Joan Murray Ministries Blog

Why The Ten Commandments?

2009-09-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 5:2 – 3 – The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

God gave the Ten Commandments as a covenant to His people and for various other reasons.

The purpose of the law was to reveal the God of the law.

When you focus on the lawgiver you find delight in obeying his commands.

God revealed his greatness and His glory at Mt. Sinai when the law was given.

He wanted to remind us He is a Holy God.

God’s law gives us a gauge by which we should live and conduct our lives.

God wanted to write his words/law on the heart of every believer.

God’s law was meant to give us long lives full of purpose, greatness and humility.

Do you know that the law is given because of God’s love for you?

Listen, Hear and Obey

2009-09-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 5: 1 – And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

Hear O Christians – this call is still going forth for believers to listen, hear and obey.

The Israelites were to listen with a hearing that leads to obedience.
They were to listen attentively, to understand, heed and obey.
They were to learn the meaning of God’s laws and were to obey them. They were to have no other gods before Him.

Ten Commandments:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth.
3. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God Am a jealous God.
4. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
5. Keep the Sabbath day - six day thou shalt labor, and do all thy work.
6. Honor thy father and mother.
7. Thou shalt not kill.
8. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
9. Thou shalt not steal
10. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

The first four commandments deal with our relationship to God.

The 5th - moves us from focusing on our relationship to God to focusing on our relationship with others (Mark 12:28-34).

The 6th – Reminds us that God is the giver of life and only He has the right to take it.

The 7th – Calls for sexual purity and the honoring of marriage as God’s appointed way.

The 8th – God is concerned with the way we treat others.

The 9th – God forbids all form of lying, whether on the witness stand in court or with friends and neighbors.

How are you doing with these commandments?

Are The Ten Commandments For Today

2009-09-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 4:1 – Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statues and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.

How many of us could recite the Ten Commandments that God gave us to live by?

Are we living each day based on these commandments?

Moses’ introduced these commandments in his second sermon to the Israelites before they began their conquest of the Promised Land.

They were camped east of the Jordan River.

Before the people entered into battle, they needed to know what they were fighting for.

They were in a battle for more than their homeland; they were fighting to fulfill their faith covenant with God.

In his sermon, Moses recited the 10 commandments that were written by the finger of God because of His love for His people.

The Israelites and us must understand that just knowing and teaching the 10 commandments is not enough. As believers, we must all live by them as we develop a relationship with God and others.

The question is - how many of us know the Ten Commandments? Keep reading the next blogs for the answer.

Are the Ten Commandments for today?

Supporting One Another

2009-09-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:16 – At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Paul concludes His writing to Timothy by sharing some personal remarks about supporting one another.
· He needed Timothy to come see about him because Demas, his keeper, deserted him because of his love of the world.
· Luke was with him but he wanted to see Mark who was helpful to him in ministry.
· He warns Timothy to be on guard against Alexander who harmed him.
· He reminded Timothy that God will always repay the evil that is done to those who serve Him.
· Paul’s helpers had deserted him when he stood before his accusers but God faithfully stood by him.
· The Lord stood by Him and strengthened him and the message was fully given to Gentiles.
· He told Timothy that God would rescue him from every evil and take him safely to Heaven.
· He was exhorting Timothy to stand firm no matter the difficulties he faced.

Paul knew his destination and he was prepared to meet his Lord so he overcame all difficulties to obtain a reward.

Do you have a good support base?

The Believer’s Reward

2009-09-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:8 – Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Paul shares with us the reward that believers will receive when we appear before the Lord:
There is a crown of righteousness that the Lord Himself will give as a reward to Paul and us on Judgment Day.
We will be rewarded for staying the course.
We will be rewarded for keeping the faith.
We will be rewarded for remaining steadfast and immovable.

The righteous crown we receive will be:
A band that encircles the head designating honor to a king or कुईं.
There are two types of crowns:
1. Stephanos – worn by athletes.
2. Diadema – worn by a king. I believe Paul is saying that we will wear the crown for kings and queens.
This will not be just any crown but a “Righteous Crown.” This crown speaks of godliness, of being upright and moral, having right standing with God, and speaks of virtue.
Paul said God will give him the crown as a reward for his labor, faith, faithfulness and finishing the race given to him.
He also said the crown will belong to those of us that are longing for the Lord’s return.
There is a reward for your faith, for pouring out your life for God, and for running your race to its completion. A crown is waiting with your name on it.

Are you preparing so that you will be crowned?

Finishing Strong

2009-09-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

In his benediction Paul tells us how to finish strong in the Christian race. He said I have fought the good fight:
It was a struggle.
It was combat.
It was fierce and agonizing.
But it was a good fight because it was an assignment from God and was all about the salvation of mankind through His Son.

I have finished the race:
He had not been sluggish or hesitant to embrace his destiny.
He went to the starting line, he began the race and he did not stop until he reached the finish line.
In between the starting line and the finish line – he had been beaten, shipwrecked, left for dead, in prison, hungry, etc. but finished he did.
Adversity did not keep him from finishing. It propelled him further.
He understood that the race was fixed and that he had already won – he simply had to get to the finish line so he could begin to live his true and everlasting life in heaven.

In the midst of all he had endured, Paul kept the faith. He protected what God gave him.
He never doubted that God was with him.
He grabbed a hold of God through Jesus’ sacrifice and he held on tightly to the very end.
His faith went through some trials, some severe टेस्टिंग and some difficult seasons but he came to know God intimately.
Through the difficulties and testing, he met the real Savior.
Paul was satisfied with the outcome.

Are your running your race to finish strong?

Running The Christian Race

2009-09-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:6-7 - For I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.

The Apostle Paul gave us a great example of running the race in our Christian walk. He shows us how to be victorious so we can attain the price.

Paul said his life had been poured out like a drink offering

He was empty – he had given all that he had.

There was nothing left in him to give. He had poured it all into the lives of unsaved people.

He had given everything God gave him back into the service to Christ.

Because he had accomplished all God called him to do, He was ready to face death and depart this life.

He was not afraid to die. He was ready to be offered up.

He was an offering.

Hi life was a sacrifice.

He was a gift that had been given to draw mankind to the one and only Savior and he had been victorious each step of the way.

How is your Christian race unfolding?

The Believer’s Charge

2009-09-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:5 – But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Do the work of an evangelist.
Be the person who announces good news.
Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
An evangelist is not confined to one spot but moves about sharing the love of Christ to those who have not heard the message.
They inspire people to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
They bring people face to face with the risen Christ.
They discharge all the duties of the ministry.
Perform those duties that God has assigned specifically to you.
Work to spread the Gospel and the Love of Jesus Christ.
Use your gift to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.

Are you working for God and sharing the message of the kingdom to those who don’t know Him?

Enduring Faith

2009-09-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.

Paul continues his charge to all believers:
Charge #6 – Paul encourages us to keep our heads in all situations
· Be steady
· Be sure
· Be steadfast
· He reminds us that our heads govern the movement and direction of our whole body - so it manages and directs the course of our lives
· Our heads will help us to have leadership and control over every situation we face

Charge #7 – Endure Hardship
· Paul reminds us that as we serve God we will endure difficulties
· Don’t quit when difficulties come
· Have faith and trust that the outcome is in God’s hands
· You will encounter some adverse circumstances
· They may be calamities like Paul faced
· Some of you may even suffer afflictions but Jesus said “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world”

Paul makes it abundantly clear that hardships would come and when it does, he gave us the key for success – steadfastness in Christ.

In the midst of the difficulties that are sent to try your faith - hold on to God, He will keep you steady in the storm.

What difficulty are you enduring?

The Charge to Believers

2009-09-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:2 – Preach the Word of God; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

Before Paul was executed, he charged believers in the Presence of God and Christ Jesus about how to conduct ourselves.

Charge #1 – Preach the Word

Charge #2 –Be prepared in and out of season

Charge #3 – Correction –discipline people, as it is necessary

Charge #4 – Rebuke – to reprimand

Charge #5 – Encourage – Using great patience and careful instructions

Paul gave these charges to believers saying that a time is coming when men and women will refuse sound doctrine:

To satisfy their own desires, believers will gather teachers around them to say what their itching ears want to hear

Men and women will turn their ears away from the truth of the Word o f God

They will embrace myths: traditions, falsehood, fantasies but not the soundness of the Word of God

Paul challenges us to watch ourselves so that we will not be deceived and then drawn away from our love affair with God.

How are you doing with these charges in your Christian walk?

Living a Steadfast Christian Life

2009-09-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 4:1-2 – I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of a person who lived a steadfast Christian life after he was converted on the Damascus road.

He concludes his writing of 2nd Timothy in a letter to Timothy, his bosom friend and trusted co-worker and shared some strong words of admonition and charge to Timothy.

Paul was re-arrested and brought back to Rome as a criminal and not because he was in violation of Jewish laws.

During this time Nero was crucifying Christians - He was arresting them and putting them to death.

It was while Paul was in the Roman prison he wrote this admonition to Believers to be steadfast and sure in their faith.

In this dark moment of his life, Paul writes to Timothy about being faithful to God and how to trust God during trials and difficulties.

Paul’s friend had forsaken him, leaving him to suffer alone. But there was no hint of regret in Paul’s writing and no doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ would be triumphant irregardless of who forsake their call.

As his execution approached, Paul reviewed his life and he knew that he had fought a good fight and kept the faith - he had been victorious, - he had won and he would receive a glorious welcome in Heaven for all he had done and endured for the sake of Christ.

Paul demonstrated what living steadfast looks like for the believer.

Are you living a steadfast life of faith and commitment to God?

The Power Gifts of the Holy Spirit

2009-08-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Matthew 15:30 – And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them.

Your spirit is like electricity that makes the power of God available at all times to those who need a touch from Him.

When you lay hands on people, you connect the power of God to them, and God’s power will flow through you to meet their needs.

Jesus gave us many examples of how to use our mouth, voice, and hands to bring healing to His people.

When you study the life of Jesus you will discover that He never prayed for the sick or the demon possessed but He healed and delivered many.

How did Jesus perform so many miracles:

1. He spoke a command to the body - Stretch out your hand! “Woman you are set free from your infirmity.”

2. He laid hands on the sick and they were healed.

3. He spoke to demons and commanded them to come out of the person.

4. He loved people and had great compassion for them.

5. He took time to meet them at the point of their greatest need.

6. God’s people can also speak and lay hands on the sick to bring healing, and we can command the demons to go using the powerful name of Jesus!”

Do you desire to be a source of power for the Holy Spirit to use?

You And The Holy Spirit!

2009-08-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Luke 24:49 – And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Jesus gave every believer four things in the Great Commission and He knew that with the power of the Holy Spirit we could accomplish them.

He gave us:

1. His authority: Mathew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, [you] go!”

2. His name: Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues…they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well!” We have a Name that is above every name that’s named! (Phil. 2:9)

3. His power: Jesus said in Luke 24:49, “Stay I the city [Jerusalem] until you have been clothed with [dunamis, i.e. miracle-working] power from on high.”

4. His work to do: Jesus said in John 20:21, “As my Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And in John 9:4 Jesus said, “We must do the work of him who sent me.” Then in John 14:12 He said, “Do what I have been doing [and you] will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God. We can help to usher in the soon return of our King.

Share His love with those you meet so they too can experience all that He gave in exchange for their life.

Are you following the lead of the Holy Spirit?

Faith And Miracles

2009-08-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

John 14:12 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

The gift of faith and the gift of the working of miracles often work hand in hand. Examples of this - Elijah dividing the waters of the Jordan after Elijah’s mantel came upon him; Jesus turning the water into wine; and when God’s people were delivered by walking on dry ground in the midst of the sea, etc.

All these miracles happened because the gift of faith was in operation to perform them. However, it was the gift of the working of miracles that caused the actual miracles.

Creative miracles take place when God’s omnipotence is manifested through a person’s words and deeds.

When people see these miracles there is no doubt in their minds that it is God doing it.

Creative miracles take place when we simply believe God and expect to see His miracle working power.

God desires to use us to perform signs, wonders, and miracles to draw unbelievers to Him.

Jesus promised that we would do greater works because He was going to the Father.

Are you seeing these greater works that Jesus spoke about? Why or why not?

The Gift of the Working of Miracles

2009-08-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 12:10a – To another the working of miracles…..

The gift of the working of miracles is not natural miracles, but supernatural miracles where God intervenes in a natural event in the ordinary course of nature. (Moses splitting the Red Sea)

The gift of the working of miracles is something that is supernatural and happens on a natural plane.

The gift of the working of miracles is an intervention in the force of nature.

The working of miracles includes miraculous provisions like the widow women with the cruse of oil; the feeding of the 5,000 with the multiplication of the fish and the loaves.

