Monthly Archive

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Operating in the flesh means doing anything outside the will of God. The will of God is the Word of God. Operating in the flesh includes, having a bad attitude, being emotionally unstable, sex outside of marriage, being intoxicated, and more.

Nothing good happens when we operate in the flesh. We can’t honor God operating in the flesh and it doesn’t benefit us in the end. It may feel good for the time being, but it’s not beneficial.

If we continue to operate in the flesh, our hearts become callus to the Word of God. We see no benefit in complying with God’s Word because we don’t have immediate gratification. Eventually, we’ll experience the consequences of operating in the flesh which could be sickness and disease, poverty, unnecessary difficulties, and an early death.

Let God show you the areas where you’re operating in the flesh and let Him guide you into overcoming those areas.

Deuteronomy 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

As parents, we teach our children so many things including: the alphabet, numbers, shapes, reading, and even the latest dances. Along with that, and more importantly, we should teach our children God’s Word.

The Word of God is the most important thing to a believer. It keeps us in faith, it empowers us, it keeps us in peace, it destroys the assignment of Satan, and so much more. If it does all of these great things, why would we keep it from our children or wait until they become “older” to teach it to them?

When they’re babies, start reading a verse a day to them. Have them read a verse or more as they learn how to read. Have them memorize the location of certain scriptures. Have them contextually explain a passage of scripture. All of this will benefit them as they become young adults.

Let’s do a service to our children and obey the commandment of God and teach them the Word of God.

Philippians 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

I obey the Ten Commandments, I pray every night, I attend church every week, I read my Bible, I don’t eat pork, I fast every month therefore, I’m righteous. Wrong!!! This is self-righteousness and it’s filth in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6).

The righteousness of faith says, “I know I don’t have it all together and I know I’ve sinned but, through the blood of Jesus, He has made me righteous.” This is the righteousness that is God-approved. This is righteousness we should live by.

Does this mean we can do whatever we want to do and claim we’re righteous? Of course not. What this means is we make a valiant effort to honor God with our lives because He’s been so good to us but, at the end of the day, we know it’s ONLY His (Jesus’) blood that makes us righteous.

We should never look at our actions as a point of righteousness or to point out someone else’s unrighteousness. Realize we all need and have grace available to us and that’s how we’re righteous.

Matthew 9:23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd. 24 “Go away, He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.

Satan attacks us in our thoughts. If he can get us to doubt God’s ability or God’s willingness to help us in our current situation, he can stop our promises from coming to pass.

That’s why it’s so important to do certain things that will keep us in faith. Those things usually appear foolish to the world or even to some believers, but it’s important to stay in faith. Some of those things consist of confessing what we desire to see instead of talking about what we’re actually facing. With our nose stopped up and as we’re coughing, we declare we’re healed. We can periodically confess the Word of God over our situation under our breath throughout the day. Read our Bibles during lunch instead of watching TV. Visibly praise God in our cars for the things we want to come to pass.

Anyone of these things may get us strange looks or laughed at by some but, we’ll get the last laugh when what we’ve confessed and praised God about manifests in our lives.

Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

The devil is good at highlighting the things we don’t have in the effort to make us feel bad about our lives. We can have all that we actually need, but he can make us feel unfulfilled because we don’t have a certain thing.

Fulfilment doesn’t come through the abundance of things. There will always be things we want and if we keep chasing the things, we’ll never be fulfilled. Fulfillment is found in God. Whatever God tells us to do, that’s what’s going to fulfill us.

One of the first things He commanded all of us to do, through Abraham, was to be a blessing (Gen. 12:2). When we’re spreading the love of God towards everyone, giving of ourselves, and being a blessing, we will be fulfilled.

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place.

Praise God He always causes us to triumph but in order to triumph, there has to be opposition. Many new and mature believers have a misconception that when we become sold out for God, we’re exempt from problems. That may happen in heaven but because of sin; problems will continue to exist here on this current earth.

Don’t be discouraged, problems are a part of life. Once again, we have a God-guarantee that we will triumph over every situation we face. Disease, divorce, layoffs, and wayward children are all things we have the ability to overcome. We simply have to believe that through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have the victory. No matter how it looks or feels, we must stare that problem in the face and declare victory.

Praise God for our triumph but as we continue to live life, be prepared to fight.

1 Corinthians 12:24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Somehow, some believers have convinced themselves that being the pastor or one of the ministers at the church is more significant than anyone else in the body of Christ. All areas are important in the body of Christ because in the body of Christ we’re all equally important.

Being a pastor is no better than the person who’s assigned to clean the church bathrooms. The only difference is the pastor has a different calling than the janitor and they are seen by all. In God’s eyes, both responsibilities are just as important.

