Graced To Do God's Will

Isaiah 55:11 (NLT) It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Face value is a term that people often use when referring to the true value of something. An example would be, John means what he says, you can take him at face value.

The Word of God is THE only thing we can take at face value. Every promise in the Word of God, we can take literally. All conditions and criteria to receive God’s promises are found in the Word of God. There are no hidden terms, conditions, or agreements. When the Word says have faith, we must have faith. When the Word says believe, we must believe. When the Word says give, we must give.

The promises of God are for everyone who is willing to believe and receive these promises. We don’t have to be perfect or a preacher to receive God’s promises. All we have to do is take God’s Word at face value. When God said it, He meant it and when He said it, He meant it for you.

Receive the blessings of the Lord. 

Mark 10:³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

On the surface, it appears that James and John were demanding Jesus to do something for them. It seems so disrespectful. But notice, Jesus didn’t rebuke them. He asked them what they wanted. How could they talk to Jesus in this manner? Didn’t they know He is the Son of God?

John and James were able to talk to Jesus in this manner because they were in close relationship with Him. They realized He is not a respecter of persons. If Jesus can heal and deliver random people, surely He could do something for them. Although John and James had selfish motives in their request, Jesus was willing to do whatever they asked.

When we have a close relationship with God through Jesus, God is willing to do whatever we ask. Jesus makes this clear in the very next chapter of Mark 11:24 which says, therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. We must ask ourselves the following questions: Are we asking the Father? Do we believe? Have we received?

Ask for the desires of your heart and know that, through Jesus, God is willing to answer your request.

1 John 3:5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

For every born again believer, Jesus has taken away our sins. There is no confusion or debate. We can see clearly in 1 John 3:5 that Jesus took away all of our sins. The only reason God sees us as righteous is because we have no sin. If it were not for Jesus, we would still be considered unrighteous. If Jesus took away all of our sins, why do some of us work so hard to keep them?

For instance, some of us hold on to mistakes we have made in the past and we are still asking God for forgiveness. What some of us fail to realize is we have been forgiven over 2000 years ago. Jesus has taken away every past, present, and future sin. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven.

Stop holding on to things you have done in the past. Receive your forgiveness and believe your sins have been taken away.

John 8:23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

There are people who spend a lot of time, effort, and money searching for extraterrestrial beings, also known as, aliens. They look into far distances and galaxies for other forms of life. Meanwhile, they fail to realize that the aliens they seek are right in front of them.

Everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior becomes a new creature and by default, they are not of this world. Jesus proclaims He is not of this world and in John 17:16 He proclaims that we (the believers) are not of this world.

What this means is, we act differently than those of this world. For instance, when Ebola has the world frantic and afraid, we have peace because we believe that nothing can harm us (Luke 10:19). When people of the world are stressed or worried about losing their jobs, we have joy because we believe that God shall supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

This strange behavior we display during seemingly difficult times will cause others to become curious and look at us in a new way. This curiosity will draw people into our inner circle. Then we can declare we are not of this world and our home is in heaven where our Leader is God Almighty. Finally, we can invite them to become citizens of this world through Jesus Christ.

We are not of this world; be proud of it.

John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

We often look past the point of salvation and look towards the building of our faith, the building of our relationship with God, and getting the desires of our heart. Those things are important but, not as important as leading others to Christ.

Daily, people are going to hell because only a few are reaching out to the lost. Salvation is THE most important thing in the Kingdom of God. Luke 15:10 says, angels rejoice when one sinner repents. Everyday, we should be ministering to someone in some way. We can verbally minister to a complete stranger, we can encourage friends and family members, or we can update our status with a Word from God.

I encourage everyone reading this scripture to update their Facebook or Twitter status with John 8:24 to encourage the world to believe in THE ONLY savior, Jesus Christ.

John 8:4 (NLT) “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Jesus is the physical embodiment of grace. According to the law of Moses, Jesus had every right to condemn and stone this woman who was caught in the act of adultery but, He did not. Although she deserved death, Jesus did not condemn her and he allowed her to live.

This is true today. We were once a part of the world and we deserved death. However, because of grace through Jesus Christ, we are not condemned and through Him we are allowed to live.

As ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, our job us to lead the hurting, the confused, and the lost to the embodiment of grace, Who is Jesus Christ.

Praise God for Jesus Christ Who provides life without condemnation!

Psalm 91:16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

God guarantees us long life. What exactly is long life? Genesis 6:3 says long life consists of 120 years.

Within these 120 years, God will satisfy us. We have 120 years to fulfill the will of God for our lives. We have 120 years to live the blessed life and to be a blessing to others. We have 120 years to lead others to Christ. We don’t have to live in regret and we don’t have to live in fear. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

A long satisfying life is a promise from God. The question is, how many of us will receive this promise?

Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬ And on some have compassion, making a distinction;

When was your last compassionate moment? When was the last time you reached out to help someone, not expecting anything in return?

As time moves forward into the last days, the Bible says people will be lovers of themselves. With this notion, we (the believers) have to be intentional about being compassionate towards one another. We have to be diligent in finding someone to help. There are people out in the world who need to know God exists and He loves them. How will they know about God’s love unless we show compassion towards them and tell them about His love?

Make an effort to find someone to love. Have compassion towards the people God has called you to.

I John‬ ‭4‬:‭8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

After becoming saved, being Christ-like is first accepting that God loves us as we are, flaws and all. Once we truly have an understanding of the depth of God’s Love for us coupled with the level of our imperfections, we want to share God’s Love with others. But, people don’t embrace condemnation; they embrace love.

So, let’s be expressions of God’s love for people. Show love even to the undeserving, and watch as God works through you to save lives. And, don’t think that we will go unrewarded, because God has already promised to reap a harvest of what we have sown. Love people.

Psalm 108:12 Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. 13 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

When you’re in a difficult situation, who do you turn to first? Do you immediately go to your friends or family, or do you try to deal with the problem yourself? Or, do you turn to God?

When we first turn to people, including ourselves, we let God know we trust human wisdom over His wisdom. Another problem we face when we first turn to people is people don’t always give sound advice. Some of their advice comes from things they went through and not necessarily the Word of God.

Turning to God will provide the best solution possible. At times, God will use people to help us in our difficult situations, however, it’s best when we first come to Him. Coming to God first guarantees our victory.

Choose God over everybody and walk in victory.

“God’s Word won’t come to pass in your life” is the main thought that Satan wants us to believe. When there is a delay or it appears that the problems are becoming worse, those satanic thoughts speak louder and louder. Here is a verse that will help us and encourage us during these difficult times.

Jeremiah 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

God is the One Who ensures that His Word is fulfilled in our lives. With this knowledge, we can be at peace to know that every promise we declare shall come to pass. In fact, it’s already done in the spirit realm. Those promises need our faith, without unbelief, to manifest in the earth.

Rest easy and be at peace and know that if God is ensuring that our promise comes to pass, we don’t have to worry or be in fear, believe that it’s already done.

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Jeremiah made excuses regarding being a prophet. We should consider this one thing: if God called us to do something, He has already given us the talent, skills, and ability to perform whatever He has called us to. Philippians 1:6 says it this way, He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

If we read the additional verses in Jeremiah 1, we will see that God did all the work. God gave Jeremiah instructions, visions, encouragement, and He told him what to say. All God needed was a willing participant to do His will.

This is still true today. God has called each of us to do something spectacular in a certain field. God will provide all the necessary tools to perform that work. All God needs is a willing, obedient, and fearless participant.

Starting today, let’s eliminate our excuses and be obedient to God because in this earth, we are all that He has.

Psalms 66:8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

When anything good happens in our lives, God deserves our praise. He not only deserves our praise when we’re in our rooms by ourselves but, He deserves our praise openly.

The scripture says His praise should be heard. This means, someone should be hearing our praise report. When we get a raise on our jobs, praise Him. When we get a close parking spot, praise Him. When we make a good grade in a class, paise Him. It’s not bragging. It’s giving God His deserved praise.

Don’t be ashamed to give God His praise that He truly deserves. Let’s begin to praise Him privately and openly.

Be Blessed!

