God is Counting on You!

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

One of the last instructions that the disciples received from Jesus is recorded in Matthew 28:19-20 (see above Scripture). There words are more than a Command; they are the charge of responsibility being given to the disciples. When Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples inherited the task of advancing the Kingdom that Jesus established. Not only did our Lord depend upon them to carry out this Command, but He trusted them to be faithful with the assignment He’d given them.

Contrary to the thinking of some Christians, our union with God is not one dimensional. Many believers only think of God’s Role and never contemplate our responsibilities in maintaining our relationship with the Father. But just like we are depending upon God, He’s also depending upon us. Believers must be committed and take seriously our responsibility to advance God’s Kingdom each day.

The Command in Matthew 28:19-20 was not just for the disciples, but it extended generationally even to the 21st century church. Today’s exhortation is to contemplate this question: “Can God depend upon me?”

Let’s Pray: “Father, help us to be faithful in our assignment that You’ve given us. We pray that You’ll be able to depend upon us today and always, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Confession:

Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen

Our Everything

“The Lord is…” (Various passages of Scriptures)

Can you remember the days of running all over the place to pick up the things you needed? There was a day when we had to go to various locations to enjoy conveniences and purchase different products:

-Music could only be purchased at a music store;

-To purchase clothes, you had to go to the clothing store;

-Goodyear, Firestone, and Michelin were the primary vendors for tires;

-Groceries could be purchased at the grocery store;

-To get our oil changed, we had to go to the mechanic’s shop or the garage;

-If you wanted your nails done, you had to go to the nail shop;

-And women wanting their hair done had to go to the beauty shop.

Sam Walton’s “superstore concept” revolutionized the commercial market by making shopping convenient for the consumer. Today, we can go to one place and acquire all the aforementioned things.

But years before there was a superstore (or even a market for that matter), the Lord was (and continues to be to some) A One-Stop Shop for His creation. The word “Lord” translates Jehovah and it is the Old Covenant’s Personal Name of God. It was used more than 4,000 times in the Old Testament. Our God proved His All-Inclusive Nature in The Compound Names of Jehovah:

—Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide" (Gen. 22:14)
—Jehovah-Shalom, "the Lord our peace"(Judg. 6:24)
—Jehovah-Rophe, "the Lord who heals" (Ex. 15:26)
—Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "the Lord our righteousness" (Jer. 33:16)
—Jehovah-Shammah, "the Lord is there" (Ezek. 48:35)
—"Jehovah-Nissi, "the Lord our banner" (Ex. 17:15)
—Jehovah-M'Kaddesh, "the Lord who sanctifies" (Lev. 20:8)


I don’t know what you need today, but I know where you can go to find it. Everything you need is in The Lord.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You for being An All Sufficient God. Help us to realize that everything we need is in You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered

I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee

I confess that there is no lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph

This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

THE LONG WAY!!!!!!

Genesis 41:41-43: 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

There are two doors that can be accessed to enter and exit the building at the barbershop that I patronize. I usually park next to the door where my barber is located and then walk directly into his chair at my appointment time. In the past, I’ve used this door to both enter and exit the establishment without any problems. But an interesting thing happened this past Tuesday as I was leaving. Although I entered the building through the door, when it was time for me to leave, the door was locked! Although my vehicle was less than ten feet away, I had to go the long way around in order to get to it.



Many of us have been shown what God is going to do in our lives; however, it appears as if it’s taking “an eternity” to manifest! Although Joseph’s life was adventurous, it took much longer than he expected to receive what God had promised. At the tender age of 17, God showed him (in dreams) that he’d reign one day over his family. But those dreams didn’t come into fruition until around age 30. Those thirteen years were ones of challenges, conflicts, and confrontations. However, the roller-coaster ride resulted in Joseph being elevated to second-in-charge in all the land of Egypt! The blessing was well worth the pain, the heartaches and the struggles he had to endure and overcome.



Many of you reading this devotional have pondered the questions “Why is it taking so long to get what God has promised?” “Why am I having to take, “The Long Way” to get to my wealthy place? My assignment this morning is to deliver this message: “God’s going to make it worth the wait.”



Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You for the route You’ve chosen to take us in getting us to our wealthy place. We ask that You’ll give us the tenacity, fortitude, and diligence to ‘hang it there.’ Help us to ‘trust You when we can’t trace You.’ Give us strength for the ‘long haul,’ in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”



Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

The Power of Jealousy

(CEV) Genesis 37:17...Joseph left and found his brothers in Dothan. 18 But before he got there, they saw him coming and made plans to kill him.

Genesis 37 records a very cruel act done by a group of individuals to another person. While visiting the city of Shechem, Joseph was apprehended, stripped of a valuable coat given to him by his father, and then thrown into a pit and left to die (Genesis 37:23-24). He was then apprehended and sold into slavery like a piece of property. Ironically, all of this happened because he obeyed the command of his father! (Genesis 37:13). It would have been bad enough had Joseph been treated this way by total strangers. But imagine how heart-broken he must have been to be done this way by his very own brothers!

Why was Joseph treated so cruelly by individuals so close to him? What drove his brothers to be so “low-down and trifling” towards Joseph? Unfortunately, his brothers were jealous of him (Genesis 37:3-4) and their jealousy drove them to do such a thing. Jealousy is a powerful motivator and it’s the driving force behind some of the deviance done towards others. Jealousy can motivate one of the members of a couple to follow the other party around spying on them and even cause bodily harm if they feel like the relationship is compromised. It’s jealousy—more often than not—that’s the catalyst behind gossip, slander, and attacks on people’s character and integrity. Jealousy will cause people to do some of the most hateful, hurtful, and horrendous things regardless of the relationship of the parties involved.

The exhortation today is this: Never underestimate the power of jealousy!

Let’s Pray: “Father, we pray that You’ll examine our hearts and if there is any hint of jealousy, forgive us and deliver us from it! We pray that as long as we live that we won’t be jealous of anybody. Help us to rejoice when others are rejoicing and to mourn when others mourn, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession: Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

Hebrews 10:25: “We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming

.”

Today is Black Friday—probably the Christmas Holiday’s biggest shopping day. Consumers are driving near and far to purchase items in celebration of the holiday season. I’m amazed at the length that customers will go to buy gifts. News 2 (Nashville) reported last night that there were individuals who waited from two p.m. to 10 p.m. outside a store in Murfreesboro (Tennessee) just to make purchases that were on sale! Amazingly, they forfeited much of their Thanksgiving holiday and endured the elements for the sake of spending money!



As I watched the news, I wondered, “How many people would be willing to wait in line to worship and hear a Word from the Lord?” In most churches, there aren’t lines to enter the sanctuary but yet people make excuse upon excuse for not attending. As we close out the week, let’s consider the Biblical command concerning church attendance: “We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” (Hebrews 10:25, God’s Word Translation) Today’s exhortation is a simple one… “Go to church this weekend!”



Let’s Pray: “Father, we pray that You’ll give us the discipline and the desire to worship in Your Sanctuary this weekend. Remind us that we’re entering to worship You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

1 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV)
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body,
being many, are one body: so also is Christ. There is a healthy competition that exists between
the branches of the Armed Forces. 

Personally, I think that the United States Army is the best branch of service (Of course I would seeing that I
served fifteen years as an active duty soldier and pastor in the community where the 101st Airborne Division is located!)  However, the other members of the Armed Services—the Air Force, Navy, and
Marines—each have their own “claim to fame” as the elite military force.  Although the branches tease each other, during wartime, they form a united front and battle together against the enemies of the United
States of America. 

In I Corinthians 12, Paul compared the church to the human body when He wrote, “For
as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (I Corinthians
12:28)  In the Body of Christ, there are various denominations, styles of leadership, and genres of worship.   There
are differences in our church structure and even in some aspects of our doctrines.   But if we believe that Jesus Christ is The Son of God, that He died on The Cross for our sins and that salvation only comes through
Him, then we’re on the same team!   Not only are many churches and denominations argue amongst themselves, but there is often conflict that exists within local congregations!   Our enemy, Satan (Lucifer, the
devil, “slewfoot”), is doing a great job advancing his agenda while
we’re arguing over who’s right and who’s wrong!  

