Be Strong And Of Good Courage

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9

The faith which you confess through your mouth is best displayed in your actions and ability to trust the Lord despite the situation or what others may think… Joshua was faced with a daunting task, one that literally called for him to display His faith instead of simply professing it as he did in the 14^th chapter of Numbers regarding the land that the Lord was going to give to His children… In this life, you are guaranteed to endure various situations and the message for today is that you must be strong and of a good courage… There are so many circumstances that plant seeds of fear, doubt and despair in our lives; so many situations that cause us to second guess our decision and often times end up delaying our advancement in the knowledge and kingdom of God… Joshua was tasked to lead the rebellious children of God and the only message that was given was a message that God would be with him… He was charged to stand firm in the will of God, to not become frustrated with the task at hand or to become distracted by all the other variables that would lead to leaving the goals set by the Lord unaccomplished… The same message Joshua received is the same message that you have today which is that God will be with you; don’t get it twisted, this doesn’t meant that you won’t endure or go through tough times, it doesn’t mean that you will not be subjected to trials and tribulations, what is means is that God will always be with you as you go through your trying time and season… The enemy has you defeated when you are not prepared for the curve ball that life will throw at you; Satan has you right where he wants you when you are not vigilant as to the changeup that is about to come in your life… Joshua was being groomed for this moment without even knowing that in the blink of an eye he would have over a million people looking to him for direction… Everything in your life that you endure is preparing you for something; learn the lesson, take notes and be vigilant for the test that is coming… 

Your faith will be tested, your trust in God will be tested, your relationship with the Lord will be tested… This test is inevitable, there is nothing you can do to avoid it, nothing you can do to get around it, the charge for you today is to embrace your test and be not afraid… Do be discouraged when you go through, the word of God tells us countless times that we will endure; there is no secret to the suffering that a child of God will face; however, there is a way to handle it and defeat the snares of the enemy and that is by reminding ourselves daily that God is with us whithersoever thou goest… Remind yourself that God has not left you, remind your household that God is still near, remind them that growing pains are in fact painful, but the end results will be well worth the struggle… Joshua ended up being known throughout the land which the Israelites took over because He held to the promise of God and did not deter from His will… You can have your legacy and fame known, the greatest thing that people can know about you is that you walked in the will of the Lord… Joshua led the children into the promise land, he was marching around the walls of Jericho as they came tumbling down and he made the declaration at the height of the Israelites rebellion that as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord… Joshua was commanded by the Lord to be strong and courageous… In the midst of a perverse world we, like Joshua are commanded to be strong and courageous… A command is not optional, nor is it negotiable… They only we that we will align ourselves with the will of God and be successful in our endeavors is to be strong and courageous when it comes to the task that are put before us… How hard is it to move when you are uncertain of where you are going? Do you find it difficult to lead when you would rather follow? These are the questions that faced Joshua in this verse, Moses has lead the people out of Egypt right to the doorstep of the promise land and know God has removed Moses and placed Joshua in charge to lead the people over into the land flowing with milk and honey… 

Joshua knew that he would have to fight; he understood that his faith would be tested and that the people may even begin to rebuke him just as they did Moses! He saw the uphill battle before him and God is now encouraging him to not be afraid or dismayed at the task, but to simply trust him and hold to his hand knowing that God is always with him… Today we must take note that in the middle of adversity, in the middle of confusion and/or chaos we must be strong, we must stay encouraged knowing that we will be victorious through the will and plan of God…This passage surely can be applied to our lives today, we are in a transition and God is calling us to leadership; He has appointed you to cross over from the darkness and lead people into the light… This leadership could be in your household, on your job, in the church or throughout your communities… Often times we find ourselves feeling like Joshua, we see the uphill battle and we believe in God but still doubt our own ability… God is saying to you today to be strong in the Lord and of good courage… He wants you to remember that He has already brought you a might long way and that He will see you through the battles that you are to face in the future… Jesus tells us in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Trouble is certain, hesitancy is a given; but know that God has already overcome these obstacles and you will overcome them as well… We have a lot of daunting task before us, but God is saying now is not the time to run, now is the time for you to stand and allow me to manifest my power in your life so that you and others can see my faithfulness! “He who has begun a good work in you will surely continue in it until the day of Christ return…” God will not see you defeated, He will not leave you at you weakest moment, and He will certainly not abandon you in your time of need… The people were looking to Joshua to lead them after Moses died; who is waiting for you to lead today? Who is waiting for you to step up to the will of God and “not be afraid?” The answer is simple, all of us are!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's Your Heart That Matters To God

Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

 

Joel 2:13

 

The key to growing in this life is the ability to humble yourself in the midst of people and situations… There are a lot of things that we face in life which we do not want others to know; however, we are told today in the book of Joel that we must break ourselves down in order to build ourselves up… We enter this life with a mindset which is not of the will of God; when we realize this the enemy tries to keep us thinking that our way of life is okay, when in fact the truth of the matter is that nothing of this world can produce the life altering results we seek… In the Old Testament men would rend (tear) they garments as a sign of disagreement, humbleness or repentances toward God… To rend your garments also would show a sign of pain or an aching within that cannot be contained… Job tore his garments when he received the bad reports about his children and the counsel that had Jesus on trial tore their garments when He confirmed that He was the son of God… In Job’s instance, this was to be considered as a sign of humility and total remorse from whatever actions or choices that had been made… Job didn’t understand why this had happen and he broke himself down before the Lord seeking a (n) answer as to why all these things have happened to his household… 

As we understand what it means to rend your clothes, let us also understand that God isn’t concerned about our clothes, but our hearts as we are instructed today by this verse taken from the 2^nd chapter of Joel… Joel says, “Rend your heart and not your garments…” This passage reminds us today that it is not about what we do on the outside to show our remorse, but if we really have a broken and contrite heart! It wasn’t about David going to the temple or pleading with God over his son which was bore by Bathsheba, but it was indeed about how he handled the situation within and how he sought God’s face in his most trying time… So many people claim to be upset at their past failures and mistakes, but there heart has not turned from them so they continue down that dark and steep path… To rend you heart is to be completely unease by your failures and to seek a transformation daily! Again, David is a perfect example of a broken heart when he fasted numerous days hoping his son would not perish; but the bible says that when he received word of his sons’ death he cleaned himself up and went into the temple of the Lord… He was broken, he was suffering and he knew that God was is only answer, he wasn’t worried about his stature as King, he wasn’t worried about what men had to say, he was seeking a transformation of character through our Lord and Savior… We too need to stop worrying about what people think, we need to cease from caring about what this person may say if I do this or do that, we must come to the understanding that God is standing and waiting for your broken heart to be brought to him so that he can mend it… As we examine this text today let us continue to examine the life of David… 

Remember when God choose David as king He rejected his older brother informing us through the scriptures “that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart…” Joel reminds us of that same truth today, the reasoning behind your actions is what God cares about, and the motivation behind every choice you make is what God takes notice of… In rending your hearts and not your garments, the key to receiving the Love of God is that you must “Return to the Lord…” Like we examined earlier, through his misfortune David returned unto the Lord and in the end God blessed him with another son who he named Solomon…  Joel goes on to tell us how God will be toward us when we return to Him; he says, “…for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in Love, and he relents from sending calamity…” No matter what you have endured, things could always be worse… Knowing that God will back off from sending calamity if you turn to Him is good news to hear especially when we accept the fact that we have made many mistakes and fallen short. When our heart is broken we are vulnerable, we have open wounds that the Devil will attack and try to expose… A broken heart can lead us down a path of destruction and cause us to dig a bigger ditch than was originally dug… A broken heart if exposed to the wrong people can leave us vulnerable and abused… That’s why Joel is telling us the character of God, He is the friend to call on, He will hear your prayers and feel your pain, and He can change the outcome and order your steps according to His will and purpose… God desires you to come to Him and know that yes you messed up, but more importantly, that He can heal you, equip you and prepare you for a bigger and better purpose… Tear your heart and expose your pain to the Lord; more importantly though, make sure that you don’t put confidence in man with that broken heart… (Psalms 118:8)

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Proof God Exist

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where there voice is not heard.

