Give God Your Best

...Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.

2 Samuel 24:24

So many of us would love the idea of getting over when it comes to our walk with the Lord… We have experienced highs and lows, we have seen ups and downs and sometimes in our life we would love to get an easy pass or a shortcut through all the muck and mire of the day… In reading this passage we are challenged to reflect on the goodness of the Lord despite all the mistakes and bad choices that we have made… David says neither will I offer burnt offering unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing; David spoke these words from the sincerity or his heart knowing and realizing what God had done for him… When you begin to think about the goodness of Jesus, when you begin to think back to all the wrong you have done and come to the realization that it was God’s grace and mercy which kept you and brought you out, your mindset changes and you want to give your all to the Lord… In this passage, David is declaring that he is not worthy of the blessings being bestowed upon him (despite the plague that God was about to place on the Israelites); he wants the Lord to know the love that he has for Him… So he wants to sacrifice (in the form of payment) to the Lord… When you come to the point where you realize how awesome God is, you then will not give anything to Him which doesn’t cost you something… This gesture displays the attitude that a Christian must have; you cannot try to get over on the Lord in your giving and expect His unlimited favor… Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” You are called to test the Lord in your giving; this requires that you give something of value and not things that you deem replaceable… This same principle applied to the heart of David and led to this verse being recorded in the 24^th chapter of 2^nd Samuel… In studying this passage I am lead to pose this question, how valuable is your relationship with God…? How much do you treasure being in good standing with the Lord…? Are you someone who attends church out of obligation or to pay true respect and honor to the Lord…? 

These questions are questions that are posed all across the world; however they are answered through actions not words, through devotion and not presentation… This passage is written at a time when David knew that he had sinned against God; he knew that he had fallen short of His glory and understands that he had to restore his relationship with God… We too have made many mistakes; we have damaged our relationship with the Lord and the question now because “how bad do you want to repair it…?” What does God’s love mean to you, how much do you want to show God your appreciation and love…? What are you offering Him…? These are important factors in our life that we too must come to understand; God deserves all of our time and commitment because we have fallen short, he deserves the very best we have because we turned our backs on Him and lost sight of His Grace and Mercy! This is why David said I will not offer anything unto the Lord that cost me nothing, he realized all that it cost God to save us from sin, he realized all that God gave and invested in him to see him reign as King and he came to the realization that he was throwing it all away… We must never forget that God gave His only begotten son, we must never lose sight that Jesus died the most humiliating death known to man and all this was done to save us from our eternal death… When I sit and really ponder what God has done and how He bestows new mercies on us every morning I realize that there is nothing of this earth that I shouldn’t give unto Him… I know that God has given His very best in the form of His son and I dare not to acknowledge His sacrifice with meaningless words or things… God wants your heart, He wants your life; anything else is worthless… The cost that David speaks of in this verse refers to the amount that he puts out for the Lord… This doesn’t necessarily deal with money, but the amount of energy, time, devotion that we pour out to studying God’s word, praising His name and worshipping Him…David had a right perspective of who God is and what He means to him… So he wanted to show his devotion to the Lord by paying for the land to be offered back to God… 

When we trust God, when we desire to worship God we also act in faith knowing that God sees all things and will reward us by our giving and devotion… Think about how precious the gift is that God gave to you in the form of His son and ask yourself what gifts are you giving to God… The only thing that God wants is you, you are the gift that He desires and we give ourselves to Him by totally surrendering to His will and way… This is where the cost comes in, I have often thought and told myself that if it comes easy it isn’t what I need… Today, know that offering yourself to Christ is going to cost you some friendships, it’s going to cost you some fleshly desires and it’s going to cost you some aches and pains… Do we know how much it cost God to raise us up out of the pit of sin, how much it cost to release us from the handcuffs of death, and pave a way to salvation! It cost Him His only son, it cost Him pain and anguish to witness His son on the cross dying an agonizing and intensely painful death… It cost God a great deal to watch His son be spit on, mocked and beat, it cost God a great deal to see Him laid in a tomb and watch the throngs of people mourning… It cost God more than we could ever offer Him and we surely could never pay back to Him what He put out! Let us keep that in mind when we go to church, let us keep that in mind when we put down our bibles instead of reading, let us keep that in mind when we make God’s will and afterthought in our life… How much does God mean to you? How much do you really believe He poured out from on high to save you…? Show your belief in your actions and service to the Lord… David said I will not offer anything unless it cost me something, not because he wanted to spend, but because he knew how much God had already spent!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Glory > Suffering

