Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

 Action: the process of doing

I don’t know about you, but I've seen people who spoke "holiness," and who taught "holiness" but their actions said something totally different. Well, I've always tried to live by that old saying - if you're going to talk the talk; you have to walk the walk. Anybody can praise God with their lips, however, God is looking for there to be some actions behind the words we speak! Did you know that things can get very serious if our actions don't line up with the word of God? The Bible tells of some cases that have been deadly.

Acts 4:32-35 tells us how there was voluntary sharing among believers, nothing was their own, they had all things common, "...for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold... and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." Ananias and his wife Sapphira were in full agreement with their lips, but their heart and actions were much different. In Acts 5:1-2 we find that they sold their land and kept back part of the money. The story continues in Act 5:3-10, "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost." Just in case you were wondering, that means that he died! As we keep reading, we find that Ananias' wife comes in three hour later, she lied and she died as well. Their actions caused them both to lose their life.

My friends, the Lord is looking for men and women of faith, with integrity. He is looking for a people who are sincere and are living the life they talk about. While I have only given you a biblical example, I'm guessing that if you look around and think about it, you'll think of some evidence of this principle in our "modern-day" world. We can easily look around and see where God is exposing people who say one thing with their lips and do something completely different with their actions. In this world today, many have such a warped perception of reality that they think they can fool God with their words. People may be able to fool man for a season, but we can’t fool God anytime. He’s omnipresent - there is no place we can hide. That means that there is no where we can go and say one thing and have our actions display another thing and He not know about it!

Praise God that we serve a loving and forgiving God - if we're not walking the holy walk that we say we are to - repent!  He's always willing and ready to forgive!

With all that said, let the church say Amen… and AMEN!                        

Let’s Walk in Integrity!

 Integrity: uprightness of character, honesty, state of being complete or undivided.

The Lord desires that we always act the same - it doesn't matter whether we are sitting in Church or if we're standing in the grocery store - He desires integrity. Too often I've seen too many people in the Amen section at Church, but once they're out of that environment, they let their hair down (so to speak) and you began to see the real them. That's not walking upright or honest before the Lord. God is a God of integrity, so it should be a high priority for us to follow in His footsteps.

In today's world, integrity is almost a thing of the past. In these perilous time, there are Pastors lying in the pulpit; Teachers crooking the truth; and Politicians saying anything they have to just to get your vote. It's like the word integrity is almost unheard of, but it's just as important today as it ever was. Back in the day, a hand shake was as good as a done deal or an agreement - not so much these days. These days, some people's signature doesn't even count for much because they are not upright in character. Friends, when we walk with an undivided heart our words are our bond - when we say yes, it means yes, and when we say no, it means no.

Some people lose their integrity because of fear; others because of gain. For instance, the Prophet Balaam loved rewards; he tried to curse God’s people for a reward (Numbers 22:6). We could say he had a divided heart even though he was a Priest and a Prophet, he still tried to cursed God's people (definitely not an upright heart). On the other hand, Daniel had an excellent spirit of integrity. He walked upright before God, he took a stand and did not bow down to the King (I'm sure you're familiar with the story). In turn, God took a stand for him (Daniel 6:22). People of integrity have no problem seeking God and allowing Him to be their strength; they will go the extra mile with a smile knowing that God is in control.

Psalms 25:21 says, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve (keep) me, for I wait on thee." We are consistently going to be in the company of people who talk right, but walk left - just remember that walking in integrity is rock solid. Deuteronomy 32:4 informs us, "He is the rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without  iniquity, just and right is He." What an awesome example of integrity! If by chance we have allowed our integrity to slip away, just know that it's not too late to repent and ask for forgiveness. God is a God of forgiveness and of love; He will welcome us in with open arms.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!

Deceit is the Same as Being Dishonest

Deceit is a lie or a dishonest action. Let me give you an example we can all relate to. Let’s say your spouse comes home and you’re SO angry that if someone stuck you with a pin you would just burst. He or she asks you “What’s wrong” and what do you say? “Nothing.” You’re so angry that’s all you can answer. But that “nothing” is dishonest and misleading. My friends, it’s deceitful.