We may have been called to work behind the stage in the body of Christ. Even though we’re not receiving applause or shaking hands with the congregation for the work that we do doesn’t mean the role God has called us to is unimportant.

Whatever role God has called you to in the body of Christ, do it unto the Lord and expect a reward openly.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:

To humble means we’ve released our authority, plans, and ideas and followed the plan of God. A lot of us have humbled ourselves to God. We’ve changed our behavior and we’ve stopped doing certain things. Sure, we need to grow in other areas, but dying to the flesh is a lifelong process.

Because we’ve humbled ourselves, it’s time to collect. We can expect God to fulfill His end of the bargain and exalt us. Be in expectation to be promoted or to receive a financial increase. Expect to be surrounded by influential people who can provide us with wisdom. Expect to make a bigger impact on individuals surrounding us.

It’s exaltation time. This is not exaltation that we can do ourselves. This is a God kind of exalting, so we know it’s going to be spectacular. Let’s continue to humble ourselves to experience more and more exaltation.

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Abram was in a comfortable place. Everything he knew and needed was in that place. God had great things for Abram, but it was outside of that comfortable place. Once Abram obeyed God, he was rewarded with the promises of God.

What place has you so comfortable until you don’t want to step out on faith? Is it your job? Is it that relationship you know won’t work, but you stay anyway? Is it that beat up car you keep trying to fix instead of stepping out and releasing your faith for a new car?

We don’t want to leave our comfort zone because we don’t want to be disappointed, we don’t want to leave the known, or we don’t want to put in the work to be elevated. However, when we obey God and get out, we too will experience the promises of God.

Let’s evaluate our lives to see if we’re in an area where God is pushing us to leave. It’s time to step out on faith and get out.

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Every evil work, which consists of every negative thing a person can experience, has a portion of envy and strife. A person is more susceptible to be sick if they have strife in their lives. A person is more likely to commit a criminal act that lands them in jail if they have envy and strife in their lives. A person is more likely to cheat on their spouse if they have strife in their lives. A person is more likely to experience poverty if they have envy and strife in their lives. Every evil work is associated with envy and strife.

Got bad things going in your life? Check your heart to see if you have envy and/or strife in an area of your life. Ask God to help you overcome that envy and/or strife, that way you can minimize the trials you face.

Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Some of us discredit ourselves to be used for Kingdom purposes as if God doesn’t know our background. We’ll say we don’t have the money, experience, or a clean background to do what God has called us to do. Here’s good news: God did His homework and still approved us to do great and mighty things for His glory.

Being used for the Kingdom is not limited to preaching or singing in the choir. Being used in the Kingdom is accomplishing whatever God has called us to accomplish for His glory. Some have been called to cosmetology. If that person steps out on faith and becomes a cosmetologist, God will honor that and elevate their lives in ways they can’t even imagine. Some of us have been called to be in construction. If that person fulfills their assignment by being in construction, God can exalt that construction worker to the point where they own a construction company.

When we get to the top of our God-called profession, we’ll have a platform to stand on where we can give God the glory. Don’t count yourself out for one reason or another. Leave yourself open to be used by God.

Inspired by Barbara Calloway

Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Proverbs 15:32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.

When someone tries to correct an area in our lives, some of us view the correction from the lens of criticism. We think they’re trying to “rain on our parade” or exalt their intelligence. The frame to those criticism lenses is pride. At the end of the day, we don’t want to be told what to do.

Don’t be prideful. When someone approaches us with corrections, don’t take it personal. View the correction as advice. We may be receiving correction from someone who doesn’t seem to have it altogether themselves but, it still doesn’t mean their advice is not useful. Some stuff we’ll use and other stuff we’ll toss but, be open to advice.

Their advice may save us time, money, and energy but most importantly, their advice may be heaven sent. So control your flesh, open your ears and maturely receive constructive criticism, correction, and advice from all who are willing to give it.

Nehemiah 9:21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.

These were the children of Israel who had to wander in the wilderness for forty years because of their disobedience, unfaithfulness, and sin. Their behavior should have immediately cost them their lives and yet, God in His abundance of grace and mercy sustained them.

We are under a better covenant. We have the sacrifice of Jesus. We have God living inside of us but, some of us are so concerned with how we’re going to make it. If God chose to sustain and meet the needs of a disobedient bunch of people for years, why would we think He would pass us over?

God is loving and kind and is willing to bless anyone who believes that He’s able. Let’s not try to make it on our own. Let’s look to and rely on God to meet every one of our needs.

Numbers 14:11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?

The difference between receiving God’s promises and not receiving His promises is belief.
After all God had done for the children of Israel, (freeing them from bondage, parting the Red Sea, and destroying the Egyptians), they still didn’t believe He was able to help them possess the Promised Land. They looked at their situation, saw the giants in the land, and

For their unbelief, they all died in the wilderness and didn’t experience the Promised Land. Only their children and the two who did believe in God’s ability (Joshua and Caleb) were able to enter the land.