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

 

Romans 8:18

 

The bible is filled with passages that speak to the amount of suffering that a Christian will endure within his/her lifetime… There is not a single scripture which speaks to the life of a Christian being easy; but on the contrary, there are many which depict suffering, hardships and tribulations… The writer of this passage (Paul) was a man who once found pleasure in persecuting others; however, in his conversion, God speaks to the suffering that Paul will endure in a conversation that takes place in the 9^th chapter of Acts with a man by the name of Ananias… But the Lord said to Ananias, “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.”Suffering is a vital part to the Christian journey; faith is developed through suffering, rewards are accumulated through suffering and growth is displayed through suffering… So many people proclaim a relationship on the surface with Jesus Christ; however, in the suffering stages their actions say others… Even in the most uncomfortable situations we are reminded today that they are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us… 

The results that come from your suffering will negate the suffering that you experience… Nobody really likes to suffer, but as a child of God we must speak the truth and no that there are no shortcuts on this journey… One thing in life is certain and that is that you will experience hardships and obstacles… I don’t think a day goes by in our lives where there isn’t at least one thing that takes place in our lives that causes us heartache, stress or disappointment… I have heard so many people speak of problems that they are facing and I believe we all would agree with the saying,“You’re either in a storm, coming out of a storm or going into a storm…”  Although difficulties are never something you want to face, the bible tells us several times (today’s focus verse is an example) about the affliction that we will experience… As a Christian, trials and tribulations are a part of growing in Christ… When we face trials we are called to embrace them because they display your faith and God’s faithfulness… The bible says that faith without works is dead, so we must endure hardships to display our faith and by overcoming (working) we allow God’s sovereign light to shine in our lives…These trials that we face are not to intimidate us but for God’s glory and power to be manifested in your life… Paul was imprisoned and his praises broke the walls down, Job lost everything and gained double what he had, David was isolated in a cave before he came out as king of Israel, and Jesus was mocked and whip before he received all power in heaven and on earth! Understand that trials are common place for a Christian; every day we are facing trials and tribulations, not to strike fear in us, but to prepare us for Christ’s return and equip us to know that we can be victorious because every trail we face can be transformed into a stepping stone…

Paul is charging the Church of Rome just as he is charging us today; don’t become weary, don’t give up, don’t be discouraged because you have to go through some sad days or sleepless nights; don’t become fearful because it seems like the enemy has the upper hand. Your trails are tools for growth and purging, we are learning that through Christ all things are possible and that he should be our focus and strength. Later on in this chapter Paul says that we are more than conquers and that nothing can separate us from the Love of God! To be more than a conqueror you have to face your share of mountains and shadows of death, to be more than a conqueror you have to go through the pains of maturity and face puzzling and complicated days… Likewise, to know that nothing can separate us from the Love of God is encouraging for us to know, we are in God’s care and He will never put more on us than we can bear… In order to know that we can’t be separated from God’s love we must be tried and the enemy will come and try to end your divine appointment, he will come and try to kill God’s vision for you life, and destroy your hopes and dreams! Attacks will come, dismay will come, but it will not come near you if you make the Lord your dwelling place (Psalms 91)! Trials seem to weigh us down; however on the scale of life the blessing that are in store outweigh your suffering… Paul says the present sufferings don’t even compare… What I gather from this is that whatever I am going through right now isn’t going to outweigh what God has in store… This is simple equation – 1 obstacle = at least 2 blessings… You have suffered several challenges in your life, the blessings you receive from God will be double what you have faced on this earth … Yes we all have to go through the refining process, it’s painful, and hectic, but just as gold we will see our true value and the worth that we have in God’s kingdom… Suffer now, so that you don’t suffer later!

