Christ Has Freed You

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1

Take the time periodically throughout the day to remind yourself that you are free in Christ… This is not to say that you should abandon your job or that you should speak freely to your co-workers; this is just to remind you that your past restrictions will not limit your future progress… Paul was a man who was opposed because of the years of his life when he was known as Saul; there were many who wanted to focus on his past and use that to negate his future… This same thing happens to us daily, there are people who want to hold you back based on yesterday, they want you to be defined by your past instead of learning from it and the word of God says that that we need to “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert...” God took a man with a speech impediment and made him a leader (Moses), he took a shepherd and made him a king (David) and he took a young man fleeing from his twin brother and made him the father of the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob)… All these men had a past, all of them encountered obstacles and made mistakes along the way; however, the biggest point about these men is that they didn’t let their past determine their future, they believed in the liberty which is received by all how believe and were able to overcome their detractors… Moses lead the children of God to the cusp of the Promise Land, David was called a man after God’s own heart and Jacob was transformed into Israel after wrestling a man all night long… These men were liberated from their mistakes and errors; this same liberation we also can obtain as Paul speaks to the fact that we have been liberated by Christ which has made us free… 

The challenge for you today is found in the first two words of this verse, stand fast… You have to be comfortable in Christ; this means that you are not wavered by storms, what people say about you doesn’t affect your mindset and when people bring up your past you have the ability to continue in boldness and confidence… To stand fast, one must know where they were, accept the mistakes of yesterday and continue to fight and press all the more toward their future… When Saul encountered Christ and was blinded, the word says that the Lord spoke to Ananias and said, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” God has chosen you and the path that you will travel in Him will be paved with bumps and bruises… From birth your destiny was bound to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden; sin has been implanted in you; however, the Lord wants you to remind yourself that the enemy had you but you have been set free… The things you face will tempt you, but you don’t have to succumb to them based on the shortcomings of yesterday… Your life will not be easy, you will experience snares where the enemy will try to confine you and this is why Paul goes on to tell the Church of Galatia, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage… Don’t allow Satan a foothold; don’t give him that opportunity to take over your life… One of the most important truths that we must recognize is that without Christ we are nothing…The bible declares that by the sin of one man we all were made sinners and that by the obedience of one man we have been made righteous… Jesus is the bridge that connects us back to the father and all who do not recognize Him will surely fall short… Paul’s letter to the church of Galatia calls for the body of Christ to stand fast in the liberty that Christ has made them free… Our faith, our hope, our foundation must be set upon the offering that Christ made on the cross… Paul is speaking to a people that face temptations daily, he is speaking to a body that has been tested and is simply reminding them not to try and fight these battles on their own… 

We can learn a lot from this passage; often times we find ourselves in situations where things do work the way we planned; it is in these times that we must know waver in our faith nor try to fix things on our own… Knowing that Christ has set us free provides strength to us because we know that He has the power to sustain us… Due to the sin that was committed in the Garden of Eden we all enter this world “entangled with the yoke of bondage…” From the time that we come from our mother’s womb, we are in the grasp of Satan and his devices; it is only through the bloodshed of Christ that we are set free…Not only are we called to acknowledge the sovereign power that Christ has through this passage, but we are also called to recognize the captivity that we are in without Him…To call someone (especially a person of color) a slave is considered offensive and mean. Many people today simply frown upon that word and think that it should not be used in today’s frame of living. The fact of the matter is that we have many people in our society’s right at these moments who are slaves; slaves to their jobs, slaves to their greed and love of money, slaves to living in unfruitful life. Think about how many times we have shifted responsibility because we felt we were obligated to do something. Think about how many times you have said or heard a parent say that they can’t spend time with their children, or this job is killing them. Furthermore, think about how many people have fell into the trap set by the enemy thinking that this is all that they are living for and that their will never be a better today. This passage reminds us that through the bloodshed of Jesus Christ we are no longer slaves; we have been freed from the penalty of our very sin and have been granted an opportunity to inherit eternal life. Stand fast, stay focused because there is a brighter tomorrow and a hope for a wonderful future! I believe the psalmist said it best, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Blood and righteousness, on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is seeking sand…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Will Is That You Believe And Are Saved

