Endure Temptation; Your Crown Awaits

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 

James 1:12

Every man faces temptations; however, the one that is blessed is the one that endures them and doesn’t give in…  I was once told that the saddest thing about someone quitting a project or process is that they never realize how close they were to completing it and the same can be said of our Christian journey… The temptations we face appear to be the easy way out, but the reality is that you are so close to the blessings of God if you just hold on a little while longer… The things that catch your eye in this life will never satisfy the vision that God has placed inside of you… The difference between being blessed and not lies in the sacrifice and obedience that one has within… Daily, we all face decisions; however, the question that we have to have at the heart of our decisions is to whom are we trying to please… You can only endure temptations if you have a hearts desire to please the Lord… Make no mistake about it, the story of your life is unique to you, but the challenges that you faced in getting to where you are now is quite similar to everyone on this journey… We all have been and will be tested; this is why James says “for when he is tried…” he doesn’t say if, but when; you can rest assured that in seeking to live according to the will of God that Satan will try you… 

He will try to paint a picture of gloom and doom and lead you down a path of destruction that will end with you throwing in the towel… See often times we try to paint a image of Christianity without temptations or snares and this is why so many people can’t endure the rough terrain of this journey… I don’t’ know what your bible tells you, but the word of God that I read tells me that we will be persecuted, we will suffer and that we will endure hardships… We must stop relying on our own ability and start to allow God to move on our behalf… It doesn’t matter how strong you are, it doesn’t matter how tough you might appear to be, you cannot defeat this enemy on your own and this is why you are not called to overcome but to endure… To endure means that you bear, tolerate or undergo; you must bear the storms in your life, you must tolerate the words of your adversary and undergo the battles of the opposition… Notice that in this enduring you are not called to fight back or engage… A lot of times we misunderstand endurance and confuse it with perseverance… You are not called to stand against the enemy, you are called to speak Christ and let the Lord fight your battles… This is why Isaiah tells us that we can only walk in run in Christ… “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Notice that when we grow tired in life, when we stumble in fall we must put our hope in the Lord to have our strength renewed… I recite this passage because a lot of times we say that people are falling by the wayside because they have lost their battle when in reality they have fallen because they are fighting a battle that is not theirs to fight… 

You get weary from toiling, from laboring and when you do this on your own you are assured to fall… This same principle can be applied to our very lives; we seek success by our hands and so we fall into the temptations of pleasing men and not God… In your endurance you are assured success as James tells us that when you endure and don’t give in “he shall receive the crown of life…” When you labor in the Lord you will bear fruit for life; when you labor in the world you bear fruit for the moment… The fruit of life takes longer to bear because it last beyond the moment; I say this to challenge you to seek the longer lasting fruit of life instead of the tempting fruit of the moment… The things we endure on this earth in the name of our Lord are guaranteed to produce lasting fruit in our lives as we are told in the concluding words of this verse that God will bring them to past because “the Lord hath promised to them that love him…” James calls us in today’s focus verse to make sure that our priorities align with the will of God… This is a daunting task to undertake as we all seek to achieve success and be accepted within our peer’s circles…  On this journey we will be tried, we will be tested, and we will experience adversity. People will talk about us, people will turn there backs on us, and people will try and discourage our walk. The devil will continue to press us, the devil will continue to try and push us over the age, and the devil will try to destroy our faith. However, it is very sweet to know that Jesus sits high and looks low; Jesus hears our every cry, and Jesus is waiting for us to complete this journey so that he can crack the sky and say well done thy good and faithful servant. So just hold on, be strong and of good courage, we have to be tested, but there is a tremendous reward if we continue to pass the test!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Call On Him And Be Saved

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 2:21

This passage is written after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; the disciples have been hiding in the upper room and many have feared for their very lives… Through this trying time Jesus shows himself unto the disciples to reignite their faith… This pass starts out with the words, “And it shall come to pass”… Though we suffer for a moment the promises of God “shall come to pass”, even though we face trials, hardships and adversity we are reminded today that the fulfillment of God’s promises are not notated by an “if” but “when”…  Through Jesus death we all were given a chance to inherit eternal life… Through His suffering the path was paved for all mankind to change direction and not be condemned according to the sin that we are born in… The bible tells us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; understand that we all have done things we wish we could change or have made decisions that weren’t the right ones… Luke writes today in the book of Acts that we all have a chance to right our wrongs, we have an opportunity to change our direction, and we have be given an opening to improve our future and outlook on life! 

