Graced To Do God's Will

How often do we make plans without consulting God? Before setting that commitment, we can say, “let me get back with you on that,” and then take the time to ask, listen, and obey God. So, we no longer need to become victims of stress or confusion, as we consult God prior to making new plans. And, don’t be afraid to ask God about commitments already made, and allow Him to provide the words to say if He instructs us to remove ourselves from it. Seek God first in everything!

1 Kings 22: 4Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 5Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the LORD says.”

(NLV) Romans 3:24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Know that you are righteous.
We are not made righteous because of our good works and we are not rebuked or cast away because of sinful actions. The only reason we are righteous is because of Jesus The Christ. There is nothing we could have done to be made righteous because Jesus did it all.

Know that you are righteous.
Since we are righteous and there is nothing that can change that, we are allotted some perks. We received complete health, great wealth, great marriages, joyful families, and all the luxuries in life. For those who have not received the manifestation on these perks, have faith and patience to inherit the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12). Even when we miss the mark, these perks are still a part of God’s promise.

Know that you are righteous.
Once again, there is no one or no sin that can make you unrighteous. An unrighteous person is a person who has not made Jesus Lord over their life. Righteousness does not come from works. So, in the end, know that you are righteous.

Colossians 2:6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

For those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we already have the fundamentals to receive any promise of God. No matter what the promise is, if we work these 4 steps, we will see the manifestation of God’s promise.

When we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, there are 4 steps we took.
1. We heard the Word of God. (Rom 10:9-10)
2. We believed the Word of God.
3. We received the Word of God.
4. We confessed the Word of God with our mouth.

Example: We desire a new car.
Step 1: We have to hear the Word of God regarding our desires. (Psalm 37:4; John 15:7)
Step 2: We have to believe the Word. The enemy is going to attack our belief system. He will attempt to use every trick in the book to make us doubt God’s Word in any kind of way.
Step 3: Receive the Word. Receiving is different from believing. Receiving is not only believing God is able to do it but, He’s able to do it for me.
Step 4: Confess the Word. Romans 10:10 says, for it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Confessions are for us. It confirms the validity of God’s Word in our soul.

This process will work for every promise but, we must be willing and patient enough to work the process.

Your Turn

Inspired by: Bishop Hilliard

John 15: 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

God desires that we include Him in all our affairs. This means, every decision we make (small or great) we should include God. It’s a simple task that He requires of us.

If we want to go shopping include Him. We should simply ask, “God can I go shopping?” Whatever answer He gives, accept it because it’s for our good.
If we want to buy a car, include Him. Ask, “God, do you want me to buy a car?” Whatever answer He gives, accept it because it’s for our good.

With God, we not only bear fruit (desires in life) but, much fruit. There is no limit to the fruit we can bear when we consult God.

Trust Him

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.” – Jonah 1:1-3

When we move away from God’s purpose and plan for our lives, we suddenly move in the direction of destruction, disaster, and disappointment. God has a smooth path waiting for us. As we continue down His path, things may “appear” troubling but, it’s for our good and for His glory.

What most people don’t know is why Jonah disobeyed God. Jonah disobeyed God because God told him to preach to a group of people who hated his kind. This would be equivalent to a black or Jewish person going to a Klan rally and preaching to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). At the beginning, this didn’t seem very appealing to Jonah therefore, Jonah headed the other direction. But, after Jonah finally submitted to the will of God, people were saved and God was glorified.

Our paths may not always seem pleasant but remember, whatever we do (within the will of God) is for our good and for His glory. Submit to the will of God and let God be glorified.

Be Blessed!

Inspired by Christopher J Harris

Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'”

Who are we to not like the way God created us?

Many people are facing image issues. Everyday, the TV influences the minds of people by having people who “appear” to have perfect bodies, flawless skin, and great hair. These images make people self-conscious about what God has blessed them with. Some people want to be taller, while other people want to be thinner. No matter how God created you, you are beautiful. What the world defines as beautiful or handsome is not even close to the standards of God.

We are all made in His image and if He’s the creator of beauty, we must be beautiful.

Love Yourself

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous: and shout for joy, all you that are upright in heart.

If our joy is founded in God, happiness will soon follow. We have a choice to be glad in the Lord and worship Him in every circumstance. We have a choice to rest in the comfort of knowing He works all things to our benefit (Romans 8:28). And we choose to always be joyful, because although happiness can be more temperamental relying on circumstances, joy is ongoing and consistent when it is founded in God. Rejoice!

