk by faith… Paul says, “…preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed…” We must have the word in us and developing in our lives in order to reach the levels and points that God has ordained for us… Our faith must be present, but its presence can only be found through the word of God… The bible says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God…” How can you have faith if you don’t study and apply the word of God in your life…? How can you have faith if you aren’t walking in the will of the Lord nor staying active in your fellowship with His people…? We must be clear in understanding that faith is a (n) action word… This is why James says that “faith, if not accompanied by works is dead…” It’s also why He said, “show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by what I do…” You can’t proclaim faith by mere words, but actions… Paul wants us to understand today that we are justified by faith, to be justified means that we are accepted or vindicated… The penalty of sin has been removed when we are walking in faith, the sentence of death placed upon our heads has been overturned when we walk by faith and this only can come to fruition when we find ourselves in total devotion to the will of God by studying, learning and applying His word…God made a promise to Abraham that “in thee shall all nations be blessed…” Abraham was a man that followed the will of God by faith… 

At the age of 75 he set out from Haran to the land of Canaan and was placed in the territory of the enemy which forced him to totally rely upon the Lord… We know that God promised him a son and through trying to assist God by sleeping with his wife’s maidservant he suffered some trials and tribulations… We look at the story of Abraham to understand today that God has indeed made a promise; we can be justified by our faith in Him… Just like Abraham, we must allow God to lead us according to His will and not try to assist along the way… When we try to take matters into our own hands we no longer are walking by faith, but rather giving in to the pressures and temptations what we are currently facing… The seed of Abraham was provided by God’s allowance for His wife Sarah to have a son… Sarah was barren for 90 years, so we know that this seed came from the Lords grace and mercy… This is the same grace and mercy which was bestowed upon us, the same grace and mercy that has kept us and the same grace and mercy that calls for us to have faith in the only one who is faithful and continues to open up doors and make ways out of know way… To be the seed of Abraham we must believe that Jesus is Lord. We will be justified through faith; God is telling us that if we believe and hold onto His promise, than we shall be blessed. It doesn’t mean hold on to Him in times of trouble, but through ups and downs continue to let your FAITH soar. We will be tested and tried each and every day of our lives, but know that God is justifying your claim to the thrown and to be heirs with Christ by the testing of your FAITH… So go on and press forward for your prize, knowing that when Jesus cracks the sky, you will receive your reward in full… You will receive it not because you have done enough to deserve it, you will receive because Christ has done enough to have authority over it and if He blesses you with it then so be it… I am not justified by my actions on this earth; I am justified by the actions that Christ performed on this earth and the faith that I have in Him…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Seek His Face Continually

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

1 Chronicles 16:11-12

Seeking the Lord is not something that we can ever afford to grow tired of nor can we complete this journey of seeking Him while living upon this earth… There are so many things that we desire to do while we are living; however, there are quite a few things which we may never accomplish… In reading today’s focus verses I am reminded about the urgency and importance that seeking the Lord plays in our development and growth as a Christian… The bible declares that we can find the Lord when we seek Him with our whole heart; Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This verse penned in the prophetic book of Jeremiah takes place at a point and time when the children of God were full of disobedience and rebellion… This 13^thverse is preceded by the 11^th verse which declares to the children of God that even though things may seem bleak; there is a plan that has been devised and will be carried about the Lord… It is in the 11^th verse that we find these words, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

I recite these two verses because they speak in parallel with today’s focus verses; the Lord had a plan for the Israelites, even though they endured a lot of trials and tribulations the plan of God was a plan that would provide hope for them; however, this very plan could only be brought into existence in their desire and focus of seeking the Lord as the plan that He had for them unfolded… The times of despair in your life are the times when you need to seek Him most; these are also the times when your hurt is more vulnerable and can be given in completely… There are so many of us that have turned away from God because of the trials and obstacles that we have faced; I feel led to tell you today that your adversity is not to be seen as a hindrance but a sign which foreshadows the coming of the Lord…When you go through tings in life the enemy wants you to become fearful of the way in which things appear to be; however, in today’s verse we are reminded that these times can serve as stepping stones which will lead to your divine destiny… Don’t allow the enemy to deter you from seeking and getting to know the plans which God has for you… The enemy doesn’t want you to be what God has created you to be, so he will stop at nothing to get you to focus your attention else where… Seeking the Lord is not an easy task; however, it is the most important task that directly impacts your eternal resting place… So many of us have fallen victim to temptation and have become engulfed by snares not because we were weak, but because we became to strong within our own minds and did not put our strength and confidence in the Lord… We seek the Lord on occasion but try to handle situations on our own every now and then; we pray to God in the morning and at night; however, we neglect prayer during the day when we think we can handle the current situation on our own… These incidents provide insight into the occasional seeker and the seeker of God who utilizes his whole heart… 