Sometimes the gift of the working miracles carries out divine judgment such as the blindness in Sodom and Gomorrah because of sin.

It is sometimes used to deliver someone in an unavoidable situation of danger. (Jesus stilled the storm.)

The working of miracles displays God’s power and magnificence.

In the Greek, the gift of the working of the miracles means, “the working of powers, the working of impelling, staggering wonders or astonishments; or the out workings of explosions of Almightiness!”

Do you desire the gift of the working of miracles?

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

2009-08-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you are filled with power.

The Holy Spirit gives you boldness to walk in the authority that Jesus gave you.

The Holy Spirit enables you to be a conqueror in life.

The Holy Spirit comforts, leads, guides, and directs your steps.

The Holy Spirit gives wisdom to your heart and helps you to make right decisions.

Faith in the Holy Spirit enables you to minister the baptism in Him to others so they too can receive power.

There is a demonstration of power that is manifested as a result of the Holy Spirit living in a believer’s heart.

When we operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, miracles happen!

Do you have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit?

The Gift of Faith

2009-08-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

Romans 12:3 – For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he out to think; but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

The gift of faith is not faith; it is a special endowment of faith.

The gift of faith is special faith you receive after the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

When the gift of faith is in operation you cannot doubt!

Special faith is given to us so we have the power and ability to absolutely believe God.

This faith allows us to believe God in such a way that He honors our word as His own, and will miraculously bring to pass the things for which we believe.

Each of us has been given a measure of faith.

We have a measure – an allotment, a quantity, an amount of faith to believe God for what may seem impossible.

Mark 10:27 says – “And Jesus looking upon them saith, with men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Whatever you can have faith for, is absolutely possible with God.

What are you believing for that seems impossible?

God’s Protection

2009-08-18T15:08:00.001-07:00

Psalm 23:6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The scripture tells us that goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life.

Wherever we go goodness and mercy will be in hot pursuit.

These two fruit have the ability to follow after us and God has sent them to watch over us all the days of our life.

They will pursue us and stay with us until we dwell in God’s house forever.

The scripture said “surely” goodness and mercy shall follow you. Surely means –
To be certain
To be confident
To be secure
To be convinced
Goodness and mercy will be unfailing
Goodness and mercy will be dependable

God promises that you can trust Him explicitly because goodness and mercy will, without fail, be with you every day for the rest of your life.

Remember God’s goodness and mercy toward you, and know that He wants you to pass it on to others!

Are you living under God’s protection?

To Be Edified

2009-08-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

When you hear the word edify or build-up, you instantly know that something is required of you.
Time and effort are required to edify and build others.
Part of the fruit of goodness is to use your words to lift up another.
Our words can strengthen and develop others.
We don’t know the day or time of Jesus’ return but we know He is returning.
While we wait on Him, the Bible encourages us to:
- To live in His light
- To be sober and alert
- To live with self control
- To put on faith
- To wear love as a breastplate
- And to have hope of salvation as our helmet
As we do these things, we will be able to encourage, edify and build one another.
We will demonstrate His love and hope to those in need.
And they will be built up and ready for His appearing because we will have deposited Him into their hearts.
The fruit of goodness will cause us to love one another as He has loved us, and to show them the kindness He has shown us.

Are you edifying others?

Unlocking Your Value

2009-08-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Matthew 10:29 – 30 – Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of you head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

God the Father, in His love, kindness and goodness has placed a high value on us and deposited tremendous worth in our lives.
If you were the only person on earth, He would still have sent Jesus to die that horrible death just for you.
In this passage of scripture there is a clear picture of how valuable you are to God.
He said two sparrows are sold for a penny and yet not one of them can fall without God being aware of it.
God sees these sparrows that are not as valuable as you, and He marks where they are in life.
God goes on to say that “the very hairs on your head are numbered.”
He knows every strand and He sees and knows everything about you.
So, He tells you not to let fear or worry overtake you because to Him you are worth more than many sparrows.
If He knows where the sparrows fall, He most definitely knows where you are in life.
You have tremendous value and worth to God. He will insure that His goodness follows you all the days of your life.

Do you know your value?

Touched By Virtue

2009-08-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Mark 5:28 – 30 - For she said, if I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned Him about in the press and said, “Who touched my clothes?

In this passage of scripture is the story of a woman with an issue of blood who had been sick for 12 years.
She was considered unclean and was not to be seen out in public.
When she heard about Jesus and His miracles she threw caution to the wind and went after her miracle.
She pushed her way through the crowd even in her weakened
condition.
Her faith and determination gave her the strength to pursue her miracle with her whole heart.
She was not looking for an audience with Jesus.
She did not desire to ask Him about His healing ministry.
She simply heard about all His miracles and believed that she could be one of those miracles.
She had a far deeper understanding than most – somehow she knew that if she touched the hem of His garment that power could also be found there and she would be healed.
She determined in her heart to get close enough to Him to experience this power.
When she pressed her way to Him and touched His garment, instantly her bleeding stopped and she was healed.
With all the people surrounding Him, Jesus asked, “Who touched Me?” and His disciples reminded Him off the size of the crowd.
Jesus felt virtue – power left His body when she touched Him.
Virtue is defined as power and goodness. This flowed out of Jesus into this woman and healed her.
Jesus found her in the crowd, because she came trembling and knelt at His feet.
Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith, your confidence, your determination has healed you go in peace and be freed from your sufferings.
Goodness flowed from Jesus into her and made her whole.
That same virtue, goodness and power is being offered to us today. All we have to do is to reach out and touch Him.

How close are you to Jesus’ virtue?

Friendliness

2009-08-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

Proverb 18:24 (KJV) – A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

When showing kindness toward others, the first outward sign will be the friendliness that you display.
When a person is friendly (smiling, helpful) people will know that they are approachable.
Friendliness is a display of your confidence in God.
It showcases God’s character so others can be drawn to Him. When we first show our friendliness to people, they will feel invited and welcomed into our presence.
When trials overtake us and we need counsel and help, God will raise up friends to care for us.
Jesus is a friend who sticketh closer than a brother.
He is available and attentive to us.
Stay close to your friends by being watchful and concerned about their well being.

How friendly are you?

Expressing Sympathy

2009-08-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Psalm 138:8 (KJV) – The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

In order to sympathize or show genuine concern for others, you must have a good understanding of where they are in their life circumstances.
God has promised in the Scripture to perfect everything that concerns us.
He is saying that things, situations, and trials will come our way but He will take all of it, mold and shape it, and then use it to perfect His ways in us.
God will take every difficulty and lift the concerns so that we are able to bear up under the weight of it.
He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities because Jesus identifies with us.
God will perfect His purposes in us.
If your circumstances or currently good, God is still perfecting that which concerns you.
If your circumstances are painful, God is perfecting that which concerns you.
He is sympathetic and concerned about all of our needs, and will supply them according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

How do you express your sympathy to others?

A Display Of Tenderness

2009-08-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

Psalm 117:2 - For great is His faithful love to us; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.

God displays mercy toward us even when we were sinners, Jesus was dying for us.
He is tender and compassionate to our needs.
He offers His best to us in all situations.
His tenderness is everlasting and endures forever.
God is the lover of our souls.
He knows that we are fragile and are in need of His strength.
So he tenderly reaches out to us and supports us as we serve Him.
The demonstration of His tenderness should also be displayed from our lives so others may see.

1 Thess. 4:18 says to comfort one another with the same comfort that we have received.

God’s comfort provides the peace that we need in all situations.
He comforts us because of His great love and tenderness toward us.
As we receive His comfort, we will see a display of His faithfulness throughout our life.
Remember to be tender, kind, and compassionate toward others.

Are you experiencing God’s tenderness in your life?

The Fruit of Kindness and Goodness

2009-08-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.

Kindness:
A display of tenderness.
To be sympathetic and concerned.
To be friendly.

Goodness
To be virtuous.
To have value and worth.
To edify and to build up.

God’s kindness to Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 24:1-12)
Abraham was advancing in years and knew that in order for his legacy to be carried on, he needed to find a wife for Isaac.
He selected his trusted servant and sent him on a mission to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac because he did not want a wife from the people around him.
The servant knew Jehovah God, and understood that only God could give him wisdom, and favor to choose the right bride.
Vs. 12 – He asked God to give him success and to show kindness to Abraham – God had always demonstrated kindness to Abraham in the past.
Then the servant fleeced God by telling him that whoever offered not only to give him water, but also to give water to the animals would be the one God had selected for Isaac’s bride.
God answered the servant’s request by showing kindnesses to Abraham in the selection of a bride - the right bride was chosen and taken back to Isaac.

Kindness comes from the heart of God toward His children. He is kind and considerate toward us.

Whether you are rich or poor the law of kindness can operate in you and from you to others. All you have to do is ask God to work through you.

Is the fruit of goodness/kindness operating out of your life?

A Lack A Faith

2009-08-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

Matthew 19:16-30 - “The Rich Young Ruler”

He met Jesus and asked about what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life.
Jesus told him to obey the commandments and then He listed the commandments.
He told Jesus that he had kept them all.
Jesus then instructed him to sell all he had and follow Him.
The young man went away sad because He had great wealth.
I propose to you that a lack of faith was His downfall.
I further purpose that he could have been one of Jesus disciple but missed his destiny.
His lack of faith and confidence to the “sound of faith” he was hearing to follow Jesus caused him to miss his destiny.
Hebrews 11:6 – God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
This young man needed faith, commitment, focus, and diligence to follow Jesus.
He was not really set on fulfilling His goal of obtaining eternal life.
Eternal life was only a sideline issue for him; it was not his main objective.
He missed out on the greatest opportunity of a lifetime, to become one of Jesus’ disciples and to go from a nameless young man to a man who would be spoken about for centuries.

Where are you in your faith walk? Are you in faith or out of faith?
1. Are you doing what God told you to do?
2. Are you fulfilling the assignment He gave for your life?
3. Are you living in obedience to His Word and to the revelation He has given you?
4. Are you sticking with the plan Jesus asked you to execute?

Do not allow the devil to cause you to pack your bags and move from your faith address.

Make your location in life the place where you faith lives.

This location is where you will experience God’s Blessings.

What is the level of your faith?

Bible Faith Rewards

2009-08-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

James 2:26 – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We have a choice to live in faith or outside of faith.
There are rewards to those who live in faith.
Your reward comes with your obedience to God’s assignment for your life.God wants you to be located at the “faith address” He deems most profitable and valuable for your life.

To receive your rewards, you must:
1. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus
2. Don’t allow the devil to distract you
3. Don’t let circumstances move you from your faith address
4. Life worries and stresses can have you packing your bags and moving out of faith to low levels of defeat and failure

The reward of your faith is that:
You will receive the full manifestation of what you believe for.
You will ask and it will be given to you.
You will accomplish what God has called you to do.
You will be prosperous and abundantly bless.
You will live a life of joy, peace and victory.
You will enjoy every moment of your life, no days will be wasted.
Success in life will be yours if you stay at your faith address and not let anyone move you.

Are you currently being rewarded because of your faith?

Faith Filled People Are Followers

2009-07-31T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:39-40 – And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

To follow means to imitate:
We must study the deeds, acts, words, and actions of the leader we wish to emulate.
We must become good actors that look like God by:
Studying His attributes.
Knowing His character.
And being willing to live out this life of faith.
If you desire to walk in faith find someone who successfully walk in faith:
Watch what they say.
Watch what they do.
How do they act?
Begin to act like them.
Faith believes despite what the natural facts and what others say.
Faith perseveres and endures, it pushes through life’s difficulties and adversities.
Faith fights. It is a fight of faith. It does not give up on the promises of God.
Faith acts. Whatever you believe for you must move in the direction of your belief.

Acting and imitation is foundational to the Christian life.

Who are you acting like?

Faith Filled People Are Not Slothful

2009-07-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Proverb 12:24 - The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Proverb 15:19 – The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns; but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Slothfulness and laziness are not one and the same.
To be slothful means to be dull, monotonous, unexciting, slow, and sluggish.
This is a person who has loss their speed or momentum.
Many of us have become slothful in our relationship with God and in our faith walk.
We are disinterested and disengaged.
We are in the middle of the road in our faith walk.
We have a take it or leave it mentality.
Slothfulness does not have anything to do with the amount of energy we expend on being a hard worker.
It speaks of our heart condition.
Even though we may look busy on the outside, we are stuck.
We are neutral in our relationship with the Lord (some of our attitudes are – (“Oh well at least I am saved and guaranteed a spot in Heaven”)
We are neutral in our faith.
We have lost our red-hot fire and passion for God (remember when you first got saved?)
Our relationship is the same old, same old….
We are no longer enthusiastic and excited.

Are you being slothful in your relationship with God?