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:40 

You are loved by God and He wants nothing but the best for you… These words are words for you to hang your hat on in the body of Christ… This doesn’t mean that you won’t experience your fair share of ups and downs; this passage just reminds you that the very will of God is that you know Him and that you are saved through His son Jesus Christ… The beginning of this verse says, “And this is the will of Him that sent me…” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ declares in this verse the will of God before men in this very passage… He informs us that even in the midst of our perverse ways, even while we seek pleasures of this world and turn our backs on the Lord that He desires for us to come to know Him so that we can be saved from the certain death that awaits us… Just yesterday we examined a verse from the psalmist talking about “who is mind that thou are mindful of him…” Make no mistake about it, God wants you to be with Him in glory; however He does not need you to be there (there is a big difference between the two)… God wants you to turn, He wants you to open your eyes, see the path you choose of this world is not the way and trust that He can still bring you out… 

This too is important, because some of us believe that we may be too far gone to be saved; however in this passage we are reminded that it doesn’t matter how far you have fallen or how many times you have backslid, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you have made, the key to your salvation lies in the second part of this verse where Jesus says, “…that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life…” You must see Jesus instead of the temptations that lay before you, you must see Jesus instead of the mountain that is intimidating you and stopping you in your tracks, and you must see Jesus in the midst of your storms so that you can hold on and ride it out… Stop focusing on the problems in your life start focusing on the solution which is Jesus Christ and how He will bring you out… Jesus came here with a purpose! We often say that He came to pay sins’ penalty and be the ultimate sacrifice and this is true. However, He also came here to show us the way to get back into the right fellowship with God. That is why He preached in the synagogues and taught the parables; this is why He performed miracles and gathered the disciples. Christ’s’ mission on this earth was not just to die, but also to teach us that there is life after death; His mission was to show us that there is a path one can travel that will bring him to call heaven his home. We all have seen Christ (some as He walked the earth, others as He has walked with us) and we need to remember that as long as we believe in Him and His sacrifice, we shall be raised up in the last day!!! Understanding that Jesus came to do the will of God lets me know that God has a will and plan for me as well… The bible teaches us that God desires all to be saved and come to know Him more intimately; this passage reminds us that even in the worse of situations or the worst of times we can still draw strength in knowing that God desires us…God’s desire is for us to have Eternal Life; however, one must work in order to receive that gift that has been set aside for them… 

This is comparable to the work you perform on your job knowing that this work produces currency for you to support your family and living style… We must work in our faith and that comes when we see Jesus and believe on Him… This is not an easy task and since we are born into this world as sinners this is a task that even grows harder each and every day… The work we must complete to receive Eternal Life is that we must “work the will of Him who has sent you…” This simply means that we must stay the course and do the things that are pleasing in God’s sight… So many of us claim to be a child of God; however, our daily actions would suggest otherwise… It doesn’t help that we preach a gospel that simply says if you believe you will be saved (even though this is true)… God desires your best, He desires to increase your territory and allow you to prosper… Malachi 3:10 says that we are to bring our tithes into the store house and test God by our giving… When we test God the next piece of that passage says that he will open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that we will not have room enough to receive… The key to unlock God’s blessings is testing Him (doing His will)… It is true that we are saved when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior; however, when we stop at the point we never really experience the true love of God and how he can manifest Himself into any and every situation… Jesus death on the cross paved the way to His sovereignty… What is it in your life that you need to (test the Lord in)…? What is it that you need to give up in order to do the will of God…? Jesus gave His very life in order to achieve the will of God… In the end He reigns forever and ever… The more you sacrifice the bigger the reward… The biggest reward God offers is Eternal Life; however, the question is are you ready to do the work in order to receive it; especially knowing that you will not receive it until the last day when Christ returns to this earth and you are raised up from it…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We Are Not Worthy Of His Mercy

