God Is Able

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

One thing that’s certain is that God desires for you to have a clear focus in life… He desires for you to prosper beyond your imagination and He doesn’t want to see you fail. Evidence of this desire being true can be found in God sending His only begotten son to die for us while we were still sinners and didn’t even love ourselves let alone Him… Paul makes a powerful statement today through this passage however, the first portion encompasses what the true Christian must come to obtain and remember as he simply states to the body of believers today that “God is able…” Despite the way things may appear, despite how gruesome the outlook may be, you must stand your ground, continue to fight the good fight of faith and hold on to the almighty’s unchanging hand knowing and having full confidence in the fact that He is able… There isn’t any problem He cannot solve, no pain He cannot heal no broken heart that He cannot mend… Wherever your storm wages its biggest attack on your life, wherever you feel like the weight that is upon your shoulders has increased and become unbearable know that not only is God able but that He can “make all grace abound toward you…” This is something that we must depend on and rely on in the basis of our faith… God is able to bring you through the storms of life, love and maturity! 

God is able to lift you up in times of despair, tragedy and hardship. In times of struggle, in times of tribulations, in times of turmoil, when we feel like giving up, when we feel like throwing in the towel, when we feel like the enemy has won, the bible says that we are to “stand still and know that I am God!” Remember where God has already brought you from, remember the things that He has promised to those who remain faithful, remember that God is able… This passage taken from Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth states that God is able to make all grace abound toward you, this tells us that if we walk within the will of God and live within the power of His being, we will be able to complete the task that are put before us and will receive all that we stand in need of. All grace implies that God won’t take any shortcuts, nor will He sell you short of reaching the ultimately goal… The bible says that we are to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness and everything else will be added unto you…” God won’t turn His back on you, He won’t put more on you than you can bare and will always bring you out victoriously… Remember the writer is Paul and He too had trials that he had to face, hills he had to climbs and storms that were purposely designed for him… Paul was given a “thorn in the flesh” and prayed for God to remove it… God did not honor Paul’s request, instead He said “my Grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness…” Through God’s grace you are strong even at your weakest moment, by God’s grace you can finish the race even when there is nothing left in the tank, by God’s grace you can endure this rugged road and make it through… 

The church of Corinth had endured many hardships; they were dealing with many false doctrines, and evil within the church. Paul is sending a letter of encouragement today for them to keep the faith, continue to trust in the Lord, and continue to hold to his unchanging hand. This encouragement is needed for us today, we need to remember that God has said that He will never leave us, we need to remember that He said he will never forsake us, we need to bring back to remembrance that He is able to make all grace abound to you. Paul says you will have sufficiency in all things, you will be capable of handling every obstacle, and you will be competent when the storms of life rage against your home… Paul stated on his death bed that he had fought the good fight; he tells the church that God will do all this to “every good work!” As long as you are doing the work of God all grace will abound, as long as you are serving our God all grace will abound, as long as you remained focused on the will and way of the Lord all grace will abound… So keep fighting the good fight, finish the course, run the race, keep plowing in the vineyard, and keep your faith alive because there is crown of glory waiting for you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Is Your Foundation

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:37-39

This passage deals with the priorities that we set in life, a certain man inquired of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew as to which of the commandments is the greatest, Jesus replied that “thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…” These verses deal with the required level of commitment that one must have in living under the authority of our Lord and Savior… Simply put, God must be preeminent in you life and you must serve Him in all that you do… We cannot be unstable or double-minded when it comes to following Jesus; either we take up our cross or we live according to the will of the world! The book of revelations tells us that a lukewarm church will be vomited out of the mouth of God and Jesus is speaking to us today and telling us that we must be committed to serving the Lord in every aspect of our living. This requires that we believe even when things get tough, that we have faith even in times of uncertainty and that we praise Him even when storms have swept through our households! Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.To love is to sacrifice; to love is to take action towards something and that we are giving up ourselves to exalt another… 