Luke 19:2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

We will pay $80 or more for sporting events or concert tickets. On the night of the event, it may be raining and cold. Because it may be a big event, there may be lots of traffic and people everywhere. Yet, most of us would still go the extra mile to attend the event.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the things of God (church, bible study, life groups), the conditions have to be perfect for some of us to attend. We have to mentally, physically, and emotionally “feel” like going. If we do attend church, it’s a strain for some of us to give $20.

God has been too good to us for us to put Him behind entertainment. Honestly, the things of God can do more for our lives than entertainment could ever do. We can go to church and hear a Word from God that directly pertains to our situation. We can go to bible study and be delivered from a 10 year addiction.

Zacchaeus was a sinner but, he went the extra mile just to see Jesus. Because of his efforts, he spent the day with Jesus and salvation came to his house (v. 8).

There is nothing wrong with attending concerts and games, but if we’re willing to go the extra mile for an event, we should be willing to do the same and more for God.

Inspired by the teachings of Joyce Meyer

Psalm 91:11 For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

God has His angels protecting or guarding our lives. Angels are not commonly visible to our natural eyes but, God has them protecting us. Protecting us from what? Our unseen angels are assigned to protect us from seen and unseen dangers. There are opposing demonic forces that are assigned to deceive and destroy our lives. We know this because in 1 Peter 5:8 it says, Satan is seeking someone to devour.

Daily, angels fight on our behalf protecting us from demonic forces, they obey the voice of God’s Word (Ps. 103:20), and continually minister to us (Matt. 4:11). With this understanding, we don’t have to live in fear. We have unseen partners fighting on our behalf.

God’s angels are not mythical beings we hear about in passing. God’s angels exist and are on assignment and the bulk of their assignment revolves around us. Praise God for another avenue of protection through our angels.

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.

When we’re in tuned with the Spirit of God, God Himself downloads instruction, knowledge, and correction directly to our spirit. This heavenly download is great, however, God will also use our parents, teachers, ministers, friends, and family to provide the same heavenly instruction, knowledge, and correction to us.

These instructions and corrections are sent to make us better people, but it is up to us to gladly receive those corrections. God may use the least likely person to provide instruction, knowledge, and correction. We can’t minimize their words because of their past behavior, age, or our opinion of them. We have to realize that these instructions and correction are all God sent and are given to us out of love.

When we don’t receive correction, the Bible calls us stupid. Don’t be stupid. Take a step back, receive God’s instruction, knowledge, and correction, and let’s allow Him to make us better people.

Inspired by Pastor D @thencfc.com

Proverbs 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

We are living in a world where marriage is no longer held in high honor. Both, women and men, disrespect the concept of marriage. People are choosing to have live in boyfriends/girlfriends for the rest of their lives. People are choosing to live the worldly single life where they have the opportunity to sleep with whoever they desire without being attached. God did not intend for us to live this way.

For those who desire to take a step of faith and become married, Proverbs 12:4 are instructions for both men and women in marriage.

Women, you should desire to be excellent for your husbands. Not because of what he’s done but, because God called you to excellence. Like a crown, your presence alone should cause your husband to stand out and you should complement his existence.

Men, a crown is something that should be proudly displayed. We shouldn’t hide the fact that we’re married. Our wives are a gift from God. Also, we should not be ashamed of our wives. No matter how old or tarnished our crown becomes, this is the crown God gave to us. It’s partially up to us (the husband) to maintain its appearance.

Let’s establish and maintain a positive, healthy, God-ordained marriage.

Matthew 15:13 (Jesus Speaking) But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up.

As we go through life, there are certain metaphoric plants we obtained that our Heavenly Father did not plant. For instance, if we grew up without a father, we may have obtained the plant of rejection. Or, if we’ve been emotionally hurt by someone in a relationship, we may have obtained the plant of fear or a lack of trust in relationships. Finally, if we were highly influenced by someone teaching us non-biblical based things, we may have received those plants into our souls. An example of being highly influenced is if we have a favorite uncle who tells us not to give our money to the church because the preacher is going to use our money to live an extravagant life. Now, some of us are missing out on God’s best because we’re not tithing and giving offerings.