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 8:3-4

Have you ever asked yourself why God cares so much about you…? This is the same God who made the heavens and earth, the same God who inhabits the praises of His people and the same God who is surrounded by angels and hymns of praise… Even in the midst of all that, He turns His attention toward you and cares about you… Why is that? This is the question that is asked by the psalmist today… “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained…” Take time out of your day to think about all the things that God has created, think about the things He has spoken into existence, this mere reality make me often wonder this same thing that is asked today, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” The truth of the matter is we don’t deserve His goodness, we don’t deserve His mercy, we don’t deserve His grace but yet and still He gives us new mercies every morning and provides enough grace to open up doors that we never thought could be opened… I am living witness of God’s faithfulness not just because I am here, but because I have been between a rock and a hard place and know that it was only by His grace and mercy that I was kept and able to overcome (now is another display of His authority)… 

Today I ask you to take a second and ponder this question; ask yourself why you’re valued so much by God…? Think about this very carefully before you answer this question… God created everything that you see He has the ability to make rocks praise Him and adore His holy name; however, He still puts most of His love and passion into mankind… The psalmist recognizes today that God doesn’t need Him; He recognizes that God being all powerful has made a choice to love mankind despite the lack of love that we give Him in return… The bible says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…” This is why the psalmist says “…and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”Jesus came to this earth while we were neck deep in the mire of death, He came while we couldn’t even possible love Him back and He laid down His life for a filthy rag such as myself… Knowing this, I pose the question to you again, Have you ever wondered why you are valued by God... The moon and the stars are a fascinating creation; the heavens have been created by mere words; however God still fills a void that only you can fill… He longs for all mankind to come to know Him and accepting His offering which was shed on Calvary… I liken this passage unto a rich man who still seeks the value of a companion; God has everything that anyone could dream of; however, He longs to have you with Him for all Eternity… This passage teaches me that if God is “mindful of me” despite my faults and flaws, that I should be mindful of what I allow too take place in my life or who I allow in my life… 

Value is something that is not taught or learned, but something that is displayed… God values you enough above all that He has created and it’s about time that you recognize the true value you hold… Take time to look at your life, take a moment to think about all the ways that God has made for you and the numerous opportunities He has provided and ask yourself why? This passage reminds us of the sovereignty of God! Consider the works of Gods hands, the fact that He doesn’t need you, but He has been gracious to you even when you didn’t deserve it! God is mindful of you because you were created in His image, He is mindful of what you do and how you live because He was well pleased in creating you… It disturbs God to see His creation fail, think about seeing your child make a bad decision, think about your household falling apart and how it would or has made you feel… It pains God to see you settle for less than what you are worth; it pains Him to see you accept mediocrity instead of striving for the best… God didn’t take any shortcuts or withhold anything while designing you from the dust of the ground... You are priceless too Him which is why His son came, you worth extends beyond what eyes can see or minds can comprehend… Today, when reading this passage let is sink deep into your heart and allow you to seek higher ground in His will and way… Know that you are a masterpiece and this is why God is mindful of you… You are God’s best creation, your are His workmanship, you model His expertise, so He is mindful of you to make sure that your true beauty is recognized and shown… God molded you for a purpose and wants to see you excel just as you do with your children. If nothing else works in this life, know that God always will… You are God’s child; this is a very important fact to remember!!!!!!!!! Just like a mother will never forget her suckling child, so will I never forget you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Offer Unto God Thanksgiving

