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Scripture of the Day: Express What You Confess
When we need or desire something, the first thing we must do is ask the Father in the name of Jesus. While asking the Father, we must believe (without doubt) He is able to bring it to pass. Secondly, by faith, we must receive our request.
Finally, we must hold fast to our confession of faith. Holding fast to our confession means to continue to believe without doubting. Holding fast also means, maintaining the right expressions until we visibly see the manifestation of our request. The right expression includes having the right speech, body language, attitude, and mindset during the waiting period.
For example, we can’t confess we’re healed and then go around sulking, telling everyone how sick we are to obtain sympathy. Our expressions have to line up with our confession. Satan will attempt to control our expressions by using our emotions to make us feel a certain way during the waiting period. We must put the word of God over our emotions. By Satan affecting our emotions, he can sabotage our faith with doubt, fear, and worry.
We must stand up straight, put our shoulders back, keep a positive attitude, and declare what God says about our situation.
Stay strong people of God because it’s only a matter of time before things change.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Psalm 145: 17The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. 18The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 20The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
1. The Lord shows love to all His creation. While loving a child includes discipline (Hebrews 12:6), God does not cause bad things to happen (James 1:17).
2. If we, who love God, call on Him earnestly, He is always with us and watching over us.
3. When we are submitted to God, we receive the desires of our hearts and salvation, both spiritual (John 3:16) and physical (Matthew 6:33).
4. So, we praise Him, hallelujah awesome God!
Genesis 39: 2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 4And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 20And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Genesis 41: 1And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 39And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Since God has showed you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are: 40You shall be over my house, and according unto your word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than you.46a And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Joseph was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery. He was thirty when he was made overseer (second only to Pharoah) over all of Egypt. No matter what position Joseph was in, the Lord was with him and prospered him in all he did. Joseph did not lose faith. He served God at every station in life, even though he did not know the eventual outcome. So, whether you are in a position of ambiguity wondering how much longer will you have to endure or in a comfortable position, continue to trust God. He will work everything out for our good (Romans 8:28).
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
“To grow spiritually we must be confident in our relationship with the Lord, and we must be disciplined in our approach to God’s Word. Are we growing spiritually? Not if we are not confident in our salvation, and not if we are neglecting the Word of God!”
~Unknown Author
It takes an honest person to look at themselves in the mirror and ask, “Where can I better myself spiritually?” It takes a more honest person to answer the question. We all have areas we can improve on. Some people can improve on praying more while others can improve on resisting that sinful temptation. It’s a deception for one to say “I have grown enough.” As long as there is breath in our body, we can always improve.
Take the time to examine your life to see what areas you can improve on. By improving ourselves, we can better enhance and advance the Kingdom of God.
Psalm 33:9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
God desires that we operate like Him on the earth. How does God operate? God operates by faith. When He speaks, He believes what He says will come to pass.
As believers we should operate or function the same way; by faith. The Bible instructs the righteous to live by faith (Hebrews 10:38). God has given us the authority and dominion to call those things that be not, as though they were (Romans 4:17). God spoke, and it came to pass. When operating in the authority that God has given us, when we speak in faith, it must come to pass.
We should have the faith to know immediately when we speak, it’s not going to come to pass (future) but, it has come to pass (present). As quickly as God said “let there be light,” there was light. Light was there immediately without delay. We don’t have to wait to see the manifestation to believe what we’ve declared has come to pass. When operating in faith we know as soon as we said it, it is so.
Start making declarations for your life or situation. As soon as you say it, it is so.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Have you ever noticed God chose some of the least likely candidates to do His work on the earth? For instance, God chose David, a short shepherd boy, to lead His people. God chose Paul, who was once a murderer, to write the majority of the New Testament. God chose John The Baptist, who was observed as a “wild man” in the woods, to direct people to repentance. This is because God searches the heart of a person and not the exterior presentation.
If God can work through people like this in the past, He can work through people like us in the present. It doesn’t matter where we’re from, what we’ve done, or our background, God can and desires to use us. As disciples of Christ, we have been instructed to teach the nations about Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). We can start with our immediate friends and family and eventually branch out into other parts of the world.
