What is your life?

Are our concerns focused on investing our time wisely by seeking God’s will for us?  “What is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that’” (James 4:14-15).  It is rare in day-to-day living that we stop to consider if we are investing in our eternity.  Knowing what God’s plan is, by seeking Him daily, puts us in the position to hear His voice, know His will and make the choice to obey His direction. By making your time with our Creator top priority, you are investing not only in your present, but also in your eternal future.  Take steps today to reorder your time, putting Him first.  The results will transform you.  On our way to answering the High Call of God, the Spirit will lead us into some intense times of pressure.  During this time of training, our spirit man becomes so strong inside of us that no matter how much pressure comes from the outside, we are able to resist the pressure and maintain our climb.  Just like the life-saving information given to us on a natural airplane flight, this spiritual training will equip us for the pressures of life.  There are training camps believers go through:

(1) Wilderness Training 

(2) Warfare Training 

(3) Endurance Training

t is important to comprehend that our training never really ends.  That understanding helps as we go from one level in our climb to the next.  With every new revelation of who God is in us, we must go through a similar process or preparation each time.  Paul explained this perfectly in his letter to the Romans: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.”  How quickly we go through the training depends upon how quickly we recover when the crosswinds of life try to blow us off of the mountain.  The Bible states, “They [the Israelites] were overthrown in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:5). Our first training camp is Camp Wilderness.  Be well advised not to pitch your tents here. Keep moving forward.  Our stay in Camp Wilderness is meant to be temporary.  The Israelites are a very good example of what not to do in the wilderness.  Exodus 12 gives a detailed record of the Passover and of their incredible deliverance from four hundred years of slavery.  In one night, the entire nation was freed.  They had prayed and believed for this day for many generations.  From the time this generation had been small children, they had been taught of the covenant God had made with Father Abraham to make them a great and mighty nation.  When Moses, their deliverer, finally came, he had already spent forty years in the wilderness himself.  Moses knew he had a destiny, but in his limited understanding he believed that by rescuing one Israelite he could fulfill the call on his life, and that his ministry would then “take off” (Exodus 2:11-12).  After trying to fulfill his destiny in his own way he was immediately taken into the desert, where God enlarged his capacity to understand what his true purpose was and the fact that it did not depend on his own strength, but on God alone.  If you are in the middle of wilderness training, remember that God took you in so He can take you out.

Godliness is Profitable

“Bodily exercise profits little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1Timothy 4:8).   With every New Year there are always resolutions that we make to ourselves, promising that we will improve our health, get rid of bad habits, exercise more and eat less.  The list goes on and on.  The above verse tells us that bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable to all things.  However, godliness in itself takes much work and if you will, exercises. How does God exercise us?  Ecclesiastes 3:10 shows us that God does indeed work us out: “I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.”  Tough times work us out, but it is through the trials and testing that we have the opportunity to really grow in godliness.  It is during these times that we are challenged to grow spiritually like never before.  Acts 24:16 expounds upon this matter: “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and men.” Offenses will come, but if you are in position to stretch spiritually, you can exercise yourself unto godliness and not get caught up in being offended or any other test you may be in.  Hebrews 12:11 sums it up perfectly, “Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”  Like physical strengthening, you may experience pain while exercising yourself unto godliness, but your reward will be great in this life and that which is to come.  The peaceable fruit of righteousness is yours. Let God be your personal trainer and exercise yourself unto godliness.

Pray for Peace

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.  Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.  I will now say, Peace be within you.  Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good” (Psalm 122:6-9).  There is much excitement about the natural city of Jerusalem.  The word Jerusalem means City of Peace. God’s plan has always been for Jerusalem to be free of strife and blessed by peace, happiness, prosperity and health.  Psalm 122:6 is a prayer that all those who pray for this Holy City will experience God’s blessings in their lives.  As Christian believers, we know that there will one day be a New Jerusalem, known as Zion, God’s Holy Mountain.  This is where Jesus will establish His government when He returns to rule and reign for one thousand years.  Psalm 102:13 tells us, You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.  Now is the time to pray for Jerusalem and see the manifest blessings of God: peace, happiness, prosperity and health become reality in your life.

The gift of Peace

There are times in each of our lives, as believers, when it is only by faith in Christ Jesus that we are able to continue on.  It is during these times that our gifts of joy, peace and hope must be stirred.  Why?  “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).  The gift of peace is ours because, “He Himself is our peace, and therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:14, 19).  Our hope is made real by the promise of Colossians 1:23 & 27, “If indeed, you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Do not lose the joy of believing.  Psalm 27:13-14 declares, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.”  Keep your joy, wait on the Lord and your faith will be rewarded.