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalm 50:15

Despite the ups and downs that you may face or encounter; the words which come from your lips should be words of thanksgiving unto the Lord… The devotion calls for us to remember that things can always be worse; when facing storms in your life, you must get to the point where you are able to smile because of the ability that you have to feel the rain… There are so many people who would love to go through the things which you are going through; however, the path which they are traveling calls for a different storm for them to face… I make this point because we all encounter storms, there is no life paved from the womb to the gates of heaven which will not subject you to storms during your travel… This is why you have to be thankful; you can thank God in the midst of your storms because you know that you will come out of them and the water which has fallen will simply provide the nutrients needed for the seed which God planted in you to sprout… There is a purpose to the trials you face and this is why the writer goes on to say, pay thy vows unto the most High… Don’t hold back because of the things you face; as a matter of fact, give even more when the trials become that much more intense… There are people learning from your walk of faith and you too will be exalted because God will definitely show His faithfulness when you adhere to His calling despite the obstacles which are before you… Make no mistake about it, I will deliver thee; says the Lord… 

You will exalt His name; in other words, you will look back on all that you dealt with in the past and offer up thanksgiving unto the Lord when you see the end result of your perseverance and endurance… You will thank Him because the things which you suffered won’t compare to the blessings you receive… I believe Paul said it best in his letter to the Church of Rome, “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.” Paul new that the latter would be better than the former; this is why we give God thanksgiving… He is about to bestow blessings upon you that you don’t deserve and there is nothing you can endure on this earth to deserve them… This message also speaks to the fact that when we pray to God, we must go to Him with thanksgiving instead of complaints… When we look to God, we often approach His throne in a backwards manner… We call upon the name of the Lord when we are in despair or in dire need of His help; however, we are reminded by the psalmist today that we are to “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High…” Let us approach the thrown of God for the things that He has already done, giving Him thanks and praising His name for His goodness, His mercy and His grace… Don’t’ lose sight of the fact that God has kept you and allowed you to see this day, don’t lose sight of the fact that without Him you are nothing and wouldn’t even be here today… Some of us have gotten into the habit (I’m speaking about myself) of making vows to God and not following through and then expecting Him to answer when we pray because we have fallen short… Pay thy vows to the most High, give all that you have unto the Lord and He will give all that He has unto you (which far outweighs what you have to offer Him)… 

When you are in the midst of confusion CALL ON HIM, when your body is racked with pain CALL ON HIM, when your children are going astray CALL ON HIM, when your in the middle of a storm and don’t know how to handle it CALL ON HIM… However, don’t forget when He delivers on your prayer; don’t forget when He makes a way out of no way… Give Him praise for His goodness, give Him praise for His mercy, and give Him praise for answering your prayers… He is your answer to every situation; He is your door to eternal life and freedom from worries, troubles, and pain. Just call on the name of Jesus for your answer. But, remember that when He answers your prayers, that you give Him ALL the Glory and Honor…Take a moment or a second to analyze your life… Think not of the bad things, but the good things that have come about in your life… Look at the people around you right now; there is always someone who would love to be in your shoes… The bible tells us that we are to do all things without murmurings and disputes, as a child of God we are called to remain silent in our everyday situation, knowing and believing that God is working in us and through us… In the time of trouble we have a (n) advocate in Christ Jesus who is making intercessions on our behalf… God will be glorified, He will receive honor, He will be praised… Knowing this lets me know that He won’t allow me to suffer beyond measure, He won’t allow me to face obstacles I can’t overcome, and He won’t’ allow me to be pushed beyond the edge of the cliff… This and only this is the reason why we praise Him, if the devil had his way, we would all perish and be cast into hell right now, but because of God’s love and mercy we are alive and daily receive new provisions from above… The bible records that “…His mercies are new every morning… Great is thy faithfulness...” Be thankful at all times, even when you are going through misfortune, because you know the misfortune won’t last always… This in and of itself is a blessing; one that we indeed should praise and honor God for…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

