Seek Him Now

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:6-7

Today’s message is one that is simple and direct, the Lord desires to have you back in the fold and it is not too late for you no matter how many mistakes you have made or how big a ditch you have dug… This passage is certainly the key for us today as we learn to not focus on things of the earth but rather on God… Often times we make plans for tomorrow not knowing if tomorrow will ever come… Isaiah reminds us today of the importance in placing God number one in our lives; his reminder is not only to place God as the center of our lives, but to seek Him now while we still have breath within our lungs and warm blood in our veins… The word of God declares that Jesus said, “BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY!” This means that He will come at a time when we least expect. We must remember that tomorrow is never promised and that today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the present! 

I can recall a very bad accident that took place several years ago involving a group of teenager’s drag racing in Montgomery County when one lost control and hit a tree… The driver was rushed to the ER and survived; however, his passenger wasn’t so fortunate and was found ejected several feet from the vehicle… Through all the high, thrilling times in life we often neglect the importance of having a right relationship with the Lord… We think we have time to fix the wrongs or repair the broken hearts… Do you think the seventeen year old boy that died that day on veirs mill road in Rockville, Maryland a couple of years ago believed that his “now” had come, do you believe that the passengers aboard the planes on September 11^th knew that this was their last day, what about the lacrosse girl at UVA, the shootings at VA Tech? Whether we want to accept it or not, the bottom line is that we have to prepare ourselves for the end; we have to live each and every day as if it’s our last. By living in this manner and placing God first, we will be prepared and have our priorities set in the right order whenever the death angel arrives at our doorstep and we will be assured to ascend unto unmerited bliss and favor… Instead of putting off your bad habits until the New Year or the next month, do it now, instead of avoiding a task that you know belongs to you, do it now! Step up to your responsibilities; take charge of the opportunities before you and don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today! 

After all, tomorrow is never promised! Jesus said in the 9^th chapter of John the 4^th verse that, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” He understood the importance of laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, but also emphasized to us the importance of not delaying your calling… Think about where we would be if Jesus had not done the works of God… Think about the people around you that are suffering because of your unwillingness to do the will of the Lord… Isaiah’s plea shows the love and kindness of God… He says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord…” God desires all to be saved, the door to salvation remains open and all we have to do is walk through it… There will come a time when that door will be shut, there will come a time when Jesus will say, “depart from me, I know you not” and you do not want to have those words uttered to you… Isaiah is informing you that you have a free-will, the choice is yours and the decision will be made one way or the other… The last piece of this scripture says, “For he will abundantly pardon…” Not only will God save you, but He will wipe the slate clean… It doesn’t matter how far you have fallen, it doesn’t matter how many mistakes that you have made, it doesn’t matter how many people have said that you were a lost cause, at the same degree, it doesn’t matter how much your kids have gone astray, it doesn’t matter how far they have strayed or even how deep they are in the sins of this world… God still sits high and looks low, He still has all power in the palm of His hand, and He is still Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End… His arms are open, He’s waiting, but this opportunity doesn’t last forever…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

God Desires You To Live

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:11

Ezekiel brings to the matchless love and compassion that God has for His creation to the forefront of our minds today… The God you serve is happy that you serve Him, but He desires for all to come to accept Him and be saved… This is why God spoke to Ezekiel in the third chapter of his prophetic book and commanded him to “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel…” No matter how much you resist, no matter how much you reject, no matter how much you refuse; God still loves you and desires to develop a (n) intimate relationship with you… Anything you can think of, the children of God were doing during the time of Ezekiel; however, God wants them to know through his prophet that “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked…” Even though you deserve death, God finds no pleasure in losing your soul…  The love of God is evident in the fact that He sent His only begotten son to die for us; the love of God is evident as well in today’s passage taken from Ezekiel which teaches us that not matter how messed up you are, God desires that you turn unto Him and not suffer the Eternal Damnation that awaits you… 