Don’t spend another year not being used by God. Get into the game and be a vessel for the Kingdom of God.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
In order for us to function the way God wants us to function on earth, we must renew the right spirit within us. The word renew means, make new again. The right spirit includes things such as love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
There must be a wrong spirit we can house if we have to renew the right spirit within us. By default, the wrong spirit will be just the opposite of the right spirit: hate, sadness, impatience, unkindness, unfaithfulness, harshness, and no self-control.
There will be people, situations, and circumstances that will attempt to replace the right spirit with the wrong spirit. For example…
6:00am someone cuts us off while driving to work, the wrong spirit of unkindness may enter our spirit.
6:30am there is a traffic jam, the wrong spirit of impatience may enter our spirit.
7:05am our boss complains about us being 5 minutes late to work, the wrong spirit of hate may enter our spirit.
8:00am due to the beginning of the day, we may display the wrong spirit of harshness with innocent customers.
12:00pm to relieve the stress of the day we may overeat at lunch which exhibits the wrong spirit of no self-control.
Within six hours multiple wrong spirits could have entered our spirit. This is why it’s so important to renew the right spirit within us. We may even have to renew the right spirit within us multiple times in a day.
To renew the right spirit simply say, “Father God, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Be the vessel God wants you to be by renewing the right spirit within you.
If a 12 year old child comes to you saying, “Thus saith the Lord,” what would you do? Would you intensely listen, or would you pay no attention because of the child’s age. What if, a 76 year old man with old torn clothes came up to you saying, “I see you doing great things?” Would you discredit him because of his age and assume he may have a mental problem?
It would behoove us to listen to the child or old man and not discredit what they’re saying. God informed us in Joel 2:28 that our sons and daughters will prophesy and our old men will dream dreams. It could be the Holy Spirit using that child or adult to minister to us.
Certain people in society mess up by discrediting people because of their age or background. Jesus had that same problem in Matthew 13:53-58 where the people discredited Him because they knew His background. Just know, God can use anyone (child or adult) to speak to us about our life or situation. Open your hearts and minds to receive the Word of God, even if it is an unlikely source.
Joel 2:28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As we begin a new year seeking to live for God we should understand that will-power cannot overcome sin. We must consult the Holy Spirit, and be obedient. The more we obey the Spirit, the more clearly we hear Him and we have victory over sin.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
There was this guy who forced his employee’s wife to sleep with him. Then, when he realized she was pregnant, he tried to get his employee to work less so that he would sleep with his wife and think the child was his. But, his employee was so dedicated, that he wouldn’t quit on his team members. So, the boss set up the employee to die. Then, the boss, married his former employee’s wife. Do you know what God labeled this guy? 1 Samuel 13:14 …the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart…
David, like us, sinned, but God referred to him as a man after His (God’s) heart. When David sinned, he repented, and strived to live holy (2 Samuel 12). With the beginning of a new year, free yourself from the sins of your past. God has forgotten them (Hebrews 8:12). But, continue past that and commit to live for God becoming a person after God’s heart.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Scripture of the Day: There Is Profit
Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
There are difficult sacrifices we make for the Kingdom of God but know, there is profit in our labor.
At times, it’s difficult to get up out of a comfortable bed to go to church on Sunday morning but, there is profit in our hard work. We may desire to go have drinks with our associates at a club instead of sitting inside the house getting drunk in the Spirit but, there is profit in our hard work. We may want to be involved in one night stands due to our burning fleshly desires instead of abstaining from sexual relations until we’re married but, there is profit in our hard work. All the reading, praying, believing, and declaring will profit us in our lives.
It’s difficult to walk righteously and be obedient but, when we make that commitment to obey God in spite of our surroundings, God is pleased. When God is pleased, we are rewarded.
Continue to walk in the ways of God and know your labor is not in vain. Behind our labor, there is profit.