Proverbs 20:17 tells us, “Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair]. Another way to say that is that while the words of deceit might seem sweet at first, afterwards its true nature is surely to be exposed. Let’s look at another example. In Genesis 3:12-13, Adam and Eve both passed the buck. Adam claimed it was the woman, and the woman said it was the serpent that beguiled here. To beguile means to deceive. Look at how the serpent made the deceit sound sweet at first. But then later, the truth was exposed and Adam male and female were cursed and put out the garden.

Deceit causes people to get angry with God and therefore they slide back from God’s will. But the truth makes us go forward in God, the truth enlightens us, and the truth makes us bend our will in subjection to the will of God. “Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord” Jeremiah 9:6.

Be enlightened, beloved, and go forward in truth!!

With all that said, let the church say Amen… and AMEN!

Because We Have Hope!

Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen.

Hope reduces feelings of helplessness, increases happiness, reduces stress and generally helps our quality of life. There are three points I would like to share with you today about being hopeful. Before I do, I want to remind you that for hope to work, we must believe in what we are hoping for.

1. Because we have a Hope, we can rejoice in the Lord and we can pray without ceasing. In every situation and in every circumstance we can give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Because we have Hope, Psalms 5:11 tell us, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." It’s easier to rejoice and be joyful when we have Hope.
2. Because we have Hope, we can overcome temptation. Psalms 121:1-2 tells us, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord; which made heaven and earth." We can increase in happiness and reduce stress by simply putting our Hope in God. The word also says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
3. Because we have Hope, all fear is gone. Psalms 27:1-2 reminds us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. The word also says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strength thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

So my friends, be Hopeful and know that God is with you!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen and… AMEN!

We Need Mercy, Not Judging!

Mercy: compassion shown to an offender
Judging: to form an authoritative opinion

We are creatures of habit - we love forming an opinion, regardless of whether we are right or wrong. Most of the time we assume that we know what’s going on based on what the situation looks like, regardless of what really might be going on. Fortunately for us, that's not God’s way - His way is to show love and compassion one toward another.

The word says in Romans 7:18-19: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." If we were to be honest with ourselves, we would easily see that we are all like those two scriptures.

None of us are perfect - no one is - so instead of forming an opinion (especially when you have no idea of what’s really going on), try having some compassion. Compassion on the ones you feel have offended you and on people in general, because most of us are like Paul - we all want to do good, but we don’t always succeed - so we need some mercy and not to be judged.

God had mercy on us (and continues to have), if He had truly judged us - none of us would be here today! He realizes that we need much mercy. Think about Joseph. His brothers put him into a pit AND he was sold into slavery - yet when they came to him for food because there was a famine in the land, he didn't judge them. Instead, he had mercy on them and feed them until the famine was over.

Don't condemn or judge, just show mercy to all mankind.

With all that said, let the church say Amen...and AMEN!

The Secret Of The Peace Of God!

Peace: a state of calm and quiet; freedom from disturbing thoughts or emotions

I want to tell you a secret.

That secret is how to have the peace of God. I want to tell you how you can be calm and free from disturbing thoughts or emotions - even in the midst of a storm. In today’s world, we so often hear of suicide, heart attacks, and people with so much stress that they are simply existing and not living. Friends, this should not be so. Philippians 4:4 tells us to; "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say Rejoice." When we do this - rejoice always - it allows people to see that we are unselfish and considerate in all we do - no matter what is going on!

Verse 6 (TLB) "Don't worry about any thing; instead, pray about every thing." The fact is worrying does not add to our lives - it only takes from it. After we have prayed about whatever storm we might be facing and we have given God thanks for it (after all, we might as well give thanks, because He's allowing it). “Then the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." This peace comes as we stay focused on Jesus and what His word says.

Philippians 4:8 goes on to tell us what we should think about; "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

The secret of God’s peace is found in Isaiah 26:3-4: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."

As it turns out, this is a secret we should be sharing with everyone we know! To find the peace of God - rejoice in Him always and keep your mind on Him!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Run YOUR Race!