It’s time to recognize the devil’s schemes and stop committing spiritual fratricide against one another. 
The exhortation today is to realize the importance of joining forces against our real enemy, Satan.    

Let’s Pray: 
“Father, help us to come together on one accord and tear down Satan’s
kingdom.   Let there not be any strife amongst the members of Your
church.  I pray a special prayer for those local congregations who are at
odds with one another, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 410

Daily Confession:
Father I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee 
I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,
but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do 
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

GOD'S VOICE

1LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose
and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he
answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet
know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.  8
And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to
Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that
the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie
down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for
thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And
the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then
Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
At least once a month, our son

(“Zeke”) answers, “Yes dad,” even though I didn’t
call him.  When it first started happening, I totally disregarded
it.  But as it began occurring more routinely, I started pondering the
event(s) in my heart.  Now when it happens, my wife jokingly says to him,
“That’s not your dad son.  You’re hearing The Voice of
God.  If it happens again, just say, “Yes Lord!”
Although this sounds humorous,
this is exactly what happened when God was calling the prophet Samuel. 
Three times, Samuel heard The Voice of God calling him and all three times he
mistook God’s Voice as Eli’s.  I once heard Bishop Neil Ellis
say that “The Voice of God should sound just like your pastor’s
voice!” This text suggests the possibility of this statement.  To
Samuel, The Voice of God sounded just like the voice of Eli!
There are many individuals who
totally disregard the importance of a pastor in their lives.  If
you’re a member of a local congregation, you should be confident that
you’re hearing from God through the voice of your pastor.  The Bible
is clear that your pastor is a gift from God with the responsibility of
“feeding you knowledge and understanding.”  (Jeremiah
3:15)  As you attend church this weekend, I pray that you’ll be able
to hear God through your pastor (or his designated representative to preach the
gospel).     
Let’s Pray:  “Father,
let us hear Your Voice through the vessel who’ll preach to us this
weekend, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”
Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 
Daily
Confession:

Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above
only and not beneath
The
lender and not the borrower
The
conqueror and not the conquered
 
I
thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And
for delivering my life from death and destruction
So
that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I
thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For
by Your Stripes I'm healed
I
confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because
You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I
confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today
For
my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus
Thank
You that all things are working together for my good
And
that You always cause me to triumph
 
This
is the day that you have made
I
will rejoice and be glad in it
In
Jesus, Name, amen.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL NOVEMBER 16TH, 2010

My devotionals
are usually practical illustrations about my life experiences.  
However, I want to share one of my devotionals that I read yesterday that
ministered to me—Sparkling Gems in the Greek.   I pray it
blesses you as much as it blessed me. 
Hebrews 12:15  looking
carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of
bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
"... lest any root of bitterness springing
up trouble you...." The words
"springing up" are from the Greek word phuoo. This word
depicts a little plant that is just starting to sprout and grow. It
isn't a large plant yet; rather, it's a small seedling that is just breaking
through the soil and starting to peek out at the world. However, the very fact
that it's peeking through the soil means there is a seed hidden in the soil
producing this new life.
“trouble you."
The words "trouble you" are from the Greek word enochleo,
which means to trouble, to harass, or to annoy. It refers to
something inside that bothers and upsets you so much, you are
constantly pestered by thoughts about it. In fact, your whole life is stalked
by these hassling, troubling thoughts. What you allowed to take root and to
fester inside your soul has now become a major nuisance to your peace, keeping
you upset and emotionally torn up all the time.
“defiled"
is the Greek word miaini. It means to spill, to spot, or to
stain. Here is what Hebrews 12:15 is  telling us: If you are inwardly
upset with someone and don't get rid of those raw emotions, it won't be too
long until you open your mouth and begin to verbalize those ugly inward
emotions. As Jesus said, "... Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh" (Matthew 12:34).
Do you have a grudge against
someone that just gnaws away at you all the time?
Every time you see that person, do
you feel something sharp and ugly inside?
When you hear about that person
being blessed, do you wonder how God could possibly bless him when he did
such an ugly thing to you?
Do negative thoughts like these
pester and bother you all the time?
If
you relate to the questions I just asked you, then watch out! It may
mean that a root of bitterness is growing inside you and that bitterness,
resentment, and unforgiveness are starting to hound and stalk you
wherever you go!