Key Elements To Our Faith

2009-07-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

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

Faith has a voice:
It is distinct and unique.
It is no other voice but yours.
Your faith is voice activated and only you can activate it.
Scientists tells us that our voice print is just as accurate in determining an individual identity as their finger print.
Your voice has a different sound to God, different from all other 5+ billion people.
God recognizes your voice when you call out to Him and He speaks His word over your own situation.

Faith requires diligence for us to succeed (Hebrews 11:6):
Our attitude in our faith walk determines our successes.
To be diligent in our faith means:
To be zealous.
We are seeking after something with all of our hearts, souls, mind and strength.
We believe, apply and act on what we hear.
We cannot be lazy, casual and laid back about our faith or our destination.

Why Is Faith Necessary For The Believer?

2009-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11: 6 – For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

We cannot obtain anything from God without faith.

Faith pleases God. In fact, it is impossible to please Him without it.

Faith produces results and blessings in our lives.

Faith moves God.

Faith moves mountains in our lives.

Faith is the substance, the thing that will get us to our desired destination.

Without faith we merely exist from day-to-day. Faith gives meaning to our existence.

Faith speaks to us in our difficulties and reminds us that with God all things are possible.

Faith gives us reasons to hope.

Faith is something tangible that we can hold on to in the storms of life.

Faith causes us to stand firm, to be sure footed, and to fight for the best outcome in our lives.

Why is living by faith a necessity for your life?

Bible Faith

2009-07-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things, which are seen, were not made of things, which do appear.

Bible Faith consists of these things:

Faith is substance, that which we are hoping to see in the natural.
It is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of what we believe for.
It is to have expectation of the right outcome.
It is trusting when you have not yet received the promise.
It is confidence and hope in God.
It is reliance on God.
Faith is the currency of Heaven.
It is to believe without doubting.

Faith means to act, to act like what you believe for has already happened. To act like you already have the promises. It is turning your dreams into deeds. It is betting your life on that which cannot yet been seen.

Faith believes in the impossible because you understand that though it may be impossible with man, it is entirely possible with God.

Where are you in your faith walk?

Rahab’s Example

2009-07-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:6 – but without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarded of them that diligently seek him.

Rahab walked in faith and her life was transformed as a result of her walk. God gave her an abundance of blessings, provision, love and forgiveness. He used her because she was willing to let go of the things in her life that were producing no results.

As you ponder on the awesomeness of God, consider that if God could use a prostitute to fulfill such greatness to bring glory to Himself, and He is no respecter of persons, then He will do the same for you.

All you are required to do is to make a life-changing decision and say, “Yes” to Him. He will also take the broken pieces of your life, give you a new dream and vision, and then use you to fulfill the greatest destiny He planned for your life.

He will use you without fail if you will dare to dream big. Like Abraham, Joseph, Rahab, and many other well-known men and women of our time, if you will embrace God’s promises, stand on His Word, and never give up, you will accomplish all that you were called, chosen, and destined to do.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What example are you leaving for others to follow?

Rahab’s Blessings

2009-07-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:31 – By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she received the spies with peace.

Now get a hold of this picture. The prostitute Rahab and her family were taken into the Israeli camp to live among the people. Can you imagine how the prostitute was dressed and what she looked like among those holy virgin women?

God in His infinite grace, mercy, and love had compassion on this prostitute who was willing to be used by Him. Even though she had lived in prostitution, when she encountered God, she allowed God to use the brokenness of her life to bring deliverance to His people.

God took her into the Israeli camp, and Salmon, one of the spies who were sent into Jericho, bypassed all the other women in his tribe and married Rahab. One of Joshua’s top leaders married the prostitute because it was in God’s divine plan.

If that was all God did for Rahab that alone would have been a blessing in her life. God, however, did not stop there in His destiny for her. Rahab and Salmon had children and in Matthew 1, we find Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. God did not conclude Rahab’s story there.

In Hebrews 11, you see that Rahab was the only other woman besides Sarah, Abraham’s wife, who was listed in the famous hall of faith. God took a prostitute who probably had no dream or vision for her life and used the broken pieces not only to deliver His people but to deliver her as well. He forgave, cleansed, and put her on a new path to a destiny she never imagined or dared to dream. He did not waste a single thing that happened in her life. He took all of the brokenness, used it for His glory, and then gave her a testimony, which has been told for centuries, just because she was willing to yield to Him. He worked all things together for her good and transformed her life.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How will you experience the abundant blessings of God?

Rahab

2009-07-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

Joshua 2:1-6 (CSB) - Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent two men as spies from Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a woman, a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. The King of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” Then the King of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. At nightfall, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof.

Rahab, a prostitute, made a decision that was to change the course of her life and her destiny. I have come to the conclusion that she was one of the wisest women in the Bible. She saw an opportunity and grabbed hold of it with both hands.

As seen in the above passage, she hid the two spies and kept them from being captured and killed. Once the danger passed, she helped them to escape from one of the windows in her house, using a scarlet rope.

Here is why I think she was smart. Before she released them, she extracted a promise from them that when they came in to take over the city, they would save her and her family. They promised her that if all of her family members were in the house with her when they came through and the scarlet cord was hanging from the same window through, which she had let them down, her household would be saved. Here entire family was saved because she followed the spies’ instructions.

Please ponder and meditate on this?

What are you willing to do for God?

A Life-Changing Decision

2009-07-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 58:7 (CSB) - Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and to not ignore your own flesh and blood?

You have all been given the opportunity to make a life-changing decision at one time or another. This decision has altered the course of your destiny.

When God called you to dream big and filled your heart with visions of what you could become, you had the opportunity at that moment to make a life-changing decision. For every dream God has given you, realize that the dream was given to fulfill a purpose in Him. You have been given dreams to meet the needs of others, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to feed the hungry. Your dream will provide shelter for the homeless and clothing to the naked.

God has called you to dream big so you can be His hands and feet to a world that is in need of Him. As you begin to embrace your dreams and look for the possibilities in them, you must have a willingness to put your all on the line to accomplish them. You will not always know what the outcome might be, but you must trust that God will be with you every step of the way.

Faith, courage, and hope are key ingredients to your dream-fulfillment. There will be giants along the way that will challenge your faith, hope, and courage, but you have power to look them in the eye and still make the decision that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Do not allow limitations in your dreams and your thinking, but be willing to bend and sway with the changes that may come. Sometimes changes come to allow you to see a different set of opportunities. You will discover that if you are willing to dream and can believe God in the process, then nothing will be impossible to you.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What life-changing decision must you make for your destiny?

Despair

2009-07-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Revelation 12:11 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Despair is a reality for many people. You suffer despair when you have endured great losses. Despair comes in many forms; and, when you encounter it, you are often unaware of what is going on around you so you merely exist in a fog. Often you are so lost in despair that you are unconcerned about life and what it still has to offer you.

Despair brings a feeling of hopelessness, which can feel unbreakable at times. The enemy’s ploy is to keep you so devastated that you cannot run the race that has been set before you. Despair does not have to be a stronghold in your life because you have the power of God on your side to overcome it and to keep it from taking up residence in your life.

Each day you must make a decision to fight the spirit of despair and to pull it down. Remember to take every thought captive and bring it under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Take captive the thoughts of despair by submitting them to God who will bring healing and wholeness back to your life.

All of these obstacles have been sent to derail you and to keep you from fulfilling your destiny. These things are dream-killers, and if you allow them to take root in your heart, they will choke the life out of your dream. The Bible declares that the Greater One lives in you. You have the power to overcome because of the Blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony (Rev. 12:11). The blood of Jesus purchased your victory at Calvary.

Disappointment

2009-07-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Proverb 15:22 – Without counsel purpose are disappointed; but in the multitude of counselors they are established.

Disappointments come to us in many forms. You might be disappointed because your life is not the way you planned it. Nothing seems to go your way. You keep trying and trying without success, and you just want to yell at the top of your lungs, “Let me off this spinning wheel, this is not what I signed up for.”

When you are disappointed, you feel sorry for yourself and have some of the greatest pity parties. Poor me, no one cares, nothing I do works! In the midst of your “poor me” syndrome, you cannot feel the encouragement of the Holy Spirit telling you to shake it off and encouraging you to look for the good in all situations. Disappointments cloud your view, and you cannot get a clear picture of where you are or where you are going.

The key to letting go of disappointments is to believe that your steps are ordered of the Lord and that He is leading you to the fulfillment of your dreams.

I traveled a lot in a previous job, and many times prior to take off it would be stormy and cloudy on the ground. The moment we rose above the clouds, to our surprise, many times the sun would be shining. God has used this illustration in my life to remind me that the situation is never hopeless, but that I must get a Kingdom perspective on it. My perspective was too limited; therefore, I was limited by it.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What keeps me living with disappointments?

Delays

2009-07-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Galatians 6: 9 - And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

The weapon of delay can bring discouragement to all of us. It appears as if you are always waiting on something. Often you are waiting on God’s timing or waiting on help from family and friends or even for the right doors to open for you.

In this waiting process, you often feel as if these delays will hamper your progress; but delays are not always denials, and you must learn to stand firm in the waiting season. When you encounter delays, you tend to be less motivated about exploring other options because you are wondering whether it is worth it.

Delays keep you believing it was not meant to be, and that nothing good ever happens to you, so why spend the energy trying? The ploy of delay is to keep you living a mediocre existence and to be content with only a limited supply. Delay will keep you from believing that all things are possible with God.

You must shake off this weight by pressing into God more and more. Spend time thanking Him for your blessings, which are on the way. Praise Him when you do not yet see the answers! If He has not said “No,” then rest assured the answer is definitely on the way. You will get the breakthrough you need as you learn that perseverance is necessary to get from God what He has in store for you.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

In what areas are you experiencing delays?

Distractions

2009-07-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

It is amazing to me that the very moment you decide to get serious about your destiny is the moment when difficulties begin to manifest in your life. You will run into obstacles and situations with your family and friends that call for your immediate attention.

The enemy uses distractions to keep you disorientated and unfocused. Distractions break your focus and keep you off center. You are then unable to settle in and begin working on the things that are necessary to bring about your destiny.

Distractions are a ploy of the enemy to keep you unproductive and in the same cycle day in and day out. You must learn to recognize his attacks and be prepared to counterattack when necessary. The key to not being caught off guard is to be prayed up and prepared so, as he attempts to distract and dissuade you, you are one step ahead of his ploy.

Learn to stay focused when distractions come your way by keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus and continuing to follow the instructions He has given to you. If you focus on Him, you will be able to see the solutions you are looking for quickly and clearly.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is distracting you from your goal?

Obstacles to Your Dreams

2009-07-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

You will face some challenges and obstacles from time to time on your way to the fulfillment of your dream. When you face these challenges, you must make the decision to persevere.

Perseverance will be the key that unlocks the door and gives you entry. As you approach your dreams, you may be challenged by lack. Often you may lack the resources you need to begin the process. You may also find that you do not have the necessary help in the beginning phase. Some of you will discover that you may not have the necessary skills or knowledge about where to start. Others’ dreams may seem hopeless at first, especially when there are adverse circumstances surrounding them.

You will face some time alone and some loneliness in the process of preparing the groundwork for your dreams. Sometimes when you get to your dreams, it may appear that they are occupied, as was the case with the children of Israel. When they arrived at their Promised Land, giants, unholy, and ungodly people were occupying it; and they knew that it would require a sacrifice and a fight to take occupancy. They had to prepare for outright war in order to take the land.

Many of them were fainthearted not remembering that God was on their side and that He would bring ultimate victory. God is on your side and will bring you ultimate victory, so do not let fear hinder your progress.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What obstacles have been hindering me?

The Price to Dream Big

2009-07-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.

There is a price tag for dreaming big!

As you begin to dream, you are often unaware that you will pay a price to accomplish your dreams. I have discovered that many people spend countless hours in the preparation process. Some sacrifice and work tirelessly to accomplish their dreams; still others have to lay down their life for what they believe.

There is always a sacrifice for dreaming big and accomplishing those dreams. The price may look steep as you begin, but the rewards are worth the sacrifice.

The key to success in the dreaming process is to plant seeds into another person’s dream while yours is developing. Sow your time into others and help them to overcome the struggles they face while working on their dreams. When you plant seeds into another person’s dream and vision, you will reap a harvest in your life when you need it the most.

As you begin walking toward your dream, there will be a time of planting, seedtime, and harvest. God plants the idea into your heart, you allow the idea to take root and germinate, and then you begin to seed into the idea by planning and preparing to accomplish it. After the planting there will eventually come a harvest if you do not neglect the seed.

You must continue to water it, even during the dry seasons when it appears lifeless. Beneath the surface of your dreams, growth and life are taking place even though you cannot see them with the naked eye.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How much are you willing to sacrifice to attain your dream?