When people wronged me growing up there was no way on earth that I would wish well on them, but we learn today that God has always desired the best for us even when we have been the worse we could be to Him… Ezekiel writes this letter to the children of God at a time when they have turned there backs on the Lord… They have found themselves in bondage under the authority of Babylon and even then, have not turned to the Lord… The book of Ezekiel starts off with God preparing the prophet by telling him to (eat the scroll) and then informing him to go to a rebellious people… The focus scripture today reminds us that even though we make mistakes and must suffer the consequences of our actions, God still loves us and wants us to live within His will… Consider all the things that God had already done for the Israelites; leading them out of Egypt, feeding them manna in the wilderness, protecting them in the land of Canaan, but they continue to rebel against him… God could have simply turned away, neglected them and said, “I tried”, but instead He sends Ezekiel to remind them of His desires… Place yourself in place of the Israelites, how many times has God delivered you, supplied all your needs and loved you unconditionally, but yet you still find yourself turning away from Him and seeking your own agenda… If God took pleasure in seeing people suffer He would not have sent His son; likewise, He would not have spoke through Ezekiel today to remind us of His love and compassion… Ezekiel makes it clear to us today of the desires that God has for all mankind… 

The start of this verse says, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked…” God lives forever and desires for you to live with Him… God it telling us that the life He experiences is not the life that we think we are living while on this earth, there is a better tomorrow if you only would turn today… This verse refers to spiritual prosperity of being able to look beyond the realm of material things, this is what we (like the Israelites) had lost and become blinded by… The book of Jeremiah informs us the will of God and confirms what Ezekiel has written today to the house of Israel… “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.” Every person that chooses the path of wickedness is cut off from the Lord, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a sincere love for that individual… Think about a mother or father that sees their son or daughter go down the wrong path of life… Even though you must accept their choice, it doesn’t mean that the pain is any less to bear… God wants to see us excel, He wants to see us conquer and overcome and even in the lowest of states He continues to pour out His love as we see here in Ezekiel… Today, God speaking through Ezekiel is letting us know that He desires for us to enjoy prosperity for all eternity… God’s life has no end (As I live…)and the compassion of the Lord is manifest in this scripture because He longs for your life to have no end as well… The verse ends by asking, “For why will ye die…” What on this earth is worth dying for? Why would you choose to perish, why would you give up all the precious promises God has for you, what’s worth your soul? If only you would turn from your wickedness, then you would realize how much God has in store…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

One Day With Christ Is Priceless

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." 

Psalm 84:10

No matter how nice your day may go or appear to be going; it simply doesn’t compare to a day in the realm of the supernatural… Being in the very presences of God is more than we can even begin to imagine or comprehend. Think about this for a moment, have you ever imagined a world filled with peace and harmony? Have you ever taken time out of your day to contemplate what life would be like if there was no violence, suffering or sin? The psalmist today reminds us of the hope we have to one day live in a world outlined just like that… As a child of God, we yearn to dwell within His courts, we desire to have peace within our hearts and have love poured out all around us… I don’t know about you, but I yearn for that moment where trouble will cease and sin will be no more… Through this psalm we learn the value that we should place on life; but more importantly we learn about the value that we should place on the life to come… This verse starts off by saying, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand…” A thousand days of success on this Earth will never lead to the completeness that we will feel on the day when we hear God say “well done…” Most of us probably find this hard to believe, most probably don’t even think that this is possible, but to understand this concept we must appreciate what a day in the courts of the Lord is… Imagine a day when happiness is present from the time you awake to the time you slumber, imagine a day when your kids walked the will of God and not the ways of the world, imagine a day when you could smile and tears would run down your face because of uncontrollable joy… 

This is the day that the psalmist is writing about; this is the day that we await when Christ returns… One day with the Lord is more valuable than a thousand on this earth… Think about the first true love you had in your life, think about how much you would give just to spend one more day or one more hour in their presences… This is the same feeling we should have with the Lord, we should want to be in His midst every chance we have, and we should be willing to give up the desires of the flesh to develop a more intimate relationship with Him… A lot of us “love the Lord” when it’s feasible or sufficient; however we are reminded today that the love that we must have should be displayed not matter what and our desires to be with the Lord should outweigh the desires we have on this earth… What I like about today’s scriptures is that the psalmist has realized that being in the presences of God is worth more than anything… These thousand days could be unmerited blessings, it could be riches that every human desires, it could be financial security an the ability to buy any and everything that we want; however, it still does not compare to spending one day with the Lord… The psalmist says, “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness…”The psalmist realizes that there is no happiness in the tent of wickedness; he understands that there is no true value in the tent of wickedness; he realizes that the way of the world is not the way to go… 

