Category Archive

There are so many people who believe Christians belong in a poverty prison. They think Christians should live a modest life, not owning nice things and giving their excess to those in need.

But in the words of Pastor Carl Lentz, where does modesty begin? To one person, modesty means having a car equivalent to a Honda Accord. To another person, it means using public transportation. To one person it means having a three bedroom house. To another person, it means having just enough house for the size of a person’s family. There’s no set modesty line.

People base this on what they read in the life of Jesus. They read that Jesus was born in a barn; Jesus was homeless because He didn’t have any place to lay His head, and Jesus rode on a donkey instead of a chariot. What some people fail to read is Jesus was raised in a house (Matthew 2:11), some of his first gifts were gold and other expensive items, and He sailed in ships (Mark 4:36). They also misquote scripture saying “money is the root of all evil” when it actually says, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

The will of the Father is for us to prosper.
Psalms 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.
(Also see Deut. 8:18, Prov. 10:22, Prov. 13:22)

Because we have free will, God will allow us to have whatever we desire. Which will you choose? The blessed prosperous life FOUND IN SCRIPTURE or the seemingly “modest” life NOT FOUND IN SCRIPTURE, but accepted by the world?

It’s up to you. Choose life.

John 6:28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”…

When Jesus says, “only believe” He really means only believe. It’s not believe and let me figure it out myself. It’s not believe and let me expedite the manifestation of my desire by prayer, fasting, or reading more. It literally means, only believe.

At times, it may be difficult to sit back and only believe because our flesh feels compelled to do something. We want to help God out in answering our prayers. We don’t want delays. We want to show God we’re deserving of this blessing through our behavior. However, the word of God says only believe.

So, believe in the finished works of Jesus. Believe His sacrifice was more than enough for all of us. Believe in Jesus.

Only believe.

Every believer should be standing in faith for something. When that something doesn’t manifest within a certain time period or that something is initially denied, a lot of us back off on our expectation.

We’re disappointed, therefore, we disguise our disappointment by “giving it to God.” We’ll say, “God’s going to do whatever He wants to do” or “whatever the Lord wills.” What we’re really saying is we don’t want to get our hopes up only to be disappointed.

We must remember, God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We must also remember no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11). What this means is there is a reason beyond our initial understanding for the delay. This reason may be revealed to us in the not so distant future.

God may be withholding that new employment opportunity we’ve been applying for because there is an opportunity for a major promotion at our current company and we don’t have to sacrifice our seniority. There may be a delay in the arrival of our spouse due to the fact there are some things God needs to uproot so that we don’t contaminate the relationship.

Regardless of what’s going on… 

1. Keep pressure on God’s Word – ex: God Your Word says_______. 

2. Stay in faith – ex. I believe that I received my_______. 

3. Thank God for His promises – ex: Thank God, through Jesus Christ, for my______.

Psalms 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

A person chooses to play basketball one Saturday morning. During the game, that person ends up twisting an ankle and has to come out. After the injury, that person is not questioning his faith or questioning the existence of God. He knew the potential risk of playing basketball. He also knows his ankle will get better.

The Word of God doesn’t tell us a potential risk in life, but it guarantees we will have adversities and trials in this life. When trials come, we shouldn’t be surprised and question if God is really for us. In so many ways, the Word of God tells us we will have trials. It doesn’t matter if we’re saved or not, we’ll all experience trials. Like injuries may be a part of the game of basketball, trials are a part of life.

However, for those who are saved, we have a promise of victory over those trials (1 Corinthians 15:57). We have a promise of deliverance from those trials (Psalms 34:19). We have a promise of everything working out for our good in spite of those trials (Romans 8:28). Like the injured ankle of that basketball player, we have a guarantee that things will get better (Psalms 71:20).

Be encouraged!

Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

2 Chronicles 20:12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

We’ve all faced challenges so big until we didn’t know what to do. We’ve tried all we know to do and nothing seems to be working. Instead of staying up late at night worrying about the problem or living in fear, let’s put our focus on God. There is no problem too big He can’t handle.

Regardless if the problem is big or small, God wants us to rely on Him in every situation (1 Peter 5:7). By not looking to God and trying to figure it out on our own brings out the jealousy in God (Exodus 20:4-5). How? We make ourselves and our ideas bigger than God.

Finally, it’s okay if we don’t know what to do. If we don’t know what to do, we are encouraged to ask the Father for wisdom (James 1:5).

The common thread is God. The solution to our problems and wisdom we need will all flow through God. Look to God.

Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Abraham was compelled to give a tenth of his spoils to God for allowing him to defeat his enemies. Notice, Abraham knew it was God who allowed Him to defeat his enemies. It wasn’t his skills in combat, it wasn’t his strength, and it wasn’t his intelligence. Abraham solely knew it was God who allowed him to defeat his enemies therefore, out of gratitude, he gave to God.

We experience so many great things in our lives. We obtain promotions, scholarships, approved loans for a house or a car, and business ideas. Let’s not forget it was by the grace of God all these wonderful things happen to us. It wasn’t by coincidence we have what we have, our connections, or our skills. It was God and God alone.

Knowing that it’s God who blesses us, out of gratitude, we should be compelled to give our time, talents, and our treasure to Him. Never allow the ideas of the world or the deceptions of the enemy to make you minimize the grace of God. Know it was God.

Psalms 121:2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Pruning is a process of selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots.

As believers, we are to be led by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14). When we’re in tune with the Spirit, the Spirit will suggest adjustments or corrections in our lives to better reflect the nature of God.

To those who are open and desiring growth, the Spirit will encourage us to do some of the following:
-Have a pleasant conversation with a stranger instead of keeping to ourselves, distrusting everyone.
-Not gossiping about a fellow co-worker knowing that our words have power.
-Speaking life and being positive instead of being negative.
-Trying something new instead of doing the same thing because we’re afraid it may not work out well.
-Spending more time with God instead of being on social media.

These suggestions won’t put us in heaven or hell. These are suggestions to help us become better believers. In a plant, when a person prunes correctly, it encourages healthy growth and allows the plant to be more fruitful. When we allow the Holy Spirit to prune certain attitudes or behaviors in our lives, it too will encourage healthy growth in the ways of God so that we can be more fruitful in the world. Be open to the suggestions made by the Spirit.

Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

“Only believe, only believe. All things are possible if you’ll only believe.” ~Paul Rader

There are certain situations in life that may tempt us to do something else besides believing. Depending on the circumstance, there are situations that can tempt us to be fearful, worried, confused, or anxious. Jesus instructs us to only believe.

In our case, under the New Covenant, we are to believe in the finished works of Jesus. We are to believe, through the sacrifice of Jesus, every blessing and promise from God was made available to and for us. There is nothing that’s unfinished or has to be figured out. It’s already done.

With this understanding, we don’t have to be fearful, worried, or anxious. Our fear or worry won’t better the situation anyway. If we only believe, it’s a matter of time before things change for our good.

Only believe, only believe. All things are possible you’ll only believe.

1 Samuel 1:17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah was depressed and grieved because she was without child. Hannah went to God in prayer and requested a son. After praying to God about the issue, she ate something, forced herself out of depression, and went on with her life. In the natural, nothing had changed. She still was without a child and she was not miraculously pregnant. So, what caused her attitude and behavior to shift? Hannah trusted God and she believed her prayers would be answered.

When we know God heard us and He is faithful to keep His Word, we can go on with our lives. We don’t have to sit there wondering if God heard or will answer our prayers. Unlike Hannah, we are under a better covenant and we have a promise from God.

1 John 5:14 this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Regardless of the problem or desire, once we confidently pray to the Father about the issue, in Jesus name, we can pick ourselves up, force ourselves out of depression or anxiety, and believe our prayers were heard and will be answered.

By the way, God blessed Hannah with a son, who would later be a great Prophet of God (Samuel) and three additional sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;

Through the sacrifice of Jesus, all of our needs and desires have been made available to us. Our faith is the tool we use to obtain these promises (Romans 4:13-16). From the time we asked, to the time we physically receive a promise, there are some faith-filled instructions we must follow.

Faith-filled instructions are instructions given by the Holy Spirit that can lead us to the promise we desire. It takes faith to believe Jesus made the promises of God available to us, but it also takes faith to follow-through with the instructions given to us by the Holy Spirit.

For instance, we ask God and have faith for a new car. Three months after we asked, the Holy Spirit may instruct us to go to a car dealership on the other side of town on a Monday evening after work. On the surface, some of us may question if it’s really the Holy Spirit due to the fact that there was a significant delay in receiving these instructions and these instructions are an inconvenience. However, if we go past our comfort zone and believe, these instructions may set us up for our new car. If we’re willing to obey, the Holy Spirit may have us meet with a salesperson who is a friend of the family who can not only sell us the new car we desired, but sell it to us for $3,000 lower than we were willing to pay.