Discovering Your Dream

2009-07-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 1: 5 – Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

All of you have been given a dream by God. If you are alive, then you have been given a dream to fulfill.

I have often heard it said that the richest place on earth is the graveyard because many people died without accomplishing the dreams that God placed in their hearts. God not only gave you dreams, but He has planned a time frame for their fulfillment.

If you are thinking right now, I don’t have a dream, think again. God did not forget a single one of you as He planted and distributed dreams. You were handpicked and selected to fulfill something in His Kingdom, whether small or great. Something has been stirring in your soul that will not let go of you. Try as you may to bury it, it keeps rising to the surface. This desire to do something is the desire to complete the dream assignment that God so carefully planted in your heart.

Many of you have tried to suppress this desire, and you often think you were successful, just to realize later it was only buried for a season. There are others who have used excuses because you believe you are not talented or gifted enough to succeed. You have a hard time believing the things God is speaking to your heart. God is not looking at your talents or gifts because He plans to do the accomplishing in you.

If you will surrender to Him and to the dream, He reveals to you, the dream will indeed come to pass without delay.

Dare to Dream Big

2009-07-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Joel 2:28-29 (CSB) - After this, I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days.

God wants you to dream and to dream big!

While God was forming you, and before He placed you in the womb, He made deposits of His dream for your life into your heart. The dream is His plan for your destiny. These dreams are the purpose for which you were born. God poured visions and dreams into your heart so you could live a life filled with purpose.

Dreams are a picture of the life you can have. They are fantasies of what you can become. Many of you have sat for hours watching movies you enjoy. These movies bring to life what is in someone’s imagination. They take the vision from their imagination and bring it to life with crystal clarity.

God has given you a great imagination so you can create pictures or movies of the great life He has planned for you. Your imagination helps you to dream about the future and what you hope to accomplish. The visions you see in your imagination are the outpouring of God’s Spirit, which will catapult you into your divine destiny.

You must begin to envision the great life and destiny God has mapped out for you so that you can begin the necessary preparation to attain it.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How have I been productively or unproductively using my imagination?

Financial Wealth

2009-07-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 13:22 (KJV) - A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Job 36:11 (NIV) - If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

The above scriptures and many others throughout the Bible make it abundantly clear that God wants you to have wealth and financial blessings. In order for you to leave an inheritance to your grandchildren, you must have a financial portfolio.

God fully intends for you to be blessed financially, to be a blessing to your family, and to have enough left over to give to those in need. He goes on to tell you that the wealth of sinners is laid up and set aside for you who are just.

When you obey and serve Him, your days will be filled with rest, prosperity, and contentment and He will bring you to your wealthy place. He gives seed to the sower so you can sow into the lives of people who are experiencing financial difficulties. He said, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done” (Prov. 19:17).

You must have something to give to the poor in order that they might be sustained. If you do not understand that God desires to bless you with financial wealth, then you are missing out on one of the great promises of the Bible. When you plant seeds into the life of others, you experience the fullness of the rewards and blessings that have been reserved with your name on them.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How willing am I to give to those in need?

Spiritual Wealth

2009-07-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

III John 1:2 (NKJV) - Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Spiritual wealth is the level of intimacy you have with the Lord, which also brings about soul prosperity. When you spend time cultivating a relationship with Him, He enriches your life with His many provisions.

Spiritual wealth is unlimited to those who desire to have it. The more you pursue God, the more He will fill you to overflowing with a wealth of wisdom, knowledge, and grace. Each day, as you walk into His Presence, will be a day you are bestowed with new mercies. You will never truly spend time with God and come away dry or empty-handed. It is impossible.

God welcomes you with open arms and lots of joy when you seek after Him. The spiritual wealth you receive as part of your reward and blessing will flood your life with hope, courage, and faith to reach out and grab hold of the goodness of our God.

As God rewards you by filling you with Himself, you will begin to look like Him, walk like Him and talk like Him. When people see you, they will see a reflection of His glory and majesty. This reflection will draw them to you so you can direct them to the Light.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Are you living a life crowned with spiritual wealth?

The Reward of Peace

2009-07-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Philippians 4:6-7 (CSB) - Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Without peace, you will not be able to enjoy the rewards and blessings you receive from God. It takes the peace of God to keep your mind stable and your heart open to receive.

A lack of His peace produces anxiety and fear in your heart and mind. These things rob you of the enjoyment of your blessings. When your heart and mind are crowded with cares, it keeps you from finding true rest and hope in a loving and caring God.

It is His desire to give you the Kingdom, and in doing so, He wants you to enjoy all the benefits that come with Kingdom living. In His Kingdom, He fills your heart with His perfect peace, and you find rest for your soul under the shelter of His protection.

As you find peace, you live in divine health and prosper in whatever you put your hands to. To ensure you receive and enjoy your rewards, God has provided for your physical health and wealth. Your health starts first with the peace that guards your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. If your mind is healthy and whole, your body will follow suit.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Are you enjoying a life of peace?

Living in the Rewards and Blessings of Your Destiny

2009-07-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:6 (CSB) - Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

It will take faith to get to your destiny just as it did for Abraham and Joseph to walk into the fulfillment of their destinies and enjoy what God had reserved for them.

When God finally walked them to their destination, it was beyond anything they could image or dream. They were blessed with abundance in their family life, in their spiritual walk, and in their finances. They were spiritually wealthy because they learned total dependence on God. God made their names great throughout the land. They had prominence, they were influential leaders, and they are still highly regarded even today.

Joseph never experienced that degree of loss or lack in his life again. Abraham, through his son Isaac, had children as numerous as the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky, just as God promised.

Abraham became the father of nations and of our faith. Even, his son, Ishmael, who was not the promised heir, prospered and became extremely wealthy just because he was Abraham’s seed.

Though the journey to their destiny was paved with difficulties, hardship, lack, and loneliness, they did not stop moving forward. They believed, they trusted, they waited, and then they walked into a promised land overflowing with all the goodness of God.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What are your rewards in your destiny?

Time in the Waiting Room

2009-07-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) - But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Have you ever spent time in a hospital waiting room? I have and it can be an unsettling and sometimes traumatic event. For many it is a time of worry, a time of praying, and a time of hoping for a good report.

During my Christian walk, I have discovered that we will spend much time in the waiting rooms of life. In these waiting rooms, God continues the process of making you into the image of His Son. Time spent in the waiting room fashions you to be of service in the Kingdom.

The waiting room is a place where God begins to do a deep work in you to prepare you for your destiny. It is a time of purging and cleansing to make you fit and useable by the Master. The waiting room causes your fleshly will and desires to be crucified so that you can embrace His will and desires. As you struggle and wait, you truly learn dependency on God. You learn to trust Him fully for everything by understanding that only He can give you a breakthrough.

Whatever is unnecessary in your life will be stripped away in the waiting room. God uses this time to trim excess fat and baggage from your life. This time is Throne time alone with God. This is a time when God purges, cleanses, and purifies you for further use in His kingdom.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Are you currently waiting on God to move in your life?

Commitment

2009-06-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

I Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Commitment is the glue that keeps you steadfast at your faith address. It ensures that you are not moved regardless of what you hear or see. Commitment is your pledge to God and yourself about what you are contracting and promising to do. Commitment in its simplest form is to do what you say. It is to be entrusted with responsibilities and to have a determination to fulfill them.

Your level of commitment is determined by your love for God and your love for what He has called you to do. The level of your confidence in what you hear God saying will also determine your ultimate commitment. This commitment in the preparation process will keep you from straying away from the faith and make you fully available for the highest level of service.

Commitment keeps you in the character-building process. It dares to ask the questions, “Are you a person of your word?” and “Do you follow through?” Your character is in a perpetual development cycle based on the commitments you keep. Your words will shape your life and define who you are. People assess your character as you honor your commitment.

Each time you make a commitment and keep it, you die to self by putting others first. In your commitment to God you are willing to sacrifice in order to help others and to allow God to stretch you so that you can grow and develop into the person He birthed you to be.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is the level of my commitment to God and myself?

Faith/Confidence

2009-06-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:1 (CSB) - Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

Our faith pleases God. In fact, it is impossible to please God without having faith and confidence in Him. In your walk toward your destination, you must not only clothe yourself with humility, but you must also clothe yourself with faith.

Faith is the armor, which ensures that you annihilate the attacks of the enemy against you. Faith moves and activates God to go to work on your behalf, and it is the substance that will get you to your destiny.

Your faith must be solid and secure in what God has spoken to you about your life. Without absolute confidence in His word and ability, you will not enjoy the richness of your destination. Without faith, many of you merely exist from day to day. Faith gives meaning and life to your existence.

To activate your faith and receive your rewards you must speak what God has already spoken about you. When you begin to speak His Word back to Him, you activate your faith by kicking it into gear, which brings it roaring to life.

In your destiny, you must put action to what you believe. Every act of faith requires movement in the direction of the things for which you believe. You have a voice of faith, which activates your faith as it is used to petition God for the fulfillment of your destiny. Without consistency in speaking God’s Word about yourself, you will not experience great success.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is my level of faith in God?

Obedience

2009-06-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

I Samuel 15:22 (CSB) - Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice; to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

Everyone has struggled with obedience. Some of you struggled to obey your parents as you were growing up. I am sure that at times you struggled to obey and submit to instructions from your boss. Many of you have struggled with doing what is right and good.

It seems that there is a war going on in you when you decide to obey and do the things that you are called to do. God does not take pleasure in the things you do or the sacrifices you make. What pleases God is your obedience to Him and doing what He has instructed you to do.

The steps of obedience will lead you into a fulfilling destiny, while the steps of disobedience will keep you living below your privileges. To get to any level in God you must learn to hear and obey His instructions.

As a young adult, I learned a song which went something like this, “Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus; you must trust and obey.” In order for you to experience happiness and fulfillment, you must first learn to hear, trust, and obey the voice of God.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Am I obeying God’s instructions for my life?

Intimacy with God

2009-06-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Philippians 3:10 (NIV) - I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.

To get in step with God you must have an intimate relationship with Him. In this intimate relationship, you accept Him as your Savior and begin a life of service to Him.

There are many people who know Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord. When you accepted Jesus, He came into your life, and you now know that when you die you will spend eternity with Him. There are some people, however, who know Him not only as Savior but also as Lord. These people have made the decision that they want more than to just spend eternity with God; they desire to know Him in a more intimate way.

To know Him intimately they have submitted and surrendered their entire life to Him. He helps them with every decision whether small or great, and they do not make a move without consulting Him. He has clearance to tell them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. They wait for His okay before moving forward. In their surrendering, they have given everything totally over to His control so He can use them as He desires. The hand of God touches every part of their lives. His signature is on everything they do. When you see them, you see a reflection of God because God is the captain of their souls and the master of their ship.

This level of intimacy requires a willingness to submit all that you are and ever will be to the care of a loving God. Someone defined intimacy as “into me see.” God sees your heart and blesses you because He is faithful.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is the level of your intimacy with God?

Five Steps to Your Destiny

2009-06-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Psalm 37:23 (CSB) - A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way.

As I reflect on the reasons God would plan such great destinies for us, I cannot help but think of His great love for us. Because He so loved us He gave us His very best in the form of His Son. God adores the people He created, and because you are His, there is nothing good that He will ever withhold from you.

God is your Abba, He is your Father, and for many of you that is enough, but there are others of you who know Him as Daddy, the One who has been there and has been faithful to you every step of the way. You have intimate knowledge of your Daddy, and He has intimate knowledge of you because you have spent time with Him learning to walk in His footsteps.

God is ordering your steps to the special life He has planned for you who fear and reverence Him. He will fulfill the desires of all who stand in awe of His great goodness. He is a protective Daddy who watches over every step you take, to keep you from stumbling and falling. If you stumble and fall, He is right there to pick you up and set you on the right path again.

As you get in step with God, He will bring the blessings and greatness from His Kingdom into your life. These blessings were designed to bring fullness into your life. When you seek God, and not His blessings, He will pour all of His substance into you. The very blessings you long for will be a part of the deposit you receive from Him, as He takes up residency in your life.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is my true relationship with God?

Outside Influences

2009-06-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Romans 13:8 – Do not you people be owing anybody a single thing, except to love one another; for he that loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

You can be hindered and stopped by the influences of others. Many times, you will encounter people, including family and friends, who do not believe that you are truly hearing from God because of the greatness of the destiny He is revealing to you. These outside influences can keep you from obtaining your destiny because of their belief system. If they do not believe that you are hearing from God, they can deposit their doubt in you and cause you to question whether you are truly hearing God.

Many of you will walk away from your destiny because you do not have the support of your family and friends. You believe if they cannot see the greatness of your destiny, no one else will. That is a lie from the enemy. Most of the time, the people that are closest to you are unable to clearly see because of their foreknowledge of you.