This chapter recorded in the historical book of Acts takes place after Jesus departure from this earth, in the 1^st chapter 8^th verse Jesus instructs His disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, He then goes on to tell them that they will be His witness throughout the world… Shortly after Jesus final instructs unto His disciples He disappears into the clouds and we find Peter and the others beginning to lay the foundation of Christianity… God’s desire is that all men would come to know Him, love Him and honor Him… Jesus life on this earth simply teaches me that despite my faults and missteps God truly does love me and wants me back in the fold… This passage reminds me today that I need not be focused on my past failures; it reminds me that I need not regret my choices of yesterday, but that I should take pride in knowing that I have a chance to receive eternal salvation through the sacrifice of Christ! The next piece in this verse says, “Whosever shall call on the name of the Lord”, it doesn’t matter your economic status, political party or even how far you have strayed away… God is not worried about the depths of your mistakes or the impact of your choices, if you acknowledge Him and His saving power you can be delivered from the deepest pit or your darkest hour… Whosever tells me that there isn’t a single person on this earth who can’t change their future! What Luke is telling us today is that the backslider can repent and be forgiven, the adulterer can receive a new lease on life, and the drug addict can become a symbol of hope and a bright future! All you have to do is call on the name of the Lord… 

Today, stop trying to figure things out on your own, stop trying to handle every situation and turn to the Lord for the time has come and is upon us where we shall be saved… Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord (there is only one Lord) shall be saved! Jesus came for the sick, not the healthy! He came for the one’s who sought the wrong pleasures, the one who engaged in the wrong activities, the one who is lost and confused… He strung his arms out for that person, He died for that individual! If you look at your past, you will know that your name was written in His thoughts and was purified as the blood came trickling down His face! Again, this verse starts by saying, “And it shall come to pass…” You will be saved, you will be victorious, and you will overcome when Christ returns… You may not be experiencing victory right now but victory will come to pass… You may not be smiling right now but your smiling time will come to pass… We are assured through the writings of Luke that the day will come when Jesus will crack the sky, the time will come when all the dead in Christ shall rise and be caught up in the air, the moment will come when we will here the words “Well done…” Luke says the time shall come, it is upon us today… Stop what your doing and know that Christ is real and waiting for you to turn to Him… Tomorrow is not promised; today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present… So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and revitalize your life by giving Jesus a chance…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Lord Is Worthy

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 4:11 

Can you still praise God when things don’t appear to be going your way? Do you still adore His name when the storms of life rage over your head…? These questions define the true worshipper and believer of Christ… Though he experienced many low points in his life, this scripture comes at a time in John’s life when he has been exiled to the island of Patmus… John has no friends to lean on and is literally all alone, even then he writes this revelation praising God for all His goodness despite the situations that he has and currently faces… John recognizes today that God has created all things; John recognizes that all things were created not only by God but for His pleasure… This is good news to us today, this teaches me to know and understand that even when I am on the island of misfortune, even when I am isolated and feel alone, that every situation will bring God pleasure… Jesus said if I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me… When we lift Jesus up through the trials and tribulations that we face we are sure to be lifted up out of the miry clay and sinking sand that we find ourselves in… John is at peace because he knows that God is still with Him, we can have an attitude of praise despite the circumstance because we know that God has all power in the palm of His hand and will never leave us nor forsake us… All I can say is, “To God be the glory”, as I read this piece of scripture I am encouraged by the revelation of John… 

This passage speaks to me and confirms my faith by informing me that God is worthy to receive honour and power (authority) from us. We can put all our trust in Him and know that He won’t let us down… It doesn’t matter what we are going through, God deserves the honour and the power, you can look back over your life and see the things that God has done for you, just the fact that you have the ability to go to work, the ability to sleep in a bed is recognition enough that God is truly worthy of our praise… Jesus was awaken by the disciples and calmed a storm; we can praise God right now, because we know that He can calm the storms of our life and give us Grace to withstand the test of this world. To know God created everything for His pleasure tells me that I was created to pleasure God… I was created with a unique purpose and my life will bring great pleasure to the one who did create me… Don’t lose sight of who created you; don’t lose sight of the plan and purpose that He has for your life… Everything is under His hand; the storms you face will never overtake you because God knows the weight you can bare… Things may seem bleak right now, but you are assured that they will never be as bad or worse as they could be… Again, understand that we have been created for His pleasure; we should be giving God praise, simply because He created us, and wants to take pleasure in us. In other words, God wants to be happy, and His happiness is when we allow Him to be the head of our life, and supply our every need! The bible tells us (Romans 8:28) “…all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose…” 