By obeying these faith-filled instructions, we can be led to receive every promise of God.

Mark 6:48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 

John 6:21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Another revelation we can see from this passage of scripture is the embodiment of grace.

When the disciples were instructed to go to the other side, heavy winds were against them making it difficult to reach the other side. They strained and strained, but still were unsuccessful in reaching the other side. It wasn’t until they focused their eyes of Jesus, all their straining ceased and they immediately arrived at their destination.
Like the disciples, we have a tendency to strain and toil to obtain the blessed life on our own. We may think we need to work harder or gain more connections to achieve a certain goal. Spiritually speaking, we’ll have a law like mentality thinking we need to do more (praying, fasting, giving) to get God to move on our behalf. What we fail to realize is it’s not by works that we receive the promises of God. All the promises of God are received by faith (Romans 4:13-16).

All of our efforts are beneficial is some way, but they don’t encourage God to do anything. Our faith is what obtains the promises of God. When we believe that the sacrifice of Jesus has made everything we need or desire available to us and we believe God wants us to have these promises, that faith obtains every promise in the Word of God.

Stop trying to struggle and figure it out by yourself. Focus your eyes on the finished works of Jesus and receive the promises of God by faith.

Mark 6:47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 

John 6:21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

See the parallel. 

Jesus instructed His disciples to go to the other side. Heavy winds were against the disciples preventing them from reaching their goal. When Jesus came on the scene, the winds died down and the boat was immediately at their destination. 

Through the sacrifice of Jesus, the promises of God were made available to us. God instructs us to use our faith to obtain these promises. Delays, thoughts of doubt, and distractions are sent to prevent us from obtaining our promises. However, as we continue to look at Jesus and the finished works He’s made available for us, we not only will obtain the promises of God, but the more we focus on Him, there is the potential to expedite the promise entering our lives. 

Let’s keep our mind focused on the finished works of Christ instead of the problem. 

Have you ever woke up and didn’t feel like yourself? You don’t feel like talking to anyone, everything annoys you, and it seems like it hurts to smile. Or, what about the times when everything is going well, but then someone treats you poorly or you receive some unfortunate news. In an instant, we go from the nice person to Mr./Ms. Moody.

These are negative emotions. The enemy uses negative emotions to affect those around us. How can we show the love of Christ if we’re full of negative emotions? How can we let our lights shine when they’re clouded with moodiness? Some may think they’re justified in being negative based on their situation. What those people don’t realize is they become slaves to their emotions. Whatever their emotions feel, they express.

Anytime negative emotions arise, we need to recognize what the enemy is doing to our minds and adjust. We adjust by asking God to help us with our emotions, be intentional about smiling or being nice in spite of how we feel, and receive the joy of the Lord because the joy of the Lord will be our strength to overcome these negative emotions.

Resist the urge to be negatively affected by negative emotions.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Mark 11:2-3 “and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”

As we can see, there was a colt tied up to something, but the Lord needed its use. The disciples were instructed to loose it. Like the colt, some of us are tied to something. That something could be fear, insecurities, selfishness, or past pains. The thing(s) that’s tying us down is hindering or limiting the Lord’s use of us. Through the scriptures, God is instructing us to loose it. Letting it go not only frees ourselves, but brings more glory to God. 

God may be instructing some of us to go into business for ourselves, but we’re afraid. Loose it! God may be instructing some of us to help someone out financially, but we don’t want feel like an idiot if they seem ungrateful. Loose it! God may be instructing some of us to get the attention of that man or woman for a potential relationship, but our insecurities are holding us back. Loose it! 

Whatever God is instructing us to do, if there is any hesitation, loose it. His instructions are for our good and for His glory. 

Luke 21:19 Stand firm, and you will win life.

This is such a simple verse, but it has such a powerful meaning.

As we face difficulties, there will be so many things that will attempt to pull us away from trusting God. We’ll have thoughts of doubt, over analyzing the situation, lies from the enemy, or temptations to let go altogether. As we face hardships, I encourage you to stand firm.

We may not know what’s going on or how long it’s going to last, but stand firm. We may be confused about the reason it’s happened, but stand firm. We may have thought it would be better by now, but stand firm.

As we stand firm, we have a guaranteed promise of a win. No matter what we do, even with tears in our eyes, stand firm.

Deuteronomy 1:27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us.

We all face difficult times in our lives. Some of us are going through a difficult time right now. Regardless of how difficult the situation looks, it’s not because God hates us. We face difficulties for two reasons.