Run: to contend in a race: to go without restraint
Race: a contest for a desired end, to run swiftly

So many times in this walk of life we play this "game" where we try to keep up with others. We see someone else buying a new house and all of a sudden, we want a new house. We see someone else start a business, and then we start talking about that business plan we supposedly had all those years ago. We see people getting married and having babies and the next thing you know, we're all up in our boyfriend's or girlfriend's faces pressuring them to marry us and have some babies. We see someone get a promotion when we wanted or expected that promotion and our wheels start turning - we start thinking about that long list of things we've done and start wondering why they got promoted and we didn't.

Often times we forget to think about how much those people have prayed, or how much they have sacrificed or the amount of years, tears and sweat it took to get them where we see them today. Most of the time we want God to give us everything on a silver platter -- but we haven't even paid the price for a platter yet! On this walk, it's imperative that we keep our eyes on our own walk and run at the pace that God allows us to run. As we talked about in the examples above, when we take our eyes off our own walk, it's way too easy to start comparing and grumbling about what someone has. That's when the slippery slope starts crumbling - when we've taken our eyes off the prize and taken on an ungrateful, envious, and jealous heart.

My friend, let's run our own race at our own pace, because when we move ahead of God, we miss the grace that He has set up for us at that particular time. Don't forget that God has us where we are for a reason and for a season. Don't base your walk on others - some are further along than others and some run faster while others run slower. Wherever you are in your race, simply trust God and keep moving!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Who Knows? God Knows!

Trust: believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of.

Encourage: give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).

Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us; "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." The word also says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Proverb 3:5). Those scriptures may be easy to quote, but I bet that we can all testify about how hard they are to live by - especially when tragedy and loss touch our lives. It's in those moments when we don't understand that we find ourselves asking "why?" My friends, when you don't have an answer for "why," then suffice it to say  that God knows. And in His infinite wisdom, there will be times when we pray and He gives us answers, and there will be other times when we pray and He gives us peace.

In those tragic moments (and really all the other moments too), simply ask God for what you want and then thank Him for all that He has already done for you. If it's His will for you in that time, then you will experience His peace... and prayerfully, that peace will surpass all understanding. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live for Him. We truly serve an awesome God!

Always remember in this life, there will be rain, but the sun will also shine. So in those times of rain, remember that God knows and that He is working things out for our good and for His Glory. 

Just a few words to encourage you that God sees, hears and knows all things. Put your trust in Him.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Prayer is Not a Request, it’s a Command!

Prayer: a devout request

Having a prayer life is so important because that's how we communicate with God. Without proper communication, relationships tend to fall apart. Take, for example, a marriage - if a husband and wife don't communicate, their marriage will fall apart because there is no connection. The Lord wants us to stay connected with Him. That's why having a prayer life is a command and not a request. Of course, the Lord doesn't need our prayers in order to perform His will in our lives. However, the act of prayer is a display of humility and a reminder that we are not in control!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the word tells us to pray without ceasing. In other words, pray all the time. Prayer should never be our last resort, friends. It should be our first response, because it's really our secret weapon. We can't be everywhere, with our eyes on everyone we love -- but our prayers can! My friend shared a story with me about how the Lord woke her up in the wee hours of the morning one day and she knew that she needed to pray, so she did. The next morning, her daughter called and told her she had just been in an accident and had been hit head-on. Praise God, the only damage to her was from her air bag. What a blessing! My friend's prayers were already there in place. We can't be everywhere, with our eyes on everyone we love -- but our prayers can!

When we pray my friends, we must believe we are going to receive. Acts 12:5 tells us, "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayers was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." Verse 7 continues on to tell us, "And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." When Peter went where the saints were praying and when they opened the door, they were astonished (surprised) to see him there. That's exactly what they were praying for, and  when God answered, they were amazed! When we ask God for something, let's make more of an effort to believe that we are going to receive!

Remember, complaining won't fix things and it won't solve any issues - but prayer can and prayer will change things. Pray and believe and you will receive, after all prayer is not a request, it's a command!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!               

Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Joy!

Joy: a source of happiness, gladness of heart

In our day-to-day existence, there are just so many things that can steal our joy if we allow them to. The fact is, there will always be situations and circumstances, but it's important that we refuse to allow those situations and circumstances to steal our joy. You see my friends, Satan knows that if he can steal our joy, we will walk around in anger, depression, and even fear. And then before you know it, those things will try to consume our lives to the point that it feels like there's no source of happiness and no gladness of heart... no matter where we are or what we are doing. This is the reason why we must refuse to let anybody steal our joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us: "Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." You see, true joy is not the things of this world - it's not because we get a new house, a new car, or a fat bank account. If it were that simple, the suicide rate wouldn't be so high, and we wouldn't see or hear about so much bad news. We simply cannot allow ourselves to lose our joy - because we don't control ANYTHING! Our job is to put and keep our focus on the one who can give us true joy and peace. The world didn't give us this joy, so why should we let the world take it away??