Once we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we became saved, were made righteous, and promised that our sins would not count against us (Romans 4). But, we are accountable to God.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

We choose to honor Him, and He is so amazing that He sees our efforts, even when we fall short, and He directs us to inherit the totality of all the greatness He set aside just for us (Psalm 112). So, let’s focus on seeking and obeying God.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

In this verse, Jesus was the manifestation of God’s Word that became flesh. However, God’s Word manifested didn’t stop with Jesus. God’s Word can be made alive in any situation in our life.

Look around. From where we live, to what we drive, to having something to eat, these are all manifestations of God’s Word becoming flesh.

If you have a situation, apply the Word to it. Got a need? Apply the Word to it. Want something to drastically change? Apply the Word to it.

Whatever the situation is, God’s Word has enough power to change that situation.

Be Blessed.

From people dying in road rage incidents to people getting shot over some shoes, there is a lot of turmoil in the world. Everyday the news speaks about people dying and trouble for the economy. With all this negative news being presented on a daily basis, it makes you wonder why more people are not paranoid.

But… with every test, every situation, and every circumstance, there is an answer. The answer is found in the Word of God. God allowed us, His children, to be in the world but, not of it. Jesus didn’t want us to leave the world but, He prayed that we wouldn’t experience the evil in it (John 17:15). In the midst of all the negativity, we should have peace, love, joy, and prosperity.

Meditate on the scriptures below and receive all the great things God has for us in this lifetime.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Ephesians 2:26 For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping up, only that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping of the wind.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

The only person who is holding on to your sin is you. Once we’re born again, God wipes away the sins of our past. No matter what we’ve done or how far we’ve strayed from His presence, God loves us and He is NOT holding our sins against us.

Not only is He not holding on to our sins from the past but, because of the blood of Jesus, our future will never be dirty. God made it where all of the punishment we deserved for our sins was eliminated by Jesus Christ. Therefore, every past, present, and future sins we commit will not be held against us as we live this life. We (Christians) will always be righteous in the sight of God and we will always be clean.

Don’t get me wrong, God doesn’t like sin and He desires for us to live a holy life but, the sin we commit will not be counted against us.

So, drug addict, homosexual, liar, murderer, fornicator and all the above, don’t run from God, run to Him. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and be free from the bondage of sin.
Body of Christ, let’s reach out to our fellow man no matter what sin they’re committing, and show them the love of God by introducing or reinforcing Jesus Christ.

Be Free

We often speak on faith and the power it allows us to have in the earth. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). This means, we can have all the promises in God’s Word, only if we believe without doubting.

Sometimes people forget one concept of faith. Faith, without works is dead (James 2:17;20). This means, we have to apply natural principles in life in order for faith to work. We can’t expect to receive anything from God unless we put in natural efforts.

If we desire employment, we have to actively apply to careers. After applying, we have to receive the manifestation of a career by faith. We can’t just have faith alone.
If we desire a romantic relationship, women have to position themselves to be chosen and men have to be bold enough to approach a woman. Faith alone won’t cut it.
If we desire a house, we have to be wise stewards with our finances in addition to receiving wise financial advice. In the middle of our process, we should have faith for the manifestation of our house.

It takes our effort. God is not going to do it without a willing participant to do their part in the earthly realm.

James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Mark 3:27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.

As children of God, we have the ability to bind and loose things on earth (Matthew 18:18). In this scripture, Jesus is saying unless the strong man (Satan) is bound we (the children of God) cannot reap the spoils. Ever since man sinned in the Garden of Eden, Satan possessed all the good things God wanted to provide for man. Now, since Jesus came and sacrificed His life for man, we now have the ability to bind Satan and loose everything he once possessed.

That means, your house, your car, great wealth, happy marriage, joy, peace, wisdom and so much more has been released to us. We must receive these promises by faith.

So Satan, we bind you right now and we receive all the promises God has for us now, in Jesus name, Amen.

Esther 2:15 When the turn came for Esther…to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. 17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Esther exhibited humility and wisdom by seeking wise counsel and she was favored and blessed to become queen. When we humbly seek and obey God’s Word, we position ourselves to receive favor and walk in the blessed path God has orchestrated for us.

(MSG) Psalm 139:14 – 16 I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out… The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

God created us. Who are we to think we are anything other than breathtaking displays of God’s talent? Thus, our confident awareness is based in who we are in God. Praise God that He knows every part of us, loves us, and simply wants us to pursue an ongoing relationship with Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

11a: He has made everything beautiful in its time.

There are going to be times in life where our situations are not as pleasant as we want them to be. We may be in a position where we could be in a better financial position. Or, we could be in a situation where we feel like we should be further along in life than we are. The key is not to magnify these ugly situations because the very same God Who carries us in these ugly situations has the ability to beautify our situation. That’s why the Bible calls for faith and patience to inherit our promises (Hebrews 6:12).