In Order To Partake You Must Overcome

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7

We all have ears; however we all are not listening or hearing the same things…God will open doors, He will make ways out of no way and He will bestow blessings upon you; however, you must hear the steps which you must take which derive from the motivation to overcome the obstacles and challenges of this life… God is speaking to the church, He is speaking to you and is reminding us today that He will provide if we make our mind up not to give in when adversity comes to our home… The average church attendee will speak words of praise and reverences regarding the Lord when things are going well; however, those same words soon change from praise to complaints when trials and hardships have to be faced… The message today is that your times of despair will either separate you from God or sanctify you unto Him… If the hardships and trials bring you closer to the Lord than you have a good pair of ears as you’ve heard what the spirit saith unto the churches… God never promised life without struggle, He never said you would have paths paved on smooth roads and He never said that your life would be exactly how you imagined; the Lord did however make several promises of the blessings and prosperity that we would receive and come to know if we abide in Him and this is what is echoed here when we are called to be over comers… 

Physical, spiritual and emotional deaths are the end results of a life without Christ; I say that because overcoming is something that we have to do from the womb to the grave… There are obstacles at every turn which the enemy wants us to become disheartened by when we face them; meanwhile, the word of God wants you to find comfort in knowing that everything you endure is preparing you for the blessings that you will receive because of the ability you displayed in overcoming… You should embrace every challenge you face as the stumbling blocks will become stepping stones… This passage taken from John’s revelation teaches us to listen to the spirit of God knowing that trouble won’t last always and that joy comes in the morning… It is very easy to get wrapped up in our circumstances, to get bogged down with our trials and tribulations; however, we must have the ear of Christ and listen for His voice and His direction in each and every affair that we deal with… Notice that the ear has to listen to “…what the Spirit saith unto the churches…” We have to block out what this world has to say, we have to tune out the affairs of the flesh and desires of wickedness in order to hear what the Spirit of God has to say to us… The spirit is speaking to the church; we (as many members) form the body of Christ… The church is believers in Christ and each person within the church is a (n) individual church within themselves… The Spirit is speaking to those whose mind is set on the way of the Lord… If you are at a point in your life where you can’t here the voice of the Lord, or if you are so deep in the mire of this world that you believe you are not able to hear from the Lord than you need to check where your attention and priorities lie… This fact is that all the things which take priority in our lives are the very things which cause so many to stumble along the way… People who hear more than one voice have given a (n) ear to way to much… They know the path to travel; however, they hear the negative criticism, they listen to the naysayers, are attracted by the peer pressure and they have given a (n) ear to doubt which leads them to finding themselves listening to all the wrong voices… 

There is a message for all who have seen their share of dark days… There is a message to all who have endured sleepless nights, there is a message to anyone who has felt pain and heartache, been through trials and tribulations and seen their fare share of ups and downs… This message I speak of that comes from John’s revelation teaches us to simply HOLD ON!!! John says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches…” Even though you may have given a (n) ear to everything accept the word of God, John’s says that if you turn to Him you still have hope and can overcome… Despite the storms you have faced or are currently facing, despite the turmoil that has plagued your lives; you must have your ear attentive the word and will of the Lord… In the midst of chaos God is still speaking, God is still working His plan, you (as a Christian) must have your focus locked in on the Lord so that you can understand the storms and trials that you are currently or will be facing… Trials are certain in life, valleys are inevitable, but we cling to hope in knowing that through hardships we have hope in knowing that trials bring about maturation that will prepare us for your heavenly dwelling… We are promised that if we overcome, we will eat of the tree of life, and enjoy the paradise of God. Don’t fret about your current situation or problems that seem to be on every hand. Hear the words that God is telling you. He is telling you to NOT be discouraged, but be encouraged knowing that you will sit down with Christ in eternal Glory. The devil is here to (steal, kill, and destroy), but I (Christ) have come that you may have eternal life. We can eat of the tree of life, but we must realize that to eat we must work… This work is the hardships you face, this work is the financial binds you are in, and this work is the storm that is lingering over your household right now… Don’t give up, don’t give in… Keep fighting, keep working, dinner will be served shortly…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Still And Know That I Am God