You cannot base your entire destiny on what people think or say because you will miss out on great opportunities every time. Give them the respect of hearing them out, but do what the older generation says: “grind your own meal.” Make your own decision. In the final analysis, God is the only one who knows what you have been equipped to accomplish since He did the equipping. The only thing He asks of you is to love one another.

You can trust that He will not lead you astray but will only lead you down the best path for your life. He is the only influence that you must truly consider. Trust the work He has faithfully begun in you and know that He will not stop until it is fully accomplished. Hear the counsel of your family and friends; but decide that you will base your final decision on the wisest counsel of all, the counsel of the Holy Spirit of God.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Who is influencing your belief about what God has spoken to you?

Knowledge/Education

2009-06-15T14:15:00.001-07:00

1 Timothy 2:15 – Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

While I was teaching a message recently, I had a revelation that not many men and women in the Bible were college-educated! This revelation came to light because many of you put limitations on your abilities and yourself. You limit yourself by thinking about what you can and cannot accomplish due to your lack of education and knowledge.

God does not qualify or disqualify you because of your education level. He is not looking at what earthly man is looking for when they hire or promote you. God looks at your heart to see if you are trustworthy and can be useable to Him. Some of you have used your lack of knowledge and lack of education as a hindrance to keep you from moving forward.

When God called and chose you, He qualified you to fulfill greatness with your life. He has pre-wired you with everything you need to succeed. You are handpicked and qualified for the task that has been assigned to you. Though you may feel limited in your abilities, God has not limited you because of those abilities. I heard these words from a song long ago, which simply say, “If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.” The qualification to be useable is to say, “Yes, Lord,” and to surrender your will and your plans over to God. In surrendering, you are saying to God, “I trust Your preparation, and I will be open to however You want to use me to bring glory to Your name.”

When God called you to this great destiny, He knew He would have to qualify and prepare you to feel worthy enough so you would embrace what He has in mind for you. Part of this qualification came when you said, “Yes” to Him. With the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, you are thoroughly equipped to fulfill every good work.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Am I spending time with God so He can use me for His purpose?

Fear

2009-06-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) - For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Fear is a spirit and it did not come from God. God has not given you the spirit of fear but of faith in Him and His ability.

The devil uses fear to keep many of you out of your Promised Land. He used it on the Israelites when they saw giants in the Promised Land that God gave them. Fear kept them from entering in.

Today his plan of attack has not changed. He is still using fear to intimidate many of you. God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. God has given you His power to overcome and annihilate fear.

The love that you have for God and others will flush fear out of your life. Many of you have a fear of failure. You must look at the fear of failure in a different light. A failure is not failure, but only an opportunity to learn. When you and I fail at a project, it is a great opportunity to learn what could have been done differently. This failure brings you closer to success because you are able to put that failed attempt, the thing that did not work, behind you.

In order for you to stop fearing failure, you must know that when you fail you are not a failure. You should not take it personally. You simply failed in your attempt at what you were trying to do, but you yourself are not a failure. You are only a failure when you refuse to try and to step out in faith.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Do you know that it is impossible for you to fail because the Holy Spirit lives in you?

Unbelief

2009-06-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

Matthew 13:57 - 59 – And they were offended by Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.” And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Have you ever experienced times when you wondered if God was really there and whether He heard as you called to Him?

While teaching a recent Bible study, I asked the attendees what was keeping them from a consistent prayer life. The response from most of them was that they were unsure as to whether God was hearing them or not. Because of their unbelief, they could not commit to consistency in prayer. This lack of consistency was keeping them from getting to the best plan of God for their lives.

Unbelief can be damaging to your relationship with God because you think that many of the things He desires to give you are too far-fetched and unbelievable. As you battle unbelief, you can be skeptical in your outlook on life and doubt what you may be able to accomplish. Your unbelief will keep you from obtaining anything of great value. God designed you with the ability to believe and trust Him.

From an early age, most of you learned to trust your parents, have confidence in what they said, and in their ability to provide and take care of you. God is your Father and He desires that you have the same level of belief and trust in His ability to hear and provide for you. When you lack belief, you are literally saying to God, “You are not big enough or great enough to handle the things that are a problem for me.” Imagine telling that to our big, awesome and amazing God.

Please ponder on mediate this:

What is your level of belief in God?

Doubt

2009-06-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

Mark 11:22-24 (NIV) - “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

One of the greatest tools of the enemy to keep you from the destiny, which God has reserved for you, is doubt. Doubt keeps you from hearing clearly and from moving in any direction.

Doubt can be crippling to the degree that you are afraid to move toward your goals. When you doubt, you are unable to hear instructions from God clearly and can develop a lack of confidence in His ability to help you.

In your doubt, you do not expect anything good to happen to you. You often expect the worst in the situations of your life. Doubt is a heart condition. It keeps you from believing that anything is possible. If you cannot see or understand that all things are possible to those who believe God, then you are unable to dream and to accomplish those dreams.

Doubt causes your view to be cloudy and you cannot get a clear picture of what you need. When you are in doubt, you are unsure of yourself and not able to make right decisions or any decision at all. In your doubting, you often wonder if God cares about you and whether He will answer when you call to Him.

Doubting God is not a proper position for any of His children because He has proven time and again how faithful He is.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What causes you to doubt God?

Hindrances to Your Destiny

2009-06-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

I Thessalonians 2:18 (NIV) - For we wanted to come to you certainly I, Paul, did, again and again but Satan stopped us.

You have all encountered times when you have been hindered from getting something you truly wanted. On the journey to your destiny, many of you will encounter hindrances that are designed to discourage you from the pursuit.

You have to recognize these hindrances and allow God to show you how to overcome them. It is the enemy’s job to discourage and to keep you from moving forward, but it is your job to resist him and overcome all of the tactics he places in your path on the way to your destiny.

He is on an outright attack to keep the blessings of God from flowing into your life. When he tries his best to hinder you, remember that the greater One lives in you and He gives you the power to overcome in every situation.

You must tap into the power source, which is the Holy Spirit, so that you can withstand any attempt of the enemy to keep you in mediocrity and away from your destination. God’s plans for your life are marvelous and He desires that you experience all He has for you. Do not let the enemy keep you from attaining these great plans for your life.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What has been hindering me from fulfilling my destiny?

Journey to your Destiny

2009-06-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Exodus 23:20 (CSB) - I am going to send an Angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.

It is exciting and encouraging to know that God does not expect you to discover your destiny on your own. He has put a plan in place to get you to your place of destiny.

In His Kingdom, angels are assigned to do what God bids them to. In the above passage of scripture, God makes it clear that He will send angels before you to protect and bring you safely to the place He has prepared for you.

As believers, angels have been assigned to us, the heirs of salvation. They are assigned to guard, protect, help, and watch over us to ensure that we do not come to harm. As you begin the journey to your destination, keep in mind that God has already prepared the place that He has for you. He has gone before you to annihilate any enemies that would hinder you from taking rightful occupancy of your promised land.

Just recall the story of the children of Israel’s journey out of captivity. As God delivered them from Egyptian bondage and sent them on a journey to their promised land, a place flowing with milk and honey, He sent terror and confusion ahead of them to route the inhabitants of the land that they were to occupy. Angels were sent before them to prepare the way and to fight for you. Angels have gone before you as well and they are at work preparing your place of destiny.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Are you aware that angels have been assigned to you?

Joseph’s Journey to His Destiny

2009-06-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Genesis – 37:5 – Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and he ended up in Egypt in Potiphar’s house. Joseph found himself alone and in a strange country with no one to depend on but God for support, encouragement, and direction because of his isolation. Joseph was at a place in his life where he had to depend and rely totally on God.

This season in his life would develop a deeper and more abiding relationship with God. God would become his refuge, his confidant, and the only one who would hear his cry and grant him deliverance. In his journey, Joseph encountered times of testing that would equip him for the destiny God had selected him to fulfill.

His first test came in the form of Potiphar’s wife who tried to seduce him while he was a servant in his master’s house. This first test was a flesh test. In this test, God allowed Joseph to be tempted so that Joseph could see what was in his heart. When he faced this test, he told Potiphar’s wife that he would not sin against his God. I want you to notice that Joseph’s focus was on God, and he was determined to do nothing that would be a stain on God’s name.

His next test was a position test. In this test, Joseph found himself in prison serving thirteen years for a crime he did not commit. Prison was a place of hardship and lack for a young man who was beloved and favored at home. Joseph, in this lowly position, continued to trust God and to serve Him with all of his heart. He did not have an attitude because he was demoted but served where he was planted.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is your attitude when you are demoted or not appreciated?

Abraham’s Journey to His Destiny

2009-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

Genesis 12:1-4 (NIV) - The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

In Chapter I, we discovered that Abraham was willing to obey and follow God in the fulfillment of his destiny. When he left his homeland and began his walk in fulfilling His destiny, he chose separation from all that was familiar to him. He believed a voice, which he could not see, to be the voice of the true and living God; and he put action to his belief and began pursuing God for further instructions and directions.

As an acknowledgement that he heard and that he would obey the instructions, Abraham built an altar where God spoke to him. He memorialized the place by setting up a monument. This monument was a reminder to him about when and where God spoke and that God would be faithful to do what He said.

Abraham traveled throughout the land looking for the right place to begin his purpose. He ended up in Egypt because there was a famine in the land of Canaan. He did not yet fully understand that God was His source and that God could provide for him even in the midst of famine.

God allowed Abraham to journey to Egypt because it would become the place of testing and preparation for his destiny. Abraham was tested and failed in a number of his tests, but God did not abandon him. God continued to walk with him until he arrived at the right destination.

God will also be with you even when you have not passed all your tests on the way to your destination. He will never leave you but will guide you each step of the way.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Where have you failed the tests on the way to your destination?

Fulfilling Your Destiny

2009-06-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Joshua 1:2-3 (CSB) - Moses my servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses.

All of you, at one time or another have felt an urgency to accomplish something with your life. Coupled with these feelings is a desire to know why you were born and why you are here. These devotionals are designed to give you some signs to look for in the process of discovering your destiny.
Now, let us embark on the journey to discover how you can fulfill your destiny. Fulfillment comes in many different forms. Some of you are fulfilled with a good-paying job, a good family life, money in the bank, and a nice home; but then there are others who have a desire for more. It is important to know that God has designed each of you differently, and each one must discover what will bring ultimate fulfillment.

In your search to discover what fulfills you, do not compare your satisfaction level with someone else. To be fulfilled is to be satisfied with what you have and where you are in your life. It is a feeling of contentment when you have realized or fulfilled a dream or a goal. This feeling of gratification comes when you learn to rest in the promises of God, take what He says about you to heart, and then apply it to your own life. The fulfillment you experience in your life and in your walk with Him ensures that you are prepared and equipped not only to discover but also to fulfill your destiny.

God will be fully involved in the fulfillment of your destiny.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How will I fulfill my destiny?

The Perfect Will of God

2009-05-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Galatians 2:19b-20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

In the perfect will of God you receive His instructions. Unlike Adam and Eve, you choose to do things His way -- you do not disobey Him but obey His commands.

You learn to listen, hear, and obey the instructions of the Holy Spirit, when He speaks to your heart. When you hear Him, you submit your will over to Him and do what He tells you to do. You accept that God is in full control, and you give way to whatever He wants to do.

In His perfect will for you, it is no longer you that lives, but Christ living through you (Gal. 2:20). In His will, you listen by engaging your mind, heart, ears, eyes, and your entire being on what God is saying and doing.

When you hear Him, you do exactly what you are told by following His instructions. You then obey what you hear by actively engaging yourself with God and allowing Him to become fully engaged with you, in you, and through you. To obey Him means that you follow His plan, do what He tells you to, and come to an understanding that He knows what is best for you. You blindly follow where He leads because you know He will never lead you down the wrong path for your life nor will He ever fail you.

In this preparation process, you will also learn that it is and always has been the plan of God to increase you and take you from glory to glory in Him. Therefore, choose to make God a daily part of your agenda by scheduling time to meet with Him face-to-face.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Am I living in God’s perfect will for my life?

Our Preparation Process

2009-05-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Genesis 3:1 – Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

There is a permissive will of God and a perfect will of God. Many Christians live in the permissive will of God but not in His perfect will for their lives. In His permissive will, God will allow you certain things you ask for even though it may not be in His best plan for your life. In this permissive will, you are given permission to make some of your own choices.

Often you obtain permission because you have nagged, begged, and pleaded with God so often that He simply turns it over to you -- to do as you will. Many of you make your choices in disobedience to what He has told you to do. He allows you the choice to use your own will and intellect to make your decision. He does so because He knows that each decision and each choice will provide a lesson in your life, often a painful lesson, which will help you in your growth and development.