It may not seem or feel pleasant when we’re going through but, as we shift our focus and faith on the brighter side, we can have peace in the midst of any situation.

We spend so much time with wanting to know who fought or slept with who on a reality TV show. We spend even more time commenting about our haters on a social media site. We spend the greatest amount of time attempting to escape reality (Facebooking, clubbing, drinking, etc.)

Do you think heaven really cares about that? Of course not. God desires that we be His hands, feet, and mouthpiece on earth.
When was the last time you witnessed to an unbeliever? When was the last time you encouraged a brother or sister who has strayed off God’s path? When was last time you did a random act of kindness for someone?
If it was over a month ago, you might need to shift your priorities to heaven’s standards.

Find out what God desires from you, and commit your ways to His.

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Be Blessed

Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Have you ever heard in a song or in worship the saying, “we’re so unworthy?” That statement was true at one point in time in our life or for an unbeliever. But, once we get born again by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that statement undermines everything Jesus has done.

Jesus was sent from a glorious heaven to a sin filled earth. Jesus was separated from His Father, bore ALL our sins, hung, bled, and died. Jesus went to hell and received the torture from death for 3 days. Finally Jesus was raised from the dead, poured His blood on the mercy seat of God, and intercedes for us as we speak.
Jesus did all of that so that we can say, “we’re unworthy?” I think not.

Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we are worthy to be called sons and daughters of God, we are worthy to be called righteous, and we are worthy to receive eternal life with Our Father.

Thank You Jesus for our worthiness.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God has a promise of peace. Not just ordinary peace but, peace that passes all understanding. This means when we face difficult situations, and others don’t understand why we’re calm in this situation, we can say it’s our promise of peace. Crying, screaming, and worrying doesn’t make the situation go away. What we need to do is, rely on God’s peace.
So, for the people who have faced or about to face a natural disaster in Hurricane Isaac, declare God’s peace in the middle of that situation.

Peace

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Many people call themselves Christians but, many people have not made Jesus Lord over their life.
Going to church does not make Him Lord.
Praying over your food does not make Him Lord.
Reading your Bible doesn’t mean Jesus is Lord.
These are good starting points but, that’s not the embodiment of Lordship.

When we KNOW and APPLY the Word of God to our life, forsaking all other views, concepts, and doctrines to follow Christ, then and only then have we made Jesus Lord.

We can talk a good Christian game but, how about making Him Lord?

Inspired by Pastor D. Golden

John 13: 34A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.

Our most important role in this life is to love. God is our first love and others are our second. The best way to draw others to God and a better quality of life is to embody the love of God. While we do not compromise on our faith in the Word of God or beliefs in what it says pleases God, we choose to demonstrate love to all.

1 John 4: 8He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 16And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. 19We love him, because he first loved us.

Proverbs 24:15-16 Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don’t stay down long; Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

When we live for God, we live under His covering.  He looks over us, and though we may fall, we continue to get back up. Because we operate on God’s supernatural strength, we are unstoppable when we walk within His will.  Praise God that we continue to rise!!

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

Faith is like a muscle. If a muscle is not strengthened, the muscle will usually fail in the time of a test. The way we build our faith is through opportunity. We have the opportunity to use our faith for any and everything.
Most people know to use their faith to obtain a car, a job, a house, healing, and deliverance. But, did you know our faith can be strengthened when we release it for “minor” things as well? Release your faith for a great parking spot in a crowded parking lot. Release your faith for stress free travel conditions. Release your faith for green grass during a hot summer. Even in the minor things, God is still pleased when we use our faith (Hebrews 11:6).

When we use our faith for everything, we’re conditioning our mind to rely on and respond with God’s Word in every circumstance regardless of how the situation appears. That way, when our faith is truly tested, our faith won’t fail like an unused muscle.

Work Your Faith!

Matthew 8:26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

In this incident, Jesus shows the believer how to use their faith to change the atmosphere. Jesus could have used His faith to make sure the ship makes it across to the other side safely, but Jesus took it to another level. Instead of barely making it across torn and tattered, Jesus declared peace in the atmosphere.

We have the authority to do the same thing Jesus did. We don’t have to allow the situations and circumstances in life to get us down. We have the ability to use our faith to change the situation entirely. Regarding authority in this earth, we are on the same level and have the same abilities as Jesus.

So, we shouldn’t get frustrated with where we are financially, spiritually, emotionally, or physically; have faith and use your mouth to proclaim the truth in God’s Word to change our atmosphere.