The first reason is consequences. If we intentionally touch fire, we have to go through the pain of being burnt. The second reason is that difficulty is a component of life. Just because we’re children of God doesn’t mean we’re exempt from tests or trials. The difference between the trails we face versus the trials the world faces is we have a guarantee of victory. The trials we face produce endurance and it tests the genuineness of our faith (James 1:3; 1 Peter 1:7).

No matter the reason behind the trial or how long we’ve been in the trial, it’s not because God hates us. God loves us and He only wants the best for us. As we totally rely on God in the midst of our trial and not waver, our faith is strengthened and destroys the very trial we face.

As we face trials, read the following verse below to continue to stay encouraged:

Deuteronomy 1:29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes.

Isaiah 54:4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.

We’ve all made some mistakes in our past. We’ve said some things we shouldn’t have said, done some things we shouldn’t have done, and didn’t do some things we should have done. A lot of those mistakes occurred when we were younger, but some are more recent. Regardless if it was yesterday or 10 years ago, it’s still the past and it’s up to us to forgive ourselves and move on.

When we ask for forgiveness from God, God has not only forgiven us, but He’s forgotten the mistakes we made (Heb. 8:12). In order to continue to make progress in our lives, the Word of God instructs us to forget about our past mistakes. It’s our choice to forget and to forgive ourselves. There is no benefit of rehearsing the mistakes we’ve made. God already knew the mistakes we would make, therefore, He’s orchestrated our lives to have those mistakes work out for our good and for His glory. 

It’s time to let go of our past and move on. Anytime the thought of the mistake comes, let’s remind ourselves that God has forgiven and forgotten our mistakes so, we should too. Trust that God will cause everything (good and bad) to work out for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Inspired by Pastor D @ amazingchurch.com 

John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

At the cross, there were some great exchanges that took place. Jesus was whipped so that we can be healed (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus became poor so that we can be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus became sin so that we can become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). There is one exchange that’s rarely mentioned. Jesus became isolated from everyone He knew so that we can enter the family of God.

From the time He was arrested to the time He was on the cross, Jesus was separated from the ones closest to Him. Jesus was separated from His earthly family and from His disciples. Eventually, for the first time in eternity, Jesus was separated from His Heavenly Father (Matthew 27:46).

Like the other exchanges, this exchange was for our sakes. Jesus was isolated from God and everyone He knew so that we can rightfully be adopted into the family of God. We will never be alone because God is always with us. God forsook Jesus so that He will never forsake us. Regardless of what we do or where we go, God is always with us, willing to forgive and bless us.

Receive the gift of family.

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has (past tense) blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

There is no act or performance that will get God to move on our behalf. Every promise has been made available by Jesus Christ. Our belief that Jesus made these promises available for us is the currency we need to obtain these promises.

Now that we know our faith obtains the promises of God, we have to ask ourselves, what’s our motivation to do the other spiritual things? What’s the point of fasting, praying, reading, confessing, or speaking in tongues? These things are all beneficial in their own way. They won’t get God to move, but they have the potential to move us towards a more mature relationship with God.

READING – How will we know what promises or rights have been made available to us by Jesus if we don’t know what they are? It’s important to read and agree with the Word of God regarding all of His promises He’s made for us.

PRAYING – Praying keeps us in constant communication with God. It’s not only talking to God, but allowing God to speak to us. In prayer, God can reveal some things about ourselves, reveal the wisdom we need to handle a situation, or bring ideas into our minds.

FASTING – We are spiritual beings, but we live in a fleshly body. The flesh is always an unwilling participant in the things of God. Fasting keeps our flesh in check. Fasting denies our flesh the right to rule and reign in our lives. When our flesh is subdued, fasting allows the Holy Spirit to be magnified.

CONFESSION – Confession is an active component with faith. Romans 10:9 says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Luke 6:45 says, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. If belief plus confession was necessary to receive salvation, belief plus confession is necessary to receive the other promises of God.

SPEAKING IN TONGUES – Speaking in tongues allows us to speak the wisdom of God, builds ourselves up, and keeps us in the love of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-12; 14:4, Jude 1:20, 21).

Our motivation for these spiritual exercises should not be to get God to do something. It should be to establish or deepen our relationship with God and improve in the areas where we need to be more reflective of Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

As we can see, every blessing or promise has already been given to us through Christ. It’s not in the works or on order. It’s done. Our faith, and our faith alone, is the currency to transfer these promises from the spiritual realm to the natural world. Faith is simply believing that whatever we desire has been (past tense) made available for us by Christ Jesus.