Of course, every day won't be filled with ice cream and cake. Let's face it, our children, our spouses, our co-workers, our finances, every pain in our bodies, and even some of the people right next to us in the Church will try to get the best of us. But I'm here to tell you that we must count it all joy and turn it over to the one who has all the answers... and is truly the only one who can fix it. When we give it to Him, He will turn our sorrow, our anger, and our distractions into JOY. But first, we need to do our jobs - refuse to let anyone steal our joy!

Let's stay focused on our source of happiness - He wants us to have gladness in our hearts. You don't have to take my word for it - you can read it for yourself! "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalms 16:11).

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Believe and Trust in God!

Believe: accept as true, to have a firm conviction about something

Trust: to place confidence, to rely on

Some people believe that hell is right here on earth, while others believe that all they need to do is be a good person and they will spend eternity with the Lord. There are people who believe there is no God, while others believe only in their riches. Today, I want to share with you how we should believe in the real and true God - the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's look at Daniel. Daniel believed in his God and accepted God's word as the truth when He said; "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). And wouldn't you know it - all the Presidents of the Kingdom, the Governors and the Princes, the Counsellors, and the Captains - basically everyone with any type of power - then consulted together to establish a royal statute AND make a firm decree that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days shall be cast into the den of lions. As you might know, Daniel continued to pray to his God three times a day as he had always done and as was decreed, he was put in the den of lions. Daniel 6:23 tells us that Daniel was taken up out of the den, and that no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. That's the type of confidence we must have in God. If we're able to do that, He will deliver us from our situations, just as He did for Daniel.

Friends, when God is for you, tell me who can be against you? No One! But it's essential that we do our part by believing and trusting in Him. God said that He would never leave us or forsake us, so that means wherever we are, God is right there in the midst. We don't have to worry about other people and what they might do (or might not do, for that matter), because with God at the center - they might dig a ditch they intend to be for you, but they will be the ones to fall in.

If your faith ever begins to get weak, just stop and take a minute to remember what He did for the three Hebrews boys, for Daniel, and the many wonderful things that He has done for us -- that should be enough to snap your faith right back into place!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Lay Up Your Treasures In Heaven

Treasure: wealth stored up or held in reserve, something of great value to keep as precious, or appreciate

There are many things in life that we value - some folks value their houses; others their cars and their massive amounts of money. There are really too many things to mention here, but the bottom line is that the Bible tells us "Lay not up for ourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).

The Lord wants our hearts to be focused on Him. He doesn't want us to be wrapped up in the various things that we call our treasure here on earth. Matthew 6:21 says; "for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." We have to reverse the way that we think and the way that we order or rank things - we need to make Jesus our treasure; the one that we treasure as great value; the one whom we keep as precious and the one whom we deeply appreciate.

Our treasure in Heaven will never fail us, so we can start by turning away from the love of earthly things and turn to God with worship and praise for Him. We can do this by showing love to every one and/or by giving of our substance and time to people in need. Let's not be so wrapped up with the gifts that God has given to us that we forget about the giver.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here - it's wonderful to have nice houses, cars, and plenty of money. What I am saying is that we should not make them our treasure, because our time here on earth is temporary, however, our time with the Lord is an eternity - so be sure to always make Him your precious treasure; the one you value the most.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... AMEN!!

Prayer is so Important!

Prayer: a supplication or expression addressed to God; an earnest request; communication with God

Prayer is an opportunity to spend time with God and to make our requests known unto Him. It's also how we develop a deeper relationship with Him. Prayer is so powerful, just like in the natural, the more you talk to a person, the more you learn about them and the more that it makes the friendship stronger.

Oh, how we need to pray. My friends, we don't know how to go out without God nor do we know how to come back in. However, when we spend time communicating with Him then He is able to teach us how to behave ourselves when we go out and when we come back in. 