#Don’t take what life gives you; change what life gives you.

Romans 4:17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed–the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Have you ever heard a person say, “I call it like I see it?” For the believer, that statement is not necessarily true. The believer is taught to walk by faith and not by sight. What we see may be a fact but, just because it’s a fact doesn’t make it true. The real truth is found in God’s Word.

The truth is, even though our bank shows not enough; we declare more than enough.
The truth is, even though we’re struggling with temptations; we proclaim our deliverance.
The truth is, even though our situation may not be how we want it to be; we declare all is well.

It’s in our belief and speech.
Have faith and use your mouth to proclaim the truth in God’s Word to shame the devil.

Psalm 128:2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Proverbs 13:21 Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

Many times people in the body of Christ look at prosperity as if it were a curse. When prosperity is mentioned in a sermon, people seem to cringe as though it were a bad word.

God desires that His children prosper. Not just in our wealth but, God desires that we prosper in our families, careers, schooling, and so much more. Having a great education, great career, nice clothes, nice car, etc. is not a problem. Where the problem lies is if those materialistic things have us. However, if we please and pursue God, those great materialistic things will be easily available to all of us.

So, don’t be afraid to pursue the finer things in life. Just remember to keep God first.

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

Have you ever done all you know to do spiritually and naturally to change a situation but, it still doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would? These times can cause a person to be perplexed or frustrated. Even though we may be frustrated by the situation, we shouldn’t allow our frustration to drive us to despair. We are not driven to despair because of our faith in the Word of God.

We know with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).
We know all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28).
We know according to our faith, whatever we desire will manifest (Mark 9:29).

With faith (total belief) in the Word of God, the manifestation of change will arrive.

Despair Not!

Isaiah 54:10 For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.

Even if the mountains walk away, and the hills fall to pieces, God’s love will not walk away from us.  God’s love for us is endless and permanent.  Praise God that He loves us as we are, imperfections included!!

2 Thessalonians 1:11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If our life honors God, He honors us; honoring God involves making a consistent effort to do His will.  And when our will is aligned with His will then He fuels our plans and they prosper.  So, while our salvation cannot be earned, and we have already been made righteous (Romans 5:19), we continue to walk in His will and receive the fulfillment of our desires!

When we get born again, everyone tells us we should obey God to be blessed. But, not too many people tell us how to obey God. When we have been living a certain way for so long, we become accustomed to that lifestyle. The question is, how are we supposed to change our sinful ways after living a lifestyle for so long?

Here are some initial steps we can use in our journey to pleasing the Lord.

1. Receive the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit of God to do the work.
Zachariah 4:6 says, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
When we get saved, we should receive the Holy Spirit. When the temptations of reverting back to our old ways arise, we are to call on the Holy Spirit to help and guide us.

2. Renew our Mind
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer 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.
Let our mind conform to the Word of God. Whatever the Bible says is right, we say is right. No matter how we feel, what people say, or how long we’ve lived that way, let the Word of God be true in our hearts.

3. Submit to God.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
No matter how long we have been saved, the devil will always tempt us. As we submit our bodies, mind, will, imagination, emotions, and intellect to God when making a conscious effort to do His will, the devil and his temptations will flee.

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Let’s magnify the last statement in this verse….my cup overflows.

Most Christians want to live a life of so called humility. They want to have just enough in their cup but, not too much as if the poorer we are, the closer we get to God. The more liberal Christians want to have at least a full cup. They want the manifestation of their dreams and desires but, at the end of the day their’s a limit.

Honestly, according to this scripture, God wants more for His people. God desires our cup to overflow. We should have so much in our cup until we have enough to lend to the nations (Deuteronomy 28:12). I’m not ONLY speaking of money. We should have an overflow of love to give, an overflow of wisdom to give, an overflow of service to give, etc. How else do we expect to be a blessing according Genesis 12:2 without surplus?

Let’s elevate our thinking to the level of overflow because that’s what God desires for His people.

Real Blessed!

Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
14: He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Have you ever wondered why Adam did not receive a Covenant or a blessing? The reason is because Adam introduced the curse in the earth. The curse includes death, disease, poverty and the things alike. After Adam sinned, God established a plan with Abraham and His seed to allow the believer to experience the abundant life in a cursed world. The blessing trumps the curse every time.

So, for a believer…
If the doctor says we have cancer, we say, we have the promise of healing and we are healed.
If our bank account shows only $200.00 at the beginning of the month, we say, we are wealthy.
If our marriage seems to be in shambles, we say, we have a marriage made in heaven.

