You are currently browsing the yearly archive for 2011.

Scripture of the Day: There Is Profit
Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

There are difficult sacrifices we make for the Kingdom of God but know, there is profit in our labor.
At times, it’s difficult to get up out of a comfortable bed to go to church on Sunday morning but, there is profit in our hard work. We may desire to go have drinks with our associates at a club instead of sitting inside the house getting drunk in the Spirit but, there is profit in our hard work. We may want to be involved in one night stands due to our burning fleshly desires instead of abstaining from sexual relations until we’re married but, there is profit in our hard work. All the reading, praying, believing, and declaring will profit us in our lives.

It’s difficult to walk righteously and be obedient but, when we make that commitment to obey God in spite of our surroundings, God is pleased. When God is pleased, we are rewarded.

Continue to walk in the ways of God and know your labor is not in vain. Behind our labor, there is profit.
Happy New Year

Psalm 103:2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits–

God has done some great and mighty things for us this year. The fact that I’m able to write this message and you’re able to read it, is something to thank God for.
As the year (2011) comes to an end, this is a good time to reflect on all the wonderful things God has done for us. Some of us received employment, some of us received a degree in school, some of us were healed from sickness and disease. Whatever God has done for you, give Him praise for it.

For those who may be going through a storm, don’t forget His benefits. God is a Deliverer. If God delivered once, He can do it again. Trust in God and know that He has made a way.

Be Encouraged and Uplifted!

What does fasting, praying, and meditating all have in common? They are all continuous in the things of God. Consistency is the key to reaping a maximum return on our seed. Consistency is like water continuously dripping on a stone. Eventually those drops of water will drive a hole in that stone.

The same concept applies when we’re fasting, praying, and meditating. When we consistently do these things, breakthrough will eventually manifest in the natural.
We can’t expect to pray, fast, or read the Bible every now and then and expect to reap the fullness of God’s blessings. Whatever we sow is what we will reap. If we do a little, we should expect a little harvest. However, if we want to get the maximum return on our seed, we should be consistent in the things of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually;

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Matthew 17:21 “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

*For those Christians who are just starting out, I applaud you on the little that you do. But realize, eventually you will have to graduate and enter the next level in your walk with Christ.

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Society called Mary a virgin but, God called Mary highly favored. The dictionary defines a virgin as a woman who never had sexual intercourse. In today’s message, let’s define the word virgin as a  person who never had a certain experience. A person can be a virgin at buying a home or starting a business. The point is, if they never experienced something, they would be considered a virgin.

We may not have the necessary experience in order to accomplish a goal but, all we need is the favor of God on our lives. When the favor of God is on our lives, success is our only option. The favor of God can open doors in our lives that we never thought would open. The favor of God can bring new ideas and concepts to our business. The favor of God can make an employer give a person a job without experience. As Christians, we shouldn’t live our life based on our experiences. See yourselves the way God sees you and know we are blessed and highly favored.

Be Encouraged.
Inspired by: Dr. Paul Landrew

Luke 8: 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. 18Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

Hearing the Word of God produces faith, but persevering and continually standing in faith separates those that yield a bountiful harvest and those whose growth is stunted. And if we do not take heed and listen to grow our faith, we may lose what we had. So, faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), but is developed through perseverance (James 1:3, 4). So, keep standing on the Word, breakthrough is here!

2 Samuel 6:13When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, 15while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
 
The ark of the Lord represented the presence of the Lord. David was so happy to have the presence of the Lord in his city until he danced before the Lord with all his might. God didn’t have to do anything for David and God never promised him anything. But, because the presence of the Lord was in his city David was joyful and danced.
 
Praise and worship is a chance to usher in the presence of the Lord at our local sanctuary. During praise and worship, some of us don’t sing, dance, or even lift our hands. Some of us intentionally miss praise and worship for whatever reason.
 
God demands, deserves, and desires our praise (Psalm 29:2). The least we can do as children of God is to give Him our best praise and our best worship.
 
Be Blessed!