Works of God

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men” (Psalm 66:5).  God’s sons and daughters are emptying themselves out before Him, crying to Him that it is His Spirit for which they hunger.  As you seek His Presence, He is ministering mightily by pouring Himself out, answering prayers, bestowing mercy and grace upon all those who call out His Name.  It is truly awesome to behold.  As you seek Him, diligently pressing into His Presence, seek Him for who He is.  Expect Him to answer by renewing your strength, refreshing you, and revealing Himself to you through answered prayer.  Psalm 66:19-20 says, “But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed by God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me.”  Choose to trust in Him to answer your petition as an act of faith, not an emotion, and be determined in your expectations of a response.  He will give you clarity in every area of your life, and rest assured that victory is yours.  “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).  As believers, we have been given spiritual gifts by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but we have also been given joy, peace and hope.  Verse 17, of Romans, chapter 15 states why.  “Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.”  Our joy, peace and hope all come from one source.  It is our belief in Christ Jesus that, by faith, we have reason to glory.  Hebrews 11:1 & 3 declares, “Now faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so the things, which are seen, were not made of things that are visible.”  Joy, peace and hope are also things that are not seen, neither are they emotions.  Rather, these gifts are choices that we make, as we trust, by believing, that they are truly ours through our hope in the Holy Spirit.

Ride the Storm

Some storms you will be able to walk on, others you will be able to rebuke, but some you will just have to grab the wood, hang on and  out.  During trials, results from bad choices, storms, or whatever you may be dealing with, hang on.  Deal with the heart issues anger; bitterness, resentment, judgment, rejection, unforgiveness or whatever is holding you.  Facing yourself is sometimes painful.  However, it is also crucial for you to acknowledge issues, accept correction and advance to the next level.  Be open to God revealing YOU, TO YOU and expect to experience true revelation in your life.  The Word tells us in John 15:16, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain” John 15:2-5 tells us, “Every branch in Me that bears not fruit He takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  Now you are clean through the Word, which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except ye abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.”  We know that outside of Him, nothing could be accomplished, but through Him, all things are possible (Luke 1:37).  Even as God is purging us and revealing the things that need to be cut away, He is still encouraging us to understand that not only will we see fruit, but that it will be fruit that remains.  Ecclesiastes 3:14 tells us, “I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before Him.”  It will be added to your account and shall remain eternally.

Opportunity for Growth

In the days we are living in, there is always opportunity for spiritual and emotional growth.  There are many changes taking place throughout the Body of Christ as believers are coming face to face with themselves.  As we mature in our walk with Christ, we come to the understanding that not everything that goes wrong is an attack from the devil.  As spiritual growth occurs and more of Christ’s character manifests in our lives, we have to face the fact that there may be choices we have made that are hindering our walk with Jesus.  There are as many varied situations and issues as there are believers.  One key is realizing that we all have issues.  Most often the people around us know it long before we do.  As opportunities for growth arise, either as a direct result of wrong decisions or trials or storms, our response is what determines whether we go on with God or stay stuck in our circumstances.  Remember, we are responsible not only for our actions but also for our reactions.  Our best course of action is to:

1. Recognize a bad choice and repent (2 Samuel 11 & 12).

2. Encourage yourself in the Lord, just as David did 

(1 Samuel 30:6, Psalm 42:5). 

3. Rehearse all the good God has done for you.  Do not dwell on circumstances and injustices (Psalm 103:1-2).

The Word speaks of many types of storms:

