Monthly Archive

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but, as believers we are called to be respectful towards our leaders. We are called to not only respect God but, the leader of our country. We may not agree with everything they say or do but, their respect is demanded by our God.

Disrespecting our leaders only invites a hateful, bitter, complaining spirit that seems to be overtaking our world today.

I encourage everyone who is reading this to introduce Proverbs 24:21 to everyone who seems to be disrespecting the leader of your country.

Proverbs 24:21 Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,

Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

We are in the last days where more and more people are concerned with themselves and their own goals. Meanwhile, they are leaving others behind. We have to make a tremendous effort not to get caught in the trap of selfishness.

Believe it or not, it takes courage to be selfless. It takes courage to help someone else when everyone else is passing them by. It takes courage to tell someone the truth about their lifestyle when everyone else is saying, it’s okay. It takes courage to put our own agendas on pause to assist someone else.

Praise God that we develop a desire for people to be saved, delivered, and set free! Praise God that people walk in selflessness and move away from selfishness.

-Inspired by Pastor Derrick Golden

Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Have you come to the realization that your paycheck is not your provider, and your reputation has no bearing on your positioning? Choose to replace worry and doubt with confessions of, “God is my provider; in Him I fully trust. I am blessed and highly favored; ALL things work for my good.”

Be led by the Spirit, and allow God to use whatever means He has set forth to bless and provide for you. Experience the peace, prosperity, and freedom that come from trusting God!

Jeremiah 17:5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

The Lord is meant to be our Provider and our Savior. When we take it upon ourselves to provide for able-bodied adults, we assume the role of provider and savior and position that person to never receive their own prosperity.

When that friend or family asks you for your resources, rather than reacting from guilt or obligation, or from selfishness or greed, consult God first. Allow God to dictate when, how much, and what to give, be willing to give or not to give, and allow that person the opportunity to trust in God.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

When the devil speaks, it’s pretty obvious because he’ll tell us to do something that is totally contrary to the word of God. However, when our flesh speaks it’s not that obvious. In our flesh, we may feel like we’re doing the right thing but, it still goes against the word of God.

For example, the Spirit of God may tell us to wait 10 minutes before leaving the house. Our flesh will attempt to take control and say we need to leave the house immediately to get to our destination on time. There is nothing biblically wrong with being at our destination on time but, the Spirit of God always overrides any written law or standard.

Be mindful of the flesh because it always tries to find ways to get in the driver’s seat of our life. The driver’s seat belongs to the Spirit of God.

Be led.

John 4:1 Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

We always think it should be the pastor or the head ministers that do all the spiritual work when in fact it should be every follower of Christ. For those who call themselves Christians, by default, we are disciples or followers of Christ. As followers of Christ, our participation is desired and needed. We don’t need a theology degree or a robe to get involved in spiritual matters. All we need is the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way. The Holy Spirit may have us minister to our friends or family members, assist the leaders in our local church, or volunteer.

Quit waiting on an invitation to get involved. Let’s put our hands to work today.

John 4:49 The official said unto him, Sir, come down lest my child die. 50 Jesus said unto him, Go your way; your son lives. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Without any evidence and without any proof, this man believed the word of Jesus. We too should take this approach in responding to the word of God. We may not see it or understand how it’s going to manifest, but we must trust, believe, and totally rely on God’s word.

As soon as the man believed the word of Jesus, his son was healed. As soon as we believe the word of God, our situation will change. As soon as we believe the word of God our bodies will be healed. As soon as we believe the word of The Lord we can expect the unexpected.

John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Your son lives. 52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to mend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in which Jesus said unto him, Your son lives: and he himself believed, and his whole house.

Believe in the finished works of Jesus Christ and experience the manifestation of the blessing.

Genesis 24:1 Abraham was now very old, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

At the end of this life, our goal is to be blessed by God in every way. Jesus bled, died, and separated Himself from the Father in order for us to be recipients of the blessing. For every born again believer, everything we want or need has been released to us by Jesus Christ. It’s our responsibility to receive the products of the blessing by faith.

Strive to be blessed by God in every way and don’t settle for less.

Many of us can recall a time when we have been the victims of someone’s thoughtless, inconsiderate actions and left feeling hurt, mistreated, and undervalued.

Now consider God, Who loves us so much that He sent His Son for us in spite of every thoughtless, inconsiderate action we ever did, do, or will do. And that same God expects us to forgive others and be willing to demonstrate the acts of kindness we wish they would have shown us. But, how? By allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds when we want to recount the incident, and choosing instead to think of our loving God, how only His love made us righteous, and how we honor Him by reflecting Him to others. That person’s ignorance is an opportunity for us to sow seeds of kindness and love.

Matthew 7: 12 “Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is [the meaning of] Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets.

Additional reference verses: Romans 5:8, 19, Matthew 6:14,15, Romans 12:2

When we study the Word, we put the life of God inside of us. It may not feel monumental everytime we read the Word, but the Word takes root in our lives and we WILL see the fruit of it.