Happy New Year
Psalm 103:2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits–
God has done some great and mighty things for us this year. The fact that I’m able to write this message and you’re able to read it, is something to thank God for.
As the year (2011) comes to an end, this is a good time to reflect on all the wonderful things God has done for us. Some of us received employment, some of us received a degree in school, some of us were healed from sickness and disease. Whatever God has done for you, give Him praise for it.
For those who may be going through a storm, don’t forget His benefits. God is a Deliverer. If God delivered once, He can do it again. Trust in God and know that He has made a way.
Be Encouraged and Uplifted!
What does fasting, praying, and meditating all have in common? They are all continuous in the things of God. Consistency is the key to reaping a maximum return on our seed. Consistency is like water continuously dripping on a stone. Eventually those drops of water will drive a hole in that stone.
The same concept applies when we’re fasting, praying, and meditating. When we consistently do these things, breakthrough will eventually manifest in the natural.
We can’t expect to pray, fast, or read the Bible every now and then and expect to reap the fullness of God’s blessings. Whatever we sow is what we will reap. If we do a little, we should expect a little harvest. However, if we want to get the maximum return on our seed, we should be consistent in the things of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually;
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Matthew 17:21 “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
*For those Christians who are just starting out, I applaud you on the little that you do. But realize, eventually you will have to graduate and enter the next level in your walk with Christ.
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Society called Mary a virgin but, God called Mary highly favored. The dictionary defines a virgin as a woman who never had sexual intercourse. In today’s message, let’s define the word virgin as a person who never had a certain experience. A person can be a virgin at buying a home or starting a business. The point is, if they never experienced something, they would be considered a virgin.
We may not have the necessary experience in order to accomplish a goal but, all we need is the favor of God on our lives. When the favor of God is on our lives, success is our only option. The favor of God can open doors in our lives that we never thought would open. The favor of God can bring new ideas and concepts to our business. The favor of God can make an employer give a person a job without experience. As Christians, we shouldn’t live our life based on our experiences. See yourselves the way God sees you and know we are blessed and highly favored.
Be Encouraged.
Inspired by: Dr. Paul Landrew
Luke 8: 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. 18Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
Hearing the Word of God produces faith, but persevering and continually standing in faith separates those that yield a bountiful harvest and those whose growth is stunted. And if we do not take heed and listen to grow our faith, we may lose what we had. So, faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), but is developed through perseverance (James 1:3, 4). So, keep standing on the Word, breakthrough is here!
2 Samuel 6:13When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, 15while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
The ark of the Lord represented the presence of the Lord. David was so happy to have the presence of the Lord in his city until he danced before the Lord with all his might. God didn’t have to do anything for David and God never promised him anything. But, because the presence of the Lord was in his city David was joyful and danced.
Praise and worship is a chance to usher in the presence of the Lord at our local sanctuary. During praise and worship, some of us don’t sing, dance, or even lift our hands. Some of us intentionally miss praise and worship for whatever reason.
God demands, deserves, and desires our praise (Psalm 29:2). The least we can do as children of God is to give Him our best praise and our best worship.
Be Blessed!
Luke 1:46 – 50 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.
When, God gave Mary a promise, she didn’t start worrying and attempting to guess how it would be done. She was engaged and living during a time when women could be put to death for fornication and adultery. But, her chosen response was praise.
If God has told you something (in His Word or through the Holy Spirit) choose to neither doubt, question, nor worry, but just receive the Word He gave you, and praise Him for the manifestation of that Word!
Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Giving to the poor and less fortunate is a part of God’s will. During the holiday season, there will be many people less fortunate than ourselves. As followers of Christ, we should have a desire to give to the poor. We should not want to see anyone struggling because of lack. The possessions we own are not only for ourselves but, to be a blessing in the lives of others. God gave us abundance; now we share that abundance with someone else.
Be Blessed, to be a Blessing!
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The first thing we should notice is that Jesus was given to us. That, alone, is something we should be excited about. God didn’t have to give us His Son but, because of His love for mankind, He did. Through the death and resurrection of His Son, we (those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior) are made righteous.