In the past, we’ve been taught to do a number of things to get God to move on our behalf. We were taught our faith moves God, fasting moves God, praying and reading our bibles for an extended period of time moves God. These are all beneficial things, but it doesn’t get God to move.

Once again, everything God is going to do for us has already been done. God is not orchestrating a solution as soon as we realize we have a problem. Our solution is already available. Without doubt, believe that it’s done, confess that it’s so, and expect the promise to manifest itself.

Exodus 10:24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.”… 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”

After numerous plagues, Pharaoh attempted to negotiate with Moses about who can stay and who can go from the bondage of Egypt. Pharaoh initially agreed to let only the men go (Exodus 10:8-11). When Moses didn’t agree to Pharaoh’s deal, Pharaoh agreed to let everyone leave except the flocks and herds. Although the deal was tempting, Moses said no deal.

Satan is a lot like Pharaoh when it comes to obtaining the promises of God. We are joint heirs with Christ and we’re entitled to everything God promised us (divine health, prosperity, wealth, joy, etc.). Satan will try to influence us to scale back on what God promised us. Instead of being totally healed of that disease, Satan will attempt to negotiate with us on having the disease, but keeping it under control by taking medication for the rest of our lives. Instead of stepping out on faith and starting that business, Satan will attempt to negotiate with us on letting that dream go and working at that job for “income security.”

Like Moses, some of the deals Satan presents are pretty tempting. If we take the deal, we can rest from our faith fight and we’ll have a moment of happiness. But in the back of our minds, we’ll know we limited God’s ability to positively impact our lives.

Never negotiate with the devil. Believe that you have received all that God has for you.

Inspired by Pastor Bill Winston.

Religion will tell us we to behave a certain way in order to receive the goodness of the Lord, however, scripture shows us it’s God’s goodness that leads us to repentance or correct behavior. Let’s take a look at the life of Simon Peter.

Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Simon Peter was a sinful man, but the goodness of God led him to repent and follow Jesus. No one deserves what they have now. It’s by grace, through faith, we have what we have and nothing more.

Has God been good to you even though you know you haven’t been living in a manner that pleases Him? His goodness is trying to get your attention to repent and follow Christ. Make the change and repent.

Romans 2:4 Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Inspired by Joseph Prince. 

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

When a decision needs to made, believers may instruct a person to consult with God. However, if a person has never been instructed on how to hear from God, they may not know what to expect. There are three voices we can hear when making a decision. We have God, our flesh, and Satan through our flesh.

To know we’re hearing from God, we have to ask ourselves some questions.

1. Does our decision align with God’s Word?
-God will never instruct us to do anything outside of His Word (ex. rob a bank, take another woman’s husband, etc.).

2. Do we have peace with our decision?
–Colossians 3:15 says, let the peace of Christ be the controlling factor in your hearts deciding and settling questions that arise. If there’s no peace, it’s not God.

3. Are we certain?
-God is like a person. If we’re uncertain, don’t hesitate to ask Him again and again. Once we’re confident in what He said, act on that decision.

This is a short list on how to hear from God. There may be other factors to confirm God’s Word such as, confirmation with other witnesses and signs and wonders following (Matt. 18:16; Mark 16:20). Let’s hear from God and do what He says.

Matthew 27:14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge–to the great amazement of the governor.

Jesus was separated from God, beat, whipped, mocked, stabbed, insulted, spat on, exhausted, and hung on a cross by nails. If anyone had a right to grumble and complain, Jesus did. Jesus didn’t do anything to deserve this treatment. Jesus was innocent, blameless, and without sin. He would have been justified in saying, this isn’t fair, why Me, or it’s not My fault and yet, He didn’t say a word. He received this treatment because of us.

We’re not going through half of what Jesus went through, but some of us have the gall to complain. We’ll complain about traffic, grumble about our bosses, or complain about not having this or that. That’s not the will of God.

If Jesus is our example and He didn’t grumble or complain after being tortured and beat for something He didn’t do, we shouldn’t gripe or complain about anything we face. Not only should we not complain because Jesus didn’t, but Jesus was tortured so we won’t have a reason to complain through the victory we have through Him. It’s about perspective.
Let’s glorify Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us by living a life free from complaints.

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,

As believers, it seems we’ve limited our belief based on our logic, what we can see, or what we can comprehend. We read the scriptures about God doing the impossible or performing miracles; but, because we don’t experience it or see it in the lives of others on a regular basis, it’s hard for us to believe.