 1. Peter walked on top of a storm (Matthew 14:22-29).

 2. Jesus spoke to a storm and it ceased (Mark 4:35-39).

3. Paul was in a storm and had to grab a piece of wood and hang on  (Acts 27:13-44).

Word of God

Many are pressing into the Word of God like never before.  People are hungry to hear the voice of God for themselves.  They are desperate for answers and direction.  Jesus is looking for people who will surrender their lives to Him, for the purpose of getting the Gospel to a lost and dying world.  In this portion of scripture, Luke 5, Peter allows Jesus to use his fishing boat and as he lets down his nets (the work of his hands) the blessings of God overflowed from his life to others fishing around him.  When we surrender our boat (life) to Jesus, He will bless the work of our hands and use us to bless others.  Peter went from giving up (washing his nets) to overflowing with bounty once Jesus came into his boat.  When Jesus came on board, everything changed.  Amazingly, Jesus did not ask Peter to go a long way at first.  In verse 3, Jesus asks him to row out a little way.  After Peter released his boat (life) to Jesus and obeyed him, Jesus responds to his obedience in verse 4, “Since you obeyed me in going a little way, I am going to go with you, all the way.  Launch out into the deep.”  When we are faithful in obeying God to share the good news of the Gospel He will go all the way with us, even into the deep waters, to see His plans, provisions, and promises fulfilled in our lives.  After obeying Jesus’ command, the blessings of God so filled Peter’s boat that he had to call for help to pull in the catch. Luke 6:38 declares, “Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down; shaken together and running over men will give unto your bosom.”  God will give us such abundance that not only will our lives be blessed, but He will also make us a blessing to someone else’s life.  Be a blessing to someone.  As you grow in faithfulness allow Jesus to use your boat so your life will overflow with all He has for you.

The harvest is greater

In every promise from God the harvest is greater, grander and larger than we can even comprehend.  To apprehend the promises of God, He has to enlarge our capacity to handle the harvest through patience.  God works patience in us just as He did in Moses.  He knew that he was called to deliver Israel, but his mentality was to slay one Egyptian in hopes of delivering one Israelite.  God sent Him to the desert to wait for 40 years so his capacity to embrace his true calling could be increased.  God’s plan was not to deliver one or even two, but to deliver the entire nation in one night.  God will increase our ability to receive His promise and enlarge our capacity to carry the harvest as we wait patiently for Him.  “For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.  Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:34-36).  Do not give up; your harvest is on the way.  Be encouraged just as Jesus’ disciples were.  As you have obeyed God by sowing into God’s Kingdom, let patience work in you that you may receive a 100-fold return in Jesus name. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. And let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:7, 9).

His house

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1).  It is indeed an exciting time to be serving the King of Kings.  The harvest is ripe and He is putting His house in order.  In 2 Chronicles 24:13 the workmen labored and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced the wall.  This entire passage of scripture deals with restoring the house of the Lord.  Nehemiah 2:20 says, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build.”  In Luke 8:3-4 we see Jesus speaking a parable to those who ministered side by side with Him.  Interestingly, the parable He decided to share was that of seed sowing.  “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”  Genesis 8:22 tells us there will be seedtime and harvest.  The time or patience part of that scripture is what we often miss.  The key word to harvest and fruit bearing is patience.  We must purpose in our heart that after our seed is sown, we will wait patiently for the harvest.  In Hebrews 6:12, the Word of God declares that through faith and patience we receive the promise.  Faith brings the promise or harvest, and patience prepares us to receive it.  The patience (time) part is what seems to be the most difficult aspect of sowing.  In whatever way that God is working in our lives, patience has a job to accomplish.  James 1:4 says, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Peace

“They have also healed the hurt of my people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, Peace!’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14).  In this passage of scripture the prophet Jeremiah is warning God’s people to open themselves up to the sovereignty of His leadership.  Their hearts had been turned from the Word of God, which once pierced their hearts and brought them to repentance.  Instead, they began to listen to men who promised no evil would come upon them even if they turned from God’s commandments.  Human nature was just as prone to follow carnality then as it is now.  True peace and prosperity come from an intimate relationship with our Creator and a right relationship with others.  Forfeiting that peace by worrying anxiously about the future will bring only confusion and fear.  Worry is making a down payment on something you will never own.   However, staying in close communion with Jesus, walking in character, integrity and trusting Him to fulfill the promises He has already placed within you, will prepare you for whatever circumstances may arise.  The peace we have in Jesus has more to do internally, with our hearts, than it does with situations and circumstances that are external.  There may be hard times ahead for the world, but we are in the world, not of it (John 17:12, 14).  As long as we are drawing nigh to God, He will draw nigh unto us (James 4:8).  “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment, but he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1John 4:17-18).  Who is he that overcomes the world?  It is he who has faith in God. It is our faith that brings victory to overcome the world.  Faith, love and obedience are our spiritual weapons that prepare us for times of battle and times of war.  “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith” (1 John 5:4).  Stay in the Word of God, stay faithful, and seek His face diligently.  “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).  That is our Victory.

His beloved sleep.