In addition to God sending His only Son, God made Him to be a Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. God did not give Jesus these titles for His sake. God gave Jesus these titles so that we can utilize them in every area in our life.
For every decision we need to make, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Wonderful Counselor.
A father represents stability in a family. Whenever we need stability in our lives, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Everlasting Father.
Might is the ability to get results. Whenever we need to produce results, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is a Mighty God.
For every chaotic thing that may be going on in our life, we can call on the name of Jesus because He is our Prince of Peace.
God loves us that much to send His Son Jesus to do and be all these wonderful things for us. We should do and be everything for Him.
There is a difference between a fact and the truth. A fact is subject to change at any time, while the truth will always remain. People experienced facts that changed in history. In the past, it was considered a fact that the world was flat. That fact changed when people circled the globe. When the truth was discovered about the shape of world, the truth overruled the fact.
The truth will always remain while facts are subject to change. The Bible is known as the word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible will always be true, while the facts surrounding us are subject to change. The truths found in the word of God can override facts any day.
It may be a fact a person has cancer but, the truth is, we are healed.
It may be a fact a person is unemployed but, the truth is God gives us the desires of our heart.
It may be a fact a person has sinned numerous times against God but, the truth is we are forgiven when we ask for forgiveness and repent.
The question is, what will you believe? Will you believe the word of truth or a fact that can be changed by the truth?
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
1 Corinthians 5: 9When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. 12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (Deut 17:7)
Jesus hung around people who had a heart for Him (the saved and Christ-like) and people who knew nothing about Him (the lost – so that He could save them). But, those who claim to be Christians, yet still intentionally sin we are not to socialize with.
Why, so harsh? Because if we, by association, show that those things are acceptable, we have just become a stumbling block for the weak and unsaved (2 Corinthians 6: 3 and 1 Corinthians 8:9). Rather, we choose to be Christians (Christ-like), repenting from sin, fighting our flesh, and choosing daily to make an effort to honor God.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
When people face a negative experience in their life, one of the first things they may say is, “God is…” (God is making me go through these trials, God is testing my faith, or God is withholding my blessing from me.) Let’s breakdown the reason for negative experiences in our lives.
If negative things are happening in our life, we must first evaluate ourselves. We must ask the questions, “Am I doing everything God told me to do?” and “Am I obeying God in every area in my life?” If not, this is the reason for the negative experience. We must repent, get back on track by obeying God, and learn from our mistakes.
For those who are living holy, the Bible says let no man say he is tempted by God and the blessing of the Lord makes you rich and adds no sorrow to it. God may allow some things to happen to grow us up spiritually but, He doesn’t cause them. God literally gives Satan just enough access in our lives to challenge our faith. During these challenging times, we have the choice to stand strong in faith or roll over and let Satan wreak havoc in our lives. Remember, God won’t allow more on us than we’re able to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). If we’re going through it, He has equipped us to overcome this challenge. To get through these challenges we must do all the Holy Spirit instructs us to do (pray, read the Bible, fast, etc.). When the storm has passed we can look up and say we are stronger, wiser, better, and it drew us closer to God like never before.
Evaluate yourselves and know the cause of your storm.
1 John 5: 3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
When we live right for God it should come out of a place of love. We choose not to participate in certain activities because we love God so much that as His children, we want to emulate Him.
We have to continue to seek God such that living righteously comes from a place of love and not a task list of ‘do nots.’ So, it’s time to refocus ourselves and dwell on our love for Him!
When we receive salvation (accept Jesus as Lord and Savior), we now live under His authority. This means we no longer do what we want to do but, we do what He has instructed us to do. One thing Jesus instructed us to do was to obey His commandments (John 14:15). Jesus’ commandments are based in love. We are called to love God and love our neighbor. Our neighbor includes the saved and the unsaved. We are called to love them all the same. In loving our unsaved neighbor, we should desire to see them saved. Jesus made this clear when He said in Mark 16:15, “Go and preach the gospel to ALL creation.”