Remember the covenant of God and don’t settle for less.

Inspired by Pastor Winston

When we first get born again, our faith is at the baby phase. We simply believe with our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. But, how many know God wants more from us? God wants us to continue to grow in faith. He sent His Son to reclaim everything that was stolen in order for us to believe and receive His finished work. Yes, a small amount of faith will move mountains but, great faith moves God Who created the mountain. Jesus was emotionally moved when great faith presented itself in Matthew 8:10.

Allow your faith to be perfected by placing your faith (trust, hope, reliance, and confidence) in God and His Word.

Be Blessed

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

God wrote this book (The Bible) in order for us to obtain and maintain hope. There are many things that will attempt to frustrate us and make feel like all hope is gone. But, with this Word, we can find God’s promises assuring us that hope is alive.

When God’s Word said “we are healed,” this is not a possibility; we are healed. Any sickness or disease we may face is an attack on what God promised; health.
When God’s Word says, “we are the righteousness of God,” this is absolutely true. Whatever sin we commit will not make us lose our righteousness. As long as Jesus is Lord and Savior over our lives, we will forever be righteous in God’s sight.

Read the Word of God and expound on His promises and keep hope alive.

Be blessed!

In attempts to obey God, we can become so focused on the sin, that it consumes our thoughts and leaves us destined to repeat. But, what if instead of being disheartened by the sin, we recited what God has called us to? Whether in the midst of the sin, or battling the temptations of it, how much more would our resistance hold if we accessed the “greater is He” that’s within, by proclaiming God’s Word?

During the temptation or the sin, and even while not tempted, declare, “I have been made righteous. I am the righteousness of God” (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

In addition to salvation, God blessed us with an awesome gift, His Spirit. We have insight into His thoughts, infinite wisdom, direction, and revelation. Invite God’s Spirit to direct you and obey that voice or prompting when He does. With every move of obedience, expect more clarity of communication from God’s Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2: 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.

Want long life? Well, obey God’s Word.
Want to be prosperous? Well, obey God’s Word.

God not only wants to prosper us, He wants us to have longevity of prosperity. What does longevity of prosperity do for the believer?
1. It enhances the quality of our life here on earth.
2. It allows others to see the blessing working in our life.
3. As the blessing draws people closer to us, we have the opportunity to show them the way to Christ.

Praise God for this longevity of prosperity. But, it first starts with us.

Be Blessed!

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God is giving us the steps to receive His promises.
1. Pray, Petition, and Give Thanks
Our starting point to receive anything from God is prayer. Prayer is our direct line to communicate with God. While in prayer, we have to make our petition known to God. Yes, God knows what we need before we ask but, He still wants us to ask (Matthew 6:8). Since we know that God hears us according to 1 John 5:15; our next step is to thank God for the manifestation of our request. Even if we don’t see it or know how it’s going to manifest, thank God for it in advance.

2. Do not be anxious.
Anxiety creates worry, worry creates doubts, and doubt contaminates faith. In order for us to receive anything from God, we have to believe without doubt (James 1:6).

3. Rest in the peace of God.
Since God’s Word said our requests will come to pass; we are to rest in the promises of His Word. Temptations, negativity, and doubt will attempt to enter our mind and emotions but, when those attempts occur, declare the peace of God to ease every anxiety or worry from our mind and emotions.

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?

Have you ever heard the phrase, you can catch more flies with sugar rather than vinegar? This phrase is saying a person can attract more people if they are kind rather than harsh or mean. God operates the same way.

God is not all hell, fire, and brimstone like some people choose to believe. Now, for those who don’t accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; they will have to suffer the consequences of hell, fire, and brimstone but, God doesn’t use those things to get people to repent. God attracts people to repentance with His goodness.
If God attracts people with His goodness, shouldn’t we do the same? We shouldn’t go around condemning and Bible beating people due to their behavior. Let them know the truth. The truth is God did not send His Son Jesus so that we can continue living in sin.
His goodness saved us, His goodness keeps us, and His goodness allows us to rest in His promises.

Rest in the goodness of God.

To those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are the righteous ones (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Psalm 37:25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
-We, the righteous, will never be forsaken. God will always provide for us. Not only for us but, for our descendants as well.

Proverbs 10:24 What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
– We, the righteous, have the opportunity to receive any and everything we desire. As long as we have good intentions and as long as our desires line up with God’s will, we can have them.

Matthew 25:46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
-We, the righteous, have the opportunity to receive eternal life. Our eternal life doesn’t start when we leave this earth. From the moment we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, we received eternal life.

Praise God that through the blood of Jesus, we are made righteous.