 

Psalm 19:1

 

Even though you may have times in your life where you think God is not near you; today’s focus verse reminds us that the things we see on a daily basis show the very presences of God… Take time throughout your day when the enemy has you down and see the beauty of this earth which is the very hand of God at work… Make it a point today to take notice of the trees and flowers; take a moment to hear the birds chirping and the winds blowing… Sometimes in life you don’t have to necessarily feel the presences of God directly in your life to know that He is still there… This statement is what summarizes the very meaning and thought of this verse… The heavens and the earth display the omnipresence of God… He is with you, He is standing by you and He is all around you… The splendor and magnificence of God is seen every day of our lives… The beauty of His holiness can be found in the very flowers that bloom in May or the showers that come in April… Often times we want to see signs of evidence that God exist (as if being alive and seeing another day isn’t enough); however we are reminded through the psalm that if you want to observe the glory of the Lord, look around you… The psalmist informs us today that even though this world seems to be drenched in sin and is being held captive by the desires of the flesh that God is still in the midst… When we feel like things are caving in around us know that “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord…” (He receives the highest praise) and the firmament shows his handiwork… Even in the toughest of times, we must remember that God is at work… When we plant a seed we expect that in the time of harvest it will sprout… 

The interesting thing is that we don’t know what takes place throughout the time that the seed has been planted because we can’t see it… God works just like the seeds we plant every year… We must learn to expect the harvest, but more importantly believe that God is working behind the scenes when we can’t see anything happening… The vines that sprout from the ground are signs of things to come; however we must wait several weeks before we see this event take place… Be patient in knowing that the vine of your deliverance will sprout, it might take a day, a week or even a year but we must know that the signs of the seasons are signs of things to come for us… The firmament is His creation; God is there when the flowers bloom in May, He is there when the sun sets and the rainbows shine bright after the rain! He has never left your side; He is standing in the midst and showing you His goodness by using the things that He created on this earth…In everything that you see, God will make sure that He is present; when you fall He won’t let you fall too far, and when you are bruised He makes sure that you heal completely and aren’t left with open wounds… No matter where you are God is there… Day by day He is there; night after night He is there… This is a powerful verse to remember and a (n) encouragement to know that in all things (good and bad) God is in the midst and will see you through… Every day you cry is another day that God will raise the sun upon your life, your tears can be transformed to joy; your darkness can become light (just look at the heavens and things around you)… I know that it’s hard and at times seems impossible to run this race, but we must remember that day after day we must speak His name into every situation, plead the blood of Jesus over every obstacle you face, every trial that comes your way and every circumstance that becomes a load to carry… 

The psalmist says, “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where there voice is not heard.” In every aspect of life, God can bee seen… He spoke light into existence upon this earth and placed the stars in the sky… This same God has the power to hear your faintest cry and lead you to a higher place… The last part of this verse tells us that his voice is heard everywhere… This is good news for those who are lost or confused, when we pray and turn situations over to God, He can speak and through His voices souls can be reached and lives can be saved… Days come and days go, but God reminds by our side… At night, know that He hears your faintest cry and that He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek him… Sure, there are days of despair and pain, but when we speak His name, and know that when we lay down it is in His hands He will show up in such a powerful way that we will arise giving Him the praise… He shows you through His creation that He cares, and He continues to show us signs that He has not lost sight of His children… Continue to pray, continue to fast, continue to seek Him, but most importantly OPEN YOUR EYES and look at what He has already done! See the positive in your life and stop hinging on the negative… The heavens declare the glory of God, all creation will come to know the awesomeness of God, and all mankind will come to know the almighty and sovereign Lord… If you cry to the Lord He hears you, He knows where you are and feels your pain… Nothing of this world will overcome the love He has for you… Keep the faith; knowing God doesn’t make mistakes and has you in the palm of His hand…