Luke 1:46 – 50 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

When, God gave Mary a promise, she didn’t start worrying and attempting to guess how it would be done. She was engaged and living during a time when women could be put to death for fornication and adultery. But, her chosen response was praise.

If God has told you something (in His Word or through the Holy Spirit) choose to neither doubt, question, nor worry, but just receive the Word He gave you, and praise Him for the manifestation of that Word!

Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Giving to the poor and less fortunate is a part of God’s will. During the holiday season, there will be many people less fortunate than ourselves. As followers of Christ, we should have a desire to give to the poor. We should not want to see anyone struggling because of lack. The possessions we own are not only for ourselves but, to be a blessing in the lives of others. God gave us abundance; now we share that abundance with someone else.

Be Blessed, to be a Blessing!

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The first thing we should notice is that Jesus was given to us. That, alone, is something we should be excited about. God didn’t have to give us His Son but, because of His love for mankind, He did. Through the death and resurrection of His Son, we (those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior) are made righteous.

In addition to God sending His only Son, God made Him to be a Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. God did not give Jesus these titles for His sake. God gave Jesus these titles so that we can utilize them in every area in our life.

For every decision we need to make, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Wonderful Counselor.
A father represents stability in a family. Whenever we need stability in our lives, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Everlasting Father.
Might is the ability to get results. Whenever we need to produce results, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is a Mighty God.
For every chaotic thing that may be going on in our life, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Prince of Peace.

God loves us that much to send His Son Jesus to do and be all these wonderful things for us. We should do and be everything for Him.

There is a difference between a fact and the truth. A fact is subject to change at any time, while the truth will always remain. People experienced facts that changed in history. In the past, it was considered a fact that the world was flat. That fact changed when people circled the globe. When the truth was discovered about the shape of world, the truth overruled the fact.

The truth will always remain while facts are subject to change. The Bible is known as the word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible will always be true, while the facts surrounding us are subject to change. The truths found in the word of God can override facts any day.
It may be a fact a person has cancer but, the truth is, we are healed.
It may be a fact a person is unemployed but, the truth is God gives us the desires of our heart.
It may be a fact a person has sinned numerous times against God but, the truth is we are forgiven when we ask for forgiveness and repent.

The question is, what will you believe? Will you believe the word of truth or a fact that can be changed by the truth?

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

1 Corinthians 5: 9When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. 12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (Deut 17:7)

Jesus hung around people who had a heart for Him (the saved and Christ-like) and people who knew nothing about Him (the lost – so that He could save them). But, those who claim to be Christians, yet still intentionally sin we are not to socialize with.

Why, so harsh? Because if we, by association, show that those things are acceptable, we have just become a stumbling block for the weak and unsaved (2 Corinthians 6: 3 and 1 Corinthians 8:9). Rather, we choose to be Christians (Christ-like), repenting from sin, fighting our flesh, and choosing daily to make an effort to honor God.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

When people face a negative experience in their life, one of the first things they may say is, “God is…” (God is making me go through these trials, God is testing my faith, or God is withholding my blessing from me.) Let’s breakdown the reason for negative experiences in our lives.

If negative things are happening in our life, we must first evaluate ourselves. We must ask the questions, “Am I doing everything God told me to do?” and “Am I obeying God in every area in my life?” If not, this is the reason for the negative experience. We must repent, get back on track by obeying God, and learn from our mistakes.

For those who are living holy, the Bible says let no man say he is tempted by God and the blessing of the Lord makes you rich and adds no sorrow to it. God may allow some things to happen to grow us up spiritually but, He doesn’t cause them. God literally gives Satan just enough access in our lives to challenge our faith. During these challenging times, we have the choice to stand strong in faith or roll over and let Satan wreak havoc in our lives. Remember, God won’t allow more on us than we’re able to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). If we’re going through it, He has equipped us to overcome this challenge. To get through these challenges we must do all the Holy Spirit instructs us to do (pray, read the Bible, fast, etc.). When the storm has passed we can look up and say we are stronger, wiser, better, and it drew us closer to God like never before.