To those who are reading this and have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, I encourage you to do so right now. Simply confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.
To those who are saved, be obedient to the Word of God by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to all. Don’t be ashamed to let the world know who we serve. What a mighty God!
Mark 16: 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
God has made us free moral agents. With this freedom, we have a choice to live in the overflow and receive all God has promised or live in mediocrity.
Some of us are living below the standard God has for us. Some barely have enough money to pay the bills, living conditions are rough, and something always seems to be broken. If you’re content with that lifestyle, so be it. But to those who want the best in life, listen up.
God wants us to live the prosperous abundant life in ALL things (not just money). He doesn’t want to see His people struggle and barely get by. God called us blessed, prosperous, healed, etcetera, but, it’s up to us to live it out. We have to want better in order to get better. We have to place a demand on the things we desire by using our faith. If we see something we desire or need we use our faith to get it.
If funds are low, use your faith to declare money comes NOW! In Jesus name.
If sickness attempts to take over, use your faith to declare I AM HEALED! In Jesus name.
If we want our marriage to be better, use your faith to declare MY MARRIAGE IS BLESSED!
Whatever we want or need, we can use our faith to get it.
Trust God.
Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
There is a process for receiving the manifestation of God’s promises.
First, we must hear the word of God on a consistent basis. Hearing the word of God only on Sunday is not enough.
Second, we must receive the word of God. When we receive something, we take ownership or possession over that something we received. When we receive something in the natural realm our speech changes. We no longer speak in the future tense (I’m going to get), we speak in the present tense (I have). The same rule applies in reference to receiving the word of God. We don’t wait until the manifestation to receive and speak the word of God. We should receive and speak the word of God even when things don’t look or feel like what we received. This is why God’s word says walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God’s word has enough power to change our situation in the natural realm but, we have to believe it, receive it, and continuously confess it.
Today’s Objective: Take ownership when praying, making confession, or declarations over your life.
It’s no longer by His stripes I WILL BE healed, it’s I AM healed.
It’s no longer I WILL BE delivered from this addiction, its I AM delivered from this addiction.
It’s no longer I WILL HAVE a job, it’s I HAVE MY career,
in Jesus name, Amen.
Inspired by Pastor Creflo Dollar
God is a big, powerful, limitless God and we have to remember that, even when going through difficult times. God can turn a situation around in a literal second. We must know whatever the devil meant for evil God will use it for our good.
Romans 8:28 says ALL things work together for our good for those who love the Lord. God will work all things, even sin, for our good. After repentance God can use the sin we’ve committed and work that for our good. Nothing is too hard for God. Never lose hope; continue to trust in God.
Today’s Objective: Don’t focus on the situation or circumstance; focus on God and what He promised. What He promised WILL, MUST, HAS TO come to pass. Be Encouraged.
Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Romans 4:12 says, the promises of God are received by faith and Hebrews 11:6 says without faith, it’s impossible to please God.
Faith is important to God. God doesn’t want us to receive anything without using our faith. So much so, it’s considered a sin if we don’t use our faith to obtain everything we need or want. Faith is believing in something we can’t taste, touch, smell, see, or hear.
From the beginning as Christians, we use our faith to believe in an invisible God. We use our faith to believe this invisible God has a Son (Jesus) who came to earth and died for the sins of mankind. We use our faith to believe this invisible God used His power to raise His Son from the dead that we might be saved. We use our faith to believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. To the world this sounds crazy but, for Christians, we call it Salvation.
If we can use our faith to believe and receive this great thing called salvation, why is it so difficult for some people to use their faith for a minor thing like a house, car, or job? Why is it so hard for people to use their faith for healing their body? What makes it so hard for people to use their faith for a God-fearing spouse? God desires all things to be received by faith. Please God by using your faith.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.
Let’s imagine the ax as a cutting tool for the problems, situations, or circumstances in our life.