When you look at the sin that has taken this world captive, when you look at the evil that has entrapped so many, we begin to understand why it doesn’t matter what title we hold in the kingdom of God… It doesn’t matter about what position I am in, it doesn’t matter about the status that I hold, the psalmist is simply saying that I just want to be counted in the number, I want to see my name in the lamb’s book of life and enjoy the riches of God… We will agree that we would rather be with the Lord than to be in the world… The tents of the wicked can appear to be safe, a tent can protect you from the rain, but if the storm is strong enough it will destroy that tent in a matter of seconds… Today let us stop putting trust in temporary things, let us stop running to a protective covering that won’t last always… Some of the protective coverings are alcohol, drugs and even lustful relationships… These tents appear safe and they may make you feel protected for a moment, but if you want to be secure all the days of your life, if you want to be covered from any hurt, harm or danger than you must place your hand in the hand of the one who sticks closer than a brother…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You Can Overcome

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:5-6

Jesus is ready to “confess your name before His father and before his angels”, He’s ready to open the door to eternity and record you name in the book of life… All these things He has said in His word that He will and would do and through John’s revelation we are reminded that they are still possible… In order for these promises to become reality you must hold up your end of the covenant; you must do your part and “overcome (as we see in our focus verses)”… The question may be posed at this time, what is it that we must overcome? The sin that we are born with is a sin that we do not recognize is present until we encounter Jesus… Saul thought that he was doing the right thing until Jesus spoke to Him, the rich young man thought he had done everything right until his heart was brought into question and Nicodemus observed the law as best he could; however, he became a follower of Jesus when he learned from the savior that “you must be born again…” The world will have you think that the things of this life is what you need to be focused on; it is far easier for us to go with the flow than to go against the grain; however this is what we are called and challenged to do… 

This is what John means when he speaks about overcoming; the desires and temptations that you face must be overcome and in order to do that your life must be placed in the saviors hands… Sin is a natural pleasure and it is one that we (just like babies) must be weaned off of… Often times when people talk about Jesus and the saving power that is bestowed through His sacrifice of love; however, they forget to mention that you must choose to accept this offering and in order to do that you must first turn from your natural way of thinking…. Despite what people may try to portray to you, this journey in seeking the very presences and will of God is no “cakewalk”…

This passage declares to the true Christian how hard this journey really is… It shines light on the fact that walking as a child of God is much harder and trying tha living a life of sin and adhering to the standards of the world. Notice and take to heart how the revelation begins with “HE THAT OVERCOMETH!” This immediately draws attention to the fact that even beginning your Christian walk comes with a lot of trials and temptations. What is it that you have to overcome, for some it could be the mistakes of history, it could be the lust of the flesh, generational curses, or even the power of ego and greed. Whatever the case maybe, we have to be prepared for this journey and all the twist and turns that will come along the way. I can assure you that every step you take on this path will be a little rocky and uncertain, people that you love may be withdrawn from you, jobs that you have may be stripped from you, and even your family relationships may become desolate.

Jesus said he will never leave you nor forsake you, he didn’t say that I will make sure that you don’t have sleepless nights or pain. God said we will reap a harvest if we faint not, he didn’t say I will make sure that the sun doesn’t beat down on you so that you feel the hardships of labor! We all must endure, that is why Paul said that we must forsake everything behind us and press toward the mark. You will sweat when you press toward the mark, you will cry out sometimes when you press toward the mark, you will feel only sometimes when you press toward the mark, you will be frustrated sometimes as you press on, you will feel abandoned sometimes when you press on, but know that God has assured you that your work is not in vain. Know that he has assured you that he will be with you always. This revelation states that you will be clothed in white, a sign of purity, all you sins will be forgiven as you press, your failures will be transformed into testimonies and you name shall appear in the book of life. When you cross over you will hear the words “WELL DONE THOW GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!” You will be able to enter in and not be turned away. So even in the uncertain times, even in the confused times, press on, continue to strive, don’t give up, and keep the faith. Remember that passage starts off by saying, HE THAT OVERCOMETH, it will be hard, but every hurdle can be jumped, every test can be passed, and the devil can be defeated… You have the ability to succeed on this journey no matter what comes your way; the question is whether or not you want to!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Evidence Of God Is Everywhere