I know that it’s not easy to live this Christian life in the midst of the things that we face daily… Often times we find ourselves struggling and fighting a (n) uphill battle; every mountain seems to grow as we climb and every valley seems more narrow and dark as we walk through it! Today we are encouraged to keep our faith and continue to seek the Lord! It is very easy to give up, it’s very easy to quit and forgo your spiritual destiny, but we are encouraged today to push on… How do we do that you ask… By remembering the things that God has already delivered you from… I have often heard people say that “they weren’t always saved…” and I agree with that quote because we all have fallen short, but let us keep in mind the reasons why we can say that we are saved now! It wasn’t by your doing or your hands, but by God plucking you out of your sinful ditch and placing you on the tender love of his arms… God has seen you through some trials and tribulations already; he has been your advocate when no one else believed in your ability and he has washed you and bathed you in grace and mercy! We draw our strength from God’s love and his faithfulness; we draw power from our past knowing that it was only God that saw me through and we can run this race to the end because we know that “he who hath begun a good work in us will see it through tell the end… {Philippians 1:6}” Look back and be thankful, look forward and be faithful! He has done marvellous works in your life already and he will continue to do them as long as you continue to seek Him… I believe that Isaiah says it best for those who want to find answers, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Has The Final Say

But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

Psalm 9:7-8

There is hope for the lost soul, there is light for the one whom has traveled the paths of darkness and there is guidance for the wondering mind… In today’s devotional, we are reminded that even though tomorrow is never promised, the endurance of the Lord is… Even in your weakest hour, you can find comfort in knowing that God is strong and that his strength will never fail nor falter…  This psalm is penned out of gratitude toward the Lords faithfulness and mercy… The truth of the matter is that we all deserved a death sentence; however, the love of God not only gave us a second chance but also gives us the opportunity to be judged in righteousness… Your past failures do not have to limit or restrict your success in the spiritual realm; the mistakes you made yesterday can serve as stepping stones tomorrow in leading you to your destiny… David declares He hath prepared his throne for judgment… I am so thankful that God is ready to judge and that He has not already judged me… Just like David, we all have made mistakes, we all have fallen short of the glory of God; however, the Lord knows that we needed a savior, we needed a fighters chance, we needed a saving grace and He bestowed that in the form of His son… When you feel like giving up, just know that He never gave up on you… Times of adversity not only display our true character, it also shows how much God has spared us and delivered us from… I say this because so many have come to actually feel entitled to question the very movement of God and His plan… Truth be told, it was His plan that destroyed the plan of the enemy for you; it was His plan that kept you and is keeping you right now… You can find joy in knowing that the Lord endures because you know that He will outlast your toughest opponent or adversary… It is to this point that David declares in the 3^rd and 4^th verse of this psalm, “My enemies turn back;they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my right and my cause,sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.”  