We may shake our heads at the children of Israel but, after all God has done for us, some of us still doubt God’s ability when faced with challenges. We may think His ability limited, the task is too big, or we try to conquer the situation on our own.

Never get overwhelmed by the (great or small) obstacle in front of us. Always remember to turn to the God Who is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Luke 8:11 Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

Anytime we plant a seed in the ground, we expect something to grow.

The Word of God is a seed. When we plant the Word in different areas of our lives, we should expect something to grow. We plant the Word with our mouths. When we confess His Word over our lives and believe, we’re sowing supernatural seed in our lives.

For instance, if we have symptoms of sickness in our bodies, when we plant the Word of “with His stripes, we are healed” into our lives, we should expect the harvest of divine health. If we have a financial shortage, we can plant the Word of “my God shall supply our needs” in our lives and expect just that.

No matter how big or small the situation we’re facing is, we can plant God’s Word in our lives and expect that situation to change for the better.

When we’re in church or studying the Bible, we’ll boldly confess the Word of God because we know the benefits to our confession. We’ll declare we’re healed, we’re successful, and we’re victorious in every area of our lives, but when someone asks how we’re doing, our responses may be different from our confession.

We may respond by saying “it’s rough right now” or “I don’t know how I’m going to make it.” We think we’re being honest in our responses but, we’re actually contradicting our confession. We’ll confess one thing but, we’ll respond with what we truly believe.

Our confession and responses in conversations need to line up. It may seem weird or over the top to some to speak with positive bold authority over our situation but it’s either appearing weird or delaying the progress of our breakthrough.

Let’s confess the Word of God privately and promote our confession publicly through our responses.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart[a] brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Inspired by I.V. Hilliard

Numbers 14:19 Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” 20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—

When Moses prayed that God would spare His people, God heard his request and spared them based on Moses’ request alone. God doesn’t show partiality (Rom. 2:11). If He did it for Moses, He has to do it for us too.

We may have a child, a family member, or a close friend who’s made bad decisions in their lives and we know they deserve severe consequences. Instead of being troubled by the type of consequences they’ll receive, we can activate our faith and request His mercy be poured out of them.

Moses’ prayer may have spared the children of Israel from death but, because of their actions, God still didn’t let them experience the promised land. Consequences will happen based on people’s choices, however, the severity of those consequences can be lightened based on our prayer.

So, think about that person who has done something wrong (even if it’s ourselves) and pray that God’s mercy be activated and let’s praise God that His mercy endures forever (Psalm 136).

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Some of us work so hard, in our own strength, to do everything right in the sight of God. We make sure we pray as much as we can, be kind to everyone, don’t miss a church event, and we try not to make a mistake. The bad part about using self-effort is the minute we miss the mark, we’re discouraged and we have an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Using will power to please God is futile. The children of Israel attempted to use will power to keep the Law and they failed miserably. As born-again believers, God’s in us showing us what to do to please Him. It’s still our choice but, it’s not forced using our own strength. He’ll tell us when to apologize, when to help someone out, or if we should attend a church event. And if we miss the mark, God’s grace abounds (Rom. 5:20).

Let’s not use self-effort to force a holy life. Let God work in you to do what pleases Him.

1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

We all have something in our history that’s not squeaky clean. Some of us were promiscuous, some of us had addictions, some of us were liars, and some of us were self-righteous. Based on our history, some of us have disqualified ourselves from ministry in the Kingdom of God.

We’ve magnified what man said about us above what God said. God said we’re righteous, holy, and complete through Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:22; Heb. 10:10; Col. 2:10). With that understanding, there’s a ministry for everyone in the Kingdom of God.

You may have thought because you’re a single mom, you can’t be used but, God can use you to minister to other single moms. You may have thought prison time ruined your chances at being successful but now that you’re a success, you can empower others to be successful who have gone through the same situation.

Regardless of what you’ve been through; don’t allow the past or the statements of man stop you from fulfilling your ministry assignment for the Kingdom of God. God counts us faithful and that’s all that matters.

Genesis 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.

As a born-again believer, God is within us. With that understanding, like Joseph, wherever we go and whatever we do, God will prosper us and that place because of us.

We could be working for a company that may be suffering financially, but because God’s presence is within us, that company can miraculously start increasing in profit. We could be in a line of work that could be seen as dangerous, but because of God’s presence we and the people around us are protected. We may be learning something that’s typically hard for people to understand, but because of God’s presence within us, we grasp the concepts quickly. It’s not a coincidence. It’s the presence of God.

Don’t fear or fret in any environment. Recognize the presence of God within us and expect to prosper wherever you are and wherever you go.