Evaluate yourselves and know the cause of your storm.

1 John 5: 3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

When we live right for God it should come out of a place of love. We choose not to participate in certain activities because we love God so much that as His children, we want to emulate Him.

We have to continue to seek God such that living righteously comes from a place of love and not a task list of ‘do nots.’ So, it’s time to refocus ourselves and dwell on our love for Him!

When we receive salvation (accept Jesus as Lord and Savior), we now live under His authority. This means we no longer do what we want to do but, we do what He has instructed us to do. One thing Jesus instructed us to do was to obey His commandments (John 14:15). Jesus’ commandments are based in love. We are called to love God and love our neighbor. Our neighbor includes the saved and the unsaved. We are called to love them all the same. In loving our unsaved neighbor, we should desire to see them saved. Jesus made this clear when He said in Mark 16:15, “Go and preach the gospel to ALL creation.”

To those who are reading this and have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, I encourage you to do so right now. Simply confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

To those who are saved, be obedient to the Word of God by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to all. Don’t be ashamed to let the world know who we serve. What a mighty God!

Mark 16: 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

God has made us free moral agents. With this freedom, we have a choice to live in the overflow and receive all God has promised or live in mediocrity.
Some of us are living below the standard God has for us. Some barely have enough money to pay the bills, living conditions are rough, and something always seems to be broken. If you’re content with that lifestyle, so be it. But to those who want the best in life, listen up.

God wants us to live the prosperous abundant life in ALL things (not just money). He doesn’t want to see His people struggle and barely get by. God called us blessed, prosperous, healed, etcetera, but, it’s up to us to live it out. We have to want better in order to get better. We have to place a demand on the things we desire by using our faith. If we see something we desire or need we use our faith to get it.
If funds are low, use your faith to declare money comes NOW! In Jesus name.
If sickness attempts to take over, use your faith to declare I AM HEALED! In Jesus name.
If we want our marriage to be better, use your faith to declare MY MARRIAGE IS BLESSED!
Whatever we want or need, we can use our faith to get it.
Trust God.

Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

There is a process for receiving the manifestation of God’s promises.

First, we must hear the word of God on a consistent basis. Hearing the word of God only on Sunday is not enough.
Second, we must receive the word of God. When we receive something, we take ownership or possession over that something we received. When we receive something in the natural realm our speech changes. We no longer speak in the future tense (I’m going to get), we speak in the present tense (I have). The same rule applies in reference to receiving the word of God. We don’t wait until the manifestation to receive and speak the word of God. We should receive and speak the word of God even when things don’t look or feel like what we received. This is why God’s word says walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God’s word has enough power to change our situation in the natural realm but, we have to believe it, receive it, and continuously confess it.

Today’s Objective: Take ownership when praying, making confession, or declarations over your life.
It’s no longer by His stripes I WILL BE healed, it’s I AM healed.
It’s no longer I WILL BE delivered from this addiction, its I AM delivered from this addiction.
It’s no longer I WILL HAVE a job, it’s I HAVE MY career,
in Jesus name, Amen.
Inspired by Pastor Creflo Dollar

God is a big, powerful, limitless God and we have to remember that, even when going through difficult times. God can turn a situation around in a literal second. We must know whatever the devil meant for evil God will use it for our good.

Romans 8:28 says ALL things work together for our good for those who love the Lord. God will work all things, even sin, for our good. After repentance God can use the sin we’ve committed and work that for our good. Nothing is too hard for God. Never lose hope; continue to trust in God.

Today’s Objective: Don’t focus on the situation or circumstance; focus on God and what He promised. What He promised WILL, MUST, HAS TO come to pass. Be Encouraged.

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Romans 4:12 says, the promises of God are received by faith and Hebrews 11:6 says without faith, it’s impossible to please God.

Faith is important to God. God doesn’t want us to receive anything without using our faith. So much so, it’s considered a sin if we don’t use our faith to obtain everything we need or want. Faith is believing in something we can’t taste, touch, smell, see, or hear.