These are some examples of things our Heavenly Father did not plant. The promise we have from God is an uprooting of all the plants He did not plant. God is not going to forcefully uproot these plants, however, if we submit ourselves to God, He guarantees to uproot everything He did not plant. Every wrong thought, belief, or previous pain, God promises to uproot.

Take the time to seek God about those things He did not plant in your life and allow God to uproot it all.

Acts 28:3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

Paul was saved, impacting and advancing the Kingdom of God and yet, a snake bit Paul’s hand.

Some people believe that because we’re saved and doing the will of God, we’re immune to problematic situations. That’s not true. Jesus informed us we will have troubles (John 16:33).

The good news is that when we (the righteous) face difficulties or problematic situations, we have victory. Just like Paul, when we get bit by the issues of life, if we truly trust in God, those issues won’t internally or externally affect us.

So, if you get that nail in your tire, don’t attempt to recall your behavior to see where you have sinned. Trust God for the resources to pay for the flat tire. If you become sick, don’t think God is punishing you. Thank God that through Jesus’ stripes you are healed. When your funds get low, don’t cry or complain. Understand that God is your provider and He will sustain you.

Don’t let the issues of life affect your joy and your peace. Like Paul, just shake it off and keep it moving.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows them that trust in Him.

We can say we trust God but, God knows our hearts and He knows those who truly trust Him. God knows those who trust Him entirely, trust Him partially, or don’t trust Him at all. Our lack of trust can affect our faith. How can we have faith in someone we don’t trust? Hebrews 11:6 says, without faith, it is impossible to please Him. With this understanding, we can conclude that our lack of trust displeases God.

Let go and let God take control of your life. Start pleasing God by placing your total trust in Him in everything and for all things.

Let’s trust God.

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There is a personal mark or goal we all should be striving for. However, we can’t go towards our goal looking back to our past. Some of us live in regret thinking on the mistakes of our past or thinking on things we could have done better. We can’t allow our mistakes to determine our future. Focus on God for our future.

Another type of reflection focuses on the emotional pain from a friend or family member. Some of us have been rejected, abused, or unloved. The person who hurt us may have asked for forgiveness, moved on with their life, or died but, we’re still holding on to our pain from our past for a number of reasons.

Regardless of what we’ve done or what we’ve gone through, we serve a God Who knows our future and He has already made provision for us to come out on top regardless of our past. Let go of your past and focus on your future to obtain the goal God has for you.

Hebrews 11:1 NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is present tense which means it’s right now. Faith is not in the future. When we pray for, declare, or desire a certain thing, we should do so in the present tense. For instance, a person should say, “Father I ask for and receive my new car right now in the name of Jesus.”

Once we’ve made our request known to God, we must take it a step further. The next step in faith is thanking God for our desire(s) in the past tense. If we truly believed that we’ve received the desire we have asked for, we should genuinely thank God for the desire we’ve received. We genuinely thank God in the past tense because we know we received our desire once we prayed (Mark 11:24).

Using the same example from above, until the person receives the manifestation of the new car, that person should continue to thank God for the new car as if it’s bought and paid for and in their garage. We shouldn’t wait to physically see our desires to thank God for them. Let’s take it a step further and start thanking God now.

In Lamentations 4, there was a great famine in the land. People were starving. Mothers were cooking their children, children were not eating, and it was better for people to die from a sword than of hunger. Why did this famine take place? What was the reason behind God’s fury?

We find our answer in Lamentations 3:42 which says, “We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned.” Because the people rebelled and transgressed against God, God removed His covering from them and caused their enemies to triumph over them and a famine to take place in the land.

This was the punishment for those who rebelled in the old covenant. In the new covenant, we have an Intercessor in Jesus Christ Who intercedes on our behalf. When we sin or rebel against God, His wrath does not directly impact us. Jesus is literally informing God He has already paid the price for every one of our sins and rebellious acts. Can you imagine Jesus speaking to God saying, “No Father, don’t hurt them. I have paid the price for all they have done and will ever do wrong.” What an awesome Savior. Praise God for Jesus, Who is our Intercessor.

Romans 8:34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Isaiah 61:7 Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

Some of us have made mistakes in our past that affected our present and possibly our future. Every time we attempt to push forward it feels like our mistakes are holding us back. During this time, some of us get discouraged, give up, and knowingly go down the wrong path because of seeing no way out.