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

Not everything that you see upon this earth requires you to act… There are too many instances where people jump into a situation or react to a situation when the word of God calls for us to walk by faith and not by sight… You must get to a point in your faith where even the most drastic unforeseen circumstance do not alter your ability to stand still and wait upon the Lord… I am a true believer that times of adversity show the true character and faith of an individual and today we are given evidence through this passage of how it is that we must handle various situations… Not everything will turn out the way you planned and everyday of your life will not be happy go luck; on the contrary, you will endure challenges and trying times and it is of the utmost importance that when these challenges arrive you have the staying power in the Lord and are not swayed into action and therefore cause more damage… The Lord knows everything, He sees what you are going through and He has a plan that will fulfill the second part of this scripture which states, I will be exalted among the heathen…  The Lord will be victorious; His name will be exalted and as the scriptures state, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess… Don’t get caught up in this battle; after all you are not the one fighting it when you walk in faith… Don’t allow the enemy to try and thwart your divine will and plan by having you press the panic button when a storm approaches your doorstep… 

You have the ability to bring souls to Christ or run them away through your trials… People don’t need to see you, but the God who lives in you that will show up and show out when people have begun to count you out… You can obtain joy and peace through this devotion today because you know that the Lord will be exalted in the earth and when this happens you will see John 12:32 fulfilled which says, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." When God is exalted, you will be caught up in His exaltation… When God wins, you win… This is how you can maintain your peace amidst a trying time… You know that God will be exalted and when that day comes you will be exalted as well; all you have to do is be still as that day approaches knowing that it is assured to come… We are given a commandment from the Lord in this 46^th psalm… I command to trust Him and to maintain our faith in times of uncertainty and trial… This verse starts off by saying, “Be still, and know that I am God…” We are called to stop trying to figure things out on our own or even dare to assist God with the things He has planned and the design of our life that He has begun to sketch… The act of being still doesn’t just mean movement, we are called to be still in jumping to conclusions, be still and thinking the worse or be still in contemplating and worrying about the circumstances that are before us… Think about this next sentence and read it carefully… If you don’t think about it, you won’t act upon it… Too often we give life to problems and magnify them in our minds to the point that we no longer can wait for God to do His work or simply allow the storm to pass… In being still today, the only we that will happen is if you “…know that I am God…” You must have a relationship with the Lord in order to remain still when things are becoming chaotic around you… 

To know God, you must know what He has already done in your life… Instead of reflect on the bills on your coffee table, reflect on the bills you were able to pay last month… Instead of worrying about your job, think about how God’s grace allowed you to get a job in the first place… When we know God and know His power, mercy and grace we are able to “Be still…” When we are able to center our focus and attention on the Lord even in areas of trouble, we are assured victory over whatever we face… This verse goes on to say, “I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth…” As you pray and lay your burdens before the Lord you take pride and honor in knowing that just like He will be exalted, you too shall rise and overcome… Jesus was beaten and strung out on the cross, we have been beaten down by the trials and tribulations of life, we have been strung out because of our faith and belief in Christ, but we are assured that just as Christ was raised from the dead we too shall rise and be delivered… We are taught in God’s word that Jesus was able to speak and heal a child… When we cry out to God he hears our prayer… We lift up Christ when we cry out and once again, when He is lifted up the word tells us that he will draw all men unto himself… “For if I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me…” Stand still in the midst of your storms, trust God in your hardships, remember what He has already done and is capable of doing… So many people lose sight of this and endanger their live as well as the lives of others. Pharaoh didn’t stand still and lost his army in the Red Sea, but on the other hand David stood still when he said today the LORD will deliver you into my hands and he defeated Goliath. Sampson lost sight of God and became a prisoner, but upon praying to the LORD he killed all who captured him! God answers prayers, God can move mountains, God can deliver out of captivity, He can restore relationships, comfort the lonely, and give joy to tragedy. Stand still today (focus on the power of God)!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