I can't tell you just how much prayer can be a powerful weapon in your life. We have the opportunity to offer up our petition before God 24/7. It doesn't matter how big or how small the battle is - He's right there to fight them... all we have to do is call on Him.

Remember, the word tells us that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). The word also tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Another reason that prayer is so important is because it's how we gain power and we learn how to trust in Him. 

God loves to hear from His people - whether we are praying for guidance or simply giving thanks. The act of communicating with Him draws us closer to Him. Just remember to keep it real and be honest - because He already knows the real deal anyway, right? So simply tell God the truth!

With all that said, let the church say Amen and... AMEN!

God's Grace and Mercy

Gracious: showing kindness, full of compassion, to bestow God blessing upon us
Merciful: full of compassion, favor, tender mercy, pity

As you may know, names speak of nature. By "nature," I mean one's own character or type. "Merciful" and "Gracious" always work together to bestow God's nature and blessings upon us. Friends, that's just who God is; He's not some mean God who sits on the throne just waiting to beat us over the head when we do something wrong. No, the God we serve was merciful before sin; He is merciful during sin; and He will still be merciful after sin. He is the same today, yesterday, and forever.

Exodus 34:5-7 tells us, "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

The Lord stood by Moses and proclaimed the names of the Lord. He wanted Moses (and He wants us) to learn and get familiar with His names or His nature, so that when we are in the midst of our storm, we can just call on the name. When we need God's mercy, we must call on His merciful name - in Hebrew, that's Jehovah Khaw-oom. When you do, His mercy is going to show up and keep those things back that I so rightly deserve. When we need grace, we should call on His gracious name - Jehovah Khan-noon - and He will show up and graciously give us what we don’t deserve. If you are not familiar with His Hebrew names, just call on "mercy" and "grace," God knows His names (even if we don't). However, we must call on His name with believing-faith and He will show-up and show-out on our behalf!

Let me share with you a testimony of my own: my formal pastor went to the doctor with his daughter, who wanted to have a specific procedure done that day. The nurse at the doctor's office said, "no, we can't do that procedure today; you'll have to wait another month." He and his daughter left, but while they were on the elevator he asked his daughter if she really wanted to have the procedure done that day. Of course she said yes. Guess what they did next? They called on the merciful - Jehovah Khaw-oom - and the gracious - Jehovah Khan-noon - names of God. When the elevator reached to first floor, he told his daughter, "let's go back up." So, they did just that - they went back to the doctor's office and told them again what she wanted to have done. You better believe that the second time the nurse said, "Can you come back this afternoon? We will do it today." That's what I mean about "believing faith." God's names are powerful; all we have to do is use them. They are full of compassion and tender mercy!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!

Coming Under Authority

 Authority: The power to determine, or command

The top brass from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps were arguing about who had the bravest troops. They decided to settle the dispute using an enlisted man from each branch.
The army general called a private over and ordered him to climb to the top of the base flagpole, then let go with both hands and salute. The private quickly complied.
Next, the admiral ordered a sailor to climb the pole, polish the brass knob at the top, salute smartly and jump off. The sailor did as he was told and landed on the concrete below.
Finally, the marine was told to do exactly the same as the army and navy men but in full battle gear, pack filled with brick and loaded weapon carried high. He took one look at the major general and said: "You're out of your mind, sir."
The marine commander turned to the others and said: "Now that's guts!"

The thing about authority is that it exists to keep us in line as well as to keep law and order. For example, when we come to a stop sign, the mission of that stop sign is to save our life, but if no one stops, it would be total chaos. However, if everyone stops appropriately and looks both ways before going forward, then we would avoid accidents and the mission of that stop sign gets accomplish. Authority is here to help us. Unfortunately, we don’t always like coming under certain types of authority. Even Jesus humbles himself and came under authority, so why don't we think that we should have to??

Hebrew 13:17 tells us, "Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." We will never be in authority if we can’t come under authority.

Let’s take a look at the words of encouragement to Joshua; the Lord said, be strong and of a good courage. Verse 5 in Chapter 1 of that book reads; "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee." Joshua became a great leader, simply because he learned how to come under authority. And you know what? Joshua made it into the promise land!

