Graced To Do God's Will

Habakkuk 3: 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like deer’s feet, and he will make me walk upon my high places.

Psalm 71: 8 Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your honor all the day.

We always have the option to praise. Regardless of the situation, we find our joy, strength, and peace in God. But first, we choose to praise!

1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Have you ever heard the term too good to be true? Many times people make that statement based on a negative experience they had or a negative experience they heard about.

Unfortunately, people subconsciously put God in that same category. Some people think it’s too good to be true that God forgives ALL our past, present, and future sins once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord (Colossians 2:13). They feel like you have to do more to be forgiven. Some think it’s too good to be true that we are made righteous based on our belief alone and not works (Rom 3:22). Some people and other religions believe our righteousness is based on our good works. The biggest and the saddest one of all is that some think it’s too good to be true that no matter how far we’ve strayed from God and His ways, He still loves us unconditionally (Rom 8:38-39).

Yes, God is that good. Put your thoughts, ideas, misconceptions and unbelief away and believe God and His Word.

Many times, people miss some of God’s greatest creations because of fear. Some people don’t take the opportunity to see foreign lands because they’re afraid to fly. Some people miss some of the most beautiful beaches because they’re afraid to be on a cruise ship. Some people miss some of the greatest adventures and thrills because of fear.

My question is, why???

In my opinion, the fear is not in the action of flying or cruising. At the end of the day, the fear is death. Some people magnify the fear of death over the Word of God. God instructed us to not be afraid (Isaiah 43:5). Psalm 28:7 says God is our shield or protection. Luke 10:19 says nothing by any means shall harm us. Jesus died on the cross and took the power of death away from Satan. This means, for the believer, death has no power over us. With all these scriptures regarding no fear and God’s protection, we should not have any reason to be afraid.

So, enjoy life and experience new things. Be a part of what God created and remove yourselves from the Spirit of fear.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–

We were destined for hell but, the grace of God saved us through His Son Jesus, made us righteous (in right standing with God), and allows us to have every promise of God.

 Today’s focus is how grace made us righteous.

Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9) we are made righteous. We were destined to be judged and punished but, the grace of God allowed us to be in right standing with God. It seems, the longer some Christians walk with God, the more they rely on their merits and efforts to be righteous instead of God’s grace. We can’t read the Bible enough, pray long enough, or go to church enough to make us more righteous than we already are. A lot of times, people forget that it was grace that saved them and not their works. Interestingly enough, the more righteous works they do, the more they criticize someone else who is not “doing” as much as they are. Don’t get me wrong, righteous people are supposed to do righteous works but, righteous works do not give us the title of righteous.

 Remember, we should rely on the grace of God and make our righteous works a personal way to grow in the Lord.

1 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 John 1:3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

It’s interesting to see grace, mercy, and peace be at the beginning of these letters. Could it be that the early Christian magnified something we often minimize?

*Grace. Grace is the God given ability to do something we cannot do on our own. For example, it is by the grace of God we are saved, it is by grace we are made righteous, it is by the grace of God we receive the promises of God.
*Mercy. Mercy is the reason why we’re not all dead, ill, and hell bound. It was Jesus Who died for us and placed His blood on the mercy seat of God. Through the blood of Jesus, we can now receive God’s mercy. Anytime we miss the mark, God looks at the blood of Jesus on the mercy seat and grants us mercy. His mercy is endless.
*Peace. When we know we have God’s ability on top of our human ability (grace) and we receive God’s mercy for every deliberate or unintentional sin we commit, we can live in peace. In any situation we can count on God’s ability to get the job done and receive mercy along the way therefore, we have peace.

Receive and walk in this grace, mercy, and peace that is freely available to all believers.

Accept Christ

Mark 9: 23 Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.

Why would Jesus say, ‘if?’ Belief seems easy. We can believe a chair will support our weight. So, if we say we believe that Jesus is God’s Son, who died on the cross for our sins so that we can spend eternity with our Creator (John 3:16), then why would it be hard to believe the rest of God’s Word? Our belief must be tied to our faith, not our sight. Just like we sit in chairs often without reservation, we must choose to remain in faith for the manifestation of our beliefs. Faith is fact; believe without doubt.

Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works
Romans 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

God is righteous. When Adam sinned, he tainted our appearance, so that we could not experience the original design of our relationship with God. The law was then created to make us aware of how sinful and imperfect we were and so that we could try to be righteous and enter back in to that relationship with God. But, the law was impossible for most to follow. So, God sent the ultimate sacrifice, and the moment we accepted Jesus as Savior, we were forever deemed righteous. If you believe in the power of that sacrifice, then believe that just as we did nothing other than believe to become righteous, we also can do nothing to lose that right standing before God, other than to not believe. Fully accept God’s gift, choose to honor Him with your life for it, and declare and receive every promise of God for the righteous (Promises of God: http://www.seekgod.org/bible/righteous.html ).

Matthew 9:29 says, Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”;

Notice, it says according to our faith, not according to God.
There is an old religious mindset that says whatever happens in our life is the will of God. Whatever God allows us to have, is the will of God. That’s not true. The will of God is in the Word of God and the Word of God promises us an abundance of things including our personal desires.

God desires what we desire. If He didn’t, He would not have said it in Psalms 37:4 “I (God) will give you the desires of your heart.” If we want a three bedroom house, God desires a three bedroom house for us. If we want a Mercedes-Benz, God desires a Mercedes-Benz for us. Anything that pertains to life and godliness, God is willing to provide those things to enhance the quality of our life.

Once again, it’s according to our faith. Everyone’s faith is going to be different. Someone may desire and have the faith for great wealth and great possessions while another may have the desire and faith to just have enough money to pay their bills. It’s not wrong or materialistic for the first person to desire a surplus of things because it’s according to their (individualistic) faith. We shouldn’t look down at the person for wanting great possessions. Personally, I believe if God said it, I should expect it.

Whatever you desire from God will be possessed by your faith.

Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

God has done some amazing things in our lives. We know it was not our education, our efforts, our morals, or intellect that got us this far. The blessings we received start and end with God and God alone.

Testimonies are not strictly for church settings. What good does it do to tell your story to a believer who knows about the goodness of God and is experiencing blessings themselves? We should be telling our story to the man who has not been to church in years and may be depressed. We should be sharing the goodness of God to the single mother with three children who needs government assistance. We should be telling our story to anyone who is willing to listen.

Sharing the goodness of God will ignite people’s faith. It will give them the hope, courage, and stamina to continue moving forward. It will allow people to focus and place their total trust in God. Whether in the work place or in a casual conversation, never be ashamed or too proud to express how good God has been.

You never know, your testimony may save someone’s life.

Express it!

Knowledge is important in every arena of our lives. Without knowledge, we are sure to reap destruction. The most important kind of knowledge is spiritual knowledge because without spiritual knowledge, we are destined to be destroyed by the work of the enemy.

However, there are other areas of knowledge we should obtain or else, we’ll reap destruction.

If we don’t have knowledge regarding money, our finances will suffer.
If we don’t have knowledge of a healthy relationship, our marriage will suffer.
If we don’t have knowledge of networking, our careers and businesses will suffer.

It’s important to seek:
1. The knowledge of God and His Word.
2. The knowledge of whatever else we desire out of life.

Get Knowledge!

Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

The Bible says, WE must keep ourselves in God’s love. This is our responsibility.

Everyday there will be tests and trials that attempt to get us out the love of God. Someone may cut us off while driving, a supervisor may micromanage our work, and out of nowhere, we may even get cursed out. These are all tricks of the enemy to get us out of love. The enemy knows that faith works by love (Gal 5:6). If he can get you out of love, our faith won’t work. If our faith doesn’t work, we can’t receive the promises of God.

Love your brother and your sister. Be kind and courteous to your neighbor. Pray for your enemies and all who persecute you. And, keep yourselves in the love of God.

Are we willing to declare what God told us even when it doesn’t make logical sense? Many people set faith levels based on what they can make happen. Maybe they are afraid that God will look bad. Many people consider themselves ‘realists’ and their expectations align with what they deem logical. And if something extraordinary occurs, they say praise God for that miracle, but they don’t reposition their faith levels to believe and declare the impossible again. They move through life being pleasantly surprised every so often.

As believers, we are directed to have faith. Faith goes beyond what we can manifest with our own ability. Faith trusts God completely and declares what God says even if it is deemed unrealistic by world standards. Activate and remain in faith, and expect manifestation.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Emotions can sometimes lie to us. Our emotions arise from our souls, and our souls are the middle-ground between our flesh and our spirit (as believers our spirit posses the Holy Spirit, or God’s thoughts, 1 Corinthians 2:11-12).