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He'll Return Before You Know It

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

 

1 Peter 4:7-8

 

The 7^th verse of the 4^th chapter of 1^st Peter (a lot of numbers I know) declares but the end of all things is at hand… Truthfully, the word of God reminds us today that tomorrow is not promised; each and every day that you see on this earth is a another opportunity for you to grow in the knowledge of God and not leave something for tomorrow which could be taken care of today… If knowing that tomorrow is not promised and that the end of all things is at hand; Peter reminds us today that we must be ye therefore sober… To be sober means to be clear-headed, somber or serious; in a nutshell, you cannot take the day that you are privileged to see lightly…  You cannot allow things to clutter your view or understanding of the will and plan of God for your life… So many of us have missed opportunities to grow in Christ because we are occupied with so much other stuff that we don’t have time for the things that should take priority in our lives… Being sober is the foundation to preparation in fulfilling the will of God… When you clear your mind, God now has room to work and instill the plan that He has designed uniquely for you… A sober mind is important; however, you must add a strong cornerstone to that foundation which is prayer… This is why Peter goes on to say that you must watch unto prayer… So many have a clear mind, but they have not taken the next step to allow the thoughts and desires of God to take root in that unoccupied space… 

Situations always come about, but in order to clear your mind and see results you must turn it over to God (prayer) and invite Him in… Things you dealing with today shouldn’t be left tell tomorrow, turn it over to the Lord now and let Him lead you… When you turn it over to the Lord and invite Him in; you can now be filled with the love (charity) spoken of which will in the end cover the multitude of sins… There is one unknown on this Christian journey and that is the time in which Christ will return; there is also one thing that we are assured of on this Christian Journey and that is that Christ will return… Peter tells us that the end of all days is at hand and to be sober, this is focusing not on drinking, but on the fact that we need to be vigilant and coherent to the word of God and live our lives as if He was coming within the next minute… The end of all things being at hand lets me know that there is nothing of this earth that will survive, there is no one on this earth that can save you and nothing that you can do on this earth to inherit Eternal Life… Being sober means that we must stop making stupid choices, stop procrastinating and stop allowing temptations to ensnare our God-given vision and mission… So many of us aren’t living a sober lifestyle, we are staggering through life, misusing our gifts, losing our identity and allowing this world to dictate our advancements and achievements; God is calling for us to stand upright and be an example in this world! He is waiting for you to detoxify yourself through prayer and study so that you can understand that we truly are living in the last days... When you aren’t sober you are unaware of things around you, you don’t appreciate things before you, so you end up in a helpless state which leaves you vulnerable to whatever may come your way… A drunken state of mind allows the devil to have his way with you… 

We aren’t talking about drinking literally, but rather being a in position where you allow outside forces to dictate and direct your life… When you are sober you are sturdy, focused and grounded… Your purpose in life is clearly defined and you are determined… Many of us claim to be sober; however, we have no direction in our life, we aren’t focused nor grounded in the word of God and we allow people and situations to guide us down the wrong path… Peter goes on to say that charity covers a multitude of sins and that we should be fervent in our charity…  As stated earlier, charity is another word for love; the bible says that God is love… The reason your sins are forgiven (covered) through charity is because God’s spirit dwells within you when you have love within… When you love you something, you want to see it grow, mature and be success… God imparted His love to us in the form of His son so we could grow, mature and be successful… When we love, we allow God to enter into our lives and become one with us… When God enters, sin is cast out and therefore we are covered by love! To be fervent is to be eager, passionate or zealous; we should give from our hearts and out of true love and kindness towards one another! This charity goes beyond money and is dealing with a sacrifice of self, Christ had to sacrifice Himself to cover our sins and we need to understand that when we give of ourselves to help others we purge ourselves of iniquities. We have all heard that we should live today as if it’s our last and that is so true; but in the term living we as Christians give that a different meaning than the world… We aren’t looking to have a good time, “live it up”, or spend all we have, for us to live is to sacrifice… So live today by giving of yourself and watch how your life is transformed both now and when Christ returns!

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Be Led By God

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

 

Romans 6:13

 

A choice is presented before you from the time of your birth to the time of your death; you have a decision to make as to how your life will be handled and which direction it will be led… Notice that I did not say that you decide the direction of your life but that you decide who will lead it; there are so many of us who think we are in control when in reality the enemy has us on string like a puppet toying with our emotions, mental state and the desires we have in this world… This passage declares to us that we either can yield our members as instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness… The Lord wants to see you succeed; however, through the fall of man He knows that you are not able to handle making your own decisions without a guide which for us is the Holy Spirit… The enemy knows that you are a weak vessel without the guidance of God and so he has you thinking that you can handle situations which in reality you are digging a hole that you can never climb out of on your own… Paul refers to you as an instrument because you are a device which can either unlock untapped potential or destroy a unique path designed specifically for you… You are a tool that can lead others to Christ, break generational curses and take down strongholds; the enemy knows your ability and it’s the very reason why he tries to use you to do the exact opposite… 

