He Can Still Reach The Loss

But if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.

Nehemiah 1:9

The Bible declares in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…” The sooner we come to realize that we need Christ in our lives, the sooner we can begin to live and live more abundantly… In this passage, the people of God have been uprooted, and scattered throughout the land; however, Nehemiah comes and reminds them that no matter how bad things appear, God can still hear and heal “…if you return to me and obey my commands…” Disobedience led to the alteration of God’s children’s lives and this defiant attitude will lead to our demise as well… Notice the call Nehemiah puts forth in our scripture reading today; if you want prosperity, if you want peace, if you want health, if you want joy, you must obey… When you obey God, “…then, even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there…” 

Your call is to walk according to the will of God, and not to worry or become discouraged… This passage reminds us of the importance of staying focused on our Christian journey… God spoke to Joshua when Moses had passed and told him “not to turn to left or the right…” Isaiah spoke of the path of righteousness in the 30th chapter of his prophetic book and said that we aren’t to “go to the left or the right…” The children of God had lost their way and were in great suffering; however, God speaks through Nehemiah and reminds them that His grace still abounds even when they have turned away. Likewise, for us, God's grace is still present even when we have detoured from His will. This speaks to the love and desires that God has for you to be more and do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can comprehend… He desires for you to “Be Blessed,” He desires for you to reap the harvest and lay up a crown of righteousness… Know that God still sits high and looks low, He is still our all and all, and in due time He will snatch you out of the very depths that THINK they have your fate in their hands… Obey His word and walk in His will, HE will take care of the rest! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Will Supply All Your Needs

But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:19-20

Through the hardships of life, Paul learned invaluable lessons… When no one was there for him, he learned who was always by his side… When he was cast down and stoned, Paul came to know who lifted him up and healed his body… Through all the toils and snares, the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations; there was one constant in his life… This is the reason why he states 9 verses early, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Paul had grown in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior and his faith would not allow him to become disheartened or saddened by the frailties of life… This passage we focus on today speaks of the faith that we must have knowing that God not only can but that He “…shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory…” Hebrews declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen… Paul explains to us that we are called to walk by faith; this means that we are to trust the Lord in all our affairs of life… One of the biggest challenges that face Christians today is trusting in the Lord when we are called to move from our place of comfort… If we believe that God will never fail us, then we should have faith to give to others and let go of things to help others while we solely depend on the Lord… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Spread The Word; Break The Chains

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.

Isaiah 61:1

Isaiah was called by God to go and prophesy, He was called to go to a rebellious people and declare the things that God revealed to him… What I find so fascinating about this scripture is the boldness that Isaiah has to go forward and speak the word of the Lord… Understand today that we are all called to set the captives free; however, it is through the spirit of God that we obtain the might, authority, and direction to fulfill this task and the destiny that God has called us to… Isaiah 6: 5-8 teaches us about where we were and how the spirit’s presence changes and transforms situations… 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? "And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Isaiah wasn’t always about the work of the Lord, when He saw the glory of the Lord he cried out woe is me, I am undone, I am not worthy to behold this wonder; however when He was touched by the live coal, the Lord asked who shall I send and Isaiah replied “Here I am. Send me…" We too are not worthy of the glory of the Lord, we are not worthy of the offering that Christ poured out on the cross; however, we have received a golden opportunity to walk in the will of the Lord and are promised Eternal Life when we obey His calling... Isaiah’s confidence is found in knowing that God has cleansed him and prepared him for this task… Remember where you were before God gave you that second chance; when you realize that you were filthy and deep in sin, you'd be wise to appreciate the avenue that God has paved for you and therefore can be bold in the midst of a troubled world and society… There is somebody that you will encounter today who is waiting for you to display your boldness in the Spirit of God… Allow God to use you in the way he deems fit; lives will be changed and situations altered…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Is In Control

Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Revelation 1:17-18

 

As we walk this earth, we are reminded that we have nothing to fear; understand that there is nothing in this world or of this world that can overtake the will and plan that God has for your life… The revelation revealed to John teaches us that God was there before human existence and in the end, He will still remain… Jesus indeed did die as all humans will; however, spiritually the bible says that He gave up the ghost and it is by His spirit that we have nothing to fear, by His spirit we can overcome mountains and receive life and life more abundantly… Notice the blessing and strength given unto the Children of God in this passage. It tells us to FEAR NOT, so many of us are worried about what the future holds, where we will be in the next couple of years, whether we will find that special someone, and whether we'll be happy and have a stable job and income. John reminds us through the sacrifice of Jesus that we have nothing to fear. We don’t have to worry; we don’t have to be confused, or unstable in our actions on this earth. Jesus declares that he was the first and the last. This means that He was the first to endure hardships, He was the first to go through the grind of dealing with the penalty of sin, but it also means that He was the last, He went through the obstacles and defeated every last one of them. Your sin has already been dealt with, and your future is already promised to be fruitful. There is no need for you to fear because God already knows what you need and as long as you seek Him first, you will receive all you need and more…

