He Is The Bread Of Life

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6:51

In this life we all are hungry for something; money is something that some of us will stop at nothing to obtain along with power and respect… The message today is one that calls for us to acknowledge our hunger and turn to the Lord to be filled… You are not called to pursue after money at all cost, you are not called to strive for a position of power on this earth; all you are asked to do is seek ye first the kingdom of God… The Lord knows the things you stand in need of, He knows your desires and has the ability to satisfy your hunger and fill it completely… The things of this world will never satisfy the soul which yearns for more… This is why Jesus said I am the living bread which came down from heaven… He came to this earth to fill you in the depths of your being and not just on the surface which is all that you can obtain on this earth… It took a very son of God, sent from heaven to become a man upon this earth so that the void in our lives could be filled… In this world, we too often try the quick fix and patching up circumstance and situations instead of relying on the Lord knowing that He not only will show up, but that He is only one capable of fixing and totally restoring situations… The declaration is presented by Jesus that if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever… Your life, your happiness, your joy and being are assured in the arms of Christ… The question that comes to mind, do you really want to live…? Are you really tired of settling for less, is the quick fix no longer an option and are you’re ready to have your life made whole even if it means that you will lose some people along the way… This is the question that you have to answer today, you can be filled, but you will have to leave the nonsense of this world behind… You have to alter your mindset and starting thinking with a mind of Christ which will have you changing the people you associate with and even the things which you consume through your ears… 

When I read this passage about Jesus being the bread of life it leads me to make the statement that not everything we eat is good for us… Jesus declares in the gospel of John that He is the living bread; this informs me that their must also be “dead bread” that we can innocently be deceived by… This declaration sheds light on the fact that we must be observant in all aspects of life, because we can be slowing killing ourselves and not even know it… There are a lot of foods in this life that are pleasing to eye, but can be a negative within… We can apply today’s scripture to our present life in many regards… It’s important that we understand that Jesus is the only way to Eternal Life, there are many avenues that we can take, many directions we can go, but in the end, Jesus is the way if we want to spend eternity in Heaven… The things that appeal to the eye are not things which appeal the soul and this is where your priority should lie… This world will offer things that will provide a detour to your focus on walking in the will of God and this why the scriptures remind us that we must stand still… You have to wait on the bread of life which God is baking specifically for you… The love that God puts into this preparation will make the waiting season well worth it… You have to be patient as we studied yesterday, knowing that God has been patient with us… There are so many of us starving in the world today, we are searching for food and can’t seem to find it… I am not talking about physical food that we put in our mouths, but the spiritual food that we need to strengthen our core and become the child that God has called us to be! Jesus says in the gospel of John that “I am the living bread”; in other words, there is only one way that you may have life and have it more abundantly. To know that Jesus is the living bread simply reminds us that we are a starving people without a source to fill our hunger unless we turn to Him… 

There is only one way that you can experience the true meaning of life and have the ability to live… Like I said earlier, there are a lot of us starving today because we are not eating the food that Christ placed before us through is offering on the cross… We all may take communion on first Sunday, but that doesn’t mean that we really have taken the bread that Christ has offered {His body}; as a matter of fact, the bible tells us that if our heart is not in the right place when we take communion, then we are just as guilty as those who strung him out on the tree and pierced Him in His side… Jesus promises in this scripture that anyone who eats of His bread will live forever… Think about how sluggish you feel when you have a big meal and the nutritional content is low, think about how out of it you feel when you don’t put the right things in your body… This principle can surely be applied to our Spiritual walk as well… Obviously Jesus is not referring to our physical life, but spiritual… When we seek the right foods (Christ) we prepare our bodies in the right way and can complete the task that are put before us… Through seeking the Living Bread you will be freed from the weight and bondage off sin and be clothed in the sacrifice of Christ! You will be able to have joy in the time of sorrow, you will have hope for a better tomorrow and you will not allow past failures to stop you from pursuing future aspirations… Jesus is saying that if you take His bread you will surely have Eternal Life, if you take His bread you will be counted in the number and you will have you name recorded in the book of life… This scripture plagues us with two choices; either we starve physically or we starve spiritually… To perish is to gain; the question is what is perishing in your life and more importantly, what are you gaining from it?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Mistake His Patience For Weakness

For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.