From the beginning as Christians, we use our faith to believe in an invisible God. We use our faith to believe this invisible God has a Son (Jesus) who came to earth and died for the sins of mankind. We use our faith to believe this invisible God used His power to raise His Son from the dead that we might be saved. We use our faith to believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. To the world this sounds crazy but, for Christians, we call it Salvation.

If we can use our faith to believe and receive this great thing called salvation, why is it so difficult for some people to use their faith for a minor thing like a house, car, or job? Why is it so hard for people to use their faith for healing their body? What makes it so hard for people to use their faith for a God-fearing spouse? God desires all things to be received by faith. Please God by using your faith.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.

Let’s imagine the ax as a cutting tool for the problems, situations, or circumstances in our life.
The Bible says it’s hard work to chop something with a dull ax. This means we need to use a sharp object to cut down the problems and circumstances that arise in our life. Hebrews 4:12 lets us know where we can find a sharp object.

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.”

In order to remove the problems and situations in our life, we need to speak the Word of God over our situation. Whatever problem or issue we may be facing, there is a solution found in the Word of God. Any solution outside the Word of God is only temporary. The Word of God is the only thing that can penetrate the heart of our issues and circumstances. Don’t be unwise; use the word of God to dismantle every problem or issue in your life.

Be Blessed!

When we really love God we want to please Him.  We acknowledge when we do things that are not pleasing to Him, and sometimes we keep reliving the offense.  While, God wants our desire to obey Him to be stronger than our flesh, we have to forgive, forget, and let go when we fall short.  That does not mean we abuse God’s mercy and continue to sin with no real intent to stop.  Rather, we confess our sins to God, ask for the forgiveness of whoever He prompts us to, forgive ourselves, and choose to forget (by faith) the situation.  Then, we move forward.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

~~Inspired by Pastor Derrick Golden

1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The foundation of Christianity is love.
Let’s look at what love is not. Love is not envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeping records, or delighting in evil.
In this same chapter regarding love, verse 11 speaks about putting away childish things. “11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

We can conclude from this verse that it takes a level of maturity to love in this manner. By being envious, rude, self-seeking, etc. we are considered childish. It may take more effort for some but we all must love with a pure heart. Love All and Hate None.

Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Salvation is obtained by faith. We first must believe in our hearts, then we speak. If salvation is obtained by faith, can’t we obtain our needs and desires by faith as well?
The answer is…YES!

Everything we need or want that pertains to life and Godliness is promised in the word of God. Once we locate the promise in God’s word, we should believe, then speak. That’s why confession is so important. We are speaking the truth about a situation even if the facts don’t line up with our confession yet.

We are delivered from all unholy and unhealthy addictions.
We are healed of all sickness and disease.
We are protected and covered by the blood of Jesus.
We are free from all judgment and criticism towards others.

Even if we still are battling addictions or suffering from sickness symptoms, believe and speak the truth which is God’s word. Believe then speak. God’s word (The Truth) outweighs any natural fact we experience. Walk by faith and not by sight!

Psalm 34:1 Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

The Bible says praise the Lord at all times. That means we are to praise God when things are good and when things are not so good. We are to praise God when we feel like it and when we don’t. All times means exactly that, all times.

When we first start praising God, it may feel forced. It may seem like we’re saying empty words (Hallelujah, praise God). But, the longer we praise God, the more real it becomes. Our seemingly empty words start to connect with our mind. We begin to think about all the things God has done for us. We think about His love, grace, and mercy. We think about where we could have and possibly should have been. We begin to think about where He’s brought us from. From our mind, our words start to connect with our heart. The next thing you know, we’re giving God a true praise and worship from our heart.

Hallelujah! I love you Lord. You are worthy. There is no one like You. You are perfect God. You’re Holy. I magnify You God. I praise You. Glory to God. You’re awesome. There’s no one Like You. Holy is the Lamb. Glory to God. Hallelujah!

Your Turn!