When we please God, we created an atmosphere of praise which will drive the enemy out… John praises God not only because things can be worse, but because the enemy is removed when we focus our praise and attention upon the Lord… God is worthy of all praise, just look at where He has brought you from, the goals He has allowed you to achieve and the obstacles that He has given you victory over… If you love God you can take pride in knowing that everything will work out in your favor because God will be exalted… You can give God all the praise because you know that as long as you are serving Him you are under His protective covering and will be victorious… This is why John can say you are worthy of all praise despite being exiled, this is why we can smile in the midst of hardship, this is why we can persevere through treacherous storms and obstacles… My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, on Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand… Don’t be discouraged, don’t give up, God created you for a purpose and you will fulfill it… I believe that Jeremiah said it best in his prophetic book, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (29:11) Your hope is in your praise, your breakthrough is in your praise, your deliverance is in your praise… He’s worthy and He has a plan! Stay the course, give Him authority over your life and watch what He does on your behalf…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Turn From Sin; There's Still Hope

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 

Ezekiel 18:21

There is still hope for all who continue to fall short in this journey we call life (I am included)… Though we have made mistakes and given into temptations we are reminded today that we still can overcome and be victorious… Ezekiel speaks to a rebellious house today who turned from God to seek other gods and other possessions… The message written at the time of Israel’s disobedience carries the same value and weight for us today… We too, have strayed away from God’s will… It’s not about the magnitude or ripple affect of your ways, but the fact that you must humble yourself in your imperfection and seek to turn from sin… Even though you may not be suffering or experiencing great turmoil in your life, Ezekiel reminds us that we all have to turn in order to live and not die…This means that the person that feels like their life is successful still needs Jesus just as much as the person who may be in the dark alley amongst spirits of addiction… The scripture we find today informs us of the process that we must undergo in becoming a child of God and reaching the heights in this life that only God can and has made possible… As I have stated several times through different devotions or inspirational messages, it doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, how many mistakes you have made or how many temptations that you have given into… God sits high and looks low, He desires to have a more intimate relationship with you and if you desire the same Ezekiel outlines the way that this relationship can be established and maintained… Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” All have sinned and fallen short, every man or woman, every boy or girl… It’s a sobering reality, but it is also the first step in developing the right relationship with the Lord…; today we find the steps to redemption and salvation which are outlined here in the book of the prophet Ezekiel…

1) The first step “But if the wicked…” We must not acknowledge our position as sinners and accept the fact that we are not nor will we ever be perfect on this earth… Ezekiel is speaking to a rebellious house, a people that abstained, objected and denied God… We too have rejected the teachings of God; we have denied the will of God in our lives and clothed ourselves with the will and ways of the world… God desires all creation to return unto him, but we must understand that we are wicked and acknowledge that we are in need of a savior in order to open up the door that God will enter into… The process of becoming a child of God and receiving His blessings begin with this vital step. In acknowledging sin, we humble ourselves and allow God to become the center of our lives…

2) The second step is “turn from all his sin that he hath committed…” you must have an attitude that learns from your mistakes and doesn’t continue in the path of darkness! We all have fallen short, but must realize that until we turn away and back to God we will not be released from the weight of our sin… Change is never easy to accept of to do, but we must “turn” and change our lifestyle, habits and friends in order to even begin to entertain a relationship with God… This step is critical after acknowledging your wickedness because it isn’t until we turn that change can begin to manifest itself… The first two steps go hand and hand, the bible says “if you confess with your mouth (acknowledge) and believe in your heart (turn) you shall be saved…

3) The third step in this process of sanctification is “…and keep all my statues…” Even though we understand the importance in recognizing your sin and desiring to turn away from it, it is not enough to turn from your wickedness, that is the beginning but that doesn’t release you from eternal damnation; in turning you are prepared for accepting and committing your life to Christ! Once you join a gym, results are not seen until you actually workout and develop your regimen; likewise, we must abide within God’s will if we want to experience results and receive God’s bountiful blessings and rewards!

4) The last step in this process is that you “…do that which is lawful and right…” No only must we keep his statures, but we must remain steadfast in God’s laws; understand that this is not an overnight process, and that it takes time… You must do that which is lawfully right, adhere to His commandments daily, when you begin to analyze your ways and thoughts and focus your attention on God, you will begin to live and death will have no more dominion over you!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