So when you tell someone you love them, do you mean it? Are you willing to sacrifice your own desires to see them succeed, are you willing to humble yourself that they may be exalted, or are you merely saying what they want to hear? This journey takes total humility, reliability and accountability towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… Don’t ask it; don’t say it, unless you are ready to live it… This goes hand and hand with our spiritual journey to, are we speaking the words we believe God wants to hear, or are we living a life of love? Notice that this is the first commandment; this is the first and most important rule to live by. Of course, we are not to kill, we are not to steal, and we are not to covet, or speak the Lords name in vain. Yes we are to keep the Ten Commandments given to Moses, but Jesus is telling us that in order to keep those commandments, we must first build a foundation of love. Jesus goes on to say that the second is like unto it,“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…” Again love is an action word; it requires expression through movement… In acknowledging our love for God, we must show it to our fellow man as well… Jesus said that, “if you enemy is hunger, fed him, if he is thirsty, give him drink…” 

We have a duty and responsibility to serve on this earth… Jesus came to serve, not be served and we are here on this earth to serve Him by serving others… We must give to those in need, lend a helping hand whenever it is needed and sacrifice our own desires to lift our brothers up… James said that it’s not enough to tell someone in need that they shall be well fed and go in peace! We must move and show the love that we claim we have… James also said, “Faith without works is dead…” Let us not be about lip service, but about serving the words that come from our lips by living a life that is pleasing to our king… We often talk of the life that Christ lived, but we never look at His life. He always gave of himself, from the time He was teaching in the synagogues up until the time He was strung out on the cross. His life was sacrifice, His life was obedience, His life was humility, His life was an offering to mankind, when we see all this; we can truly say that Christ life was love!!!! The bible says that we are co-heirs with Christ and are to follow Him, let us live accordingly and treat others as He desires and treated them!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Being Conceited Digs Your Own Grave

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 26:12 

The same point when we think we have figured everything out is the same point that we come to the harsh realities of life and realize that we have figured out nothing… The bible refers countless times about the importance of remaining humble and always seeking to learn and grow… Eartha Kitt said, “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” What is the difference between a wise man in his own conceit and a fool? This is the question that has been put forth within this proverb and the answer can be found in these very words. The wise man spoken of in this passage believes he is wise by his on regard; this is a scary concept that plagues a lot of mankind in this day and age. We get a little money in our pockets, a “dream job” and all of a sudden we have a since that we have arrived… We feel that we are entitled to look down on others and flaunt our success… Solomon is driving us to remember who is at the helm, who touches you in the morning, clothes you in your right mind and sheds His grace upon your life… When we are conceited, we believe that nobody can tell us anything, we believe that we have the ability to do whatever we want whenever we want and that all of our life-decisions are true and pure. This can’t be any further from the truth… 

Jesus said that if we confess our sins that He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This wise man will never confess, because he doesn’t see any wrong. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a “rich man” to enter heaven… This speaks to the heart of a conceited person, this kind of person refuses to humble himself, they deny the flaws that are present within their lives and try to paint this picture of perfection… That is why there is more hope for a fool, a fool acknowledges himself for what he is, and he doesn’t try to pretend and has already observed the lowest position on this earth… The fool has come to a realization that he is messing up, the people around him have told him of his faults and he has acknowledged that there are things in his life that he needs to change, but until that happens he is of no use to God. A fool is a con, a dupe, and a deceiver. This means that this person is a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber! Both people portrayed here are on the wrong path; however, the fool has a better chance at salvation because he knows his faults, the question is, is he willing to change them? 

It’s one thing to know the mistakes you have made, but it is a total different situation when you feel that you don’t make mistakes… The person who can identify mistakes can (over time) learn from them and possibly correct them; however, the man who doesn’t see any wrong and believes that every decision is right will never revisit failures and therefore never inherit the precious promises of God… Ask yourself today, do you know the things in our lives that God is not happy with? Do you realize that there are some things in your lives that God wants you to abstain from, or remove so that you can be purified? We all are faced with these questions because none of us are perfect. These questions are answered daily along this Christian journey as we are challenged and tempted until Jesus returns to this earth. It is only through humility that you can be lifted up, it’s only through turning away that you can find your way… Acknowledge, identify and submit unto the Lord! If you feel that your life is perfect, if you feel that nobody can tell you anything of substance, or if you feel that you are just too wise for people to see; check you self now, you might be the wise man that really is the FOOL without knowing it!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Release The Negative; Embrace The Positive

