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Nehemiah 7:2 I gave my brother Hanani, with Hananiah the ruler of the castle, charge over Jerusalem, for Hananiah was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.
Nehemiah appointed his brother ruler of the castle and Jerusalem because Nehemiah knew his brother was a faithful God-fearing man. It’s interesting to see that the more faithful God-fearing person was put in a position of power. This was also seen in the life of Joseph. Joseph was a faithful God-fearing man and he was eventually made a ruler (Genesis 41:41).
What do people say about you? Do they say he/she is a person after God’s heart? Or, do they say he/she is a wild somebody and they can’t figure out if you’re saved or not? Our faithfulness to God will put us in a position of power and great influence. If we want to be exalted by God, we have to become and remain faithful to Him.
Be Blessed
Matthew 9:28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”
Whatever we desire from God is going to be according to our faith. Some people want a lot from God and some people want a little. No matter if it’s a lot or a little, everything is going to be according to our faith.
We shouldn’t get upset because someone has great expectations and wants a lot from God. We definitely shouldn’t get upset when these same people start receiving their desires from God. It’s according to their faith. If we want a lot also, we need to increase our expectations. Likewise, we shouldn’t be upset if someone only wants the bare minimum from God.
Just to be clear, it doesn’t make someone more spiritual because they’re living beneath their means and it doesn’t make someone worldly because they have a lot. Everything we have or don’t have is according to our faith.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
We were never intended to carry the stresses of life on our shoulders. That’s why God commands us to give our cares to Him. Not everyone looks at this scripture as a command but, it is. Whatever God’s Word instructs us to do is a command. That’s how much God cares for us.
Once we give our cares to the Lord we have the promise of being sustained during trials, the promise of never falling or suffering, and the sense of knowing God cares for us.
Let’s give our problems, cares, and concerns to the Lord because He knows what’s best for us.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.
Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
When referring to Jesus, we emphasize the cross and his death. There are numerous sermons magnifying the death of Jesus Christ. But, truth be told, if Jesus was never raised from the dead, he would have just been another prophet who died for the Kingdom of God. When Jesus was raised from the dead, his blood was placed on the mercy-seat of God (Hebrews 9:12). That blood gives us eternal life, makes us righteous in the sight of God, and purifies us from ALL (past, present, and future) our sins.
It’s not solely in His death but, also in His resurrection. Praise God for sending Jesus who died and was resurrected for EVERYONE.
Receive Jesus today.
Daniel 6:22 (AMP) My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent and blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, [as you very well know] I have done no harm or wrong.
With the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we too are found innocent and blameless before God. Our innocence is not based off of our good works and efforts but, the blood of Jesus. Even if we sin after salvation, through our repentance, God has forgiven us of our sins (1 John 1:9). We may recall the sins we committed but, God does not. God said He will forgive us of ALL of our sins and our sins He will NOT remember (Hebrews 8:12).
Since we are found innocent through the blood of Jesus Christ, God has removed the power of the enemy to hurt us. Nothing will be able to touch our life, family, or assets. We don’t have to worry or fear anything.
Remove the guilt, shame, and condemnation because we are free.
Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
God desires more than a mere religious affiliation with His children. He wants us to seek Him in and beyond the church or cathedral walls. This may begin with inviting Him to be a part of and lead our day, each day. Then, we pray, read the Word and a devotional, and continue on in our day acknowledging Him throughout it. And, then at the end of each day, pray, thank, and praise Him. Please note, this process is not a law, but a potential guide as we seek deeper encounters with God.
2 Samuel 2:1 After this, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, To which shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.
When David inquired of the Lord, the Lord gave him specific instructions regarding what he should do. How many times do we go through life on our own without consulting the Lord? The Word of God says that we should acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). This means we should consult God in major and minor decisions.
It may seem “too deep” to ask God what or where we should eat lunch but, by acknowledging Him in everything, God could be protecting us from food poisoning, bad customer service, or a car accident.
Consult God in everything and receive the best from God.
Allow this scripture to sink in for a second.
1 John 4:15 (AMP) Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.
The Creator of the universe, our Savior and Lord, and the Almighty God lives inside of us. When we truly internalize this truth, there are some things we shouldn’t want to do. Would we really want to get “high” if we understood that God is in us? Would we really choose to commit an adulterous affair if we knew that God is with us? Would we be so quick to curse someone out when we get mad if we knew God is with us?
Although it may appear we’re by ourselves in the natural, for the born again believer, God is ALWAYS in us and with us. Allow His presence to change your life for the better.
Matthew 21:14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.
When the Bible refers to Jesus opening the blinded eyes, it’s usually referring to the physical eyes. I submit to you that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jesus also opened our spiritual eyes. When we accepted Christ into our lives, God made His home within us (1 John 4:15). If God, Who knows the past, present, and future lives within us, we have the opportunity to see our future.