The Word Will Cleanse You

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:9-11

There is only one way that we can purge the sin within us and be released from the penalty of Eternal Death… Many have tried to develop their own way or abided in their own will to fulfill the desires that they have; however we are reminded by David today that the only way to be brought out of condemnation is through the word of God… David was a man that made many mistakes in his life; from adultery with Bathsheba to encamping with the enemy we find many instances in which David made poor decisions… I am sure that if we look over our lives, we too can agree that there are a lot of choices that we made and things we have done that have strained our relationship with God and caused us to fall short of His calling… The key is not living a mistake-free life, but in recognizing your mistakes and knowing who is able to deliver you from them… After making mistakes, David poses a question here in the 119^th psalm that we all ask when we are down and out, “wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” How can we get back up when we have fallen, how can we be cleansed from the filth in our lives, how can we overcome the mistakes that we have made, how is it that we can right our wrongs or turn a negative into a positive? We all have asked ourselves these questions and David provides the answer to us in the very next piece of the text, “By taking heed thereto according to thy word…” 

The bible is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathway… When we are engrossed in the word of God it will show us our mistakes and convict our spirit into remorse… Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” If you really desire to walk in the will of God, if you want to learn from your mistakes and see the areas in which you need to grow than study God’s word for it will penetrate down to your very soul and expose the areas of your lives that are keeping you from living according to the will of God… In understanding that it is the word of God that reveals to us our duty to God and how we are to conduct ourselves on this earth we acknowledge that there isn’t anybody on this earth that can cleanse us, there isn’t any good deed or task you can complete to be made whole. David understood that he made mistakes, but the most important thing he learned was that the word of God had to be a part of him and within him in order to be cleansed and made whole… If you want to become a better person, study God’s word, if you want to overcome the challenges of this life, be immersed in the word, if you want to fill the voids in your life, spend time with God by reading His word… David had tried everything and could not overcome, he sought vain things and still couldn’t fill the voids in his life, in this scripture he has turned everything over to the Lord… If you want peace in your life, turn it over to the Lord, if you want victory in your life; turn your trials over to the Lord… 

David said, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments…” When you experience the peace, love, kindness and compassion that comes from God you won’t want to leave it, when you know that God has filled the voids in your life, forgiven you of your sins and mistakes you won’t want to turn away from Him… David has found joy and doesn’t want to lose it, he has found love and doesn’t want to destroy it… We too have seen many struggles in our lives and have also seen God’s faithfulness manifested, let us live a life that mirrors David today… David said with his whole heart he sought the Lord, he wasn’t trying to hide his skeletons, he wasn’t worried about the dark corners of his life, and he looked intently for the Lord desiring to be made whole… Have we sought God with our whole heart, have we given all that we have to him, do we desire to stay the course and not wander from His commandments? This will call for you to confess your sins, this will call for you to acknowledge your mistakes, and this will call for you to humble yourself… We enter this world as sinners but we have a choice as to whether or not we leave the same way… David said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee…” The bible makes many references about the importance of your heart and how it is the guide and shows your true intent… You will have some short-falls, you will make mistakes, but understand that God can cleanse you if you immerse yourself in His word and allow His word to be the guide of your life within your heart…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

All Things Are Possible Through Christ

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:12-13

On this roller coaster of life we are sure to experience highs and lows, we will have days of joy and days of sadness, laughter and pain go hand and hand along with great abundance and fearing that you don’t have enough… Thou the season of life change and we experience them all; Paul reminds us today that we must be content not in our earthly possessions but in our standing with Christ…  Paul says I know how to live when I am low (abased) and how to live when I abound (have plenty)… No matter where you are in your life today, whether you have plenty or don’t think you have enough you must make sure that your faith in Christ reminds and that you continue to seek His will… When we have little it is a time where we can be tempted to question God and give up; likewise, when we have plenty we can find ourselves taking the credit that God deserves by becoming confident in what we can do… 

In both scenarios we begin to ease God out and this is why we must go through seasons… The seasons that we face change at any given time; however we are told in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We can learn to be content with what we have and what we are dealing with because we know that through it all Christ is with us and will always be our guide and our sustainer… The more you focus on God and turn away from the cares of this world reflects your growth and showcases your contentment in Him… Paul is not content because he doesn’t desire more; he is content because he knows that in doing the will of God all his needs will be taken care of… This is why he says in the 19^th verse of this chapter, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” When we have faith in Christ we will endure the suffering and face the adversity knowing that the reward will be that much sweeter and the place of rest will be more enjoyable… Again, if we understand that we all have experienced ups and downs, joy and sorrow, or even happiness and sadness than we can attest to what Paul writes today... Not only are we to be content in knowing that Christ is with us, but we also must be content in knowing that the pains of life are for our benefit and maturity… These verses in Philippians remind us to be content knowing that we are being molded into a masterpiece. Paul needed to be humbled after serving as a high-ranking official who sought to persecute Christians… We too must be humbled at times to keep us in line with the will of God and allow us to grow into the children God has called us to be… 