Consider the story of Adam and Eve. God gave them permission to eat off every tree in the garden except one, but they disobeyed Him and ate from the very tree He told them not to.

God was neither asleep nor unaware, when they made their choice. He knew exactly where they were and what they were about to do, and He could have stopped them at anytime by overriding their will. Since He created them with a free will, this gave them the ability to choose, and they chose to disobey Him. This was not the perfect plan of God for them or for the human race, but He had to abide by their decision.

God will also abide by your decision though His desire is that you choose His will over yours.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Am I operating in the permissive will or in the perfect will of God?

Reasons for Preparation

2009-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 2:24-25 (NIV) - The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him, he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.

Here Paul clearly states to Timothy what it means to serve the Lord. You serve the Lord when you serve others. In His service, you prepare yourself to be kind, gentle, and teachable as He instructs you to lead His people. If you are unprepared, you will fail when you encounter people who try your patience and are unwilling to be taught.

The preparation process enables you to stand when you face trials. It is clear in the above passage of scripture that time spent with God in preparation will empower you to take care of the needs of others.

In God’s preparation, you learn to put away the desire to be quarrelsome, when you are not getting your own way. In your daily service to God, you will encounter people whom you might feel are not reachable and are unapproachable. In these encounters, you must have gentleness, as you instruct them in the things of God. You must ask for God’s help and guidance so you can direct the people to Him. As you direct them to God, and they come to a place of repentance, God will reveal His love and truth to them.

You prepare so that you will be successful in the assignments that God gives to you. The preparation process stabilizes you so that you can build a strong and solid foundation on which you can establish something that is lasting.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What keeps me from preparing?

The Need for Preparation

2009-05-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 3:17 (NIV) - So that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

During the early years of my life, my grandmother, Elizabeth, taught me about the need for preparation. She not only taught me how to prepare for life, but she taught me what was needed and necessary in the preparation process.

The first thing she revealed to me that required preparation was my need for a Savior in the form of Jesus Christ. From an early age she took me to church but did not push me to accept Christ. She regularly prayed and prepared the way for me to encounter Him.

When I gave my heart to the Lord, at the age of twelve, she was the first to share it with the family. I must say that many of my family members told me that I was too young, and it would not stick. I am here to tell you that I was not too young, and I have been saved for many years because my grandmother prepared me to encounter my Savior.

Each of you must prepare those you love to encounter the Savior no matter how young they are. God begins to work on the hearts of His children from an early age so they will not miss any time in their relationship with Him.

Each night my grandmother helped me prepare my attire for the next school day, and each morning she prepared breakfast and lunch for me. In all of this, my grandmother recognized and fulfilled a need in me. She equipped me with what I needed to ensure that I produced good work. You were born with a need to prepare for life, your future, and your destiny.

Please ponder and meditate on this:
Do you understand that preparation is a must for your destiny?

The Sacrifice

2009-05-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Jonah 2:9 – But as for me, with the voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to you what I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation belongs to Jehovah.

The preparation season of your life will also require a sacrifice. The things you would readily do may have to be rescheduled. You will miss out on some fun activities because God is drawing you nearer to His Presence for further instructions.

You will sometimes have to sacrifice relationships. Some of your current friendships will not have the right ingredient to last in the next level of your destiny. You will have to leave some relationships behind because not everyone will understand your sacrifice, as you prepare.

Some people will tell you that it does not require “all that” to do what God has called you to do. They will not understand your dedication to the process or your willingness to give your time to it.

Others will not be able to understand, agree, or even comprehend your destiny and the plans you have to attain it. In the back of their minds, there will always be the thought that they knew you “back then.” Since they have witnessed many of your mistakes and failures, they will not believe that God is speaking to you about the great destiny He has in store for you. If you are not careful, and do not have a willingness to let go of these relationships, you can become discouraged from pursuing God and His plans for you.

It truly requires a sacrifice to go all the way with God. It is called a living sacrifice.

Please ponder and meditate on this?

How willing are you to sacrifice what is necessary to fulfill your destiny?

Living Sacrifice

2009-05-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Romans 12:1 – Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship.

To present a living sacrifice of our lives to God means that we willing give Him all that we are in exchange for all that He is. It also means that we can no longer gratify our flesh with what we say and do. We must subject our flesh to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Our spirits were created to have control over our entire life. The flesh was not designed to rule us, but because of sin many of us are controlled by our fleshly desires.

In the preparation process, you learn how to subject your flesh to your spirit by doing what is necessary and required. Preparation causes you to suppress what you would normally do so you can accomplish what is set before you.

Each time you say “No” to the flesh and its desires, you are saying “Yes” to God and His will for you. As you sacrifice time on the phone, watching the television, and letting go of some unhealthy relationships so you can draw nearer to God, He will draw near to you and fill you with more of Himself.

There is a sacrifice for everything that is worth attaining and it requires dying to self. When we get self out of the way God then has clearance to work in us and though us as He desires to.

Make it your prayer that the Lord will teach you how to crucify your flesh so your spirit can rule and govern every single decision that you make.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Am I willing to offer my life to God as a living sacrifice?

Study Time

2009-05-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 2:15 – Study to show thyself approved unto to God, a worker who do not need to be ashamed, correctly dividing the word of truth.

Second Timothy tells you to study to show yourself approved unto God. You study to develop an intimate relationship with God. You study to know Him and to understand His will and His ways. You study so you can be an imitator of Him and live the life He has destined for you.

As you study, you gain knowledge and are able to share that knowledge with others. When you know what God would do in any situation, you are able to pattern yourself after Him and give hope to others.

It has been said that people do not often listen to what is being said, but they watch what you do and model that. In this preparation season, you must study to demonstrate for others what God is revealing to you.

When you fill your heart with the Word of God and fill your mind with thoughts of Him, you can effectively share what you have learned with those He puts in your path.

You do not study to boast about what you know but to get to know God in all of His glory. You carve out time to study because you want to spend time with God and give Him pleasure. It is pleasing to God when you daily set time aside to spend with Him.

He has given you His Word so that you can study to know His will and plan for your destiny. Each time you open the pages of His Word, you encounter Him in a new and fresh way.

The Bible is alive and powerful and every word was designed to bring hope and healing to the believer. As you read and apply the principles that are contained in the Word of God, you are guaranteed a life of blessings, fullness, and prosperity.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Do I daily take time to study the Word of God?

Time Alone

2009-05-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

1 Thessalonians 2:19 - 20 – For who is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

Each of you must have time alone to think and process the things that God is speaking to your spirit. This is time spent in the presence of God to ascertain what He has for you to do and to obtain a plan of action from Him.

In your “alone” time, you will pray, read the Word, and wait in the presence of God -- listening for His instructions. Each time you get before the Lord and petition Him, He will answer you.

You often miss hearing His answer because you do not wait long enough in His presence for Him to speak. You can become impatient, if He does not speak in the first two minutes, and walk away without an answer from Him. I have been guilty of this and then wondered why God has not spoken to me. It is not that He has not spoken. It is that you are too busy to be still and hear His voice.

The Bible tells you that the Holy Spirit speaks in a still, small voice. He will not yell over the ringing of the phone, the noise of the television, or even the roar of normal conversations. I have not experienced many times in my life when the Holy Spirit has yelled or shouted to get my attention. The few times He has done so were to give me a warning of impending danger.

When God speaks to your heart, you need time to ponder and reflect on what you have heard and to wait for further instructions. A key to your success as you spend time alone with God is to know that His anointing is on the instructions that you hear, receive, and obey.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How often do I spend time alone with God?

Time Commitment

2009-05-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Mark 13:33 – Keep looking, keep awake, for you do not know when the appointed time is.

Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.

I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.

You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?

The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.

You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. Remember, each day God has given you enough grace and time to accomplish what He has for you to do. If you use this time wisely, you will not miss a step in the preparation process.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What have I committed my time to?

The Cost of Preparation

2009-05-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 2:15 (KJV) - Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

To be successful in life you will often pay a price for your success. The preparation that is required for your success can come with a heavy price tag. This is not to scare you, but to let you know that you have to determine in your heart that you are prepared to go all the way with God so you can succeed.

You must determine that there is nothing too difficult that will prevent you from persevering till you attain your destiny. As I think back over the four years I spent in college, I can truly say that it was a great expense for me.

Since I was responsible for the entire bill, I had to work; I found a job in a retail store. I went to class from seven in the morning to twelve noon on Mondays through Thursdays. I then worked from one in the afternoon to nine in the evenings. When I arrived home from work, I studied and prepared for the next day.

During that four-year period, I slept only five hours a night. Many of you can tell the same story. There was a cost, a sacrifice, to attain the things that you have thus far accomplished with your life. You willingly paid the price because you had a goal in mind.

There is a cost to prepare yourself for what God has in store for you. Preparation is required so that you can be effective in your assignments.

Please ponder and meditate on this?

What is the price of my preparation?

Time Commitment

2009-05-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 6:10-11 - A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber; your need, like a bandit.

Your destiny requires time to plan and to prepare. In your time commitment, you should have seasons when you cannot be reached by phone. Often the phone keeps you distracted when you should be focusing on the task before you.

I cannot begin to tell you how often the phone would ring the moment I sat down to spend time with God or to begin working on a project that would lead to my destiny. I finally learned that ignoring it was not the key because the ringing would still disturb me. So I began turning it off during times of study and preparation so my mind and my heart could become focused on what was before me.

You have to decide how you will commit your time. Will you spend hours on the phone or in front of the television, when you have projects that need your attention?

The television is a distraction for many of you. You can spend hours of unproductive time watching it and living out other people’s dreams instead of pursuing your own dreams.

You have to develop a schedule and a plan of action about how you will use your time. This will enable you to commit your time to that which will produce a harvest in your life.

In your time commitment, you will come to understand that nothing is as vital as the time you spend hearing from God and receiving the instructions He has for your life and the fulfillment of your destiny. Plan and prepare so you will not miss what God has for you.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What has been taking up the majority of my time?

The Cost of Preparation

2009-05-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 2:15 (KJV) - Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

To be successful in life you will often pay a price for your success. The preparation that is required for your success can come with a heavy price tag. This is not to scare you, but to let you know that you have to determine in your heart that you are prepared to go all the way with God so you can succeed.

You must determine that there is nothing too difficult that will prevent you from persevering till you attain your destiny. As I think back over the four years I spent in college, I can truly say that it was a great expense for me. Since I was responsible for the entire bill, I had to work; I found a job in a retail store. I went to class from seven in the morning to twelve noon on Mondays through Thursdays. I then worked from one in the afternoon to nine in the evenings. When I arrived home from work, I studied and prepared for the next day.

During that four-year period, I slept only five hours a night. Many of you can tell the same story. There was a cost, a sacrifice, to attain the things that you have thus far accomplished with your life. You willingly paid the price because you had a goal in mind. There is a cost to prepare yourself for what God has in store for you.

You have to be willing, available and flexible to what God has for you to do. You must be determined that no matter what the obstacles you will persevere because in persevering you will always win.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What am I willing to do to fulfill my destiny?

Our Submission

2009-05-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

James 4:7 – Therefore, submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.

In order for you to totally submit, you must model yourself after the example of Jesus. You must acknowledge that submission is a part of the will of God for your life. You must first yield your will over to God with the full understanding that He will mold and shape you into the image and likeness of His Son.

As you begin submitting to the preparation process, the Bible encourages you to submit to one another -- to earthly authority, to men, to leaders, and to masters. To willingly submit yourself to these authorities, you should know that there is no loss of dignity; but there will be an increase in the power of God in your life.

Submission is not a subservient word or position. It takes a powerful person to truly submit to another’s authority. Submission requires obedience even when you are not in full agreement. It is the total surrender of what you may think and believe to allow someone else the opportunity to be right. That takes power!

Have you ever been in a heated discussion and you knew without a doubt that you were right, but in order to bring peace to the situation, you backed off? That is submission. Even though you were right, you yielded to another person’s desire to be right in order to bring harmony. You give up your right to be right, and that decision has the power to transform your relationships and change the lives of the people who receive the benefit of your submission.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How can I experience the power in submission?

Submission to the Process

2009-05-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

I Peter 2:13-14 (NIV) - Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by Him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

You serve an omniscient God who promised you eternal life from before time began (Titus 1:2). God knew that Adam would fail and implemented His plan for your redemption before the foundation of the world. I like to think that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit had a meeting in Heaven to determine which of them would redeem mankind.

One of them had to decide to be the perfect substitute for us. He had to yield up His title, be willing to be born as a baby, and suffer the hurt and pain of rejection in order to bring us eternal life.