We All, Like Sheep Have Gone Astray

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

Christ didn’t lay down His life for one person on this earth, but for every man who has taken a breath upon this earth knowing that we all fallen short of the glory of God… The message from today’s devotion is that none of us are perfect; as a matter of fact, we all have flaws and if it were not for the grace and mercy of God, we would all dwell together in the pits of hell… The bible refers to us a sheep for the simply fact that we must be guided or else we will surely be loss and eventually devoured by the enemy…You have to come to grips that you cannot get through this life on your own ability… There are so many of us that think we have the answers or that we can obtain them within our own finite minds, when you think like this you have already given your very soul over to the predator and don’t stand a chance in this battle let alone the war… Understand that temptation upon this earth is real and if given a small crack or whole in the plan, we will go astray (like sheep) not knowing the consequences of our actions or the fate which lies ahead when we take the detour… I can recall countless light bulb moments in my life where I wish I could have gone back in time and changed my decisions the day prior… This passage not only speaks to our imperfection, but it also speaks to the humility that a child of God must have and display on this earth… One of the things that plague the Christian on this earth is to admit that they don’t have the answers and may not even know what the end result will be… 

To often we masquerade as if we know everything and behind close doors we begin to venture off track to try and find the answers and end up jus like the wandering sheep spoken of in this passage… Growing up, my father what always tell us, “the hardest three words for people to say is I don’t know…” and this stands true in the body of Christ… We have to rely totally on the will and plan of God and walk in faith which means that we don’t have to know what will happen or when to determine whether we will travel this road or not… I cannot even describe how critical this point is in our walk on this earth; when asked about the time when God’s kingdom would be reestablished, Jesus said "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” It’s a downward spiral when we begin to act as if we know things and as if we are perfect without flaws or blemishes… The Pharisee’s missed the chance of walking in direct line with Jesus Christ because of the lack of humility and understanding who they were and what He really meant… It’s okay if you have fallen short today, yesterday or even tomorrow; what’s unacceptable is when you act as if it did not happen or that you can overcome the setback on your own accord… This principle must be applied to our lives, we have to look at ourselves as sheep and declare that we need our shepherd with us… We must acknowledge that we don’t want to wander off course anymore and that we want to be about the business of our Father… It is because of the mistakes and errors we make when we try to walk in our own will as oppose to the will of God which leads to what Isaiah says in that the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all… Jesus died for you and the errors you make today are proof of that… His death was not in vain; however, I feel sorry for the one who doesn’t recognize the door which He opened and instead, they continue to wander off course with a dead end laying before them… While we were yet sinners, Christ died for US… Just think about that statement for a second, don’t become distracted or continue to read this message; just simply reflect on that opening statement! In all your mess, in all your shortcomings, in all your bad decisions, 

Christ died for you! He said even though you have messed up I see a need in your life that I am going to fill… Isaiah reminds us today of how magnificent God is; he declares to us today that Grace and Mercy that Christ continues to bestow on mankind… He was living in Glory, sin was foreign to him and his name was praised all day long; yet he thought it not robbery to come down from his thrown to give you a chance to have eternal life… He wanted to share his kingdom with you, He wanted to see you at times when sin was destroyed and peace fills your life… He wanted to see the tears removed from you eyes and the joy shown through your bright smiles… We all have fallen short, we have turned our backs on the Lord and he took all of our sin, he took all of our filth and said I will pay your debt; I will be bruised and pierced because I love you… I will endure the hardships that come my way because I don’t want to see you bogged down any longer… This is what Christ thinks of you, this is how much you mean to him; this is why He took the form of man and died the most humiliating death on earth! He said I am dying so you can live, I am clothed in imperfection that you may be perfected; I am starving so that you have be filled… I have seen your pain, I have seen your sorrows and its just touch much for me to sit back and watch you endure without comfort or a friend… Allow me to lighten your burden, allow me to take some of this load off of your back and serve you! God is truly awesome, just look at where your life should be and where you are to know how true that statement really is…The sooner that your recognize the errors of your ways, the sooner God can groom your through them and lead you to the divine destiny He designed uniquely for you before your conception in your mother’s womb…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!