Psalms 127:2 states, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, and to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.”  God does not want us to loose sleep worrying about provision.  The bread of sorrows speaks of when God told Adam he would live under a curse, tilling the ground with sweat and in sorrow, eating the fruit thereof.  We have been redeemed from this curse through Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:13). Proverbs 10:22 declares, “The blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow with it.”  We no longer have to eat the bread of sorrows, depending upon our own abilities and power.  We now have the blessing of the Holy Spirit, which empowers us to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), not according to our own ability, but by His power, which is working in us.  The New Covenant has enabled us to give more than enough than will ever be needed for His Kingdom.  If Israel had more than enough under the Old Covenant, we are to have even more under the New Covenant.  Simply open the door by being willing to give beyond your own power and see God’s supernatural power provide.  “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19).

More than enough

God is El Shaddai and He is more than enough.  Moses’ experience with the Israelites generous giving is a perfect example of the abundance God wants us to walk in.  “…They spoke to Moses, saying, the people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.  So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, ‘Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.’  And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done - indeed too much” (Exodus 36:5-7 NKJV).  The Word of God declares that the people had more than enough for the building of God’s tabernacle.  So much that Moses had to advertise for no more giving at that time.  God’s desire is for us to have more than enough to give to His work and take care of our needs as well.  Second Corinthians 8:2-3 declares, “That in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.  For I bear witness that according to their ability, they were freely willing.”  Not only with their own ability, but verse 3 states, beyond their power or ability they were willing of themselves.  In order for God to bless us in the manner Moses and the children of Israel were blessed, we need to be willing to give beyond our power or ability.  Israel was not giving to God what they had provided for themselves, but what God had provided for them, the wealth of the Egyptians.  This is giving according to God’s ability to provide, not our own.  Many times we give according to our income or the reserves we have, but God wants us to give beyond our abilities and trust solely in Him for blessings that will spill from us to one another.

Start feeding your faith

Today, it is time to start feeding your faith and starving your doubts to death.  Fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of what God has for you.  Just like God said in Joshua 1:2, “Arise and go over this Jordan.”  The same God that brought you out will take you in.  Circumstances will come and go, your mind will tell you different things, but while the devil is launching his arrows at you, you can depend on God’s unfailing promises found in His Word.  When Israel left Egypt (Exodus 13:17-18), God did not lead them by the way of the Philistines.  If He had and they had to fight at that point, they may have turned back in fear of defeat.  Instead, He led them through the wilderness.  When it came time to possess their inheritance, they could no longer be wanderers, they had to become warriors.  The wilderness test is to temper the steel sword of your mind, body and spirit, preparing you for warfare in the spirit and to take territory for His Kingdom.  He brought us out so that He could take us in.  “You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile.  The rivers of God will not run dry; they provide a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges.  You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.  The wilderness becomes a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout for joy” (Psalm 65:9-13 TLV).

• Verse 9 declares - God is God of the harvest and His river of provision will not run dry.
• Verse 11 declares - God will crown the year with an abundant harvest.
• Verse 11 states - Your hard pathways (hard times) will overflow with abundance. 
• Verse 12 states - Your wilderness will become a lush pasture. 
• Verse 13 declares - Your meadows will be clothed with flocks of sheep (harvest of souls).
• Verse 13 continues - Your valleys will be carpeted with grain (The low, hard places you have walked in will now be carpeted with God’s provision).
• Verse 13 concludes - You will all shout and sing for joy.  Psalm 126:5 promises, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

I thank my God

Philippians 1:3-6 declares, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request  for you all with joy, for your fellowship (partnership) in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, He Who has begun a good work in you will perform it (finish it) until the day of Jesus Christ.”  The Word of God declares in 1Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life.”  In our Christian walk, we will come to the time when we stop asking God for His promises and instead, grab hold of them.  Luke 16:16 states, “The Kingdom of God has been preached and everyone is pressing into it.”  God told Moses at the Red Sea to stop praying, get up and stretch forth his rod.  It is time to take territory.  When Israel first left Egypt, God did not send them straight into war.  The reason for this is because He did not want them to turn back.  However, once it came time to possess their inheritance, the battle was on.  Many in the body of Christ have survived their wilderness test and now is the time to possess the land, to lay hold of our inheritance.  The good news is, the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s.  We do not have to fight the devil; we only have to fight the good fight of faith.  The devil has been defeated by the work of the Cross.  Our war is to fight the good fight of faith, being fully persuaded that, what He has promised, He is able to perform (Romans 4:21).