The decision that Jesus made to be our Savior required the submission of His position, authority, and will to that of the Father. It took love and a willingness to die for others. In His submission, He accepted unjust punishment. When He was wrongfully accused, He did not in turn accuse others; and when He was threatened, He did not respond in kind.

He submitted to the preparation process because He understood what was at stake. We are told, “Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). He willingly gave up His throne, splendor, worship, and adoration to save a people who would mock, ridicule, scorn, and then hang Him on the cross.

He submitted willingly, fully understanding what He would face. Jesus is our perfect example of submission - though right, He gave up His rights and went to the cross to redeem us.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Will I submit my all just like Jesus?

The Cleansing

2009-05-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

(I Peter 5:8) – Be sober, be on the alert! Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Have you ever been at a place in your life when all seems well? For a change everything was going along peacefully. You found contentment and are happy to finally get there after much struggling. For a season, you continued to enjoy this contentment, then one day something happened that knocked you sideways, and you were plunged into a season of pain, hardship, and in some cases devastation.

The Bible is clear that the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). It did not say he was a roaring lion but that he is like a roaring lion. I have seen pictures of lions without teeth and that is the picture of what the devil looks like. He seems tough and scary, but when he opens his mouth to roar at you, you realize to your amazement that he is toothless.

When you are plunged into seasons of pain and hurt, the toothless devil is roaring; and his roar can cause you some pain, as well as concern. God knows that the devil will roar into your life from time-to-time. His roar can be painful, but God will use the pain to begin His cleansing work in you. He begins to prune away things that seem perfectly fine and necessary to you.

I remember a time when I was finally in a season when I thought I was going to get some rest from my struggles and valleys. In the midst of this season, a friend decided to share some of my personal struggles with some of her friends. This friend had known me for a long time, and she knew I was a private person, yet she chose to share my personal information. This caused me great pain, and in the midst of my pain, I asked God why? His response was, “I am in the process of pruning unnecessary relationships out of your life so I can draw you closer to Me.” I can truly say though, the pruning was as painful as it was necessary.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What is God currently pruning in your life?

God’s Preparation Process

2009-05-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

John 15:1-8 (CSB) - I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.

It goes without saying that the preparation process of God is entirely different from ours. If you have been in relationship with God for any length of time, you will know that during His preparation He often goes after things in your life that are very deep and painful. He is after that which will cause you to grow and develop into the likeness of Christ.

Jesus makes it clear that He is the True Vine, our life source, and we are the branches who receive our nourishment from Him. He carefully watches over the branches to determine which ones are bearing fruit in His Kingdom. In order for the branch to bear any fruit, it must stay connected and reside within the source of life, the Vine.

As the Vine, Jesus is the stem of the plant, which gives support. He is the only one who can direct you to your destiny and support you in the fulfillment of it. The branch must abide with Jesus and act in accordance with His will to get the power it needs to be effective.

Part of abiding is that you not only agree with what Jesus says, but that you also submit to His plans. You are clearly depicted, as a branch, which means you are a part of the stem of the plant and not the plant itself so you take your nourishment directly from Him.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Is God currently preparing you for destiny?

Our Acceptance

2009-05-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

Luke 1: 38 – I am the Lord’s slave, said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

In order for us to be accepted by the King of Glory, our great God, the requirement is not one year of preparation or purification. We are acceptable just as we are, when we make Jesus our personal Savior and Lord. We find instant acceptance when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God by believing that He was born of a virgin and willingly gave up His life on a cruel cross for us. When we acknowledge that He rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us, we will find no rejection, only acceptance. To gain acceptance we must simply come to Him just as we are.

When the Holy Spirit begins to tug at our hearts, we make a decision to surrender our wills to Him; and He instantly comes in and begins a work of purification.

Jesus our Savior is not looking for outward perfection, but He is looking for hearts that are ripe and open to Him. He is looking for those who will say, “Yes, Lord.” The moment you say “Yes” to Him, He comes in, and the transformation begins. Others can see the transforming work He does on the inside of you.

Like Mary the mother of Jesus who willingly said “Yes” to the plan of God for her life and our redemption, we must also willingly say “Yes” each time we hear the voice of God.

God is looking for a people who will not question Him regarding His plans and destinies for them but those who willingly undertake all that He assigns to their life to do.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Have you accepted God’s call on you life?

Preparation for Your Destiny

2009-05-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

II Timothy 3:16-17 (CSB) - All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

When most people hear the word “preparation,” immediately a picture comes to mind - a picture of hard work or extra time spent in training. For others, it is a feeling of readiness and anticipation of a coming event.

Preparation is having foresight of a possible outcome. It is laying the groundwork for that which you desire to take place. Still for others it is preparing a solid foundation on which they can build a strong and secure destiny.

In Old Testament times, we find a clear picture of the world’s definition of preparation. In Esther’s time, a woman was presented to the king only after she had spent one year being purified and prepared. For six months, she was bathed in oils and myrrh to soften her skin. The next six months were spent applying all types of aromas and perfumes to her body. All bodily impurities had to be removed before she was presentable. The outer appearance had to be one of total perfection. Once the preparation process was complete, along with a host of other beautiful ladies, she was ready to be presented to the king who then made his choice.

Imagine spending a year being prodded, scrubbed, perfumed, and then finally meeting the king only to learn that he did not choose you. How disappointing that must have been for many of those young ladies and how devastating for others! In your life there is a season of preparation. This process is far different from the world’s preparation process.

God is the one who prepares you for His purposes and plans and He is thorough in the process. The first step in the process is to come into an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The moment you begin the relationship with Jesus, God begins preparing you for your destiny.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

I am currently being prepared for my destiny?

Reasons for God’s Pursuit

2009-04-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) - Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

Have you ever chased after a job, relationship, or goal? In that chase were you committed and willing to do whatever was necessary to attain the prize? You prayed, you fasted, and sought wise counsel to ensure that you were in proper alignment so you would not miss the opportunity when it presented itself to you. You pursued the job, the relationship, or the goal because you knew that it would benefit your life and enrich you in many ways.

God has many reasons for His pursuit of you. Before you were conceived in the minds of your parents and even before your parents came together, God had already planned your life, your days, and your destiny. Before He selected the womb in which you would be born, He formed your personality and your character. He had intimate knowledge of who you were before you were born. It is clear that you existed in Him before your earthly parents even thought of you. He knew that some of you would have very direct and straightforward personalities while others would be quiet and calm.

We are created in the image of God, and the Bible says that God is a Spirit. It is, therefore, clear that our spirit was with God before He gave us a body to inhabit. When God formed us, He purposely set us apart and gave us various assignments to fulfill. He made us a prophet to the nations. We are the ones who will tell the truth of who He is to all those we meet. He gave us a voice so that we can testify of His goodness to all mankind.

As His prophets, we proclaim to the nations that there is no other God besides Him. We are His hands, feet, and voice to those who are in need of God’s love, hope and grace.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Why does God pursue us?

Pursuing and Finding the Chosen

2009-04-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

Matthew 12:18-21 (NIV) - Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In His name nations will put their hope.

The heart of God is tender and open toward you. He searches for His chosen people so He can love and show His delight in them. He wants to pour the essence of Himself into you so you can bring help to those in need. He is seeking for a people who will declare to nations His love, mercy, forgiveness, and hope.

When God gets hold of these people, He demonstrates an unchanging love toward them. He begins by showing them how much they please Him and bring joy to His heart. It is a picture of parents watching and observing everything that a newborn baby does. They are aware, alert, listening, watching, and engaging in every new accomplishment. They stand and applaud with delight and joy every victory and every step.

God is a loving parent who watches your every move and cheers you on. As you grow and develop, God begins to train you to maintain peace and order around you. He teaches you how to give compassion and mercy to those who need it. He teaches you to be like Him as you dispense to others the same grace He has given you.

In every difficult circumstance, God teaches you how to gain victory and how to keep the flame of hope alive in your heart. God is always pursuing you because He has chosen you for Himself.

Please ponder and meditate on this?

Why does God pursue me?

The Quest

2009-04-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

2 Chronicles 16:9a (NIV) - For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

God is on a quest for you! He is on the lookout for you. He is searching for you because He wants to strengthen you. The eyes of God are roaming the earth, looking for people whose hearts are set on Him. He is looking for people who desire to please Him. In His search, God is looking for people with steadfast hearts, hearts that are dedicated and committed to serve Him.

When God searches and finds these people, He chooses those that are sold out to His plans and purposes for their lives. In order to effectively fulfill the plans of God, you must be a mature believer in whom He can establish His covenant. If you are easily moved by every doctrine you hear, it will keep you from having a covenant relationship with God. I have known many people who have one foot in the Church and one in the world. The Bible defines them as being double-minded and easily blown away by every wind of doctrine.

God wants to raise a standard for all of you who are willing to serve Him with your whole heart. The standard is to stand for Him no matter what the cost.

The above scripture is clear that when God finds these believers, He will strengthen them with His power and might so He can fulfill great destinies through them. It is, and has always been, the desire of God to bless you, to empower, and to give you access to everything in His Kingdom.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Do you know God is on a quest for you?

2009-04-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Second Pursuit

2009-04-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hosea 3:1 - Then the Lord sad to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.

After marrying the prophet and having three children, Gomer left her home and family and went back to prostitution. God told the prophet to go get her and to bring her home. Imagine with me how the prophet must have felt - his shame, embarrassment, and confusion over Gomer’s desertion. He had given her his love, a home and family; but, apparently, it was still not enough for her since she walked away for them.

God was not finished with Gomer or His pursuit of her. God instructed the prophet Hosea to go after her a second time and to bring her home. In obedience to God, Hosea went looking for her, and found her not only back into prostitution, but she was also sold into slavery. He purchased her for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and took her home.

God allowed Hosea to experience this desertion by his wife to show him and the Israelites how their spiritual adultery grieved Him. God was showing them how it felt each time they walked away from Him.

In pursuing Gomer, God was demonstrating through the prophet the love He has for His people. He shows them that, even though they turn away from Him, He will not turn away from them. He continues to pursue and pursue even when we have abandoned Him.

When we sin and completely miss it, God will faithfully, tenderly, and consistently come after you. He will receive you back into the fold, even after you have broken His heart with your wrong choices. When you return to Him, He is merciful and forgiving, never holding your sins and failures against you. He extends undeserved grace to you and never condemns you. When you return to Him, He simply says, “welcome home, my son, my daughter, welcome home.”

Like Gomer, many of us at times have walked away from God but God keeps right on pursuing us. We are thankful to have such a loving and compassionate father.

Please ponder and meditate on this?

How many times has God had to pursue you?

Gomer

2009-04-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

Hosea 1:3a – So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

As I studied the life of Gomer, the prostitute, I could not help but wonder what devastation caused her to choose that life. In life you will go through many painful experiences; and, if you are not careful to find refuge in God, the enemy will cause you further devastation. I am sure that Gomer was wounded and needed to be rescued. God, in His infinite love, sent her a deliverer.

After marrying the prophet Hosea, God lifted Gomer from a life of pain, lack, and heartache and gave her a home and family with someone well known throughout Israel. God took her from insignificance to a life of meaning and significance.

Many of you would have been content to stay there the rest of your life, but not Gomer. It is clear that she had the love, the protection, and covering of a husband and home, yet she walked away and went back to a life of prostitution. With her decision, it is apparent that something vital was still missing in her soul and that her old nature had not been crucified. Gomer was still searching for something.

I am sure in her marriage to the Prophet she encountered many challenges from the Israeli people that she had to work at overcoming. Her self-worth and self-esteem had to be at the lowest level when dealing with the challenges and new responsibilities. She must have needed constant reassurance and encouragement. Even though God had rescued and redeemed her, she did not find her full sufficiency in Him and her family. There was a void that was still in her heart. Therefore, she went back to her former life looking for what she felt was still missing but not finding it. She only found a deeper level of pain and rejection and would once again require God to rescue and reclaim her.

Ho many times has God delivered us and we still find ourselves back in our old situations. The love of God will never stop pursuing you no matter what. He will keep pursuing you until He wins you back because His love for you is amazing.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What has God delivered me from and am I free indeed?

The Prophet’s Pursuit

2009-04-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hosea 1:2-3 (CSB) - When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, He said this to Him: “Go and marry a promiscuous wife and have children of promiscuity for the whole land has been promiscuous by abandoning the Lord.” So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Hosea the prophet was known as the prophet of restoration, and his name means “Yahweh has saved.” It is therefore not surprising that God would use his life to demonstrate to you His saving and redeeming grace.

The story of Hosea is a story of how God restores backsliders who have strayed away from Him. When I began to reflect on the pursuit of God, I could not help but be moved by the story of Hosea and the amazing love God has for us. Those whom God has chosen, He openly pursues with a tenderness and love that is measureless.