When we limit our belief, we limit what God will do in our lives. If we truly desire a house, we shouldn’t get discouraged and act like we didn’t want the house if we don’t receive it in a couple of years. It will happen. Continue to believe and stay in faith for that house. If we truly desire a spouse and children, we shouldn’t limit our desires by giving ourselves the “I’m probably better off by myself” death (not pep) talk. It can happen.

Whatever we desire from God, it can happen. It may not happen instantaneously, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. During the time between our request to God and the manifestation of our request, let’s focus our attention on God and what He wants us to do and the purposes He wants us to fulfill.

Mark 9:23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”‭‭

We all have desires, dreams, and goals we want to accomplish, however, to correctly obtain these goals, we must step back and allow God to govern our lives.

There will always be a temptation to obtain our dreams and goals using our own strength and logic because that’s all we can see. The problem with using our strength and logic is that it’s limited. God’s power and wisdom is unlimited. 

For instance, if a person desires to go to college, the only way they can see paying for college is by going to school full-time and working two jobs. This seems extremely exhausting. However, by decreasing and handing their desires to God, He may give that person a plan where they can apply for a grant, a scholarship, or have His favor on that person where someone generously gives them the money to pay for school. Yes, it can happen. 

We may not see how God is going to fulfill our desires, but as we trust Him and give Him full authorization over our lives, our desires and beyond our desires will manifest themselves. 

Trust Him.

After seeing Jesus do the miraculous, Nicodemus came to Jesus that night and stated the following: 

John 3:2 “This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God is not only with us, but in us. Since God is with us, we too should be performing the miraculous all over the world. We should be laying hands on the sick and the sick recovering. We should be bringing the dead back to life, and we should be binding the attacks of the enemy. We have this authority (Luke 10:19).

Let’s not limit ourselves to only miraculous spiritual signs. Jesus said, we can do the miraculous works He’s done, and even greater works (John 14:12). Because God is with us, we should effortlessly grasp an understanding of what’s being taught to us at school. Because God is with us, we should be at peace and prospering while everyone else is stressed at work. Because God is with us, our vehicles, appliances, and the structure of our home should outlast the so called expiration dates. 

By having God with us, our lives should stand out and look different. So different until, strangers, friends, and family members are attracted to the God with us and in us. 

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Since the days of Paul, there has been a temptation to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Because it didn’t make sense to believe that this carpenter’s Son was the Messiah. The temptation to be ashamed may be even greater now than it was back then.

Through the introduction of scientology, recently discovered historical facts, and the popularity of no belief, it takes an even bolder person to not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Christians have been called everything from simple-minded beings to slaves of the “white man’s religion” based on our beliefs. It doesn’t make sense to believe that a man, born of a virgin, died for everyone’s sins. People often fear the things they don’t understand.

As new information arises to diminish the truth of Jesus Christ, it’s time for believers to be unashamed and bolder about the gospel. Our boldness of Jesus Christ may be the push an unbeliever needs to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. So pray in public, praise in public, and let the world know where our blessings come from. Our boldness may be a person’s last chance to receive salvation. 

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It’s 2016 and a lot of us desire to make some changes. We desire to get closer to God, exercise, buy a home, or let go of people and things that are hindering our progress from accomplishing God’s will. We can desire all these changes, however, these changes will not manifest until we have a change in our thinking. Nothing is changed or transformed without the renewing of the mind.

For those who desire to get closer to God this year, our thinking needs to change by intentionally making Him a priority. For those who desire to buy a home, our thinking needs to change regarding how and where we spend money. For those who need to let things or people go, our thinking needs to change as we consult the Holy Spirit regarding what or who we need to let go and having the boldness to let go and not look back.

Whatever changes we desire to see in our lives, the first change needs to take place in our thinking. Correct thinking will cause correct believing and correct believing will manifest the things we desire to see.

Inspired by T.D. Jakes

Happy New Year!

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Come ALL. No one is exempt from the word all. We don’t have to have special permission, know someone in the ministry, or have our lives together to come. 

If you just had an abortion, come.

If you recently were released from prison, come.

If you’re confused, come.

If you’re hurting from past or present pains, come. 

If there is an addiction you just can’t seem to break, come. 

If you want to do right, but you just don’t know where to start, come. 

If you want better, come. 

God is waiting on us to approach Him, through Jesus Christ. He’s not going to kidnap us or take over our minds. He wants us to make a quality decision and choose Him. As we approach 2016, make the decision to come.

