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 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 an 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 resided within themselves and not God… It 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… He's waiting on you to turn toward Him.

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 prayers which have been 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; 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 - nervousness, unease, and apprehension about something eventually becomes a bridle within our minds, taking captive our thoughts and the direct steps 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… Some situations we all face 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 of 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 them 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 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 that 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… 

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 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… So many of us daily find ourselves caught up in situations to the point that we neglect and negate God's power and presence… 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 a 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 2000 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 indeed did accomplish them 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 and 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… 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!

Confession + Prayer = Healing

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16

Problems derive from faults not being confessed or mistakes made not being addressed… Today’s devotion reminds us of the importance of confessing one another’s faults to each other to promote or initiate healing… Many people walk around in life with open wounds; these wounds are infected daily because bitterness has not been removed and anger continues to fester like bacteria with oxygen… This same principle applies to the offender and the offended; as the offender, oftentimes we will deny wrongdoing which will allow a spirit of pride, self-righteousness, and an egotistical mindset to be rooted in us and drive us further from the truth… To have closure in your life which gives way to healing, you must either acknowledge your wounds or confess your actions which led to someone being wounded… This acknowledgment must not only take place, but must also be prayed over; this is why James goes on to say that not only must we confess our faults, but that we must pray one for another… Recognizing the mistake you made or the offense that someone committed against you is the first step; however, until you seek a resolution and closure through prayer this issue will not and cannot be resolved… In understanding the importance of prayer, I am led to remind you that the issues you face in life are not meant for you to handle but to teach you to turn them over to the Lord… There are so many problems that could’ve been resolved and so many issues that could’ve been handled differently if we gave way to the plan and move of the Holy Spirit… Prayer is essential and the catalyst for healing because it removes all the infected items (you and the other person) from being involved thus making the matter even worse… Confess your faults, pray over the matter, and allow God to heal and resolve.

ALL FOR HIS GLORY! 

You'll Lift; He'll Draw

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 12:32

Jesus's promise in the Gospel of John today to His disciples is a promise of simplicity and power… Our simple task (which isn’t that simple given our sinful nature and natural desires) is to lift up Jesus. Through this very act of exalting him, we see His power manifested in that He “will draw all men unto him…” This very passage recorded in the 12^th chapter is the key to our life on this earth and serves as a great tool for witnessing to those who do not know Christ or have gone astray... As a Christian, we have the faith that Christ is the center of our being. This says that if we lift him up, He will draw. In all things, focus on Him; continue to lift His name above your pain and suffering, lift Him in your worry and tribulation, exalt Him during your storms; knowing that if you focus on Him, He will bring you out. He will deliver you from the muck and mire, and you will be just like a tree planted by the waters; you shall not be moved!!! When something is lifted it is exalted, raised, or elevated above. This speaks to the true heart of a Christian! It is very easy to praise God when you or your family and friends are blessed, but is His name lifted in and through your life when storms rise? Is He receiving your praise when tribulations come knocking on your door? Christ is posing a thought to us today, “if I be lifted up…” He is seeking for you to lift Him above every situation; He wants you to speak His name over every obstacle and blessing you incur or encounter… Don’t lose sight of God’s goodness and the power that lies in the name of Jesus! The word “if” implies that a choice must be made; so many lives have been lost, and so many paths have led many astray because people are scared to lift up Jesus… When trials come, when a family member goes astray, we are to focus on God and not the situation… When we lift up Jesus, He promises that He will draw… It doesn’t matter how far they have gone, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you have made; when you lift Him up He will draw and bind every broken piece back together… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

They Have To Dwell In You

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 

You can do nothing without the power and presence of God…Even though the world declares that we can do many things if we apply ourselves, the word of God informs us today that even Jesus Christ had to be anointed and aided by the Holy Ghost to do good and heal all that were oppressed by the devil… Notice that today’s devotion declares that we need the anointing of God not to just perform miracles but simply to do good… Sin is naturally a part of our being, we are filled with filth and a strong desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh… Doing good embodies so many actions of our daily lives; we need the presence of God in our lives to speak kindness amidst gossip and betrayal, we need His anointing to extend a helping hand to our adversary and enemies…When we are of this world, we focus on trying to get ahead using whatever means necessary; however, when we are under the anointing of God we have faith that we will reach new heights and are willing to extend a hand to those we pass along the way… We all have probably heard the saying “What would Jesus do” and after reading this question I am left posing the question how did Jesus do it…? How is it that He could allow Judas to kiss Him in betrayal, how could He heal the ear of the guard, how could He keep quiet while all the lies were spoken about Him and how could He endure the cross knowing that His life was lived without blame… The answer lies in the words of this passage; God anointed Him and the Holy Ghost guided Him… This same principle must be applied to your life; you won’t be able to do what Jesus did if you don’t have the same in-dwelling spirit that He did… In short, you must come to know the Father and allow the Father to be within you so that you can accomplish the most possible on this earth…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Cares; You'll See In Due Time

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humility is the characteristic that if handled correctly will unlock the divine will and plan of God for your life… I say that it must be handled correctly because humility can also unlock destruction and chaos in one's life if you are humbling yourself to the wrong authority… This is why Peter says Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God; your humility can either be used to promote or tear down and it must be handled carefully… The meek temperament shown through humility allows someone to be molded, shaped, or fashioned for a specific purpose… In the Beatitudes, Jesus Christ declares “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” When you allow yourself to be molded, you then can be transformed to go to another level in Christ which will in turn open up doors in your life to inherit things that you never thought you would be able to obtain… A meek person is submissive; they are compliant to the authority in their lives and are mild-mannered… I keep reiterating this point because it is of the utmost importance that we understand how humility unlocks God's favor but can also lead us down a path of darkness and destruction if we submit to the wrong things… 

A lot of us become frustrated with the will and plan of God; we don’t see Him moving as we desire and so we find ourselves submitting to the desires of the flesh or this world…  This is why Peter says that we must first submit to the mighty hand of God and then proceeds to say that this must happen so that he may exalt you in due time…You have to know that just because you submit to the will of God doesn’t mean that He is going to act in your favor or on your behalf right away… So many of us are looking for a big miracle and God is simply paving avenues to your divine destiny… Your faith and humility are stable when your foundation is founded on knowing that God will move in time… The things of this world teach you that results should be instant, but that logic does not align with how God moves. As 2nd Peter reminds us, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day... God's plan is working and will be revealed in due time. The Bible also declares in Isaiah that “his ways are not our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts…” God has plans being carried out and you must learn today that your humility can not be deterred based on when or what types of results you see… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!