Nehemiah 9:30

The things which you deserved to face as a result of your actions are not the things which you have faced simply because of the mercies of God… Despite the situations that you may be facing or even may have just gone through, you must stand in faith, smiling amidst the trials and tribulations knowing that things can always be worse… The children of God found themselves in bondage and dealt with the consequences of their disobedience; however, the word of God reminds us today that God continued to be patient with them… Know that God has been patient with you; you may think He has not been there at all, but the way to tell is simply by looking at the things which you have done which have not killed you or turned out as bad as they could have… There are decisions that you have made that should have caused you your death; however, the grace, mercy and patients of God has spared you and kept you despite the pitiful darkness that was over your life… Nehemiah reminds us today that for many years God was patient with them; His patients has not run out and He continues to give us second, third and even fourth chances… This is good news for the one who feels like they have fallen beyond the saving grace that is the mighty hand of God; this should be encouraging to the believer who has backslid or the child which has wandered off… There is a time when the world will end; however, you can find comfort in knowing that the moment you have today can be a moment in which your life is transformed because of God’s patients… 

What I love about this passage from Nehemiah is the fact that God sent messages to His children through the prophets even though they paid no attention… God continues to show forth His desires to bring you back into the fold; the Lord continues to display His love even while we don’t show our love toward Him… He admonishes us through the prophets as Nehemiah tells us because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:12) The signs of God’s path are all around you, the things that have to change in your life are your focus and motivation in order to see and comprehend those plans… It is your actions and the decisions that you make which lead to results that you do not want… You have the ability to change and transform circumstances; you have the ability to alter the atmosphere of the situation that you are currently facing and you have the ability to turn a negative situation into a positive one if you live the faith you speak of in Christ… Nehemiah goes on to say yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples… God has planted the seed of ability inside you; however, you have chosen to pay it no attention and live your life trying to appease people instead of the Lord… The word of the Lord says that “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." You were uniquely created by God for a special purpose… You have more ability within you than you know and you should be thankful unto the Lord that He has been patient with you as you have misused the gifts and abilities which He has placed inside of you… 

God has allowed things in your life so that you can actually be refined after being placed over the fire… This is why you can accept the growing pains in Christ… He has been patient and has continued to work with you knowing your ability before you even realized that the potential is there… This is why He can anoint David to be king after only being seen as a shepherd for His father… This is how he can call David a man after His own heart even though he messed up and ended up taking another man’s life…  So many of us believe that we can create our own path on this earth and the very love of God will not allow us to go the wrong direction without showing us the right path multiple times… Understand that God will get your attention; however, it’s entirely up to you as to how it is they He has to accomplish it… Jonah wanted to be disobedient and not go to the land of Nineva; in the end he went after spending time living in the belly of a big fish… As we studied yesterday, Pharaoh wanted to defy God and it cost him his son and his very life; some things that you endure are teaching and growing moments, however, there are also some things you go through in life simply because you don’t want to adhere to the will and plan of God… You might find yourself going through a season of turmoil, it might feel as though the enemy has the upper hand and you are on the edge of a cliff with no strength left; if this is you today, know that God is still in charge as He has just turned you over to strengthen your faith and confidence in Him… There are things in life that we don’t want to go through, situations that we don’t want to face and storms that we don’t want to endure; the message today is to go through, face the situation and endure the storm… God has been patient because of the seed and ability He placed in you; you in turn need to be patient now as you go through knowing that the storms of today are watering the seed that will sprout tomorrow…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Trials Remind Us That God Is In Control

Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.

 

Exodus 9:29

 

Some of the obstacles that you face in life are not only to humble you, but they also allow you to see the very power of God in action… The children of God were in slavery at the hands of Pharaoh; Moses was called by the Lord to lead His people out from slavery to the Promise Land… We all know how Pharaoh continued to harden his heart and suffered great lose even to the point of losing his very own son before submitting to the will of God… This verse today speaks to us from two different perspectives… The first perspective is that we often times suffer in our lives because of a (n) unwillingness to allow the move of God to take place… Not everything that the Lord commands will be something you agree with; not every decision or course of action that comes from the mouth of the almighty will be pleasant to your ears; however, the command of God must be the priority in your life instead of the voice of your peers… There are so many of us enduring trials and tribulations because we are listening to people instead of the voice of the Lord… We all know that Pharaoh ended up dying in the Red Sea; however, it took the very death of his son to submit to the will of God… Ask yourself today; how much do you have to suffer or lose before aligning your thoughts and desires with the will of God…? You cannot be a man or woman of faith by mere words, you cannot walk the will of God without taking a step and today we are reminded  that we must know and understand the desires of God… Moses was a man which was second-guessing the place of God in his life, he wanted to provide God with an excuse instead of recognizing His ability and power… This same thing plagues us today; we make excuses about our abilities because are looking at our own strengths verses the very strength of God… 