The book of James tells us in chapter 1, verses 2-4 to, “² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  Every trial you face serves a purpose, every obstacle is there for a reason and part of your contentment in Christ is knowing that He doesn’t make mistakes and that He will not only be exalted but that you will grow from your experiences… Paul concludes by saying that “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me…” Don’t forget who your source of strength is, don’t forget who has brought you this far and don’t forget who will lead you on… The bible says every good and perfect gift comes from above… When the sunshine comes remember who brings it, when the rains fall remember who gives you shelter… We all have known the feeling of hitting rock bottom, we have known the feeling of seeming invincible, but what we need to know and remember is that everything is possible through Christ. Think about all the things that you have been through, and then ask your self how you made it. When the sun was shining so bright but in the blink of an eye darkness covered your sky… When things at your job were so peaceful and all of a sudden you were unemployed who kept you, who opened another do for you…? Be content because Christ has already done it before, be content because you are growing and be content because you know that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever… The same results that we see in the bible when people remained content are the same results we will see in our lives when and if we remain content in the will of God…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Stay Focused On The Word

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

The Lord wants you to be blessed and prosper; He wants you to reach higher heights and measures of success that were thought to be unobtainable… The word of God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah this very thing… It is in the 29^th chapter and the 11^th verse that we find these words recorded, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In the time of Jeremiah the children of God had lose focus and were subject to captivity; however, even in the lowest position God reminds them that He desire for them to prosper; however, the key to their prosperity is their willingness to obey His will… Today, you may be in a place where it appears that you aren’t prospering, you may be at the end of your rope and feel like there is nothing that can be done or no words that can be said to change your circumstance; wherever you are today and whatever you are dealing with, know that you (through the obedience to God’s word) have the ability to transform your life and alter your direction… God speaks to Joshua in our focus verse today at a point in his life were he is called to lead the children of God… Moses has gone on top of the hill and passed away and the children of God are on the very doorstep of their destiny, but still have a stiffness and disobedient spirit in them… With all eyes on him and the pressure of leadership being upon his shoulders; God speaks the key to Joshua’s success in the first part of this text when the Lord says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…” 

Being in leadership means that you have people who are following you… With leadership comes distractions and temptations; however, despite how much pressure Joshua may feel to please the crowd, God reminds Him that as long as he stands on faith and seeks to please the Father he will prosper… You may be in a position today where there are a lot of people who are trying to persuade you to please them; you may be battling in the mind about a decision that has to be made and you are worried that you will lose some friends of break some hearts in the process, the word of God challenges you today to stay focused on the will of God… This is why the Lord proceeds to tells Joshua, “but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…”When you are in the midst of a storm or a trial stay in the proximity of God… Keep Him closer than any other thing in your life and meditate on the word that He has given you… When you seek God, those who are not suppose to be there will be removed, but when you meditate God will provide a comfort and peace that will keep you through the entire process… God will never lead you to a particular point if you are not first equipped for the task at hand… The word of God goes on to say that when we keep the law of God in our mouths and meditate on it day and night we shall prosper and have good success… When you pray, make sure that you seek the approval of God in the direction that you are going… Make sure that you seek His guidance in your life knowing that this is the key to success and prosperity…  If we understand that Joshua was told these are the things that he had to do to prosper and be successful, I believe that we can apply these fundamental principles to our lives and come to the realization that we have the ability to prosper… 

The word of God is clear, when, you decide to put God first He will begin to take you place and transform your life… You have the ability to overcome, you have the ability to succeed; however, it is entirely up to you based on the decisions that you make when the pressures of life are at your doorstep… This is why Joshua goes on to say (after marching around the walls of Jericho and seeing the hand of God move), “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Understand today that there will be a time and point in your life where you will be called to lead… You may not sit on a throne or hold a certain title, but everyday of your life you can lead someone to Christ… As stated earlier,  Moses has now passed and the reigns have firmly been placed in the grasp of Joshua… He (as many leaders) became hesitate when contemplating the task before him (leading the Israelites into the promise land). God is speaking to Joshua, assuring him of a promised outcome IF he follows the will of God. He tells Joshua to not allow the book of the law to depart from his mouth, he tells him to meditate day and night, and to observer the teaching and writings of the law; then you shall prosper… God is waiting for you to take your eyes of the problem and focus on the solution (His word). He is waiting for you to have enough faith to believe that you shall not fall or fail… He is waiting for you to obtain your success and reach your goals through the empowerment and guidance of His word!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!