*Please share this message with all, even those who you think are unsaved.

Matthew 6:33 essentially tells us to put God first in everything we do. We usually don’t have a problem with putting God first, however, it can be problematic to keep God first. Keeping God first takes discipline.

There are distractions set in place to remove God from being first in our lives. We can be distracted by the things that are going on at our jobs, the events surrounding our children and family, or entertainment (TV, social media, games). It takes discipline to block everything surrounding us in order to prioritize God all the time, in every situation.

So, how do we discipline ourselves to keep God first? First of all, we ask God to reveal our distractions. Secondly, we allow God to give us some strategies to minimize and eventually remove those distractions. Some of those strategies may include, repeating Matthew 6:33 in order to have seeking God first constantly flowing in our minds, writing out “Did you seek God?” all throughout our home, or have us partner with someone who can hold us accountable regarding seeking and keeping God first.

Whatever God tells us to do, just do it. The discipline we exhibit is for our benefit so that everything we need and desire will be added to our lives.

1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Ephesians 4:15 “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—”‭

-Everybody knows Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.

-You need to stop being so critical of someone else’s life and focus on bettering yourself.

-You know they need to stop smoking weed and cursing. 

-You need to be in church. 

-You need to serve in church.  

These statements are all true, but were they done in love? Or, were they done in judgment, condemnation, or mockery? 

As mature believers, we need to put ourselves in another person’s shoes. Would we receive the truth about Jesus Christ if someone was critical of something we’ve believed all our lives? Would we change our ways if someone told us to change with an undertone of judgment? Of course not. So how can we expect people to receive the truth if it’s not given in love? Also, allow the Holy Spirit to direct us on our timing. We can speak the truth in love, but the other person may not be ready to receive it. 

God is love and as His ambassadors, we need to be operating in love. It’s love that sent Jesus for ALL of us, it’s love that compelled Jesus to stay on the cross, and it’s love that covers a multitude of sins. 

Do everything in love. 

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your lap. For with the same measure that you measure it shall be measured to you again.

As a result of our giving, God promised that people would give back to us. However, if we’re filled with pride, we’ll miss out on an opportunity for God blessing our lives. 

If someone wants to give us some “just because” money, offer to take us on a expense-free vacation, or have us over for dinner, we sometimes have the tendency to have this false sense of humility. We’ll deny the offer as if it puts us in a better light. In actuality, what we’re doing is denying God the opportunity to bless our lives because we’re prideful. We want God to rain His blessings down from heaven, but God will send His blessings through people. We’re also denying the other person the opportunity to sow a seed because we’re prideful. 

This mindset was implemented by the enemy. It’s pride disguised as humility. If we’re not willing to receive blessings and others  don’t have the opportunity to sow seeds for their own lives, God can’t receive the glory. 

Let’s remove our pride and be willing to receive everything God has for us. 

1 Timothy 3:5 For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

God’s Word said He wants us to seek Him first in everything we do (Matthew 6:33). We seek God first by initially asking ourselves, how can where we are and what we have benefit God and His Kingdom? 

By saying God should be first implies there are things we can seek second, third, or fourth. God being first doesn’t mean the things that come after Him are not important. A few of those things after God include family, finances, and stability. Some of us have even more such as, running a business or helping another family. 

It’s great we want to please God,  but we can’t be so spiritually minded until we neglect the things outside of God and His Kingdom. We shouldn’t be in church seven days a week meanwhile, our family is falling apart. Unless God specifically instructs us to, we shouldn’t give our last dollar to the Kingdom and not have enough for insurance or relying on the church to pay our bills. The Bible says seek God first not, seek God alone. 

As we celebrate Christmas and begin the New Year, let’s not neglect our families and our finances. If we’re truly seeking God first, He will give us a plan to manage the things that come second, third, and fourth. 
Merry Christmas

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Contrary to religious belief, God is so loving that He’ll meet some of our needs even if we don’t give financially. However, the needs God promises to fulfill without our participation in sowing are the bare essentials. The bare essentials include food, water, and shelter.

What most of us desire is surplus. Surplus includes everything else in addition to the bare essentials. When we financially give to the Kingdom of God, God fulfills so many layers of surplus. Such as…the classic promise of God opening up the windows of heaven and pouring out so many blessings we won’t have room enough to receive them in Malachi 3:10. God stops the devourer from taking the things we have according to Malachi 3:11. We have God meeting ALL (not some) of our needs for every situation and circumstance (Phil 4:10-20). God provides opportunities for other people to be inspired to give blessings into our lives (Luke 6:38).