The Lord will make ways, He will open doors and He will make your paths clear and straight… You must trust Him and not waver… Moses saw signs of God’s ability which led him to go back to the very land that he fled after killing an Egyptian… You don’t have to let your past mistakes and failures keep you from going to higher heights and reaching new levels… Moses when from a man of fear to a man of faith when walking under the leadership of the Lord… You can be transformed, you can be taken to another level and you can be even more than you thought possible… At one time Moses was fleeing Pharaoh, now he says, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD.” You trials are serving a purpose, the things you are suffering now could’ve possibly been avoided; however, learn from them and grow in them… The second teaching we find in this passage is that your trails are a sign of God’s presences and not absences… Often times we categorize suffering or trials as a negative thing in our lives; however, the word of God says that there are and were several times where God allowed things to happen… God wants you undivided attention, He has so much in store for you, but He needs you to grow and learn to stay focused on Him… Moses says, “The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.” There are things you face so that you can see God move… There are situations you know that you could not have come out of if it wasn’t for the very presences and mercy of God… These trials you face are a testimony to the faithfulness of God… 

The hail fell all over the land, the thunder roared as loud as can be; however, through prayer all ceased… Understand today that you can control the things you go through and the outcome of the situations that you face through prayer… The things you face are not to drive you away from God but to drive you more closer to Him… Moses was the one that grow the most through these plagues, this is why he was able to stand between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army and simply lift his hands up to the Lord… You are growing amidst the turbulence in your life… You are maturing through the seasons of rain and famine… You are being molded by the very hand of God through the trials and hardships of this life… Continue to look to Him, continue to trust Him and continue to hold on to His unchanging hand… The enemy may think at times that he has you defeated; however, the very will of God will not only bring you out, it will also declare to all the witness that He is in control… Keep praying when you go through, keep looking up when you want to drop your head in defeat and keep pressing forward when you want to turn back… The thunder and hail suffered a purpose back then and is serving a purpose now… Jesus said, "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." In Him you will have peace; in other words, don’t look at the storm, just focus on the rainbow that will appear when it’s over… Others will see the rain and flee; however, they will be drawn by the rainbow that appears in the end...

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Strive For Humility

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

Your life should be solely dependent upon the word of God and not what you observe or learn through this journey… There are so many people who believe that they have arrived and are invincible because they have landed a sturdy job and have a house that most people dream of; this cannot be any further from the truth as we are reminded today that we must not be wise in our own eyes… No matter the measure of worldly success or even stability; you must maintain your focus and continue to fight the good fight of faith which God has called you to…The enemy has so many people confused about the success and security in money to the point that they have neglected God and have started to crave more money, power and popularity… This is the message that we find in today’s focus verses; being wise in your own eyes means that you have come to a point where you believe that you know it all and have such an inflated ego that you are overconfident in your abilities… The more you become self-confident the more the enemy has you setup for a massive failure… Satan wants you to be confident in your on abilities because then you lack confidence in God’s plan and timing for your life…You may think that you are doing nothing wrong by trying to find answers on your own or even handle situations on your own, but the reality is that you are traveling a dangerous path which will not lead to any positive results… Understand that we enter this world as sinners; we have evil intentions from our mother’s womb and the transformation that must take places bring us into the fear of the Lord and allows us to depart from evil… You intentions can mean and be good; however, when you are not walking in the will and favor of God you will soon realize that your intentions are not the things which are showcased on this earth… The bible warns us countless times about being prideful or having a haughty spirit… Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” When someone is prideful, they are full of themselves or are arrogant and this shows in how they treat people or conduct everyday business…