Luke 8:15 The seeds that were planted on good ground are people who also hear the word. But they keep it in their good and honest hearts and produce what is good despite what life may bring.

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Regarding our finances, we need to prioritize our spending because where our treasure is, that’s where our heart is (Matt 6:21). If we create a budget and look at our spending, we can actually see where the majority of our money is headed. Some of us spend our money on clothes, cuisine, or partying. All of these things are temporal and are not an investment for our future. The first place our money should go is to the Kingdom of God (no exceptions). When we give to the Kingdom of God, there is a guaranteed promise that our money will be returned in abundance. The rest of our money should be spent as the Spirit of God leads us to spend it.

As with everything else, we should allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us in our finances.

Money is one of the biggest issues/conflicts we face in life and we are called to be wise stewards over our finances. Society has conditioned us to believe that we need to buy the newest thing and that we have to have it now. That mentality will have us destined for debt. How we spend our money starts first in the mind. It doesn’t matter how much or how little we have, if our mentality is not correct, our finances will be devastating. We shouldn’t buy everything we see, and when we can’t afford it choose to buy it on credit. We have to be patient and purchase the item when we truly can afford it or not buy it at all. It doesn’t mean we can’t have new things, but if those new things put us in a financial dilemma…was it worth it?

Let’s evaluate our mentality regarding our finances to see if we are spending our money wisely.

James 1:5 ESV If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (Including Money)

Psalm 62:7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

In today’s world, people have been highly conditioned to be independent. Dependency is almost frowned upon. People want to make sure everyone knows they can accomplish their goals without the aid of anyone else.

However, God’s ways are different. God desires us to be totally dependent on Him. He never intended for us to live this life without Him. This forces us to change our thinking. The Creator of the universe, Who knows everything, is requesting us to depend on Him. When we realize Who God is and whose side He is on, it makes it easier to depend, trust, and rely on Him.

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God has given everyone an area to impact. Some are called to be in education, some are called to be in law enforcement, and some are called to be in construction. No matter what area we’re in, we have been purposed to impact that area. We should improve that area by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us every step of the way. The Holy Spirit may give us a new idea, concept, or invention to better that area. He may have us start our own company in that field. Or, He may want us to bring peace in that area by allowing the light of God to shine through us.

In order for the Kingdom of God to manifest itself in the earth, we have to be willing vessels to impact our area of purpose.

Mark 9:19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

In this scripture Jesus gets a little frustrated with the people. They have seen him do many miracles but, they still approach Him with doubt and unbelief in their hearts. It’s like they forgot about all He has done. This may be a new situation or circumstance but, it’s the same God Who can do the impossible.

The longer we live, the stronger our faith in God should be. God’s track record in our lives and in the lives of others should be proof that He is more than able to handle any situation that comes our way. We shouldn’t get frustrated or dismayed by each trial that comes our way. Remember the things He has done in the past and have faith to know if He did it before, He can do it again.

Be Blessed!

Acts 14:19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Regardless of challenges and opposition, we must fulfill God’s purpose for us. Accept support from other believers, remain obedient to the Holy Spirit, and persevere!

Acts 14:9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

This and other miracles were performed on those who had faith to believe it could happen for them. We have power to manifest impossibilities in our lives, but only when we have faith (connection and reliance on God) to receive them.

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Hebrews 11:6 (AMP) But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

First of all, faith is one of the ways we please God. We may love Him, praise Him, and magnify Him, but in order to please God, we need faith.

Secondly, it’s a choice to come to God. We can spend all of our lives attempting to solve our own issues or we can come to God. When we do come to God, we must believe that He exists. We can’t approach God with doubt debating His existence.

Finally, God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We must believe that He is able and willing to reward us. We can’t allow our past mistakes to allow condemnation to enter our souls where we feel unworthy to receive God’s rewards. Our rewards are received as we seek Him, not the reward itself. When we wholeheartedly seek God, our rewards are received by default. This parallels Matthew 6:33 which says But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Receive, apply, and praise God for this revelation.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have you said or heard someone say the following: “I wish I could do more, the only thing I can do is pray.” The reason why people say this is because they really don’t believe their prayer will be heard or answered. They’re just hoping (without confidence) God will come through. It’s a form of doubt.

Prayer is THE only connection between us and an all-powerful, all-knowing God. Who would be best to intervene on a situation besides God? Are we really so arrogant to believe that our efforts are more effective than God’s?

Trust and believe your prayer is heard AND answered when you pray. Let’s open up our mouths in prayer and make the connection and better our relationship with a loving, great God.