Some emotions start from the flesh which, contrary to appearance, is the impermanent part of us. We can feel alone, but God said He would never leave us (Joshua 1:5). We can feel unattractive, but we were masterfully created (Psalm 139:14). We can feel unhappy, but joy is a un-fleeting gift from God (John 15:11). So, when our emotions attempt to convince us of inaccurate truths, we audibly and repeatedly replace those thoughts with the truth of God’s Word.

John 8: 31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Genesis 15:13 Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Most of the time, when God speaks, people want to hear something positive and uplifting. We want to hear we will be debt free in 6 months or we will receive a blessing in the mail. However, there will be times where God will make us aware of certain things that will occur in our future. This is not to frighten or stress us out but, it’s informative. God speaks to us so that we won’t be blindsided with the issues in life.

Receive everything God says and allow His voice to guide your life.

In the law enforcement world, detectives usually need to have concrete evidence or a confession to file a case and convict a person of a crime. Once in front of the judge, if there’s not enough evidence to convict the person of a crime, the charges are dropped and the case is dismissed.

In Revelation 12:10, Satan is known as the accuser of the brethren. Satan, the prosecutor, is in the court room of heaven informing The Judge (God) of every sin we commit. However, over 2000 years ago Jesus, our Defense, sacrificed Himself by taking the judgment, punishment, and paid the price for all sin. With Jesus taking the punishment for all sin, Satan doesn’t have any evidence to support his accusations therefore, the charges are dropped.

Praise God for Jesus.

Because of Jesus, Satan has nothing on us. Never allow Satan’s guilt trip to make you feel guilty of any sin. We are free because Jesus paid it all.

Case Dismissed!

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.

God knew no one in the earth could fulfill the law with their own human abilities therefore; the curse remained in the earth. In order for the curse to not affect people’s lives, the people had to sacrifice approved animals yearly. It was a temporary fix for a permanent problem.

The ultimate solution was Jesus Christ. God sent His Son Jesus the Christ here in the earth as a man to permanently fix the problem for a select group of people. Anyone who believes and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is apart of that select group. We (Christians) are no longer under the curse of the law.

Therefore we received the following:

Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Health

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

Promises of God

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

Victory

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

Eternal Life

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

And so much more.

Once again, thank God for Jesus.

When God provides a plan of action, do you follow it, or do you carry out a plan that you believe is more better suited to the way you feel or how you think it would affect someone else?

Do you prioritize time with God consistently, or do you wait until you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed to cry out for help?

Faith is built up daily and consistently. When tough situations arise, if we have already built up our faith (by spending time speaking with God, listening to the Word and reading the Word), then our faith will keep us reminded that we have already attained victory and our faith will see us through the manifestation of that victory.

Hebrews 11: 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The more Word we receive, the more faith we can use. Faith is not a tool we pick up only when we need something from God. Romans 1:17 says, the just shall live by faith. This means, faith is a lifestyle. It should be a part of our everyday life.

We should be using faith in every area of our lives.
For those of us who may be feeling guilty about the past, we need faith to know we are forgiven from ALL of our sins and we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
For those who may be experiencing financial difficulty now, we need faith to know that God supplies ALL of our needs and we have a promise to be financially prosperous (Philippians 4:19; 3 John 1:2).
For those who may be stressed or worried about their children, we need to have faith to receive our peace and know that the seed of the righteous shall be delivered (John 14:27; Proverbs 11:21).

We can’t have faith for something we don’t know. Turn off the TV, get off the phone, read and receive the Word of God, and live by faith.

Romans 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Everybody is busy. We all have plans and schedules we must follow throughout the day. Some have business meetings scheduled while others have lessons to plan. We have to study, practice, rehearse, and socialize. We haven’t even included our spouse and children yet. The point is, we all are busy.

But, what about God?

Are we so busy until we can’t take at least ten minutes to pray to God? Are we so busy until, we can’t go to church because we need “me time?” Is our schedule so packed until we can’t open our Bibles and read? If it were not for God, we wouldn’t even have that busy schedule. It was God who blessed us with that job with all those meetings. It was God who blessed us with a talent and we need to practice. It was God who blessed us with those children we have to make time for.
Never forget the Source of all your fruits. Give God His due.