The word of God also says, And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). There are no restrictions in the word “whatever.” With the development of our relationship with the Lord, we have an opportunity to ask God about anything we want including seeing our future. This may seem strange, weird, or even impossible to some but, with God ALL things are possible.
Let’s increase our faith, allow God to open our spiritual eyes, and ask God the big question that’s on everyone’s mind…What does the future hold for me?
Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Every born again believer should have or be on their way to receiving the desires of their heart. The same steps we took to receive salvation are the same steps to receive the promises of God.
We…
- Ask the Father for the desire.
- Believe that you received that desire when you pray.
- Receive that desire in the name of Jesus.
There are certain reasons why we don’t receive the desires of our heart.
We…
- Ask then doubt along the way (James 1:6).
- Ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3).
- Ask outside of God’s will/God’s Word (1 John 5:14-15).
The promises of God are available to every born again believer. Don’t hinder yourselves from receiving God’s best.
Psalm 91:5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Have you ever walked down the street and all of a sudden you get startled because a dog starts aggressively barking at you? At first, you want to run but, you then become at ease because you realize there is a barrier between you and the dog.
As we journey through life, the enemy will “bark” and “growl” but, we can be at ease when we realize Jesus cut off the enemy’s ability to harm us. There are some things that will attempt to place us in fear but, we can be at ease when we realize the Lord has us covered. The Bible says it this way, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you (Luke 10:19).
Those who don’t realize the Lord has them covered and don’t walk in this authority are destined to live a life of fear. Be at ease by walking in the authority and protection of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
1 Peter 3:8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
Be willing to be a blessing to people. Some people will give to those in need, but be willing to give to someone who may have more than you. We should be willing to allow God to use us to send a message, to encourage and bless, others. And as we allow God to use us as a vessel to bless others, the principle of giving works in our lives and we will always reap more than we gave.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
When entering the presence of God, the two things we must have is faith and boldness. There is not going to be any physical evidence around us letting us know we’ve entered the presence of God therefore; we need faith. Not just any faith but, faith in the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus gives us 24-hour access to enter the presence of God. Take advantage of this access and enter the presence of God.
Hebrews 4:16 says, let us boldly come to the throne of grace. Our boldness goes along side with our faith. By knowing and having faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished, we can boldly enter the presence of God. If we don’t have boldness, we can’t expect to receive help from God in our time of need.
Start entering the presence of God by faith and with boldness.
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
We get so excited about receiving the promises of God until we forget about being in the presence of the Provider of those promises. We excitedly believe that we received our house, car, employment, and financial gain but, what good are all those things if we don’t have God’s guidance and direction? What good is it having materialistic possessions without His peace, joy, and understanding?
Being in the presence of God provides more than just materialistic possessions. The presence of God gives us revelation and clarification of God’s plan for our life. The presence of God gives us peace in the middle of our seemingly negative circumstance. The presence of God allows us to enjoy God being God over our life.
Make the presence of God bigger than the presents He provides.
Exodus 12:13(AMP) The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt.
Is this familiar to anyone? For those who haven’t noticed, the world is still being destroyed today, however, for the believer, we are protected. Instead of the blood of lambs protecting us for a season, we have the blood of Jesus protecting us forever. The blood of Jesus is over the doorpost of our lives. The enemy can’t enter, touch, taint, hurt, or destroy any part of our lives because of the blood of Jesus.
Whatever the world experiences, we are only spectators. When the world experiences any negativity of any kind, we live a life of joy, peace, and abundance.
Praise God for the protection we have because of the blood of Jesus.
We as a body of believers have been giving the devil too much credit. Some may say the devil made them do a certain thing or the devil was busy doing this or that. The truth is the devil is defeated. When Jesus rose from the grave over 2000 years ago, the devil was stripped of all his powers. The devil has nothing to fight with. For the believer, he can’t hurt or harm us or our family. He can’t touch our finances, our property, or any part of our lives.
The only power Satan has is the power we allow him to have. We give Satan power when we open our mouths to speak death over a certain area of our lives (Proverbs 18:21), and when we continually practice sin. Word to remember: The consequences of sin, allows the devil in.
Let’s walk in the authority and victory that Jesus made available for us.
Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
For this is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you. (Isaiah 54:9 AMP)
When God makes a promise, He swears to Himself. If He should ever violate that promise, He would release His title of being God. God’s not angry.
When God states that He’s not angry, He really means that. God’s not like man who says they’re not angry but, they secretly hold something against the other person. When God makes a promise with man, this promise will forever hold true. God’s not angry.
No matter what we’ve done and how long we’ve done it, God’s not angry. God loves us, and He desires to see His children blessed.
Don’t let anyone or our enemy (Satan) tell you, God’s angry with you.
Live free.
Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Whether we are at the point of manifestation or still in the process of it, there can be contentment. Continue on in faith and don’t allow time or the process to cause doubt. Choose to be content and enjoy life during the process, and be convinced of the manifestation.
James 4:10 (AMP) Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].
A humbling experience is when we realize we can’t make it without God. From the simplest of task, to the major things in life, we need God.
As we go throughout life, we sometimes forget how we exist and Who causes us to exist. We get wrapped up in going to work, attending class, raising our family, and fulfilling our dreams. Let’s take a step back and realize that God made all of this possible. If it were not for God, we wouldn’t have the energy in our body to get to work or have the intelligence to receive an education. If God was not involved, we wouldn’t know how to keep or raise a family. If God was not holding all of this together, our dreams would become nightmares.
Let’s humble ourselves and realize we can’t make it without the Lord.
Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Exodus 4:1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”
Exodus 4:10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Here we see Moses coming up with numerous excuses for why he couldn’t do what God told him to do. How many times have we done the same thing? Before we come up with excuses for why we can’t do something, we should consider that God, Who knows all, already has a solution to eliminate our excuses. If He told us to do something, He’s made everything available. We may not see how it’s going to happen but, God has already paved the way.
Let’s eliminate excuses and do what God told us to do.
#obedience
In every person’s head, there are going to be two voices we hear. One of the voices will be from the enemy. The enemy will give us thoughts, ideas, and suggestions that are contrary to the Word of God. To realize the voice is from the enemy, we will have to know the Word of God. We can’t know what’s contrary to the Word of God if we don’t know the Word of God.
The additional voice will be the voice of God. For those who are not born again, this voice is known as their conscience. Contrary to the enemy’s voice, the voice of God aligns itself up with the Word of God. Once again, to know the voice of God, we have to know the Word of God.
Who have you been listening to? I encourage everyone to know the Word of God, hear the voice of God, and obey the voice of God. By obeying the voice of God, we position ourselves to receive the best of God.
Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth:
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
God has an assignment for everyone on the planet. Whether we fulfill that assignment is totally up to us. Some may be assigned to go out and save lost souls, others may be assigned to train newly converted Christians in the ways of holiness, and some may be assigned to mow the lawn of the house of God. All of our assignments are important, necessary, and beneficial for the Kingdom of God.
No matter what assignment God has placed upon your heart, obey His voice and fulfill that assignment.
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The phone of our life is ringing. It’s God calling. Will you answer?
Every born again believer received a call from God. Our first call was for salvation. In order to be saved, we all must answer this call. For those who have not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, I encourage you to answer the phone.
The remaining calls in our life are usually personal. We’ll eventually be called to a higher level with God. That higher level could include a more intimate relationship with God, a more outspoken walk with God, or even a personal change in our life to be holy. Whatever the reason for the call, answer the phone.
God is calling everyone. What is He saying to you? Will you be obedient?
He’s waiting.
John 11: 4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. 44And he [Lazarus] that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
All of the good that we do, albeit major or minor, is an opportunity for us to highlight Christ. To bring glory to God, we must be willing to do what God calls us to. We must be willing to stand fearlessly in faith to manifest the impossibilities that God has called us to so that we can bring Him glory through the process of faith and manifestation. Declare, believe, and do what God has put on your heart, even if it seems nonsensical.
God told Noah to build a massive ark before rain had ever touched the Earth. God promised Abraham a son through His wife when they were both well beyond child-bearing years. God told Moses to lead an enslaved people when he had a speech impediment and had been raised as a prince. What is God calling you to do that can bring Him glory?
Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
The Bible advises us multiple times to submit ourselves to God. Some people think submission only means giving our lives to God through salvation. That is only partial submission. Total submission is letting the Spirit of God direct us in every area of life. Allow the Spirit of God to direct our relationships, our finances, and our attitudes. Even in minor situations, we should consult the Spirit. When we consult the Spirit of God in all of our decisions:
1. We display our total trust in God.
2. We allow our hearing to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s voice.
3. We make the devil and his temptations flee from every situation (James 4:7).
Total submission includes more areas of our lives than salvation. Let’s show God we truly trust Him by allowing the Spirit of God to guide us.
John 6:26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
At some point in our life, we have to get to a place where we’re not solely focused on God meeting our needs but, we’re focused on meeting the needs of the Kingdom of God. As a result of meeting the needs of the Kingdom, God assures us that our needs will be supplied (Matthew 6:33).
As we start this 2014 year, focus less on what God can do for us and let’s start focusing more on what we can do for His Kingdom.
Ephesians 1: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know… 19 …what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he performed in Christ, …and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion…
We have unlimited power through Christ. To access this power we spend time with God, allow His Spirit to lead us, and walk by faith. And, as we unleash the impossible, we continue to point to Christ, so that unbelievers may be saved and other believers can exercise their power. Remove the boundaries and remember that through Christ we can do all things.
Graced To Do God's Will 