His promise

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise . . . We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:9, 13).  It is faith “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) that propels us onward toward the promises of God.  It is the knowledge that His Word promises that if we stay in a right relationship with Him, not by being perfect, but by trusting Him, even when we fail, that He will indeed fulfill His Word.  As people of God, we have to trust Him in every circumstance, no matter how trying or difficult it may be. He will always make a way.  It may not be the way we would have chosen, but that is where faith in Him to make the decision for us, no matter the situation, turns us from victims to victors.  Sometimes life hits us like a two-ton tractor-trailer.  It may seem that we are about to be flattened by overwhelming devastation, but God always provides a way of escape.  Let’s face it, at some time in our lives we are all going to be up against harder situations than we have ever had to face.  We may even beg God to tell us why this is happening.  As hard as it may be to believe, that circumstance is designed specifically for you.  The Bible is full of men and women that were tested by God.  Research this, starting with Adam and Eve.  God tests His people.  He does not test you to make you fail, but rather so you will trust in His faithfulness.  He allows situations and circumstances in your life to strengthen you, so He can bring to fruition the promises He has made to you.  Take time to read Deuteronomy 8:16.  If you are in the midst of the biggest battle of your life, be of good cheer.  Whatever the situation: the loss of a loved one, impoverishment, physical disabilities, poor health, emotional problems, abuse, addictions, know that nothing can separate you from the promises of God.  Remember, you are not the first, nor will you be the last person to proclaim that the situation you are in seems too hard to bear.  The good news is that you are absolutely correct; it is too hard to bear, alone.  God’s promises are immutable and will never change.  He has promised that He will never leave nor forsake you and He never will.  As you take your eyes off of the circumstances that are encircling you and look to Him, He will make a way.

There is a stirring

There is a stirring in the body of Christ and many expectations about revival and the great harvest that is coming into the church.  The important aspect of this harvest is training individuals to become His disciples.  God is not interested in just revival, the harvest coming into the Kingdom, but in the discipleship that will equip them.  In the great commission, Jesus told His disciples this, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Therefore go and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).  How long will you hesitate?  God is opening the door for all nations to come into the knowledge of Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.  God may have placed this very cry in your heart.  Do not hesitate.  You don’t have to go to another land to reach the nations of the world.  You are given the opportunity to witness to the nations each time you meet someone from another race, culture or ethnic group other than your own.  The person sitting or standing next to you may be the person God anoints to reach an entire nation for His glory.  Go and make disciples and teach them to obey all His commands and He will be with you to the end of the world.  Do not hesitate, knowing that Jesus saves.  “All authority is given Me in heaven and earth.  Now go.”  Through God’s new covenant, we are not only to enjoy the benefits of salvation, eternal life, peace, healing, deliverance, provision, and hope, but we are to proclaim it.  Paul, the apostle, stated, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16).  Do not hesitate to share this good news of God’s Kingdom.  God is doing a new thing, raising up disciples from all walks of life, not only interested in what the Lord can do for them, but what they can do for Him.  Do not hesitate.  Go in Jesus name.

How long will you hesitate?

“How long will you hesitate?  I have created something new and different” (Jeremiah 31:22).  Verse 25 goes on to say, “For I have
satiated (satisfied) the weary soul and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”  In this portion of scripture, God is telling the prophet Jeremiah about the new covenant He is going to make with the house of Israel.  It is going to be a completely different contract than the previous agreement He had made with His servant Moses.  God makes His intentions clear in the next verses. “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not according to the covenant I made with their fathers.  I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  They shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  The birth and death of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior fulfilled this prophecy.  We have known Him as Savior, healer, deliverer and provider.  Now it is time to know Him as Lord. How long will you hesitate? God is doing a new thing in the earth today.  Yes, He wants your salvation, healing, deliverance and provision, but He wants you to seek Him because of who He is, not what He can do for you.

Seek God

Seek God diligently and wholeheartedly.  He is waiting for decisive men and women to set their will to seek His face.  Once we have decided to live totally for the Lord, He can then begin to move in our individual lives, completing the good work He has already begun in us.  Once again, remember, God is not looking at your present circumstances, where you have been in the past or what you have done.  He is looking for those who have come to the realization that they cannot make it without His guidance and for those who are diligently seeking His will for their lives.  Even as you seek Him, He is moving on your behalf, blessing you, prospering you and delivering you from any situation that has been holding you back from experiencing all that God has for your life.  God’s desire to deliver you is greater than the enemy’s desire to destroy you.  Solomon spoke of God’s faithfulness to his father, David.  Second Chronicles 6:4 states, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who with His hand has fulfilled what He promised with His mouth to my father David.”  Like Solomon, you can truly say what God has promised with His mouth, you have seen Him fulfill with His hand.