The Lord knows that without Him we don’t stand a chance… We needed Him before we even know it and this is why He endures… Despite all the mistakes that you make, the errors you have made and the wrong choices of yesterday, the grace and mercy of God endures and He continues to open of paths that lead to a brighter tomorrow and hope for the future… David made several errors in His lifetime; however, His heart for the Lord allowed God to wipe His slate clean and keep the enemy at bay… Your hands may be filthy with all kinds of secrets, but just like we studied in Ezekiel you can be cleansed… He hath prepared his throne for judgment; there is nobody else seated on the throne but the only true and wise God… There is nobody who can make the final call on your life accept Jesus Christ and you should be thankful (if you know Him) because He will provide you all the tools and resources that you need to pass this test called life… In examining this text, I am reminded of the fact that our very being today is a privilege which was allowed by God… You did not wake up on your own, you did not have a say so in your course for the day and you did not make in through the night without incident because of your security or locked doors… God has upheld you, He has paved the way for you and he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness… There is only One who shall endure tell the end… Everyone you know will pass away, everything you take joy in shall become old and day by day your society will change… The bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever; our hope and perseverance derives from knowing that Christ will always be there… To know His throne is prepared for judgment assures us that all will stand before Him and The Lord is sure to return; Jesus will part the clouds and return for those who have endured for his name… Those that have fought the good fight and have run the race will surely see Him fulfill His promises! So many people live as if God is not real or as if He will not return; but today we are reminded that judgment is coming; we are told that the Lord will endure… 

To endure is to suffer, tolerate and last; God suffered on the cross, He has tolerated all the sins that we have committed and in the end He will stand on this earth and all things of this earth shall perish! This is not to scare anybody nor for you to become fearful… These words should be encouraging to our Christian walk knowing and understanding that Christ INDEED will return and will repay all evil on this earth…The fact that Christ will return lets us know that our judgment is coming… We will stand before his throne and hear Him say “well done;” we will hear Him say “enter in,” we will hear Him say “this peace I give unto you!” You will find rest when Christ returns, your weeping will end when judgment is rendered and you will be enclosed in God loves arms for all eternity… The psalmist is anxious about Christ return because he sees the deeds of his fellowman, he knows how much has been hurdle upon him and how many obstacles he has had to face… We too know how many storms have come knocking on our door; we have stared misfortune in the face and have bore witness to the dark clouds of depression being cast over our households… Through this pain and suffering we are enduring just as the Lord endured… We are being refined just as he was on the cross and soon we will be walking the streets of gold where sin will be no more and joy will flood the streets all day long! God will stand to judge everything man according to the work he has done… Take pride in knowing that your work in the Lord is not in vain; take pride in knowing that God will minister judgment and that you will we called one of His own… You shall be lifted up, you shall be white as snow, you sins’ shall be blotted out and you will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds when He returns… Those who have are guilty of a crime hate hearing their judgment; however, those in Christ welcome it with open arms knowing that this judgment will allow us to be with Him forever more!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Is A Refuge For Us

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

 

Psalm 62:7-8

 

Stop trying to turn to others when you feel down and discouraged; stop looking to those closest to you for a support and encouragement that only God can give… Today’s message reminds you to live the faith you proclaim verbally on Sunday’s and stop faltering when you face a difficult time along this journey… David pens this Psalm out of the depths of his heart having come to the realization that there is nothing of this earth which can sooth the pain or fill the void felt in times of trouble… Even though doors may appear to be open before you and the grass may appear to be better on the other side; David declares,“In God is my salvation and my glory…” This message today is one that we should and need to apply to our lives, we have to have the faith to declare that God is my salvation, He is my deliverance, He is my rescue and My escape… The Lord is my glory; He is my beauty, my grandeur and my splendor… Everything that I need will indeed come from Him and even though I may not be where I want to be, I can thank and praise God that I am exactly where He desire me to be right now… 

The enemy will place doors before you in the hopes that you will not stand still and know that God is God… I am a firm believer that not every door place before you is of God and therefore not everything that looks like a new way is meant for you to travel… When we look to others often times where hear things that will lead us to consider other ways and paths; we become focused on finding a solution instead of declaring that God is our solution… The words of man will never produce the ways of God because they are coming from the thought so man and not the thoughts of God… The thoughts of man and the perception of man is what led David to the series of sins which he committed against God… It was the perception of things around him which led him to flee and land right in the land of the enemy… In knowing all that David did and encountered, I am compelled to tell you today that you can stop searching high and low, you can stop going from place to place and you can stop trying to find your answers on and in this earth… Again, the psalmist tells us today that “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.” All the answers you seek can be found above, you can stop going from place to place and enter into His courts, and you can stop searching high and low and focus your attention on the “Great I Am…” No matter where you are right now or what you are doing; no matter how dim things may appear or how many storms have raged in your life, we are reminded by the psalmist that we have a (n) avenue to obtain comfort and protection… Today’s message is to simply encourage you to know and understand that you always have a friend! When the storms of life are raging and peace is not visible; you have a friend… 