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14

The word of God was never intended to be concealed or stored away within you… The bible declares that God desires for all men to come to know Him and be saved… The greatest work for all followers of Christ is to spread His word wherever we go and whenever the opportunity presents itself… The things that you endure in life are a witness of your faith and God’s faithfulness; you have been through a lot of storms and may be battling with the enemy as we speak, remind yourself that all people will have a (n) opportunity to know “of the glory of the Lord” and sometimes this comes about through your struggles… Despite the way things are done according to today’s standards, no matter how ridiculous things may appear to be according to the opinions of misguided leadership, the bible calls us to be encouraged in these chaotic times because we have faith and are assured that “the earth shall be filled with knowledge…” 

People will come to know that there is only one God, people will come to realize the error of their ways and despite how many people may come against you, you can claim victory and extend a hand of love and peace toward them because you know that the God you serve will have His name revealed and revered before all mankind… This is why the bible declares that “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that He is Lord…” You might have a lot of people around you doing what they want to do, you might have a lot of friends that criticize your faith and appear to be doing better than you are today; however, through this passage taken from Habakkuk you can stand strong against the attacks which want to tear down your faith and push you back to what you were before you came to know who the living God was… The way things appear to be may not be the reality of what they are… The message of Habakkuk the minor prophet is one that challenges the wayward man as well as the man of faith… The wayward man is challenged to repent and turn before it is too late… 

The man of faith is called to take his foundation of faith and build upon it through the removal of any traces of doubt forming a solid trust in the absolute ability and authority of God… Make no mistake about it, all manner of man; all forms of religious beliefs will be visited by the move of God… Again, the bible declares that in the last days preceding judgment that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess… As a Christian we thrive upon this message which assures us that the devil has not won, nor has God withdrew himself from us. Habakkuk reminds us of this same principal today as it is penned in our focus verse; surely we can look at this world today and can see how many people have strayed away from God. Violence upon one another is spiraling out of control, kids are falling by the wayside daily, and the church has become an institution instead of a place of worship. Yes we can agree that these times and days we live in seem as if the earth has chosen its course and God has been alienated from our journey. 

Take courage as a child of God that you can still impact your community, you can still alter your society and the way this is done is found ten verses prior to this one… The word of God informs us that “the just shall live by faith…” Continue to pray, continue to fast, continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling… This passage reminds us once again that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; even in the midst of chaos and confusion, betrayal and corruption, the will of God will be manifested in these very times. God’s plan for you and for this season will be active and run its course. More importantly, when it is all said and done everyone shall know of the God you serve, everyone shall bare witness to His awesome power and might, everyone shall see His glory and sovereignty! David was not given a chance against Goliath, but God manifested His power and showed that David had an advocate. Daniel faced destruction in the lions den, but was exalted to a higher position in the kingdom; Jonah was thrown overboard, but was really thrown into God’s will and plan! Chaos brings about God’s faithfulness! So understand that even in these times of uncertainty (looking at today) know that God will be exalted, and you will surely be caught up with Him! The earth SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Abilities Are Beyond Your Imagination

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

When Paul wrote this letter to the church of Ephesus, the church had been dealing with various hardships and tumultuous situations. There were many instances where the church had become a value monetarily and not spiritually. The people in the church had become very ego-friendly and self worth driven. Everything in this church began to fall apart, every battle seemed to have been lost and the members who cling to the promises of God where slowly beginning to question their faith and focus on this spiritual journey. Through this background we can surely draw a parallel from the circumstances yesterday to our present standing. Church has become big business, the devil seems to have control over the pulpit and those who hold to their faith have begun to believe that the “church age” is over. Paul reasons with us today as to how we are to keep our composure through these frustrating times. The first thing we see is that we must remember that God can do exceeding and abundantly more than we can ever imagine.Paul says that God is able to exceeding above all we can ask or think… 

Paul is encouraging the believer at the church of Ephesus to remember what God they server… It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are or what people may be saying; God is able… It doesn’t matter what the doctor has told you, God is able… You may be at a low point in your life and Paul is saying that you can be lifted up! Even the best things that you can imagine happening in your life, Paul is saying that God can and will go above and beyond your greatest imaginations… In times of uncertainty we must pray, believing that God has the authority to change to situation, but more importantly that He is still in control of the situation regardless of what it looks like. When you feel confused, know that God isn’t and everything works together for His GOOD PLEASURE!  Secondly, we must remember that the abundant works that God does begin within us. Paul says there is a power that is at work in you… God is there when it seems He isn’t… He is walking right by your side and will always be your shield and buckler… The verse says that He does these things according to the power that worketh within us; we must remember that we have been given a free will, the ability to choose and set our own course. 