The Bible says it’s hard work to chop something with a dull ax. This means we need to use a sharp object to cut down the problems and circumstances that arise in our life. Hebrews 4:12 lets us know where we can find a sharp object.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
In order to remove the problems and situations in our life, we need to speak the Word of God over our situation. Whatever problem or issue we may be facing, there is a solution found in the Word of God. Any solution outside the Word of God is only temporary. The Word of God is the only thing that can penetrate the heart of our issues and circumstances. Don’t be unwise; use the word of God to dismantle every problem or issue in your life.
Be Blessed!
When we really love God we want to please Him. We acknowledge when we do things that are not pleasing to Him, and sometimes we keep reliving the offense. While, God wants our desire to obey Him to be stronger than our flesh, we have to forgive, forget, and let go when we fall short. That does not mean we abuse God’s mercy and continue to sin with no real intent to stop. Rather, we confess our sins to God, ask for the forgiveness of whoever He prompts us to, forgive ourselves, and choose to forget (by faith) the situation. Then, we move forward.
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
~~Inspired by Pastor Derrick Golden
1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
The foundation of Christianity is love.
Let’s look at what love is not. Love is not envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeping records, or delighting in evil.
In this same chapter regarding love, verse 11 speaks about putting away childish things. “11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”
We can conclude from this verse that it takes a level of maturity to love in this manner. By being envious, rude, self-seeking, etc. we are considered childish. It may take more effort for some but we all must love with a pure heart. Love All and Hate None.
Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Salvation is obtained by faith. We first must believe in our hearts, then we speak. If salvation is obtained by faith, can’t we obtain our needs and desires by faith as well?
The answer is…YES!
Everything we need or want that pertains to life and Godliness is promised in the word of God. Once we locate the promise in God’s word, we should believe, then speak. That’s why confession is so important. We are speaking the truth about a situation even if the facts don’t line up with our confession yet.
We are delivered from all unholy and unhealthy addictions.
We are healed of all sickness and disease.
We are protected and covered by the blood of Jesus.
We are free from all judgment and criticism towards others.
Even if we still are battling addictions or suffering from sickness symptoms, believe and speak the truth which is God’s word. Believe then speak. God’s word (The Truth) outweighs any natural fact we experience. Walk by faith and not by sight!
Psalm 34:1 Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
The Bible says praise the Lord at all times. That means we are to praise God when things are good and when things are not so good. We are to praise God when we feel like it and when we don’t. All times means exactly that, all times.
When we first start praising God, it may feel forced. It may seem like we’re saying empty words (Hallelujah, praise God). But, the longer we praise God, the more real it becomes. Our seemingly empty words start to connect with our mind. We begin to think about all the things God has done for us. We think about His love, grace, and mercy. We think about where we could have and possibly should have been. We begin to think about where He’s brought us from. From our mind, our words start to connect with our heart. The next thing you know, we’re giving God a true praise and worship from our heart.
Hallelujah! I love you Lord. You are worthy. There is no one like You. You are perfect God. You’re Holy. I magnify You God. I praise You. Glory to God. You’re awesome. There’s no one Like You. Holy is the Lamb. Glory to God. Hallelujah!
Your Turn!
Today’s Mission: Take at least 5 minutes to praise God without stopping. There is no structure. You can sing, dance, rap, yell, whisper, run, or jump. Just give God at least 5 minutes of uninterrupted praise.
Ready……..Praise!
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
In any natural fight, a person must train and prepare themselves for the fight if they want to win. They lift weights, increase their skill level, better their technique, etc. For most fighters, this process is not always easy because they’re pushing their bodies to the limit.
God did not instruct us (through Paul) to fight the devil or fight other people. He instructed us to fight the good fight of faith. The devil is always looking for an opportunity through situations and circumstances to deprive us of our faith. It takes a physical and spiritual effort to hold on to our faith; especially through difficult times. We train and build our faith by spending time in the word of God, believing the word of God, and speaking the word of God over our situation. This gives us the strength we need to overcome the opposition of the devil and win the fight.
1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
When children get to the age of accountability (usually 12 years old and up), how they act is usually a reflection of the parenting they received. If a child is nice, sweet, generous, and kind, a person may believe that child had good parenting. If a child is unkind, disrespectful, rude, and selfish, a person may believe that child had poor parenting.