Deuteronomy 8:10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Inspired by: Pastor D. Golden

1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

But God is faithful – However inconsistent we may be, God remains the same. God is always the solution. If we are giving our all, or feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or as if we keep failing, we should re-direct our focus from us, our situation, and other people, to God. If everything is ideal, and life couldn’t be better, we should direct our focus to God. As God is faithful, we should strive to be faithfully consistent in our pursuit of Him. When our relationship with God is our priority, we hear from Him clearly, obey Him promptly, and walk in our victory.

In Genesis 1:26, God gave dominion over the earth to man. If anything would be done in the earth, it would be done through a man. That’s why God elected not to intervene when man first sinned in the Garden. If God would have intervened, He would have violated His Word. God placed His Word higher than anything else (Ps 138:2).

Satan knew this about God and for a while, he used this for his advantage. However, God had a trick up His sleeve. God took a piece of Himself, wrapped it in flesh, and named Him Jesus. When Jesus operated in the earth, He operated in the form of a man, not God. Jesus came to fulfill the law and not sin (Matt 5:17). Jesus was an innocent man.

When Jesus died on the cross, His innocent blood was shed for the remission of sin for all mankind. This destroyed Satan’s empire in the earth. Dominion was returned to man. We now have the opportunity to live blessed and free because of Jesus the Christ.

Thank God for Jesus.

Once again people of God we must be mindful of what we say. Our words do have power. A lot of times we hear people say “life is too short for…” When we make that statement, we literally shorten the days our life. God promised us a long prosperous life and he fully intends for us to live it out.

Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Speak Life

It’s important for the believer to have and be filled with the Holy Spirit. We also need to be sensitive to hear and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit will prompt us to do or not do certain things for our good.

For example, the Holy Spirit may prompt us not to take a certain path home or prompt us to invest our money in a certain financial opportunity instead of another. The Holy Spirit may give us an immediate reason why or He may allow the reason to be revealed in the future. Whether the reason was given or revealed, we should have an assurance to know that His promptings are for our good.

Mark 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

You may say, what was good about The Holy Spirit leading Jesus to be tempted? The good thing about Jesus being tempted was it shows the believer how to defend the thoughts, ideas, and suggestions of the enemy. The Holy Spirit may lead us down a path to help another.

BE PROMPTED

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

The further we get from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the more skepticism we have in the earth. From Scientology, to agnosticism, to atheist, a lot of people question the validity of Christianity.

To respond to those skeptics and critics, there are a few things we should remember.

1. Christianity may be classified as a religion but, it really is a relationship. It’s a relationship with God Almighty knowing His Son, Jesus, has died for our sins and is alive sitting at the right hand of the Father.
2. It’s a choice. God loves everyone and He wants everyone to be saved but, He (and neither should we) will not force anyone to be saved.
3. Don’t argue. There are a lot of unexplained things in the earth that we can only attribute to God. If others want to accept it to be a mystery or science, so be it. Wasting time and energy debating the existence of God and His Son Jesus does not bring glory to God at all.

We should continue to pray that the demonic forces blinding their eyes be removed, in Jesus name, Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?

This is an examination.

Many of us claim to have faith in God’s Word. We have promises we say we’re standing on and we say we’re living in expectation.

But, if we are stressed in any kind of way, we’re not truly in faith. If we’re worried about our future, we’re really not in faith. If we’re fearful regarding anything in our lives, we’re really not in faith.

Faith and doubt don’t work together. Examine yourselves to see where you are in faith.

This ends our examination.

Work on it.

Psalm 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

When we were in grade school, the teacher would put one of three things on our report cards. The teacher will put a “N” for needs improvement, a “S” for satisfactory, or an “E” for excellent. Being excellent is one of, if not the highest praises a person can give to someone. Many kings would be addressed as, “you’re excellent.”

If people can award other people the title of excellent, how much more so shall we declare our GOD to be excellent? Everything God does is excellent. God embodies the term excellence. There is nothing in God that needs improvement and there is nothing that is merely satisfactory. God is excellent and we should let the world know.

Be Blessed.

If only we could be totally Spirit-led, how much better would the quality of our lives be? If only we allowed the Spirit to tell us what to spend and when, we would be debt free with an increasing savings account. If we allowed the Spirit to tell us what to eat and when, we would have no weight issues. If only we allowed the Spirit to tell us how much to invest in people and who to invest in, we would have healthy, stress free relationships.

We can be totally Spirit-led. We choose to be willing to ask, listen, obey, and keep seeking God as we continue to grow in this Spirit-led walk.

Acts 15: 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us

1 Corinthians 2: 11No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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.