Psalm 32: 1Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Because Jesus Christ died for all of our sins and all of our sins are forgiven, we are blessed. A simple definition for blessed means empowered to prosper. We are empowered to prosper in every area of our lives. It doesn’t matter what the situation currently looks like, we have been empowered to prosper in that area. The blood of Jesus is constantly flowing, therefore, we are forever blessed.
Never underestimate the blessing that’s working in your life. Receive this blessing and start prospering in all things.

If someone asked us NOT to think about the color red, the first thing we would think about is the color red. When we’re given a law, it’s in our fleshly nature to break that law. Look at Adam. God only gave him one law to keep and he broke it. This is true with all the laws in the Bible. As much as people wanted to keep them, they fell short every time. The only person to fulfill the law was Jesus.

God never intended for believers in Christ Jesus to keep the law. We are instructed to be led by the Spirit of God. The ONLY reason the law was available was to be a tutor for Jewish people to show them the error of their ways. Once Christ appeared they too were to accept Christ and be led by the Spirit of God.

Hear from and heed the voice of God in every area of our lives.

Be Blessed!

Galatians 3:24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.

Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

The eye gate is one of the main ways the devil attempts to enter our thought life. Once he allows us to see something, he then attempts to persuade us with thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.

For example, a married man sees an attractive female. If the married man is not mindful of this trick of the enemy, Satan will have the married man thinking about adultery.
Another example is if a person is declaring to be debt free but, all they see are new bills coming in. If a person is not aware of this, they will be discouraged by what they see and lose faith in God to be debt free.

It’s our responsibility, with help from the Holy Spirit, to fix our eyes on something holy, right, and true. We may not be able to control everything we see but, we can control whether to dwell upon it or not.

Keep your eyes in check.

The things of this world are so temporal. How do we remain encouraged and not be distracted or weighed down?

Isaiah 40:31 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.

We make God our core by receiving salvation, accepting the Spirit, and then choosing to walk by the Spirit. When God is our core, we are reenergized in the midst of trying situations; we have hope of a guaranteed victorious outcome. Praise God for renewal!

Acts 7: 9And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Joseph went from being his father’s favorite, to a slave, to ruler over Potiphar’s house, to falsely accused prisoner, to head of the other prisoners, to second in command to Pharaoh in Egypt.

What can look like a setback may be an opportunity for God to elevate us higher than we previously were. Even in the midst of the ‘setback’, we are favored. Continue to seek and praise God even during the seemingly disparaging times because we know God is with us and for us.

Psalm 103:22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Our souls are made up of the following: our mind, will, imagination, emotion, and intellect. The Bible instructs our soul to bless the Lord. This means these 5 components should be on one accord as we bless the Lord.

There may be times where our mind desires to bless the Lord but, we don’t feel like it. This is a poor reflection on our emotions. On the other hand, our emotions may desire to bless the Lord but, our imagination has drifted off to something else. It’s our responsibility to keep all 5 parts of our soul in check in the moment of praise, worship, and blessings.

Be mindful of this as we continue growing in our walk with Christ.

Psalm 103:20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.

After reading this scripture, a question came to mind. Why do angels need to excel in strength to obey the word of the Lord? Could it be because of the negative forces that oppose the word of God? The angel, Gabriel, made this clear after he informed Daniel he was captured for 21 days in Persia (Daniel 10:13).

The great news about this scripture is that God made it where the angels excel or exceed past any and all opposing forces. As a long as the word of God is being spoken with belief attached, angels will act on its behalf. It doesn’t matter if we’re speaking God’s word regarding a certain situation or if God is speaking His word to us, angels will react to the word of the Lord.

Proverbs 24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Many people feel like once they’re born again, they won’t have to face adversity or trouble. That’s not the case at all. The first part of this scripture says, “If we faint not in the day of trouble.” Jesus says in John 16:33 in this life we will have trouble. So, trouble will enter our lives.

But, there is good news at the end of John 16:33. Jesus lets us know He has overcome the world. Since we are in Christ and Christ is in us, we too have overcome all opposition that presents itself.

Don’t be moved or shaken by the appearance of trouble. Know that with Christ, our trouble has been trumped.

Psalm 8:6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen—Even the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.

The him that this passage is referring to is mankind. God put us in the earth so that we can dominate the earth in His name. There is nothing that should be able to frighten us, confuse us, or get us down. We even have dominion over the intangible things such as, joy, peace, and confidence.

Take control over your life by receiving this God given dominion. Walk as royalty.

People criticize others because it makes them feel better about wiser decisions they would have made if they were in that same predicament. While this may be true, we don’t know why that person decided to make an unwise decision. It could be a number of things such as a lack of knowledge, fear, or pressure from their environment. Instead of being critical about their decisions, maybe we should pray that they receive and apply God-given wisdom in all their decisions.

Most of our criticism is behind the back of the person we’re criticizing. This shows a level of fear on our part. If we don’t have the boldness to approach a person about their behavior or decision-making in love, how can we expect them to change? Someone doesn’t know they stink until someone tells them.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all your things be done with love.