After we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become children of God. Everything we do is a reflection on God. The way we walk, talk, act, or live all is a representation of God.
How are you representing God? When people see your lifestyle or actions, would people say you are a devout Christian, a true child of God? Or, would your Heavenly Father’s light not even be seen by others because of your unholy lifestyle?
It’s a process to change our unholy ways but, we have to make an effort at some point in our lives. Start today!
Harvard University’s name is known for having a high standard of education.
Louisiana State University’s name is known for having a great football team. : )
Bill Gates’ name is known for inventing Microsoft and having a billionaire status.
Q: What is God’s name known for?
A: God’s name is known for giving us no want, peace, and restoration.
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 He restores my soul.He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
God promises us no want, peace, and restoration. When God promised us these things, He put His name, or reputation, on the line. God will still be God even if He didn’t do these things for us but, because He put His name on the line, we can expect these things from Him.
Praise God for expected blessings with God’s guarantee stamp on them.
Be Blessed!
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Our desire should be to embody Christ. We pray that the desires we have that are from Him are enhanced and the desires that are not from Him diminish.
Galatians 3: 29 And if you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s descendants, and heirs according to the promise.
And as we emulate Christ, we remember that not by our works, but by His sacrifice are we made heirs. As heirs we walk with dignity (not succumbing to the sins of our past) and authority (expecting greatness and the promises of God – Genesis 15).
1 Samuel 18:5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
How many of us would like to be successful in everything we do? How is it that David was so successful? Well, let’s truly examine the keys to success.
1 Samuel 18:28 states the Lord was with David.
1st Clue: God has to be present in our lives to have success. We can’t even mention success without involving God. There is no success without God.
David did whatever Saul asked him to do.
2nd Clue: We must submit ourselves under the authority God has appointed in our lives. From parents, to teachers, to supervisors, we must submit to their authority. Submission is the will of God (1 Peter 2:13-15).
David lived for God.
3rd Clue: When David killed Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, he did it in the name of the Lord. David was not looking for self recognition but, only to glorify God. When living this life, live it for the glory of God. From day-to-day, live a life that is pleasing to God.
These are the keys to success. Now it’s time to open the door.
Be Blessed!
God can call us blessed, highly favored, prosperous, the head and not the tail, etc. but, we have to internalize the word of God. If we don’t know who and Whose we are, what God says won’t mean anything. It’s like telling a girl she’s pretty. If she doesn’t internally believe she’s pretty, there is nothing anyone can say that can change her mind. Then there will be a pretty girl walking around believing she’s ugly.
We should not allow people to validate who we are and we should not allow our circumstances to dictate where God wants us to be.
God called us blessed; internalize it! It doesn’t matter what our current condition looks like, we are blessed.
God called us healed; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how we feel, we are healed.
God called us wealthy; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how much money we currently have in our bank account, we are wealthy.
God called us wonderfully made; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how we appear on the outside, we are wonderful.
When we ask, God forgives; internalize it! It doesn’t matter how wrong we think our sins are, we are forgiven.
Whatever God says, internalize it and know Who you are and Who you belong to.
Be Blessed!
1 Peter 1:7 These (trials) have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Some say trials come to make us strong. That statement is not totally true without our personal efforts. There are plenty of people who go through trials, and some who keep continuously getting beat up by the same trial, and never learn nor get strong. As believers, we have a choice to use our trials to make us strong. It all depends on the amount of effort we put in during that trial.
For example, if the enemy attacks our family, we have a choice to complain or whine about what is happening in our family. Or, we can become strong in our trial by building our faith. We build our faith in this area by researching scriptures related to a prosperous family, rebuking the enemy from our family, or getting spiritual guidance during these times. That way, the next time the enemy attempts to attack our family, we are strong enough to endure the battle of faith and defeat the enemy.
See the benefits of growth and development during that trial and really become strong. Do Work!!!
Inspired by Bishop Hilliard
Graced To Do God's Will 