Be encouraged today! We serve a God Who specializes in impossibilities. Just because we don’t see how we’re going to get out or how it will work for our good doesn’t mean God is not able. From the foundation of the world, God knew we would get ourselves in that negative situation and He already developed a plan to get us out. All we have to do is trust Him.

Trusting is easier said, than done. For some, it may be difficult to trust a big, unseeing God with every detail of our personal lives. It may be hard for some to let go of the steering wheel of their lives and release it into the hands of God but, that’s the only successful way out. Today, let go of fear, pride, and worry and give ALL of your life (mistakes and shortcomings) to God.

Let your shame turn into glory.

There is a well-known children’s song called “Jesus Loves Me.” The first line states, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Whether we realized it or not, this song encourages children to believe based solely on the Word of God. Children learn to believe that Jesus loves them without any sensory knowledge of His existence. They are taught to believe because the Bible tells them so.

Unfortunately, due to life’s experiences, some adults have forgotten how to believe or refuse to believe based solely on the Word of God. Some need to see it before they believe it. In addition to Jesus’ love for us, there are so many other promises in the Word of God for those who believe.

Some of those promises include: Jesus loves us (John 13:34), we are healed (1 Peter 2:24), we are victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57), we are blessed (Genesis 12:2), and all of our needs are met (Philippians 4:19).

If we would dare to believe the Word of God without any sensory knowledge, we will receive the manifestation of every promise found in the Word of God.

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

James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

It’s great to know that when we sin or miss the mark, we have grace, through Jesus Christ, to keep us in right standing with God. It not only keeps us in right standing but, it continues to allow the blessings to flow.

For the longest time, I believed that when we sinned, we had to repent and start all over in earning our blessings. This thought only brought guilt and condemnation. Grace allows us to repent and stay in right standing with God. Because we’re under grace, in the eyes of God, we have never sinned. This message is not to encourage anyone to abuse grace but, it’s great to know that grace has the ability to remove the shame and guilt from our lives.

If there is a need or desire that you have but, you have sinned, continue to stand in faith for that desire. God has not abandoned you because of your sin. Lean, trust, depend, and rely on grace because He desires to fulfill His Word in your life.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. ” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. (‭John‬ ‭21‬:‭3-6‬ NKJV)

Jesus’ disciples fished all night and they did not catch any fish. Jesus encouraged them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When they obeyed, they caught a great number of fish.

I could only imagine the thoughts going through the disciples’ minds when Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. Some possibly were thinking, what difference will it make if we cast our net on the right side? Or, I’m tired and I don’t feel like it. Finally, some were possibly in doubt. Regardless of their thoughts, they obeyed Jesus and reaped a great harvest.

The Holy Spirit will have us do some illogical things but, if we obey the Spirit, we too will reap a great harvest. Let’s not allow logic to govern our lives. Be led by the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

In the old covenant, we were instructed to wait on the Lord for vengeance, deliverance, and His promises to us. We were bound by the Law. If we did everything that were instructed to do, we could wait on the Lord to fulfill His end of the bargain.

We are now under the new covenant. The new covenant instructs us to activate our faith and believe in the finished works of Jesus. The Lord has provided everything we need and desire through Jesus. The Lord has delivered us from the hands of the enemy and made us righteous through Jesus. The Lord has placed everything back under our feet through Jesus.

With this is mind, no longer do we have to wait on the Lord. The Lord is waiting on us. The Lord is waiting on us to activate our faith and take hold to these promises we have through Jesus. Everything we need in this life has been made available to us through Jesus. Believe this truth and receive what is ours by faith.

John 17:4 (Jesus Speaking) I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.

Jesus instructed the servants to fill the water pots and fill them to the brim. He then tells them to draw the water out at a certain time and take it to the master. The servants did exactly what Jesus said and water was turned into wine. If the servants only partially filled the water pots, the miracle would not have taken place. If the servants would have drawn the water too early or too late, the miracle would not have taken place.

Jesus is no longer physically present with us but, He left us the Holy Spirit. When we do exactly what the Holy Spirit tells us to do, we will experience miraculous results. The Spirit may instruct us to apply for a certain position or put in for a raise next Monday at 3:00pm. If we’re early or delay in being obedient, we may not experience the miraculous.