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

There are two important steps in our Christian walk that must be taken daily… The first is that we must cast down imaginations; everyday of our lives we are tempted by oppositions or the lust of the flesh, Paul calls for us to stand firm in the faith… Second, once we free ourselves from temptation we must set our minds on the thoughts of Christ… The psalm writer said, “I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee…” We must cast down evil while we cleave to good… Paul tells us in his letter to the Church of Rome, the 12 chapter that we are not to be conformed to this world, but that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds… Your mind is one of the most powerful tools that you posses… The bible says that if we believe and not doubt we will be saved and can move mountains… Believing involves your heart and mind (remember Paul said we wrestle not against flesh)… We must focus our thoughts on things of God or we will fall short in every trial or obstacle that we face… Today Paul reminds us that this war we fight daily is not physical, but spiritual and mental. Our thoughts lead to actions and actions lead to results that could be fatal… 

We must learn to remove negative thoughts that labor in our minds daily (cast down imaginations) and bring into our thoughts the obedience of Christ; that is, learning, studying and applying His word within our lives…First we must cast down imaginations and high thoughts; in short we must pry ourselves away from the worldly view and physical gains on this earth. The three P’s (Power, Prestige and Pride) of life are the biggest hurdles that we must overcome in order to abide within the perimeters of this passage… Power is a vice that all too often people will do whatever it takes to obtain, when we seek vain glory and positions of authority we are focused on Prestige, the accolades associated with a title and this leads to a haughty attitude which is better known by its five letter name Pride… So many of us have become so prideful and power hungry that we have eased away from God and have a false since of confidence that we have now placed in the flesh. That’s why Paul says to cast down imaginations, we are imagining the safety in money, and we are imagining the safety in man, or in wealth, when we need to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Every high thing could be positions of authority, it could be items that cost a substantial amount of money, or it could be relationships built upon everything but God. Notice that Paul says these things go against God, how many things in your life have tried and or become more substantial to you than knowing Jesus? 

This walk as a Christian begins with you, Christ is standing with open arms, but we must humble ourselves by casting down the evils of this world, and the schemes of the devil. Once we have hurdled the obstacle of self value and ego, we must cling to the word of God. Notice this verse say to bring into captivity. Not only must we turn from evil, but we must cleave to that which is good… The Israelites were in bondage for hundreds of years in Babylon, to bring into captivity is to capture, and never let go! We have to capture God’s word within our hearts, we have to put the word of God into bondage within our temple and never let go! Jacob wrestled with all night long and said, “I will not let go unless you bless me…” Again, I believe the Psalmist said it best when he said “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you…” It is not good enough to read the bible every now and then, or go to church every now and then, because we are not being equipped for the battles ahead. Think of it this way, everyday that you go without reading Gods word is a day you have lost in the battle. We say its okay, and I am too tired to study tonight, or that God understands. The ironic thing about saying that is that these words are the false imaginations that Paul is writing about to us today that must be cast down!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Angels Are Watching Over You

Are (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

Angels are spiritual beings which serve in many facets; one being messengers of God… Angels were the very beings that came to tend to Jesus after His fast in the wilderness and the temptation He faced with Satan; Angels brought forth the decrees to Mary about her immaculate conception, Joseph about taking Mary as His wife and Zechariah about Elizabeth conceiving; Angels are the ones spoken of in John’s revelation about the bowls of God’s wrath being poured out; angels were coming from the 4 points of the earth… Angels serve very prominent and powerful positions in the kingdom of God… The bible records the love and affection that God had for His creation of man and how everything on this earth was under his authority; however, Hebrews 2 reminds us that as powerful as man was and is, he was made “a little lower than the angels…” I quote this verse from the book of Hebrews to echo the divine rank that angels hold. God, through the grace and mercy that He continues to display toward us wants us to take courage in knowing that there have been ministering spirits placed throughout the world and our daily journeys to encourage, uplift and comfort us. 