 When you feel that you are above someone or feel that you are better than someone you are not only prideful, but you also fall into the category that we focus on in today’s verses which is that you become wise in your own eyes… We, as Christians must stand clear of thinking we are perfect or nobody can tell us anything… When we take on this makeup we firmly place ourselves in the worse possible situation and bring on more conflict within our lives than we can imagine... When we are wise in our own eyes we come to believe that everything we do is right, everything we say is right and everything that we perceive is right… This way of thinking brings us to be the exact opposite of what God desires from us… Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord…” Fearing God makes us question our every step trying to ensure that we are aligned with His will… Fearing God calls for us to remain humble in abased, putting others before ourselves… This fear is a respect, honor and admiration to and for the Lord; however, when we think that we are wise in our own eyes we lose this sense of fear and place God and His will on the back burner for our own agenda’s and desires… Egos are one of the most detrimental parts of the human psyche… A wrong motive or direction can produce catastrophic damage that in some case can never be overcome… When we do things to promote our own agenda we end up isolating ourselves from the Lord… The Proverb today reminds us that we are not to be wise in our own eyes; in other words, don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to… 

Remember who has brought you this far and has given you the existence that you call life… The gospel of Luke 14:8 says, "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited….” Luke records this to shine light on the fact that people will see your actions and know the type of person you are; through this they will know your value without you expressing it (ego)… Taking the place of honor pays no respect to those around you nor does it shine a respectable light upon yourself… We are called to “…depart from evil;” the evil in our lives comes in many forms and fashions; however, one of the obvious forms is through the seeking of approval from our peers and colleagues… Promoting yourself is one thing; however, someone else speaking a kind word about you is another… We are called to do the will of God and allow the things outside of our control to be controlled by Him… Honor is not something we strive for, but a Blessing that is received through the kind acts that we do. This proverb tells us that fearing God and departing from Evil brings health to the navel and marrow to the bones… Bones will rot and decay without marrow; we too will rot and decay without Christ… Marrow is the inner strength of the bone, it keeps things together and forms a solid foundation for us to ultimately move our limbs and function… The spiritual marrow we need only comes from our dependence on the Lord; He will give us the ability to move and function through the solid foundation that He will form and lay within our hearts… Be not wise in thine own eyes; not only because God should be the head and He created you, but because you will surely begin to rot and decay spiritually without Him!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

There's Power In Unity

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 18:19

The most beautiful sight to behold is two people who are on the same page and work together through love and harmony… The word of God teaches us today that we must unite with other believers in Christ not only to grow, but also to unlock the blessings and favor of God upon our lives… There are steps that must be taken in order to see the promises made in this scripture come to pass; the first step is that your desires must be on display and your actions must derive from that desire… You cannot touch and agree with someone if they don’t even know what path of life you have chosen to travel… To get on the same page you must let the person know the book and chapter that you are in… There are so many of us that go to others and ask for prayer; however, we don’t disclose the things which we are dealing with and therefore find ourselves having someone touching and not agreeing… In order to be filled by Christ you must be opened up too him… This is the same thing that applies to the physical church and why it is of the utmost importance that we fellowship with others… Some of the experiences that you have endured through life will not only be a testimony, but can also be a teaching moment for others… You can share your experiences (no matter how embarrassing they may be) and possible save a soul who either is where you were or is about to travel the same path… This is how we touch and agree, we get on one accord, we share our experiences and we look to God for the answers and directive that we need in journeying through this life… 

The more people pushing and pressing toward the same goal is the less amount of pressure that you feel or energy that you have to exert when you are doing it on your own… Growing up I was always told that there are power in numbers… I was also told when searching for something that two sets of eyes are better than one…In today’s focus verse we are reminded of this same principle… As a child of God, studying the word of God carries a high and importance; however, just as important is that we surround ourselves with believers in Christ as well… The bible says that God is love, when we come together as a united body, love pours out from within… In coming together we overlook faults, in coming together we shut off all the gossip, in coming together we put our own agenda to the side and seek the path to better another… Love is the ability to look beyond faults, love is the ability to stop negative talk and love definitely is the ability to focus on the greater good instead of our own current circumstance or situation… All must be on ONE accord. God will not stand to have bickering in the church with everybody trying to fulfill there on agenda. We must first touch and agree, AND THEN it shall be done by our father in heaven. The key to this passage is that we must come to a point in our lives where we understand that we all have a different gift or gift(s) and together we comprise the body of Christ… As the bible tells us, we cannot see without the eye, we can’t hear without the ear, we can’t walk without the feet… Let us understand today, that we all are unique in our own way, we aren’t all feet, we aren’t all legs, we aren’t all arms, but together we form one body in Christ… The key being that we must be “together…” and walk together to be the powerful unit we were created to be. 