Start being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and see what He is instructing you to do.

Many people have a general understanding of sowing and reaping. We understand that if we sow our money, time, or effort, we will reap a harvest of the same. Today, I want to reveal an act of sowing and reaping that many of us have not considered.

Anything that God does on the earth, He has to do it through the obedience, prayer, or seed of a person. With this understanding, let’s look at the seed sown by Abraham. In Genesis 22, Abraham made up in his mind to sow a seed to God by sacrificing his son Isaac. Although Abraham never actually killed Isaac, Abraham’s heart and mental state was worthy enough for God to view that incident as a sacrifice.

Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Because Abraham, who is known as our father, gave his only son Isaac to God as a seed, God in return, gave us His only Son Jesus. As children of Abraham, we are able to reap the benefits of Jesus.

Praise God for the initial sacrifice from Abraham because with his sacrifice, we are able to reap the wonderful benefits from the ultimate seed sown: Jesus.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Matthew 18:19 (Jesus Speaking) “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

It appears that people are forsaking the power of agreement. There are three things that take place through agreement. First, agreement allows two or more people to be on one accord regarding a certain subject. Secondly, there is a guarantee that whatever they request will be fulfilled. Finally, and more importantly, the power of agreement allows Jesus to be in the midst of the agreement.

For instance, a husband and a wife or a parent and their child can be in agreement regarding the quality of their relationship. They don’t have to spend the majority of their time arguing or fighting with each other. They can agree to have Christ be at the head of their relationship, they can agree to both be Spirit led, and they can agree to have an argument free relationship. If they stick to the agreement, it will be done.

The same power of agreement applies at church, at work, or at school. Anytime we’re in a setting of two or more people, the power of agreement can apply. Activate this power today and live a peaceful prosperous life.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

There have been times where God has told us to say something to someone regarding their salvation, a lifestyle change, or encouragement but, the enemy used fear to place a muzzle over our mouths.

The enemy uses fear to make us think about what the other person may say or think about our actions. The enemy uses fear to make us think about being rejected by the person we’re ministering to. The enemy uses fear to make us think about how we will be viewed in the future. This fear prevents us from being (1) obedient to God, (2) sharing the love of Christ, and (3) being the blessing that God has called us to be.

Remember, God did not give us the spirit of fear (2 Tim. 1:7). If God prompted us to say something to someone, even if it’s a stranger, let’s be obedient and be a blessing and remove the muzzle from our mouths.

When we receive news that contradicts what we would have planned for ourselves, what is our first response? Do we immediately start complaining, worrying, trying to negotiate a way out of the situation? Our first response when anxious, negative thoughts arise, should be “I trust God and I know that I am victorious in every situation and all things work together for my good” (Romans 8:28, 37).

God has already equipped us with everything we need to overcome. But, the way that God’s economy works is through faith. We must believe we are overcomers and TRUST God. So, every time those thoughts of anger, worry, or stress arise, cast them down and replace them with the truths of God: “The favor of God is on my life. I am an overcomer and I have victory in every situation. All things work together for good for me because I love The Lord and am called according to His purpose.”

It’s time to live our predestined victories!

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

I John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

There are three things we should be operating in as we live out this life on earth. Those three things are wisdom, revelation, and discernment. Wisdom, revelation, and discernment are things we can’t earn or obtain academically. These things must be received from God.

There is man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom. Man’s wisdom is foolishness compared to God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 1:25). Spiritual wisdom taps into the knowledge of God. God’s wisdom gives us an idea when we don’t know what to do. Wisdom will allow us to make the correct decision.

Revelation is connected with the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:10). The root word for revelation means reveal or uncover. When we operate in revelation, we give God license to reveal hidden things to us. This may be a new business idea or the reason why someone is hurting inside.

Discernment is also connected to the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). Discernment allows us to accurately judge the situation. Discernment will let us know who is trying to con us in a business deal and it will reveal the truth about the other person in a relationship.