In reading this passage I am lead to ask a question; where do you allow yourself to go that does not please God? What things do you take part in that brings disgrace upon the name of the Lord…? It is true that we all have fallen short of the glory of God; however, a saint is nothing more than a sinner who got up and came out of their world of sin… God has called us to be better, achieve more and reach higher, but you will not be able to do that if you allow your body to be used by this world and allow your choices to be influenced by others… Paul charges us today in his letter to the Church of Rome to simply understand that these battles we face are real. Life is built on the choices that we make, and life itself is a choice… Every day we are flooded with temptation, there is always an easier way to obtain your goals, and always an opportunity to change your approach in this life! The bible declares that the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour; he waits patiently for you to give him the golden opportunity to turn your life upside down. Paul says that we must not be instruments of unrighteousness, but instruments of righteousness. Notice that in both passages we are instruments, an instrument is something that is used to obtain something or an objective... We are always being used, the question is whether our use if positive or negative, are you being used to impact someone’s life through exaltation or are you bring that person down (this could be happening to you as well), are you being used to show love or cause pain and chaos. Whether we realize or not, we are always being used for righteousness or sin. 

When we miss opportunities to witness of God’s amazing power we have chosen to be an instrument of unrighteousness. When we proclaim the good news of Christ we have chosen to be alive from the dead.  It pains me to see all the degrading videos and reality shows that disrespect the creation that God made when He formed us from the dust of this earth… It is sad to see young adults and children disrespecting themselves and their parents by making bad choices or allowing people to lead them down paths of destruction… This world we live in is sick, we have been on a downward spiral since we took prayer out of schools, since we restrained ourselves from the foundation of the Gospel, and afforded ourselves the opportunity to embrace God’s love and care! Paul’s charge is to remain faithful in this faithless time, to remain encouraged in this hopeless world, and to remain strong in this weakened nation. Sure the grass may look greener on the other side (the key is look), and evil may continue to approach your doorstep, Paul’s message is to keep the faith, don’t give up and don’t give in… Jesus declared that we will reap a harvest, if we faint not! Surely it may seem very easy for you to stop going to church and indulge in the ways of this world, but remember that you have been called to a higher standard, remember that you have been selected to conduct yourself in righteousness. I know that it is very difficult to live in the will of God sometimes, but I would rather suffer in the will of God, than to suffer in eternity with the devil! Instrument of righteousness; instrument of unrighteousness! The choice is yours, but don’t say it verbally because it is displayed through your actions!!!!

 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Is Waiting For You To Turn

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

The words recorded in today’s devotional serve as a since of comfort in the hearts of all believers as we are reminded that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth… God has His eye on you and will continue to watch over and protect you… Having His eye on you means that He not only is observing, but that He also knows all your shortcomings and mistakes… As a child of God we must be open and honest with Him as we grow in the knowledge of Him… This can only be accomplished through a (n) open heart and mind in the dealings and communications with our Savior… There are so many of us living in self inflected bondage because we have not turned all of our afflictions over to Him… God is ready to show himself strong on your behalf; however, you must first acknowledge your weakness and need for His presence… The children of God had experienced much success at the time of this writing; however, their confidence in trust soon became in themselves and not God… In was through trial and hardship that God regains their attention to teach them of His power and perfection… 

Today, know that God must take priority in your life; you must continue to trust and confide in Him if you want to Experience His power and perfection… This is why the word of God concludes by saying that God does all of these things on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him… You are not required to be perfect in order to be blessed; on the contrary, you must have a perfect desire to please and adhere to the will of God… This message informs us that the eyes of the Lord are present; however, He cannot move on your behalf until you have a heart for Him… The word of God reminds us today that we are covered and protected by God! Often times in this life we feel exposed, we feel puzzled at the site of the mountains that are planted in our lives… There are days when we feel oppressed and times of despair where we want to give up and just quit; today we should be encouraged, today we should lift our heads in praise to God for we are reminded that even in the dark days God is by our side! We are reminded today that even when trouble seems to have mounted up on every side of us that God is still in the midst of the storm and will see us through… Notice this passage from Chronicles states that He is going to and fro to show himself strong toward those who are perfect toward him!