When we seek the nature of “together hood” we stop focusing on what we want and that’s how Christ acts on our accord when we ask… Matthew records this verse by starting with, “Again I say unto you…” This is not the first time we have been instructed to be a unified body, this is not the first time you have been told to lift up one another and stop tearing each other down… God has the capability to transform situations; He has the power to overturn even the grimmest of circumstances, but the key to unlocking this divine power lies in being one with your brothers and sisters in Christ…The greatest demonstration of being on one accord is the Day of Pentecost… The book of Acts records that when the Holy Spirit was dispersed upon mankind it came upon a people that had all things in common, this gathering wasn’t about ego’s, it wasn’t about up-man ship, but about aligning their spirits together with Christ being the center… It wasn’t until the unification of these people that the spirit of God was poured upon them… Understanding this passage opens our minds to realize how important fellowship is in the church, if we want God to move we must have more than just ourselves praying… If we want God to intervene, we must be surrounded with likeminded individuals… How can you touch and agree if you don’t have a church home…? How can you touch and agree if you avoid church at all cost…? How can you touch and agree when the person who you need to pray with is the one you are beating down or talking about…? Touching and agreeing means that you don’t try and hide things, you don’t try and put things in your closet, but that you lay it before the Lord allowing Him to heal you and direct you…

Touch and Agree… That’s the key!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Believing Is The Key To Your Breakthrough

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 5:24

The enemy has you hearing the meaningless things of life while the voice of God which you need to hear is but a small whisper which is never understood… This is why you have people who have been praying about the same situation and have not heard from God; the problem isn’t that God hasn’t spoken; it’s that they do not have the clear state of mind needed to hear Him… I call this a two step program with the first being the ability to hear God because this call for us to take the first step of cutting off all the clutter life presents us… There are people in your life that you need to tune out, there are relationships that you need to cut loose and situations that you have to learn to let go of… This first step is vital because without it you will not have room for God to move or let alone take up residence within you… Once you start tuning out the things which are not of God and start tuning into what His desires and plans are for you; you must then trust the path laid before you even if it doesn’t make sense or is filled with uncertainty… So many of us complete one of the aforementioned steps; however, we never do both… We believe, but we don’t cut things loose, or we cut things loose but become dishearten when we see the path which God has laid before us… Understand today that each step you take in Christ is a step in the right direction, the seasons of uncertainty and isolation are very real and frightening to endure; however, you can rest on the notion that you will have everlasting life and that you will pass from death unto life… As a child of God, you have to go through a transition; you must pass from one phase of life to the next and the truth of the matter is that the enemy wants you to think you can’t do it so that you end up exactly where you don’t want to be… 

There is a way to overcome your failures… There’s a path which we can travel which leads to Eternal Life and security from the penalty of sin… In order to find this path, or begin to take this route you must hear the word of God… Jesus gives us instructions today as to how we can receive everlasting life… In the first part of this verse, Jesus says, “…he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…” Hearing and believing are the two most important first steps that we must take in finding the right path for our lives… In order to hear the word of God you must surround yourself with the word of God… This doesn’t just mean that you need to go to church, but that in your everyday affairs you must make the word of God a part of your life… Set aside a time in your day to read God’s word, study a specific verse or even read a devotional message… What good is it if you go to church every Sunday, but don’t believe what you hear…? What God is it if you can recite the Lord’s Prayer but don’t believe that He is “Our Father…?” When we believe something there is no outward evidence of this, but it lies within our core and our heart… God knows your heart, so He knows when you believe in Him and His word… When you have heard the word of God and believe it to be true, you will then accept Jesus as the savior trusting that He was sent by God… Your believeth must be on Him who sent Jesus, you must believe that God created the heavens in the earth, that he created mankind from the dust of the ground and that He sent His only begotten son to die for our sins… When you profess your believeth in this message Jesus says that you “hath everlasting life…” Everlasting Life is the assurance and security that while our outward man will perish our inward shall live and be caught up in the air… This security also tells us that no condemnation shall come upon you… 