Wisdom, revelation, and discernment are all linked. If we take the time out to seek God in situations, God will reveal things to us about a certain subject, allow us to accurately judge the situation using discernment, and make the correct decision by operating in wisdom. Operating in these three categories will cause us to be in a closer relationship with God and limit our mistakes. Start operating in wisdom, revelation, and discernment today.
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Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

Imagine if our parents were Oprah Winfrey, whose net worth is valued at $2.9 billion, and Bill Gates whose net worth is $76 billion. There would be nothing we would stress about regarding materialistic desires (house, car, boat, etc.); we wouldn’t have to worry about paying tuition for any schooling, and we would have the best healthcare money could provide because our parents are multi-billionaires.

We are children of Someone who is far greater than Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey. We are children of God. Our Father literally owns everything. Haggai 2:8 says, “the silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” Our Father not only owns everything but, He desires to give these things to His children. Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Anything we want that pertains to life and godliness, we can receive from our Father.

Let’s have an understanding that we are children of God and we are heirs according to the promise. Through grace, we are entitled to receive everything that our Father owns. Praise God for everything.

Galatians 3:29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

In our praise and worship, we often express how much we love God but, have we truly comprehended how much God loves us? The only reason we love God is because He first loved us. He doesn’t love us because we’re good or we do everything correctly. God made an intentional decision to love us regardless of what we do, where we are, or how far we strayed. God’s love is unconditional.

Take the time out and read and meditate on the following scriptures on how much God loves you. If any thoughts of doubt regarding God’s love occur, cast them out, and continue to meditate on how much He loves you.

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 19:2 And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

Every negative thing Jesus experienced, He experienced it for us.

When the soldiers placed a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, they unknowingly redeemed us from a curse. What curse? The curse of toil. Genesis 3:17-18 says, And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

Because Jesus bore and suffered these thorns for our sake, we are redeemed from this curse. No longer do we have to worry about where our next meal is coming from, because God is our provider. We no longer have to work over 60 hours a week in order to receive a promotion. We don’t have to “brown nose” our way to the top in order to be noticed. We are delivered from the curse of toil.

Just like in the Garden of Eden, God desires to be our provider without us having to overwork ourselves to receive it. Praise God for no more toil.

~Inspired by Pastor Bill Winston

Revelation 3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

We are the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and the Bible instructs us, the church, to listen to what the Spirit has to say. Our success does not come from obeying a collection of laws. Our success depends on listening and obeying the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God covers those “gray” areas that the law does not cover. The Spirit will let us know when to invest in a certain stock, what job(s) to apply for, and what person to make our spouse.

If we can be still and listen to what the Spirit has to say, we can experience a fascinating life.

1 Peter 1:21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

If a random person approached you and said God doesn’t exist and Jesus is not the Son of God. Most believers would walk away thinking the person was foolish and/or debate the existence of God and His Son. We have never seen God or His Son but, we unshakably believe the Word of God regarding the existence of God and His Son.

The same unshakable faith we use to believe in the existence of God is the same unshakeable faith we need to acquire everything else the Word of God has promised to us. The only thing different is that the random person talking to us is the enemy. The enemy will attempt to make us doubt in the promises of God based on what we’re experiencing and what we’ve done in our past. But just like the random person above, we need to dismiss what the enemy is saying and declare the truth.

Maintain this unshakable faith and receive every promise God has for you.

John’s appearance was not preferable by any means. John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). John lived in the wilderness and yelled continuously about the coming Messiah. To the common man, John appeared to be a crazy person.

Although John’s appearance was disheveled and he lived away from civilization, he worked his purpose for the Kingdom of God. The anointing John possessed made people come and listen to him. Through John, numerous people were baptized and informed about Jesus Christ. To this day, John is still revered by many.

What does this mean for us? When we prioritize God, it doesn’t matter what we’ve done, where we’re at in life, or how we look. God already has our assignments settled. We just have to receive and accept our calling. We don’t need to be millionaires in order to be influential. We can influence a multitude right now. We don’t have to be 100% holy to let others know about Christ. Start now!

Whatever purpose God has placed in your heart to do for the Kingdom, start doing it now. Don’t wait until everything appears in order to start working for the Kingdom of God. Find and work your purpose for the Kingdom of God.

He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭23‬ NKJV)