When your friends are few and far between and you are crying in the midnight hour; you still do have a friend! When people hurl insults upon you and seek to disgrace your name; you have a friend… David reminds us today that we have a friend that we can always talk too, we have a buddy that is always there and ready to listen and that we can “trust in Him at all times”, we can pour our heart out to Him… How many people in your life can you really pour your heart out too? How many people in your life can you trust that they won’t hurt you or abandon you in your weakest hour…? David tells us today that there is only one such friend… David says “In God is my salvation…” So many of us have put confidence in man even though the bible tells us that we should not do that… We have allowed hopes and dreams to become afterthoughts and nightmares because we have not placed our focus and cares upon the will of God… David had seen trials and tribulations; he had fled the hand of a supposed friend (Saul) and camped in the land of his enemies (Philistines)… A lot of times when we take refuge in a friend or something other than God we put ourselves in danger and end up worse than we were before…Once David outlines the fact that God is my salvation, my glory, my rock, my strength and my refuge; he goes on to say that we must “Trust in him at all times…” So of we put our trust in things we can see or things that seem right to us… David is speaking from experience today and telling us that we must trust in Him… Stop putting confidence in your job, it can be gone tomorrow, stop putting confidence in your friend, they can sell you out or turn their backs on you… 

Not only must we trust Him but we must do it “at all times…” David lost his firstborn of Bathsheba and was in mourning while the child was sick, we go through trials and tribulations in life, we experience ups and downs, hills and valleys, highs and lows and through it all we are called to trust in Him… When things don’t make sense you have to continue to trust God instead of trying to devise your own plan or seeking worldly help… The bible says that the one who puts their trust in the Lord is like a man that built his house on a solid foundation… It is important that the dreams you have and the heights that you want to reach or built upon the word of God… It’s important that God is “the rock of your strength…” Know that all things in this life will pass away, friends will come and go, relationships will end and life will be filled with twist and turns… David says his strength is drawn from Him, his refuge is in God! Where do we run too when we are down and in despair? Where do we draw our strength for the journey? David tried to trust his friends and it ultimately led him to the camp of the enemy. Some of us are in the camp of the enemy now, we have retreated to bad habits and bad lifestyles; we have returned to old ways and are currently trying to deal with things the way WE know how… We must put our trust in the Lord; we must hold to His hand, we must know that He will be there right on time! In God is my salvation, it is through Him I am free, through Him I find peace for my weary body and have a chance at eternal life… Stop trying to do things on your own, put your trust and confidence in the Lord! Clevant Derricks had it right when he wrote the lyrics… “Tell Him all about your struggles, He will hear your faintest cry and He will answer by and by… I feel a little prayer wheel turning and I know a little fire is burning! JUST A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS MAKES IT RIGHT!!!!”

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Will Cleanse You

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Ezekiel 36:25

The love of God is made evident in today’s passage taken from the prophetic book of Ezekiel… This verse comes at a time in point where the Israelites have been scattered throughout the country and word has been seen through the lips of Ezekiel to inform them that their restoration back to their own respective land and to God has been assured… Throughout the ups and downs that you experience in this life, through all the twist and turns that you endure, remember that you will be restored and reclaimed in and through the exaltation of the Lord… We don’t’ know how to handle success and the Lord knows that often times we become defiant and disobedient when we experience a small measure of it… This is and was the case with the children of God; they had become disobedient to His commands after dwelling in their Promise Land; despite the corrective measures that God had to use, He informs them that they will return to prominence… There are things that are taking place in your life not to harm or to defile you, but actually to take you back to your place of prominence in the Lord…God desires to exalt you so that you can exalt Him… The message for today is that God has a plan, He has a purpose and there is a method to the madness… You may not understand everything at the present time and there are some things which simply are not meant for you to understand; however, the reality is that in abiding in His will you will be victorious… The things written of in this chapter speak to the actions that the Lord Himself will take in dealing with His people… This is why He says in the 24^th verse of this chapter, “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” God has the ability to reach you wherever you are… No matter how far you have fallen, no matter how many mistakes you have made or even the depth or severity of your actions, we are reminded through the prophet Ezekiel that we are never out of the masters reach… This passage is written to the House of Israel at a time of bondage and despair… The warning was that disaster would come; captivity was immanent, but God wanted them to know that there was light at the end of the tunnel… The House of Israel would be renewed… 