Again, to acknowledge strength, we must acknowledge weakness; this passage is saying that we will see God’s strength when we become weak… You have to turn your situation over to the Lord, stop trying to fight this battle by yourself, stop thinking that you must handle every situation and recognize that God is waiting for you to invite Him in… So many of us say that we are waiting on God, but this passage teaches us that He is waiting in us… He knows your heartache, He sees your pains and is ready to show up mighty if you are willing to show your futility and turn to Him… There are a lot of things that we go through and have lost hope in and God is saying that these situations are so that you can see my power, so that you will understand that I am at work in your life and that these mountains aren’t overtaken by your actions! He is on the scene and waiting for you to turn every situation over to him, turn your house over to him, relinquish your anger, resentment, or envy over to him… Declare today that you can’t make it on your own power and allow him to manifest his strength in the situation!

He will show up on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him! I am truly glad today that God looks at our heart and what we have on the inside today… What He is saying is that I know that you have some situations in life and have made some mistakes, but I know your heart is in the right place so I am going to show up and work things out for you anyhow! Surely we all have fallen short (I can attest to that today), we all have walked down the wrong road from time to time, but God is saying if your heart is in the right place, if you are believing in me and trying to adhere to my calling I will make sure that your darkness becomes light, I will transform you and I will bring your through! The eyes of God are upon every situation in your life, instead of complaining acknowledge your weakness and pray His strength in the situation; after all, his eyes are roaming to and fro waiting for a chance to reveal his greatness! Give him a chance today!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Don't Be Anxious; Just Pray

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

A lot of us may be walking around wondering why God hasn’t answered our prayers; we may even be at a point where we find ourselves wondering if He even heard our prayer which we laid before Him… The answer to this question resides in the verses we focus on in today’s devotional… Despite all the confusion and chaos we find ourselves dealing with directly or indirectly within this world; Paul reminds us that the first step which must be taken in walking according to the will of God is that you do not be anxious about anything... Anxiety is nervousness, unease and/or apprehension about something which will eventually be a bridle within our minds taking captive our thoughts and the direct steps which we take upon this earth…   When we worry we reach a state of unrest and therefore find ourselves tossing and turning until we either get an answer or resolve the situation on our own… This is not of God and this captivating mental state must be denied within us so that we can clearly see God working through us… There are situations that we all face which do concern us; however, when we walk in faith we pray about them and completely turn them over to the Lord… Doing this keeps us from becoming anxious… Knowing that God has heard us and will step in on His time gives us peace of mind over every situation and stronghold that we encounter… How you handle things outside of your control is the best indicator to the depth of your relationship with the Lord… Jesus through all His life and even through all His persecutions never rushed or tried to speed up the actions of His Father… You can say that peace was on Him and dwelt within Him no matter the storm or test that was presented… Remember, in the gospel of John, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

This passage comes as Jesus tells the disciples that He will be going away… Knowing that His death is coming, knowing that sin will be thrust upon His shoulders and knowing that He would be betrayed; Jesus lets the disciples know that He is at peace… His peace is derived from a complete trust and faith in His father’s divine plan… This is the mindset that we all should be trying to achieve in this life; knowing that there are things which are simply out of our control, realizing that not everything will work as we planned, we can still be at peace within ourselves knowing that God has a plan and just like it’s written in Jeremiah, His plan is to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you hope and a future… There are a lot of thing in life that we desire to obtain, a lot of goals that we have set in place to reach and a lot of heights we want to climb in this life… Today, Paul reminds us that having desires are fine, but that we must align our desires with the will and direction of God… Paul starts off today's focus verses by saying that we are not to be anxious about anything; I think we all would agree that we live in a “I want it now” society with a “give it to me now” mindset… This approach to life leads many to turn from the will of God and seek their own way through this difficult journey on earth… The bible is filled with many promises, but the fruition of those promises usually takes years and countless hours to be birthed… The Israelites were told that they would receive the Promise Land, but it took over forty years and a lost generation before they settled in the Land promised by God, Job lost all He had and waited countless days and months before the Lord blessed him with double what he had… Paul was struck with blindness by God on his way to Damascus and for three days could not see… God has made promises of deliverance, victory and blessings to you; however, as a child of God you must be careful to allow His will to unfold in your life…