Whatever plans that Satan has for you will fail, whatever he desires to do won’t work and the penalty and bounty that he has upon your head will not be met… You will be judged at the end of this life, but we as Christians are thankful because we know that we have heard the word of God and believe in our hearts that He is Lord… While those who don’t believe are cast into the pits of hell we shall “…pass from death unto life…” The biggest obstacle for most Christians is focusing on the heavenly prize instead of the physical… We want to see our reward now; however, we are called to seek the incorruptible crown, we are called to finish the race and to keep the faith knowing that the prizes of heaven will outweigh any prize we can receive on this earth… The bible tells us that we don’t know the day nor the hour that Christ will come; however we do know that the word says, “Behold, I come quickly…” The time is now, now is the time for you to come out of the shadows! Now is the time for you to stand tall in the midst of darkness and evil, now is the time for you to confess your belief in the most high! Jesus is calling us to hear His word, and believe what has been said. The desire of God is for all to know Him and come to Him… He doesn’t want anyone to perish; however, we cannot think or live as if tomorrow is guaranteed… The bible is filled with promises to those who endure and keep the faith. We have been promised eternal life, we have been promised security and peace, we have been promised a mansion with our name on it. So endure this tough journey, allow Christ to manifest Himself within your life and lead you in the path of righteousness. Don’t put it off any longer; don’t take this time for granted. I am reminded of a saying that I heard some time ago and it is very much relent to today.

“Don’t worry about yesterday, that’s why it’s called the past! Don’t worry about tomorrow that’s why it’s called the future. Instead think on today because today truly is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present!”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Rejoicing Isn't Based On Circumstances

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Despite the things that you don’t have or the situations that may not have gone the way you had planned, today’s devotional reminds us to take inventory of the things we do have and the plans that God has for us… There are so many things in this life that will not go according to our desires; however, the heart of a Christian can rejoice in this times knowing that the hand of God will never lead them down a path of destruction and calamity… As we grow in Christ, we must grow in the knowledge of His protection and love for us; the God that I serve will create a detour in my life not to keep me from getting to a particular point, but to guide me through a better path even if it has more bumps along the way… As a I think about the love of God, I recall the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt… The word of God clearly tells us that they were taken through a more scenic route to the promise land; however, the word of God also tells us that this was down because the more direct route would have had them engaging in war with the Philistines…And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” God always has your best interest at heart; in your life, even if you go through a long drought or a roundabout way of getting to your destiny, know today that you can rejoice in knowing that you are traveling this way for a reason and the promise of God which was planted before your first step will indeed be fulfilled… 

This is the message that Habakkuk instills in us today… It doesn’t matter what type of season you go through, it is of no significance if the promise is not visible; you continue to keep your joy in the Lord and trust His plan… You can trust in the Lord because you know the plan that He has for you, which is nothing short of salvation…  When we go through trials and tribulations; when we endure pain and persecution, the word of God call us to remember where He wants to take us and not focus on what we are going through right now… Stop getting caught up in the way things are and focus on the way things will be when you come out of your situation or circumstance… There is a reason why the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines… There is a reason why you are disciplined and even though you may not want to believe it, there is a method to the madness of things which you may not comprehend at the present time… I believe that Paul (in his letter to the Church of Rome) understood that we must go through seasons in life and this is why he said “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” There is a joy, and a glory that will be revealed in and through you… The seasons of famine in your life simply allow you to appreciate the beauty of abundance that is to come… 

This is why you can rejoice in the hard times because you know that they won’t last and the times are guaranteed to change… Even in the worst of times, Habakkuk reminds us that we have a reason to rejoice… There are many days that have come and gone when we were left scratching our heads; everything we touched broke, every vision we had became blurry and our strength seemed to have disappeared! Some of us are feeling this way right now today… It seems that we are simply on the edge of the cliff with one foot hanging over and there is nobody there to pull us back in… These trials may not be easy, but we must remember that there are something’s in life that we must go through… There are some situations that we must bare and “take up our Cross!” Habakkuk was in a world filled with chaos, he was watching people give up their faith and lose hope, I think we can attest to that right now today… With this economy we are facing, with the job market being scarce and with our communities becoming more and more violent! Sure we are facing hard times, but we have a reason to rejoice… We have a reason to be happy in the midst of sadness, and that reason is because God vowed to never forsake us… Struggles may take place in our lives, but let us remember the struggles that God already brought us through… Paul said it best, I will gladly take pleasures in the affirmatives I face, for when I am weak, then I am strong…” God’s got you in the best of times, but really has you in the worst of times… So continue to smile and rejoice not matter what comes your way…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!