The Lord wants us to come under the authority of our leader as that leader must come under the authority of the Lord. We too will be blessed and the Lord will be with us as He was with Joshua.

With all that said, let the church say Amen... and AMEN!

Stay Encouraged!

Encourage: to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope

We are seeing trouble everywhere, All you have to do is read a newspaper, turn on the tv or scroll through social media. Within the first minute or two, you will be overwhelmed with news of all the things that are happening in the world. Friends, I'm here to tell you that it's enough to blow your mind! But more importantly, I’m here to remind you that no matter what it looks like, God has it all in control. God allowed these things to happen and He's the only one who can fix it. Our aim should always be to please Him in every facet of our life. As believers, it’s vital that we never give up on God and that we don't ever stop believing that He's right there in the midst of whatever’s going on. He's everywhere acting as our help, our sustainer, and our salvation - basically, He’s really everything that we need to survive.

The Word tells us, "So we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen, the troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever" (2 Corinthians 4:18, TLB). With that in mind, let’s continue to run on for the Lord. Like we talked about just a couple of weeks ago, He's coming like a thief in the night. We don't know the time or the day, but we do know that we must be ready.

Remember, my friends,our heavenly payday is coming after a while, so our aim should be to please the Lord always in everything we do and in everything that we say. After all, we serve an awesome God! A God that died for us, so that we could have everlasting life. Until that day, let’s commit to living in victory and not defeat; to living in prayer and not in worry; and to keep fighting the good fight and not giving up. My friends, keep living, keep loving, and keep looking forward to the joys in heaven!

With all that said, let the church say amen... and Amen!

Seek The Lord First!

 Seek: to look for; attempt to obtain.

You know my friends, we are always looking for something - be it, good, bad, or indifferent. I think it's just in our nature. The great thing about that is the Lord doesn't have a problem with us seeking to obtain -- as long as what you're trying to obtain is in the will of God. The word tells us in Colossians 3:1-2; "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Some of us like to seek things of the world for our own selfish interest. For instance, we try to see how many houses we can buy or how many cars we can obtain. Others even push others down to elevate themselves in order to get the highest positions at work. That's not to say that those things are wrong necessarily; in fact, God's desire for us is that we should have those things. But there's an order by which we must obtain these things. We must seek first.

Here are three things we should be seeking:

• God's Kingdom. Matthew 6:33 tells us, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." God said in His word we can have the desires of our heart, but we have to do something first... SEEK

• True Wisdom.  Proverbs 2:7 says, "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." We need true wisdom to obtain and to keep what we have obtained.

• Another's Benefit.  Ephesians 4:32. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you." It's not all about us, the Lord wants us to bless others as He has blessed us. So let's start by giving, forgiving, and being tenderhearted.

When we look for things and at least attempt to obtain them in the order that God wants us to; we won't have to try SO hard to chase things down. That's not to say that you won't have to do anything (remember, faith without works is dead!) - but it won't be as hard. The Lord will see us doing things in an orderly fashion and He will then bring those things to us. Let's remember to seek the Lord first.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

How to Get the Peace of God in Your Life!

Peace: Not quarrelsome; free from disturbance; calm

Even in today's world - full of torment, unrest, disturbance, and in the midst of trouble on every hand - we can still have peace. The peace that I'm talking about begins within, where we know that God is with us every step of the way; where we realize that God is the head over all things. Once we really understand that on the inside, it will be reflected on the outside. The word tells us in Isaiah 26:3, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." In other words, when our mind is stayed on Him, we are free from disturbance and  we will have calmness in him.

You might be asking yourself, "Self, how can I get this calmness?" Well fortunately, Paul gives us some answers in Philippians 4:4-7:

Step 1 (verse 4): "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, rejoice." We must rejoice because it is written that the joy of the Lord is our strength. My aunt often talks about how the Lord will give you peace in the midst of your storm. For her, these are not just words - when she lost her only child, it was then that she truly realized that God was her peace. 

Step 2 (verse 5): "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." In other words, let every one see your calmness, show that you are unselfish, and be very considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon! 

Step 3 (verse 6): "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." As that old song says, don't worry about a thing; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what your needs are and don't forget to thank Him for His answer.