Today’s Mission: Take at least 5 minutes to praise God without stopping. There is no structure. You can sing, dance, rap, yell, whisper, run, or jump. Just give God at least 5 minutes of uninterrupted praise.
Ready……..Praise!

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

In any natural fight, a person must train and prepare themselves for the fight if they want to win. They lift weights, increase their skill level, better their technique, etc. For most fighters, this process is not always easy because they’re pushing their bodies to the limit.

God did not instruct us (through Paul) to fight the devil or fight other people. He instructed us to fight the good fight of faith. The devil is always looking for an opportunity through situations and circumstances to deprive us of our faith. It takes a physical and spiritual effort to hold on to our faith; especially through difficult times. We train and build our faith by spending time in the word of God, believing the word of God, and speaking the word of God over our situation. This gives us the strength we need to overcome the opposition of the devil and win the fight.

1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

When children get to the age of accountability (usually 12 years old and up), how they act is usually a reflection of the parenting they received. If a child is nice, sweet, generous, and kind, a person may believe that child had good parenting. If a child is unkind, disrespectful, rude, and selfish, a person may believe that child had poor parenting.

After we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become children of God. Everything we do is a reflection on God. The way we walk, talk, act, or live all is a representation of God.

How are you representing God? When people see your lifestyle or actions, would people say you are a devout Christian, a true child of God? Or, would your Heavenly Father’s light not even be seen by others because of your unholy lifestyle?

It’s a process to change our unholy ways but, we have to make an effort at some point in our lives. Start today!

Harvard University’s name is known for having a high standard of education.
Louisiana State University’s name is known for having a great football team. : )
Bill Gates’ name is known for inventing Microsoft and having a billionaire status.

Q: What is God’s name known for?
A: God’s name is known for giving us no want, peace, and restoration.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 He restores my soul.He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

God promises us no want, peace, and restoration. When God promised us these things, He put His name, or reputation, on the line. God will still be God even if He didn’t do these things for us but, because He put His name on the line, we can expect these things from Him.

Praise God for expected blessings with God’s guarantee stamp on them.

Be Blessed!

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Our desire should be to embody Christ.  We pray that the desires we have that are from Him are enhanced and the desires that are not from Him diminish.  

Galatians 3: 29 And if you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s descendants, and heirs according to the promise.
 
And as we emulate Christ, we remember that not by our works, but by His sacrifice are we made heirs. As heirs we walk with dignity (not succumbing to the sins of our past) and authority (expecting greatness and the promises of God – Genesis 15).

1 Samuel 18:5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.

How many of us would like to be successful in everything we do? How is it that David was so successful? Well, let’s truly examine the keys to success.

1 Samuel 18:28 states the Lord was with David.
1st Clue: God has to be present in our lives to have success. We can’t even mention success without involving God. There is no success without God.

David did whatever Saul asked him to do.
2nd Clue: We must submit ourselves under the authority God has appointed in our lives. From parents, to teachers, to supervisors, we must submit to their authority. Submission is the will of God (1 Peter 2:13-15).

David lived for God.
3rd Clue: When David killed Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, he did it in the name of the Lord. David was not looking for self recognition but, only to glorify God. When living this life, live it for the glory of God. From day-to-day, live a life that is pleasing to God.

These are the keys to success. Now it’s time to open the door.
Be Blessed!

God can call us blessed, highly favored, prosperous, the head and not the tail, etc. but, we have to internalize the word of God. If we don’t know who and Whose we are, what God says won’t mean anything. It’s like telling a girl she’s pretty. If she doesn’t internally believe she’s pretty, there is nothing anyone can say that can change her mind. Then there will be a pretty girl walking around believing she’s ugly.

We should not allow people to validate who we are and we should not allow our circumstances to dictate where God wants us to be.
God called us blessed; internalize it! It doesn’t matter what our current condition looks like, we are blessed.
God called us healed; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how we feel, we are healed.
God called us wealthy; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how much money we currently have in our bank account, we are wealthy.
God called us wonderfully made; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how we appear on the outside, we are wonderful.
When we ask, God forgives; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how wrong we think our sins are, we are forgiven.
Whatever God says, internalize it and know Who you are and Who you belong to.