This passage brings me to understand that there will be days when I am frustrated, there will be times when I want to give in or give up, there will be points in this walk when I will become unglued and feel like the weight of the world is upon my shoulders… In these perilous times, we should find encouragement in knowing that God has designed spiritual beings for the purpose of “ministering. One of my favorite passages from the bible is Psalms 91; this psalm speaks to the shelter that one finds in the shadows of the almighty… In this 91^st Psalm, the writer records in the 11^th verse that God will deploy angels to journey with you, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” As you go up the rough steep incline that is your daily mountain, know that Angels are there aiding you, pushing you and even sustaining you… This is why our focus verse starts of by posing a question concerning the duties of angels… Make no mistake about it; Angels are all around you, conducting works that you don’t even know are being done…. The kind word you receive to give you enough motivation to push a little harder can be bestowed by an Angel, the pat on your back for a job well done when you think nobody recognizes your worth can be from an Angel; the person you met on the street that really touched and wormed your heart can be an Angel… Knowing the institutional makeup of an Angel and the duties they carry brings me to another key component that we must grasp from this verse. 

As a child of God we are held to a higher standard and are also charged to embrace; we must embrace strangers, embrace situations, and embrace obstacles knowing that we are called to walk in faith… The same obstacle you reject could be the very obstacle that will take you to your God given destiny… The stranger you avoid could be the same stranger that will lead you to the path of your prosperity in Christ… Learn to love, learn to be content, and learn to be worry free from this passage knowing that God has dispatched His angels to take care of you… Receive those kind words, speak to that person that everyone avoids, that person you encounter today could be your Angel… The bible records in Hebrews 13:2,“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” We have heard many times about angels bringing forth information to a person or a people regarding the pathway of God… Many of us now are encountering Angels on a daily basis (people in our lives); they bring you comfort, they bring you peace, they bring you joy, they bring you happiness, they bring you encouragement… They minister to your needs; however, you’re missing the blessing because you don’t’ see the wings or the halo…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Christ Provides You A Clean Slate

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

You aren’t a child of God if your lifestyle and attributes have not changed… Paul (the writer of this letter to the church of Corinth) once recognized himself as the chief sinner; however, after His encounter with the Lord on the Damascus road his outlook on life changed... This same thing can be said for Nicodemus after speaking with Jesus in the night; the bottom line being that when we become a member of the body of Christ we are a “new creature”, your life cannot be the same. I recall several stories that people have told me regarding different things that they experienced in their respective lives. Near death experiences, death defying stunts that completely altered their way of thinking. The same is to be said about encounters with the Lord. The things your eyes are opened to defy the odds, they defeat the stronghold of death and temptation and they expose you to God’s sovereign power and the might He possess to pull you out of near death experiences… Paul was headed to hell if it where not for the grace and mercy of God… 

When you really come to understand that Jesus loves you, when you really come to understand and know that God thought enough of His creation to save you, your life cannot be the same. When I hear about kind words that have been spoken about me they impact my life. When I hear about the potential that someone sees in me that means more than you can imagine. These are the same things that God says and thinks about you. This is why He was willing to allow His son to lay down His life for you… When you realize that you were created in God’s image, you were made in perfection and clothed in humility; your life can no longer be subject to people’s perspectives or thoughts…. This is why Paul goes on to say “old things are passed away…” Your mindset changes; what was important before is a (n) afterthought now and you soon realize that beauty is more than skin deep… After encountering Jesus, Paul realized how ugly and dark His life was… It isn’t until you see the beauty of God and the wonders of His desires that you realize how misguided your way of thinking is without Him… It isn’t until you feel His unconditional love and warmth that you realize that this is a love that exceeds what any man or woman can give you… Knowing that “all things become new” tells me that there should be evidence of God in your life through the actions and steps you take. 