Likewise today, know that even in your current situation, even in your current circumstance, even in your current hardship, you house will be renewed… God will “sprinkle clean water upon you…” Water represents life in the Bible; God will give you a clean slate, a new life, a new direction, a new path and a new vision… He will wipe the pain and tears of yesterday from you eyes and clothe you in his goodness and mercy… We must remember this fact today, the fact is that we enter this world as sinners and if we are not cleansed by the “clean water” of God we will leave the same way… Ezekiel reminds us today that without God we are filthy rags that will never be clean… In order to be cleansed the first step one must take is to know that you are in fact dirty… We must come to the realization that we all have fallen short of the glory of God, we all have made mistake and we all have been guilty of sin… God cannot cleanse us until we realize that we are in need of cleansing… Ezekiel tells us that we will be cleansed from all filthiness, and idols… Whatever is in your life that has defiled you as a person, whatever is in your life that has taken your focus and attention off God shall be removed… We can become filthy by giving in to peer pressure; we can become filthy by hanging out with the wrong kind of people… Idols are gods, statues or icons that we worship; there are many things in our lives that can become “gods” in our lives and rob us of walking according to the only true and wise God’s calling… Some of the idols that we face come in the form of relationships, fame, and fortune or even work… We strive to be so much that we allow whatever we want to be to overshadow the will and authority of our Lord and Savior… Ezekiel’s call today is for us to understand the errors of our ways, accept the mistakes we have made and turn to God to be cleansed…The word says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you…” Placing the emphasis on the “then” tells me that two things have to happen… The first is that we must come to recognize who God is and what it is that we need to do in order to develop a (n) intimate relationship with Him… The second thing is that we must embrace the consequences of our actions knowing that “God disciplines those He loves…” Stop allowing your current situations to destroy your relationship with God and stop acting as if you are perfect… We must go through and achieve these two important pieces if we want to truly be cleansed… 

There are steps in this cleansing process, there is a clear define direction that we must take in order to receive this clean water… God desires to cleanse you, He desires to give you a new lease on life, He desires to right the ship that you are on and plant your feet on solid ground…. It was up to the people of Israel to turn to the Lord, the choice is yours today to turn your life over to the Lord… This clean water cast all your cares away, this clean water gives you the ability to smile in the face of adversity, this clean water makes it possible to laugh during the rain, this clean water removes all doubt and gives you the chance to be called heirs to the promise of God… God says through Ezekiel “will I cleanse you…” It doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you have made, it doesn’t matter how many bad choices you have made, it doesn’t matter how many temptations you have given in too, it doesn’t matter what your current standing is… God says that if you realize the filth that has cluttered your life, if you realize the idols that have eased God out, if you realize that you are headed down the wrong path you can still be cleansed and made whole… The Israelites were in bondage and suffering, yet God says I can still cleanse you… You may be in bondage right now, you may be suffering right now, you may be hurting right now, but there is still hope for you, there is still a future for you… Turn your life over to God and allow Him to pour out His spirit (clean water) upon you that will give you a new sense of direction, a new purpose and a new outlook that will help you reach the heights of prosperity that only God can take you too…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

True Love Is Unquenchable

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Song of Solomon 8:7

For quite sometime I have thought that many people don’t know what the true definition of Love is… Today, through this verse taken from the Song of Solomon, we are given evidence that the notion I have thought to be true really is… When someone says I love you, it doesn’t mean that they care for you or that they like you… Love comes from the core of one’s being and is a passion and desire that cannot be redirected or shut off…The bible tells us that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us… Love transcends situations, it looks beyond faults and it appeals to the levels of ones character that are beyond the surface that we see with our natural eye… Love is the mother who continues to seek her lost child though people tell her that he or she is too far gone, love is the father that yearns for a second chance even though they keep getting rejected, love is the child that turns from wickedness and temptations and continues to fight the battle that leads them down paths of loneliness and uncertainty… When we have love for someone of something, there is nothing that can stop it or prevent it from being manifested… Paul tells us the depth and importance of love in the 13^th chapter of His first letter to the Church of Corinth… If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