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Sits On the Throne

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10

No matter what you do (good or bad), no matter how much you lock away in your heart or secret closet; the word of God reminds us today that we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ… This should provide cause for concern for the unbeliever; however, this statement should also provide encouragement to the man or woman of faith who knows that they will stand before the Lord knowing that they have walked in His will and not the views or opinions of this world… There are things done in the dark that will come to light, there are situations that have been suppressed which will rise again and the notion to think that you can or have gotten over is simply foolish and a device used by the enemy which many fall victim to… This message today is not to say that you have to be perfect; this message is to remind you that your focus and the motivation of your heart which led to actions must be founded upon the directive and promises of God… This is why David can be called a man after God’s own heart; this is the reason why Moses can be seen on the mount of transfiguration and the same reason why Peter could preach and point 3,000 souls to Christ after denying Him… We can try to cover up things for our entire lives, we can try to pull the wool over many peoples eyes and may even been successful in deceiving some; however, we are reminded today through Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth that God not only knows and sees all, but that we will be judged by the things we do on this earth as well… 

This passage is not one to fear; however, it is one that should cause us to examine our lives and focus our attention on being the person that we were created to be in Christ… We all make mistakes, we all sin and continue to fall short, but I am thankful that God not only looks beyond our faults, but that He can see the heart that we have… Don’t confuse this statement and think that its okay for us to walk in sin, in reading this passage it informs me that we must have a heart and desire to turn from sin and be the beacon light that we are to be… God will judge us and He will weigh the decisions that we have made along with the desires that lie within… David took another mans wife and slept with her, in the end he was called a man after God’s own heart… This wasn’t because of the sin he committed, but because the heart for God that he had… Just like David we fall short, but what desires lie within you? These are the things that will motivate you to correct your wrong, overcome your mistakes and seek to live according to the will of God… Accountability is the driving force behind Paul’s second letter to the Church of Corinth… We all have heard the saying, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink…” Paul reminds us today that we have been afforded a (n) opportunity to live a life according to God’s will; however, the choice is up to us whether we will or we will not… Regardless of the decision you make or have made, one thing is for sure and that is that we all will stand before the Lord… The bible tells us in Romans that we all have fallen short of the glory of God; every man and every woman has entered this world as sinners and made mistakes along the way… We have made decisions that we regret and have gone to bed many nights trying to undo choices that we made… Understand that we all have slipped here and there; however, the importance of today’s scripture is to know that we will all stand before God in judgment… 

This concept is not a bad thing, but rather an opportunity for us to understand that it is not about the decisions we make, but rather about how we deal with bad choices! Jesus knows that we have fallen short; He knows that we have made mistakes, but He is judging the content of your heart and how you seek resolution for problems… Again, remember that God called David “…a man after his own heart…” He saw David’s flaws; He knew and noticed David’s bad choices, but He still called him a man after my own heart… David choices were bad, but he learned from them and made good out of them… David killed a (n) innocent man, stole his wife and even disobeyed God, but look at the reaction of David through his psalms, look at how he fell prostrate before the Lord… David refused to eat, he refused to ignore his mistakes and pains and came to terms with the death of his son (whom God took from him)… As soon as David received word that his son was dead, the bible says that he got up and went into the temple of the Lord! David meant well (even when he messed up and fell short), he was after God’s own heart because he desired to do right, he desired to do better, he was seeking God through his life and suffered some bruises along the way… In the end he too will stand before God and will give an account for all that he has done! Judgment isn’t a bad thing, if you know that you have made some mistakes but are seeking to uplift the kingdom of God with your life and heart… Today’s scripture says we will be judged whether good or bad… Bad things will come, bad choice will be made; however, the key is to make sure your good outweighs your bad!

Erma Bombeck said it best; “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me…"

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

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!