Your directive should be altered, your direction should be rerouted and your focus should be on things eternal and not seen… This is why Paul also says that we are called to “walk by faith and not by sight…” Your old way of thinking was focused on the physical, you approached life from a visible state; however, in Christ you see things on earth but recognize that they can be altered and overcome with your attention being eternal. In Christ you indeed are a new creature and I should see it with the new walk that you demonstrate… Things that could annoy you or upset you should be discarded and brushed off in Christ. People who speak unkind words will be prayed for and over in Christ. You indeed will show forth proof of Christ indwelling Spirit and a transformation will be apparent in your life… Through Jesus death on the cross, we have been enabled to experience eternal life… All sin was bore on the cross, all power is now in His hands, and He has given us that same power to overcome sin, and eternal damnation if we believe in Him and His bloodshed… Thanks be to God our father forever, if you can’t say amen to things below, you may still be in the world instead of being in Christ…

Are you in Christ Jesus? You should have a new walk.  Are you in Christ Jesus? You should have a new talk. Are you in Christ Jesus? There should be a beat of a different drum. Old things are passed away, your slate is clean; you have a fresh start, you’re a new creature!

The bible declares that we are called as children of God to do the following:

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Fast With A Purpose

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 

Isaiah 58:6

I find it ironic how many times we throw our hands up in despair and wonder why God would allow trials and tribulations to ravage our lives. We continually find ourselves complaining and becoming frustrated as we proclaim that we are trying to live a Christian life, but things are just too complicated and are never easy. Isaiah declared to the Israelites the same thing that he declares to us today; God has not caused your pain and chaos, it was of your own doing. The Israelites had become so prideful amongst themselves, they believed that they could just do want they wanted and if things got dicey God would show up and deliver them out of whatever it is they were facing; sound familiar?They remembered slavery in Egypt, they remembered the cloud by day and fire by night, and they remembered the red sea and manna from heaven. They just know that God would always provide for them and never allow them to see pain, even if they deserved it! Sound familiar? Today, Isaiah reminds us that the desires of God are “To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens…” 

The plan that God has for creation didn’t involve suffering, it didn’t involve persecution nor did it involve pain; however, through the enticing that is our sinful nature we incurred several complications which caused unnecessary chaos and confusion… This is why our prayers fall on deaf ears, this is why the children of God fasted and the movement of God was not felt… We often times pray about situations and then go on with our lives doing exactly what we are not suppose to do… God desires more than just prayer, He desires more than sackcloth and ashes (which is written in the previous verses of this chapter)… He desires a willingness and determination to bind wickedness; break strongholds and set the captives free… The true fast isn’t simply giving up food for a period of time; it involves a total sacrifice of mind, spirit and body… The true fast is a willingness to completely depend on God to supply all your needs… The children of God had become engulfed with tradition instead of intent which is what so easily besets the church of today… This is why Isaiah is called to remind them of the true fast and what it is that God desires from them… Verse 3 and 4 or our focus chapter today says, “³Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. ⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.” 

The time has come for us to worship God in spirit and in truth… Playing church is no longer a (n) option… Your connection with God is evident in your walk as it will display the traits listed above in the 6^th verse… When you are fasting in total submission to God things will change, lives will be transformed and hearts will be mended… Understand today that what plagued the Israelites back then is what plagues mankind today; we have this false impression that God is a bell-hop waiting at our beaconing call to remove evil and trials from our lives. On contrary, God allows us to go through tough times because we don’t allow Him to guide our lives. Notice the message from Isaiah to God’s children; is this not the fast I have chosen; to loose the wickedness, undo burdens, let oppressed go free, and break every yoke! God has chosen to remove the dominion of wickedness, bare our burdens, and set the captives free. All this was accomplished through the bloodshed of Jesus Christ. He makes it clear in the beginning of this verse that this is what HE has chosen to do, God had a choice, and we have choices. He choose to give us a second chance, He choose to send His son to die that we might live, He choose to clothe is son in imperfection, that we might be perfected! A lot of our burdens are self-inflected; God doesn’t want to see you suffer without the fruits that will promote growth and maturation; so ask yourself today, what is the reasons behind your pain?

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!