It shall come to pass

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1).  This scripture is an incredible promise from God.  The protection of God, when you are in His will and following His commandments, is the safest place in the universe.  Only God can make that kind of promise, because He is God.  Coming to the understanding that there is nothing or no one who can save your soul, deliver you from the hand of your enemies, heal your body and your broken heart but God, is the greatest revelation there is.  God is the Most High God.  He is El Shaddiah, God who is more than enough.  It is truly His desire to bring you into heavenly places and seat you at His right hand. God is not looking at you in your present circumstances, He already sees you as perfect and blameless.  He is, however, looking for godly men and women to whom He may show Himself strong.  Second Chronicles 16:9 declares, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is loyal to Him.”  God is diligently seeking men and women whose heart (spirit man) is strong (perfect) toward Him.  He will completely support those that have given their hearts 100% to Him.  Psalm 34:15 states, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”

I come to You

Dear Heavenly Father,
Because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, I come to You in prayer.  Precious Holy Spirit, help me pray and pray through me.  Lord, I ask that You anoint me with fresh oil.  I pray that every hindrance preventing me from coming into a closer relationship with You will be removed.  Take every obstacle from my mind and release me from all anxiety. Increase my desire to know You, Your ways and Your perfect will for my life.  Turn my heart to You, Father.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.Through prayer - we can release God to move on our behalf.

· Through prayer - we can see His hand move to supply all of our needs.

· Through prayer - we can see the enemy defeated and rendered defenseless.

· Through prayer - we can be equipped to serve in God’s army and build His Kingdom. 

· Through prayer - we can see our families saved and living for God. 

· Through prayer - we can see financial tragedies turned to triumphs. 

· Through prayer - the possibilities are limitless. 

Breathe life

Thought For Today

Dear Father, I know You because of Your Word.  As I come before You today breathe life into each passage of scripture.  I search Your Word to know You more.  You are my every thing.  Increase my desire to seek Your will and Your will alone.

All I have is Yours

Thought For Today

Dear Jesus, all I have is Yours.  Daily I make the choice to serve you.  Complete the work You have begun in me and keep me strong to get to the end of the finish line.  Encourage me as I cross that line to not only finish, but to finish well.

Thank you for a joyful spirit

Thought For Today

Dear Lord, thank you for a joyful spirit and for continually preparing me, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, to accomplish what You have called me to do.  There have been many issues to wrestle with during this time of training, but You have kept me joyful and thankful through it all.  I praise You for the wonder of You.
“…For the LORD had made them joyful, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel” (Ezra 6:22).
“How mighty are His wonders” (Daniel 4:3).

Share my treasures

Thought For Today

Show me how to share my treasures with others.  Dear Father God, You have given me riches beyond belief through the study of Your Word.  Daily, I seek Your wisdom and the knowledge of how to apply it to every area of my life.  Help me to share these precious gifts.
“He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times…” (2 Corinthians 9:11 GNB).

Weight of burdens

Thought For Today

Dear Lord, help me know how to shoulder the weight of burdens with grace and know that all things work together for my good.  Today, help me not lean unto my own understanding, but acknowledge You in every breath I take.
“Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him…” (Psalm 37:5 RSV).

I am Your child

Thought For Today

Dear Father, it is by Your grace and Your grace alone that I am Your child.  You have called me by name and taken my feet from the miry clay.  I am nothing without You.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am…” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Be my conscience

Thought For Today

Precious Holy Spirit, be my conscience and guide me with Your small, still voice.  Help me hear You above the roar of my fleshly desires. “I also do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before men” (Acts 24:16 NAS).

Forgiveness

Thought For Today

Forgiveness really is seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, minute by minute, sometimes second by second.  We cannot change the circumstances that have led to unforgiveness, but we can change the power and the hold it has over our lives by choosing to forgive.  Dear Lord, give me the grace I need to forgive, today.
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13 NIV).

Direct my heart

Thought For Today

Dear Lord, You have given me the blessing of raising children.  Direct my heart in Your love and into the patience of Christ, so I can lead the way for the children’s lives that I will impact.
“Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6).

Help me to teach others

Thought For Today
Dear Jesus, help me to teach others what You have taught me.  Teach me, so I may gain a heart of wisdom and share what I have learned.
“In everything set them an example…” (Titus 2:7 NIV).