God is consistent in His pursuit even when time and time again we turn away from Him. He faithfully and consistently pursues us, as demonstrated by the command He gave Hosea to marry the prostitute.

The story of Hosea is a clear indication of the love of God for all His children. When God instructed Hosea to marry a temple prostitute, I can well imagine his reaction to God’s command. It probably went something like this: “I know that I am not hearing from God. I am missing something here. What will my family and friends say about me? I will be the talk of the town because they will probably think that I have lost my mind.”

Hosea did not hesitate to follow the instructions from God because He had a relationship with God and trusted his ability to hear and follow God’s instructions.

There are times when God will ask all of us to do something out of the norm and we must also believe and move out based on what we hear God speaking to our hearts.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

What has God asked me to do that does not appear normal?

The Pursuit of the Chosen

2009-04-22T12:08:00.001-07:00

The story of the prophet Hosea is an amazing story. The Lord told Hosea the prophet to marry a prostitute.

The children of Israel had once again abandoned Him, and He was about to demonstrate to them His steadfast pursuit, unfailing love, and commitment.

God is always pursuing those that He loves and who have chosen to serve Him. In the story of Hosea, we find God willingly pursuing a people who had walked away from Him. God desires for His people to be loved and cared for and to live in abundance, not only materially but spiritually, as well. He wants you to experience wholeness and completeness in your life. This wholeness and completeness can only be found under His protection and covering.

When God pursues His children, He is on a quest to return you to a right relationship with Him. He chases after you even in your sin. God hunts for you. He willingly undertakes any challenges and will follow you into the darkest places of your life to bring deliverance to you. He does so because He does not want you to be without hope, lost, or alone. He is a God who courts His children so that He can once and for all win your affection. He pursues you to bring you back into fellowship and right relationship with Him.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Why does God pursue you?

Hannah’s Surrender to God’s Service

2009-04-20T22:00:00.001-07:00

1 Samuel 1:10-11 (NWT) – And she was bitter of soul, and she began to pray to Jehovah and to weep greatly. And she went on to make a vow and say: O Jehovah of armies, if you will without fail look upon the affliction of your slave girl and actually remember me, and you will not forget your slave girl and actually give your salve girl a male offspring, I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and no razor will come upon his head.

Hannah was barren and could not have children so she went to God and beseeched Him for a son. God saw her heart and her desire; and because she was willing to surrender all to God, He gave her the desire of her heart – He gave her a son.

When Hannah pursued God, she received the reward of her pursuit and the answer to her prayers. I want you to take hold of this picture. The Bible said that for years she was mocked, scorned, and taunted. She wept and prayed for God to deliver her. God moved in her situation by rewarding her with a son. In turn, God used this longed-for son to be the Priest of the Israeli people. The son she sought God for earnestly, God used mightily.

Each time the people who knew her, when she was barren, heard the name “Samuel,” they could not help but remember that this was Hannah’s, the barren woman’s, son. God not only gave her a son, but He gave her one that was famous, one who had His heart and was a leader in His nation.

Consider all the mothers who had children during Hannah’s time. Their children have died and gone to their rewards, and today there is no mention of them in the Bible. However, the son Hannah prayed and waited for with such anguish has a different ending -- we are still hearing and learning about today. God is, indeed, a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

What is the deepest longing of your heart? God will also hear and answer you as He did Hannah, if you will not give up.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

How must I position myself to allow God to move in my life?

The Reward of Service

2009-04-15T22:53:00.001-07:00

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

There is a reward not only for your faith but also a reward for your service. Since God is the rewarder of those who seek after Him, He is also the rewarder of those who will provide service to others.

Your faith is the key that unlocks your storehouse of blessings, and that same faith brings pleasure to the heart of God. He is pleased with you, when you demonstrate confidence and trust in Him. You must believe that God exists in order for you to serve Him wholeheartedly.

At some point in your relationship with God, you must get beyond the point of just believing in Him to a place of knowing that He is real and available to you. As you earnestly seek after Him, He comes with His rewards to your life. God is no respecter of persons. Wherever He finds faith, He rewards. God is looking for people who will demonstrate complete faith and confidence in Him.

If you take the principles of God’s Word, embrace them, believe and apply them, they will work in your life just as God has allowed them to work in the lives of others. God is not partial. He will not bless one and not another who is applying the same principles of His Word in their life.

When you are faithful to God in your service to Him and others, God will be doubly faithful to you. You cannot out give God. Because you have given, there is a great reward that awaits you. You must look for these rewards and expect them to daily unfold in your life.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Will my service be rewarded here on earth or only in heaven?

The Sacrifice of Service

2009-04-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

II Corinthians 6:3-6 (NIV) - We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.

The Apostle Paul gives us a clear understanding of the cost that he and others endured, as they provided service to others for the cause of Christ. Hard work is a requirement for doing anything great either in the Kingdom of God or with your life.

All of you at times must sacrifice something, whether it is your time, efforts, or some friendships, as you pursue what God has destined for your life. I think about people who start new businesses. They spend countless hours both in the preparation process, as well as the time spent to provide the actual service. It costs them something to develop a successful business, but they were willing to make the sacrifice to meet the needs.

When you decide to do something of great value with your life, you must approach it with the understanding that this is a life-long commitment and responsibility. Often the preparation process will be labor-intensive, and you may have to endure some struggles to get to the end result. In this sacrifice, you must give total dedication to what you are doing in order for it to produce the results that you are seeking. At times you have to crucify your flesh and your personal desires to get to the desired destination. In any endeavor you consider pursuing, you have to prepare for disappointments.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Have I sacrificed my all in service to God and others?

Wholehearted Service

2009-04-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

Luke 6:33 – And if you do good to those doing good to you, really of what credit is it to you? Even the sinners do the same.

When I consider wholehearted service, the word integrity and doing good comes to mind. Integrity is giving your all to whatever you have been called and chosen to do. It is the assurance others have that they can depend on you to keep your word. To wholeheartedly serve others, you must have total commitment to the process. This commitment must be such that, if you are unable to meet the obligation, you will call the person and state the reason that you are unavailable.

When you give to others, you are serving the Lord wholeheartedly. All of your heart must become engaged and involved in your service so the people you are serving will be blessed by your sacrifice.

You will face times of uncertainty, as you begin to give your all in wholehearted service, but you must remember that courage will get you into position for God to use you and to bless you. It takes courage to do what seems impossible to you, but nothing is impossible with your God. If God has given you the assignment, He has also given you the grace to accomplish it.

God will not ask you to do something that He has not already equipped you to do. You may be unaware of the equipping; but as you take a step of faith - for some it will be a leap of faith, you will discover what you needed was already in you just waiting to be discovered.

Ponder and meditate on this?
How can I give my life away in wholehearted service to God and oth

Serve Generously

2009-04-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:7-8 – Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Service can either be viewed from a positive or negative mindset. Each time you serve with generosity your are planting seeds into good soil. When a seed enters the soil it will germinate, grow, and then bear fruit.

Each time you serve others you are planting seeds that will generate a harvest in your life. It is difficult to give you best seed and not reap a harvest.

To serve generously, we must learn to give from our hearts. When we give from our hearts, it will benefit others and make a significant difference in their lives.

If we serve reluctantly - are we truly serving? Being joyful and cheerful in our services gives people an opportunity to see God at work in our lives. Each time we step out of self to serve others, God will cause His favor to abound in our lives.

When we serve with generosity, it is a demonstration of our heartfelt thanks to God for all He has done and will continue to do in our lives.
When men see our generosity in serving others, they will know that it is God-inspired and God-given, which will enable them t praise God for His wonderful works.

As you serve, know that God will reward you for each act of service you provide.

Ponder and meditate on this:

Do I serve with generosity or do I serve begrudgingly?

Requirements for Service

2009-04-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Romans 12:1-2 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. 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.

When we serve, there will be a requirement for fulfilling our service. One of the requirements is a willingness to offer ourselves to God, as an act of worship.

As we serve God, and do what He requires, other people may not be happy with our service to Him. As a result, we may spend more time than necessary trying to please people instead of pleasing God. You are required to please only Him! As you please Him, all others will eventually come in alignment with God.

The scriptures encourage us to consider others by putting them first. This is sacrificial giving when we willingly lay down our desires, and our lives to meet the needs of others.

We are required to give our all to be of service in the Kingdom of God. It is daily taking up our cross and following where God leads. This requires deep trust and confidence in God’s ability to take care of us, as we serve Him and others.

Another requirement for service is to be faithful. A faithful person will grow and expand in the kingdom of God. God is looking for faithfulness in our service to Him and the people He places around us.

Please ponder and meditate on this:

Are you faithful in your service to God?

Heart of a Servant

2009-04-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

Proverb 4:23 – Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Our hearts are the center of who we are. It is from our hearts that we gain the desire to serve. Whatever begins in our hearts will affect our whole life. That is why we are encouraged in the scriptures to guard our hearts.

It is from our hearts that we serve not only God but others. To have a heart of a servant, we must be committed to the things of God and to follow His plan for our lives.

Each of us has been called to serve others, which means that we have a desire to make a difference. To serve others means that we have a desire to help people from all walks of life. As we serve, we must be courageous and not be afraid or ashamed to appear small in the eyes of the world to benefit the lives of people.

A person with a servant’s heart gladly receives assignments, serves with a glad heart, and is willing to be led by the Holy Spirit of God, as they serve.

Some people in our society look down on those who clean or serve in restaurants or other service-related industries. They overlook the fact that many of these people are successful because they serve others and meet the needs of people.

It does not matter what your vocation is, as long as you are serving people in some way. What we must realize is that service is our highest calling, as it was for Jesus. He came to earth to save a needy people on the cross at Calvary.

Jesus served us by dying! As you serve, you are becoming more and more like Jesus.

Ponder and meditate on this:

Do I have a heart to serve others?

The Power to Serve

2009-04-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

John 13:4-5 – So Jesus got up from the meal, took of His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.

Jesus demonstrated what service should look like. He did not consider serving His disciples or us as something that was beneath Him. He willingly gave His life for us by dying on the cross.

Jesus is the perfect example of servanthood. He gave and keeps on giving of Himself. In order for us to serve effectively, humility must be a foundation of our lives. Without humility, we will not be able to serve unselfishly.

When we choose to serve others, we set aside our own desires in order to meet the needs of others. Serving unselfishly is not a natural character trait. It takes perseverance and humility to submit our pride, ego, and needs so we can walk in someone else’s shoes and make a difference in their life.

The power to serve comes though a relationship with Jesus Christ. He gives us the power and desire to say, “Yes, I am available and willing for whatever is needed from me.”

The greatest key to serving is that you are not limited to a single position. You are at a place where God is molding you. When serving in Christ, you will always experience unspeakable joy.

Jesus is our perfect model of a servant, and we should follow His example and serve as He served.

Ponder and meditate on this:

When is serving others so vital in my growth?

Called To Serve

2009-04-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:7-8 – Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever he does, whether he is slave or free.

We often see successes in certain industries because of the service they provide to meet the needs of people. We are designed to serve others. To serve effectively, we must want to serve; and we must determine to serve with our whole heart.

When you begin to serve, you have to decide to pour yourself into every assignment. You give your best service when you realize that you are serving God and not man. Men receive the blessings of your service to the Lord, but God will reward you for every good deed you perform.

God has called us to serve others. We serve in our homes, on the job, in church, in school, in ministry, etc. It is the highest calling of our life to serve people -- whether they are small or great, bound or free.

Jesus is our perfect example of service. He came to earth for one purpose only -- to serve mankind. His service for us required the giving of His life. It is then clear, as we serve, we are giving our lives away for others.

The scriptures tell us to serve wholeheartedly. It means to serve with your heart, your soul, your mind, and your body. You do not withhold any part of your life from fully serving.

When you pour yourself wholeheartedly into everything you do for others, God will pour out His blessing, His favor and His abundance in your life.

Ponder and meditate on this:

Do I serve others with gladness?

You Are A Giver

2009-04-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

John 3:16 – For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.

We were created in the image of the ‘giver of life’. The One we serve demonstrated His love for us through His giving. He gave of Himself in the form of His Son. We were designed not only to look like Him but also to act like Him.

The scriptures tell us clearly that -- because of love -- God gave and keeps on giving to us. Love is His motivation for giving to our lives. While we were lost, alone, and without hope, God sent His very best to redeem our lives.

Because of the nature of the One who lives in us, it is unnatural for believers not to have a heart to give.

We can give of our time, our effort, our resources and ourselves. When we are giving, we are fulfilled. When we step out of self, and meet the needs of others, we begin to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.

There are people who live to give. They live in our homes, on the mission fields, in our churches and communities. We were designed to be one of those people.

Ponder and meditate on this:

Do I live to give?