This is my hope and passion, this is what I rest and look forward to, this is why I don’t fear the current circumstances, and NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

He Reigns

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26

Amid your trials and tribulations, God is at work… While Jesus was enduring the mocking and agony of the cross His rewards were being prepared as well… Today let us understand that the enemy may appear to have the upper hand, but while we are in the worst of times, God is in the best and will defeat the foe that stands before us… Paul says He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet… Jesus will stand the test of time (as He showed when He took the form of man), there is nothing in or of this world that will outlast God’s love, grace, and mercy. We as believers should take courage today in knowing that Paul was right when He said “No weapon formed against you shall prosper”… Isaiah was dead on when he said “He will make His enemies His footstool”… Every obstacle you face can be overcome, every trial can serve a positive purpose and every tribulation can promote endurance within you… Paul also wrote that this race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure! Let us endure as Jesus did on the cross, let us endure as Jesus did when He was mocked, and let us endure as Jesus did when He was spit on… A lot of us may be finding ourselves in situations where the enemy seems to be winning, let us not become weary in well-doing for we shall reap a harvest if we faint not… Your task at hand is to hold to God’s unchanging hand, your objective is to maintain your faith throughout every storm that comes your way because God will reign over your life and provide victory through your turmoil… Keep fighting the good fight and finish this race, those running against you or those who appear to have the upper hand will not beat you to the finish line!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Word Will Not Return Void

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

Stand true in your faith knowing today that His word “…shall not return unto me void…” God has said that things will change, and He has promised in His word that walking with Him will produce fruits that your labor will be worth; however, many of us today become so frustrated with what appears to be fruitless labor to the point that we give up and don’t adhere to the call God has upon our lives…  The word of God declares, “If you abide in me I will abide in you…” His word is that “weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning” His word is that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…” You have read plenty of promises that God has for those who keep the faith in a faithless world and today we are assured that even though things may appear unaltered, God is working and His work will continue to be performed “until Christ returns…” You are working in His vineyard and your reward is assured… This call from Isaiah is for you to stay the course and know that your years of blood sweat and tears are producing and watering seeds that God has in you… When you feel as if your labor is in vain, remember what the bible declares, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”God never said it would be easy, but what He did say is that all those who call on His name will be saved! He never said that you wouldn’t see dark days and sleepless nights, but He did say that a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but if you make the Lord your dwelling place it will not come near you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Spend Your Time Wisely

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

The psalmist speaks to the focus and mindset that a child of God must have… We cannot assume things as if we have control over the number of days we live on this earth! Too often we put off for tomorrow what we should complete today. This psalm is a prayer for guidance and a petition for the Lord to teach us to walk in His marvelous light… The psalmist recognizes that God is the head and founder of all; the foundations of the earth are His... The psalmist states and is stating that God returns man to dust and controls our afflictions. If we are to walk as a child of the most high, we must learn to number our days. This is not speaking of a plan as to when we are going to do x, y, and z; but rather it speaks to a humble approach, being thankful for the days (today) you have been privileged to witness and knowing that tomorrow is never promised! Number your days by taking them one at a time, number your days living each day knowing it is a blessing and privilege to see… 

If God touches you and wakes you in the morning, know that you have been afforded another chance to develop a more intimate relationship with Him, know that you have been given another chance to make peace with your adversaries, and submit your life to Christ! See, oftentimes we try to fulfill our own lustful and fleshly desires believing that we will have a chance to repent and God will forgive us (we don’t number our days) because we live as if tomorrow we can right all of our wrongs; however, the psalmist is calling for us to focus on living a life that pleases God now and not trying to put off until we have experienced what this world has to offer… We need to number our days so that we can apply our hearts to wisdom. Believing that today is a gift will put us in the mindset that Christ has blessed us by touching us early this morning! We will awaken with praises flowing from our lips as well as the warm blood within our veins… 

Don’t expect tomorrow, trust Him and live today!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!