God surely can change things, but we must have the attitude and faith in the power of God. The scriptures declare that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. The mountain can always be moved, but God will wait for your mustard seed of faith to root within you first. The church age is not over, God is still alive, and He is simply waiting for us to realize that we have a way-maker in our corner; we have a sustainer who shed his blood on Calvary, and that we have been assured that as long as we are still competing for the prize, we will hit our mark! There may be situations that make one believe that the world is winning, the evil won has taken a step out front and the church is perishing, but Paul reminds us that the church will stand the test of time, the church will last throughout all ages; we can draw strength in this verse; knowing that we will stand the test of time, we will survive and we will be lifted up above all things!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Confessing Unlocks His Mercy

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 

A hotel cannot provide a room to a customer if they are all occupied… Likewise, we cannot allow God into our hearts if the space is already taken… Covering sins doesn’t deal with them, but simply stores them away within causing us to carry around unnecessary burdens and prevent us from overcoming the trials or errors that we made… The proverb says, “He that covereth his sin shall not prosper…” When we try to cover our tracks or mistakes, we lead a life that allows our mistakes to controls us… We become captives to sin and the result of that is that we cannot prosper… To live, we must be freed from the bondage of sin which only comes through confession and belief in God… David recorded in Psalms 51, that a broken and contrite heart is a heart that God cannot turn from. Let’s face it, we all have made mistakes, we have gone to places we had no business going too, engaged in activities that still cause us to cringe at the thought and allowed the lust and sinful desires to win in different phases of our lives. Today’s Proverb deals with the confession aspect of Christian living. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, when you make a mistake in life, you have two choices; either you control it or it controls you! When you control a mistake, you openly confess to God and your peers of your wrong, therefore this incident doesn’t grow any legs to haunt you through life and cause unnecessary turmoil or chaos. If you allow the situation to control you, it becomes shackles that bind you to weaving a web of lives at the expense of your sanity and peace. 

When we lie, we have no choice but to continue down that spiral path which will ultimately lead us into a confined and guarded approach. You will walk on egg shells around people and force yourself into believing that everything is peaches and cream. When sin possesses you, God can’t prosper you! The sin must be dealt with, the sin must be confronted, and you must develop an attitude of righteousness. Notice that the passage says that “whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” To receive the manifold blessing of God, we must not only acknowledge our wrongs, but we must turn from them. So many of us pray to God for forgiveness of the same sin daily! God forgive me for smoking (while you pick up another cigarette), God forgive me of not educating my children about you (as you continue to put work before your household duties)! God forgive me for gossiping (while you tell all your new information), God forgive me for getting drunk (as you call your friend and tell him/her that you were to intoxicated to remember what happened last night), God forgive me for this and that (then in the very next moment you have reverted back to your old ways… These situations occur on a daily basis and we are praying to God, but not seeing the results that we expect. You have taken the first step in confessing; now practice your confession by abstaining from those situations! Of course it is not easy, of course it is not done overnight, but know and understand that until you take the necessary steps to better your life (prosper) God will not intervene! 

Again, the end of this proverb says, “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy…”Mercy is withholding punishment to fulfill the need of that individual… God will show mercy toward you, but you must show wisdom from the experience that you have encountered. Once you confess you open the door to prosperity, but it is not until you forsake that path of life that you will obtain mercy… This road to living a life pleasing to God is accomplished in two phases; understanding the mistakes that you have made in life and learning from them so that you don’t continue down that same slippery slope… Today confess your sins unto Lord, tell Him about all the mistakes that you have made, free yourself from the burden of darkness and allow the healing that is needed to take place within your life… Stop allowing sin to control you, to hold you captive and oppress you and keep you from becoming the child that God has called you to be… Forsake the way of darkness so that God can provide the “lamp unto your fight and light unto your path…” God is indeed knocking at the door, if your spiritual life is likened to a hoarder; I hope that you can get through all the junk and answer the door before its too late…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!