If you decide to inquire of God as to when and/or how these things will come about in your life that is fine, but you must also remain faithful in knowing that God doesn’t work on your timetable and that there will be times when you may not receive the response you’re looking for or even get a response from God at all (see Job)… What Paul is teaching today is that trying to do things on your own will lead to more problems and conflicts, we must pray about situations instead of acting or reacting, we must lay our request (petitions) before the Lord instead of moving without His guidance and we must always be thankful… The key to making a request to God is to always be thankful for what He has already done in your life and what He is doing… I make many requests to God; however, I make these requests because of the kindness and faithfulness that He has already shown and I am careful to give Him thanks because of His goodness… You may be making a request to God in the form of deliverance, healing or financial freedom today; however, make sure that you recognize the blessings that God has already bestowed, know that you are blessed to simply be able to go before Him and lay your problems at the foot of his throne… When you are careful to avoid anxiety and make a rash decision, you allow God’s plan and will to take affect, when you are praying for God’s guidance He will impart it to you, when you are thankful and recognize His sovereignty than His peace will be bestowed into the situation… This peace will give you comfort to sleep, this peace will allow you to stop worrying, this peace will give you confidence to know that even though things may not be happening according your plan, things are taking place and that God is in the midst… He will guard your heart (keep you out of harm’s way) and your mind (keep you from making bad decisions) as long as you keep your focus on Christ… If you want peace, if you want comfort, focus on Christ and allow God to focus on your problems!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Look To Jesus To Find Strength

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:3

There is no shortcut to reaching the heights and plateau that God has designed for you; there is no way to circumvent the paths and lanes which were uniquely customized for your feet to travel… In today’s devotional we are reminded that we must focus on our source of strength instead of dwelling on our current problem or situation… There are so many of us who daily find ourselves being caught up in situations to the point that we neglect and negate the power and presences of God… When you find yourself on the verge of throwing in the proverbial towel, when you feel like you are at the end of your rope and can’t see any way out, the author tells you that you must consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners… Remember all the snares, trials and hardships that Jesus faced; remember the heartache and spiritual pain that was firmly thrust upon His shoulders and know that in the end He was victorious… You can draw strength from the Lord by simply reflecting on all that He has done in your life and even before you were born… Jesus fought the good fight over 2,000 years ago so that you could see this day; He considered it not robbery to leave His home in glory so that you could one day reside with Him… All these things Jesus did for you and this alone should provide your source of strength and motivation to do the same… The enemy can only defeat you if you allow Him too... The proof of this statement is in the words of Jesus Christ recorded in the 4th chapter of Matthew… 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. The passage from Matthew should serve as a great source of encouragement for the weak and discouraged believer… The devil presented Jesus with choices to try and deter His divine destiny; however, Jesus standing firm on the knowledge of God was able to combat Him and prevail… Today, know that the enemy will present choices in your life; He cannot defeat you, but will try to get you to ultimately be your own worse enemy and thus defeat yourself… Jesus drew strength from the words It is written; you can draw that same strength from Him today and not allow the enemy to overwhelm you to the point that you give up on your divine calling and destiny… All these things which Jesus endured was not only to bring Salvation into reality, but it also was to display the Lord’s victory over sin so that you will not grow weary and lose heart… 

So many of us would have bailed and given up if it were not for the story of Jesus being spoken to us… We would have ran from our calling and not stood in faith if we didn’t know about a man from the town of Bethlehem and how He overcame every device of the enemy to fulfill the prophetic words of old… Jesus opened the door to rekindle our relationship with the father and also left us with a rod of reinforcement to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel… This life is filled with ups and downs; the minute you think you have peace of mind is the same minute you find yourself on the verge of pulling out your hair… There are many trials and tribulations that we are too fast and the word of God declares to us that we are assured to encounter test and opposition… The beginning of the 12^th chapter of Hebrews starts off by saying, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus conquered what people thought was unconquerable (death) and is not sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us… He is a living example that things are not always what they same and even the most trying situations can produce the most fulfilling results… Keep your hand to the plow; the field will produce the harvest which will make the sowing all that more enjoyable…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!