After we complete these three steps, verse 7 finishes it off for us: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

By following these steps, you will experience God's peace, in an abundant way - which is more wonderful than the human mind can understand or even imagine. His peace will keep your thoughts and your heart quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.

Remember the Lord said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I into you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let is be afraid" (John 14:27).

With all that said, let the Church say Amen and... AMEN!

God Specializes In Your So-Called Failures!

Specialize: To focus one’s efforts in one field of activity or study
Failure: The state of failing, a breaking down in health, action, or strength

Our God is an awesome God! He didn’t call us because of any special talent that He’s has given to us, or because we were wise, nor because we were strong. In truth, God is looking for a people that are weak.  

Paul tell us that not many that are noble, not many that are mighty are called; God is looking for someone who is so weak that they will have no choice but to depend on Him. God is looking for failures; for people that can’t make it on their own. He’s looking for people who are so low that they can't even pretend to be Super-Righteous or Oh-So-Holy; He’s looking for the folks that didn’t know how they were going to make it until they found God.

You might be asking yourself why the Lord would be looking for those types of people? Why? Because He specializes in failure, that's why. He specializes in people who are trying to get some place, but are struggling so much that they can’t make it to the next stop. Some times those people even falling down and say, "God help me," "God give me strength," "Pick me up Lord!" That’s what He’s waiting on - those that are so broken down and humble that all they can do is cry out to Him. Not those who think and act as if they can make it on their own, those who just DARE someone to get in their way - you know the type, right? Well, you better believe that is not the type of person that God is looking for.

Even as Christians, we occasionally get too strong and we get to the place where we say or think that we don’t need God. We may not always say it out loud, but our actions certainly reflect it. Like when we get so strong that we think that we don’t need to pray everyday; or when we begin thinking that we made it to this place of great success all by ourselves. Guess what, friend? God is not looking for a people like that.

Let me share with you a quick example of some people who came up short when they tried to make it on their own. Luke 5:3-6 tells us, "And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

In our example, you see that Jesus put the Word in first - he taught the people the word first and then blessed the people next. He did that because the Word is where success comes from; whether it’s natural or spiritual. If you're feeling a bit like Simon - maybe you feel like you've toiled all night and you still have nothing - let me tell you that there is hope, but not until we acknowledge that we don’t know everything; that we are weak and that we can't do anything without the Lord. It's at that point of "failure" that the Lord can work with us.

Our failures serve as a reminder that we have left something critical out -- that something is the Word. Get in the Word and turn your failures over to the Lord... because He specializes in them. We no longer have to depend on ourselves, all we have to do is put the word in our ship (or in the present, put the word in our heart).

With all that said, let the church say amen... and AMEN!

God will Make a Believer Out of Us!

Believer: to have a firm conviction about something

If we chose not to humble ourselves and give God the glory that He so rightly deserves, then we will be very sorry. We have no strength or power within ourselves to do anything, so let's give God the glory He so rightly deserves. I want to share a story about a man who didn't give God the glory that he deserved. Instead, he gave the glory to himself.

As you can imagine, God made a believer out of Nebuchadnezzar! He got so full of himself that he said, I, By My Own Mighty Power, have built this beautiful city as my royal residence, and as the capital of my empire. While he was still speaking these words, a voice called down from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you: you are no longer ruler of this Kingdom. You will be forced out of the palace to live with the animals in the field, and to eat grass like the cows for seven years until you finally realize that God parcels out the kingdom of men and give them to any one He chooses." That very same hour this prophecy was fulfilled.

Nebuchadnezzar was chased from his palace and ate grass like the cows, and his body was wet with dew, his hair grew as long as eagles feathers, and his nails were like birds claws. "At the end of seven years I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity return, and I praised and worshiped the Most High God and honored Him who lives forever, whose rule is everlasting, His kingdom evermore. all the people of the earth are nothing when compared to him; He does whatever He thinks best among the hosts of heaven, as well as here among the inhabitants of earth."

"No one can stop Him or challenge Him. Now, I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of Heaven, the judge of all, whose every act is right and good; for He is able to take those who walk proudly and push them into the dust" Daniel 4:31 - 37 (TLB).

My friends, let's stay humble so that God can use us. Our strength and our might all belong to the Lord.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!