In this passage we are reminded that love has to be the foundation of our actions; we cannot allow the things that we do to be derived from things that are not of love and therefore are meaningless ventures through this life… One who is full of love is priceless; this is why the verse starts off by saying that “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.” There is nothing that can stop an act or a gesture when done in love… No words can overtake it, no steps can prohibit it and no man can hinder it… As we yearn to know the fullness of life and to have joy, we must remember that love is the most critical of things which we must obtain… The bible declares that God is love and in obtaining love you obtain God... This is why it cannot be quenched, nobody can stop God and nobody will be able to stop you when you come to know Him more intimately… Look at what Jesus endured because of love (not only endured but also overcame because of love)… Likewise, when you say that you love someone, ask yourself what you are willing to endure for them or on their behalf… When you ask yourself this question you will quickly find out if you love them or if it is simply a like or lust… I know I love Christ because there is nothing that will quench my thirst for Him, I know that I love my family because nothing will wash my desire to be close to them away (getting the point)… Even though I know where I stand, when I read this verse about waters not being able to quench love I ask myself if I really indeed do love the Lord… 

We live in a world where we are faced with so many distractions, so many temptations, so many obstacles that test us and our love for Christ… We must fight, we must resist, we must overcome; not only to reach the level that God has desired and planned for us, but also to demonstrate the love that we so easily profess for Him on Sunday mornings at our Praise and Worship services… This verse goes on to tell us that “If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned…” The last piece of this verse is a message of warning and gives a powerful incite into what we must be careful of and steer clear of as it pertains to desiring to be loved or have love in our lives… Again, I go back to Paul’s first letter to the Church of Corinth and how he concludes the 13^th chapter by saying, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.Love is precious and of the highest value, as I stated before, love is priceless; however, you must be careful for what you give and are willing to do to find love (referring to this earth and not God)…  We have all heard the term “looking for love in the wrong places”, and the more and more we observe our surroundings, the more we see that term becoming true. Everyone in this world wants to be loved; many of our terrorist and murders grow up in environments where genuine love did not exist. Many of our troubled teens and young adults are vulnerable and being used because of a lack of love or companionship. We must know that giving all we have to receive love is only why when we give all we have to the Lord… There are so many people who have grown up in a (n) unloving environment and so they search for love and when the find someone or something that appears to simply give them attention they sell themselves short and fully invest all they have into that person or situation… A girl who is unloved can find herself on the streets selling herself for someone who she wants to believe loves her… A son who doesn’t know love will disrespect women or join gangs to feel love… 

We all want love in our lives, but we must be careful not to desire love from the wrong places nor give all that we have to obtain it when it is not of God… Solomon reminds us here that there is nothing we can do to obtain love from someone, but in the same regard, he also reminds us that love really is blind. This passage talks about giving your wealth for love, seeking to fit in will cause you scorn and surely we can see that in our societies today. Have you ever sacrificed yourself for a relationship only to see yourself regretting your decision and losing everything? Have you ever invested so much into someone because you wanted them to appreciate and “love” you and you ended up being used and left alone…? This isn’t love, but a desire to be love that will open the door for us to be taken advantage of and used… As I stated before, we all desire to be loved, but instead of looking for love trust God to “supply all your needs according to His riches in glory…” Solomon was a man that gave into his love of women, Sampson gave into his love for Delilah, the question is; what are you selling you self short for. Love can be seen in many forms, a relationship, power, money, independence and the list can go on. Christ didn’t sell himself short, He didn’t focus on the women around Him and forget His task, He didn’t focus on the finer things in life and forget His mission. However, He endured the mocking, He persevered through the beatings, He embraced the ridicule, He suffered on the cross and He gave His live for you… That’s the true definition of LOVE!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!