Be Blessed!

1 Peter 1:7 These (trials) have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Some say trials come to make us strong. That statement is not totally true without our personal efforts. There are plenty of people who go through trials, and some who  keep continuously getting beat up by the same trial, and never learn nor get strong. As believers, we have a choice to use our trials to make us strong. It all depends on the amount of effort we put in during that trial.

For example, if the enemy attacks our family, we have a choice to complain or whine about what is happening in our family. Or, we can become strong in our trial by building our faith. We build our faith in this area by researching scriptures related to a prosperous family, rebuking the enemy from our family, or getting spiritual guidance during these times. That way, the next time the enemy attempts to attack our family, we are strong enough to endure the battle of faith and defeat the enemy.

See the benefits of growth and development during that trial and really become strong. Do Work!!!

Inspired by Bishop Hilliard

Matthew 6:10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In order for us to know the will of God on earth, we must first know what His will is in heaven. We find out the will of God through His word.
God’s will  on earth is for us to be prosperous, blessed, healthy, wealthy, more than conquerors, having abundant life, etc.
If all these positive things are God’s will on earth, why are so many people living outside or below the will of God? We have become so accustom to living below the will of God until we give a “holy rationalization” for the circumstances in our life.
Example: When people dies prematurely, people often say the Lord took them or it was God’s will for them to leave the earth.
-That can’t be true because John 10:10 says Satan kills and Jesus not only brings life but, abundant life.
Example 2: When people are in a difficult situation people often say, God is trying to teach them a lesson.
-That’s not true because James 1:13 says let no one say he is tempted by God. Yes, God may allow some things to happen but, He is not the cause of the difficult situation.

Know the will of God for your life and live in it.
Inspired by Pastor Fred Price Jr

Scripture of the Day: Silence Fear

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Fear is a spirit that did not originate from God which means, fear is operated by Satan. Satan often uses fear to speak to us about our life, circumstance, or decisions.
Fear can tell us things such as, you don’t have enough money to go back to school, don’t apply for this position, or what if you fail?
As believers, we must silence fear by combating that voice with the word of God. If we are making decisions based on fear, those decisions did not come from God. If it does not come from God, it’s not for our good. It’s important to seek God in all our decisions to see if our decisions are based out of fear or wisdom. If the thing we desire to do is God ordained, God is obligated to see it through.

Be Encouraged.

Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When someone confesses to something in the legal world, it means they have admitted the truth. The same concept applies in the spiritual world. The Bible is also known as the word of Truth. When we confess what God says about us or about our situation, we’re confessing the truth. We must admit the truth to ourselves, to others, and our situation.

Confess, you are the head and not the tail!
Confess, you are blessed to be a blessing!
Confess, you are more than a conqueror!
Confess, by His stripes you are healed!
Confess, you are a lender and not a borrower!
Confess, you are favored by God!
Confess, Confess, Confess!!!

Admit the truth and shame the devil. Let the world know who and Whose you really are.
Be Blessed! ←—— Confess that too.
Inspired by: Creflo Dollar

Matthew 6: 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

It does not make sense to the world.  How do you shun logic, reason, and methods of survival to “words” written years ago?  Faith will seldom make sense to humans.  But, the purpose is not for us to determine the rationale behind it.  Our faith says we will do everything God’s way, why?  Because we know it pleases Him. 

So, we choose to follow what some deem to be archaic methods (Matt 22:14), by consulting God FIRST, about everything.  We choose to obey our Spirit and not our logic or flesh (Romans 8:9).  And, we then expect the manifestation of God’s promise, that ALL those carnal things will be added unto us because of our spiritual obedience and that ALL things work to our good (Romans 8:28).

Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Whenever Satan is in our ear attempting to make us feel down, sad, or confused about our life or our situation; tell Satan to get behind you. In today’s terminology we would tell the devil to….SHUT UP!
Satan’s ultimate plan is to destroy us by making us lose our faith in God. When we lose faith in God, Satan can do whatever he wants to do with us. The sad thing is, some of us don’t even get upset about it. We simply label it…life. The life that we’re suppose to live is the abundant life. Jesus didn’t die so that we can allow Satan to kick our butt. He died so that we can be free.
Free to enjoy the Holy pleasures of life. Free to walk in divine health. Free to get the desires of our hearts.
Don’t let the sacrifice of Jesus Christ be in vain.
Be Free

So many people want to be married and live happily ever after and have great relationships with their children but, they can’t seem to manage the faithfulness in the little relationships.

Matthew 25:23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

God uses different relationships in our lives to determine if we’re qualified to be blessed with successful relationships in the future.
First, God uses the relationship we have with our parents. If we disrespect and are disobedient to our parents, how can God entrust us with a successful happy marriage and a great relationship with our children?
Another relationship God uses is the relationship with friends and acquaintances. If we treat our friends and acquaintances unkind, how can God entrust us with a successful marriage and great relationship with our children?
Finally, God uses the relationship we have with Him to determine if we’re qualified for a happy successful marriage. If we can’t abide in His word, walk in love, and obey His commands, how can God entrust us with a happy successful marriage and a great relationship with our children?

Take a minute to think about how you’re treating others…
If we’re treating others unkindly, we shouldn’t expect to have great relationships in our own lives. Even if they are treating us wrong, treat them with the God kind of love.

Be Blessed.
*Happy Thanksgiving*

Acts 3:5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Many times we fast, pray, and believe but, we don’t expect. When we’ve done all we know to do, we trust God to do the rest. Part of trusting God is living in expectation. We should have a daily expectation of our manifestation.
If it doesn’t come today, we should expect tomorrow. If it doesn’t come tomorrow, we should expect it the next day.
Living in expectation is an action of faith. When we live in expectation, we are letting God and everyone else know, whatever we need or desire is eventually coming to pass.

Praise God!
*Happy Thanksgiving*

2 Peter 1:6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Disciplining ourselves is something we really don’t want to do but, it’s so necessary. Discipline includes saying no, saying yes, and having self control.
We say no to the things God tells us not to do.
We say yes to the things God tells us to do.
We control ourselves when something seems to gratify our flesh.

Discipline is really an act of submission towards God. It’s an opportunity for us to show God what we will or will not do for Him. Through our submission and obedience God rewards us for our diligence.
Read your Bibles, pray, worship Him, abstain from fleshly desires, remove the things that come before God, and diligently seek Him in every way.

“Discipline means to continuously submit ourselves before God.~ Joyce Meyer”

Proverbs 11:21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

 

Every child is not in need of deliverance but, for the parents of those who do, be encouraged. If we maintain a righteous mind and a holy lifestyle, God promises us our children will be delivered. It doesn’t matter what your children are doing now or where they are, eventually they will be delivered. They may be into drugs, crime, or an alternative lifestyle but, God promises they will be delivered.

If you are a parent, want to become a parent, or want to encourage a parent know and realize the children of the righteous shall be delivered. This promise is only for the righteous. That’s why it’s so important to live a holy. The benefits of holy living not only effect your life but, the life of your children.

Live right, and you and your children will be blessed.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

In this Christian walk, there are some fleshly things we’re going to have to crucify. We can’t do everything we want to and still call ourselves Christians. We are going to have to crucify clubbing, drunkenness, sexual immorality, and foul language.

Christ died for us even though He didn’t deserve it. He took every sin we can imagine, placed them on His shoulders, and nailed them to the cross in order for us to sin no more. If Christ did all of this for us, why would we intentionally pick it (the sin) up again?

Resist the devil and his temptations and crucify your flesh for the glory of God. Don’t worry, we will not have to do it alone. The Holy Spirit is here to help in this journey called life.

Be Strong Church

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Scriptures of the Day

February 2026
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728