All of these promises fall under the surplus of God. God loves us enough to not let us starve, and has designed an opportunity for us to live in surplus. Thus, His love and these great benefits should compel us to give to His Kingdom.

Psalms 136:1-3 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:

Every verse in Psalms 137 ends with “For His mercy endures forever.” Is the Word of God trying to tell us something? Maybe God’s mercy endures forever.

The definition of mercy is: a kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly. What does that mean for us? That means, we all deserved death and worse out of life, but because of Jesus, we have the opportunity to receive God’s mercy. This mercy is not for a limited time only. God’s mercy endures forever.  

With God’s mercy, we don’t have to walk around in shame after missing the mark. God’s mercy endures forever. We know our sins are truly forgiven because God’s mercy endures forever. The blessing is on our lives because God’s mercy endures forever. Every good thing we experience is a result of God’s infinite mercy. 

Praise God for His mercy!

Psalms 135:13 “Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.”

“Our job on the earth is to make God famous.” -Kirk Franklin 

In the early days of civilization, God’s name was famous based on the great miracles He performed through Moses. God’s name was again made famous through Jesus Christ. Finally, we see God’s name made famous through the apostles. Since biblical times, it appears, God’s name has been slowly pushed towards the background. 

In these last days, our job is to resurrect God’s name. How??? By witnessing to others about Jesus Christ. By boldly believing God for our needs and desires. By only trusting and relying on God. By living a life that pleases God. By having the characteristic of God, unconditional love. Finally, by publicly giving credit, glory, and honor to God when good things happen to us. 

Let’s keep God’s name famous. It may be the only thing an unbeliever hears to intrigue them to get know God, through Jesus Christ. 

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The final fruit of the Spirit is self-control. Self-control refers to the control over one’s emotions and impulses. If we can control our emotions, we can control our behavior.

Every behavior is attached to an emotion. For sadness, some may sink into depressions, over eat, or drink heavily. For anger, some may become violent, reckless, or destructive. For happiness, some may party, shop, or exercise. For compassion, some may give or help.

God created emotions within mankind, however, these emotions were never meant to govern our lives. We were never meant to live this life based on how we feel. We are to live this life by faith, being led by the Spirit.

God put us in control and it’s a choice to pick up or put down an emotion. Emotions just don’t overtake our lives unless we allow them to. When we control our emotions we can have a better diet, better relationship with others, and a better outlook on life. There is only one emotion God desires for us to constantly display. That emotion is love. This brings us back, full circle, to the first fruit of the Spirit.

Be in control over every emotion and display God, Who is love.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Some may say kindness and goodness are self-explanatory, but it goes a little bit deeper than what most people think.

If we’re allowing the Holy Spirit to govern our lives, kindness and goodness should be displayed on all occasions. We shouldn’t just be kind or good only if someone deserves it. Our kindness and goodness should be demonstrated regardless of if someone deserves it. These two fruits can cause any relationship (marital, working, parental, etc.) to flourish. How? Because we’re not waiting on someone else to be kind to us in order to demonstrate our kindness.

Honestly, maintaining kindness and goodness on all occasions forces us to apply the fruit of self-control. Everyone will not respond the way we desire after we’ve shown our kindness. In fact, some may get meaner depending on what’s going on in their lives. That meanness by the other person may have our flesh ready to react in an ungodly manner. But, by applying self-control and being consistent with our kindness and goodness, we’ve sown a seed into our lives and possibly into the life of that person.

Our kindness and goodness may lead a person to repentance (change in thought/behavior) and it may help them be a better person, but if it doesn’t, don’t be discouraged. We have a promise from God that says “whatever good any person does, the same goodness they shall receive from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8).

Be good and be kind because this hurting world needs it.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Let’s face it, we have difficulties. Our relief for those difficulties may not happen immediately. While we wait on our relief, we need longsuffering. 

Another word for longsuffering is patience. A definition of patience is doing what’s right even if what’s right doesn’t seem like it’s working. If we separate the word longsuffering, it simply means to suffer long. 

With the Spirit of God operating in our lives, we have the ability to remain patient during difficult times because of the other fruits operating in our lives. When we activate love, joy, and peace in the middle of our situation, we have the ability to stay in that position for however long it takes. 

For those in the middle of a difficult situation, activate the other fruits of the Spirit within you so that you can correctly get through this time, allowing yourself to totally place your faith in God.