The Blood Still Flows

1 John 1:7 “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Because I was away from my barber last week, I was forced to shave by non-conventional means (at least to me anyway). Before going to a dedication service, I decided to shave my face with a disposable razor. Unfortunately, I nicked my face and couldn’t get the cut to stop bleeding. I tried applying direct pressure with a wash cloth, but the blood just kept on flowing. I tried putting aloe on my face, but the blood would not stop flowing. I took my wife’s recommendation and tried putting ice on and around the cut, but the blood just kept on flowing…

Our Postmodern Christianity often overlooks many of the tenets that are the foundation of the Christian faith. Believers must always remember John’s words that “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1:7) Because of Calvary, billions of people have been saved, healed, delivered and liberated through The Wonder-Working Power of The Precious Blood of the Lamb. Although Jesus bled, suffered and died for our sins over 2,000 years ago, the Impact of The Cross is still as significant today as It was back then. I’m so glad that The Blood still “reaches to the highest mountain and flows to the lowest valley. The Blood still gives us strength from day to day and It will never lose Its Power.”

The exhortation today is to thank God that “The Blood Still Flows.”

Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You that The Blood of Jesus still cleanses us from all our sins, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:

Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works





I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed



I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

GIVE IT TO GOD

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (KJV)

Yesterday, I read a very interesting suggestion of how to trust God with our troubles. Pastor Craig Groeschel suggests that those of us who worry constantly should get a container and write, “Trusting God” on it. And whenever we’re worried about something we can’t change, we should simply write what’s worrying us on a piece of paper and put it in the container. Once it’s inside the container, it becomes God’s Property, His Responsibility, not yours. From the moment you give your problem to Him, you’re not allowed to worry about it. If you want to worry, then you have to go to the container and physically take the concern away from God. And when you do, you’re choosing to worry instead of trusting God.

Whether you agree or disagree with Pastor Groeshel’s method, we cannot deny the need to offload those things that are troubling us by giving them to God. The word of the Lord through the penmanship of the apostle Peter is, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 1:7) The unfortunate reality is that far too often we pick up burdens that have been placed at The Feet of Jesus. But if we’re going to live stress-free lives, we have to learn how to “take our burdens to the Lord and leave them there.”

My prayer for us today is that we’ll learn how to trust The Lord with the things that trouble us.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, we pray that you’ll help us to not worry about the things we cannot change. We confess that there are some things that we can’t handle by ourselves and we need Your Help. Teach us, we pray, how to trust You with all our troubles, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

BE FAITHFUL

Various Scriptures

The story is told of an attempted assassination of the first Queen Elizabeth of England. The woman who sought to do so dressed as a male page and secreted herself in the queen's boudoir, awaiting the convenient moment to stab the queen to death. She did not realize that the queen's attendants would be very careful to search the rooms before Her Majesty was permitted to retire. They found the woman hidden there among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen, after confiscating the poniard that she had hoped to plant into the heart of the sovereign.

The would-be assassin realized that her case, humanly speaking, was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen as a woman to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show her grace. Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldly and quietly said, "If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?" The woman looked up and said, "Grace that hath conditions, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all." Queen Elizabeth caught the idea in a moment and said, "You are right; I pardon you of my grace." And they led her away, a free woman. History tells us that from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful, devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life.
Because of our allegiance with the world, we were once enemies of God (James 4:4). Most of us have the testimony that, “once upon a time we did anything and everything but serve God!”

The beauty of salvation is that it is not predicated upon anything that we’ve done ourselves but we’re saved simply because of God’s Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). At the same time, we ought to show our appreciation for our Father, “bringing us out of darkness and translating us into the kingdom of His Dear Son (Colossians 1:13)” by being committed to our relationship with Him and faithful in doing all we can to build His Kingdom.

The exhortation today is to be faithful in serving our God.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, help us to be faithful in serving You. Let us remember how far you have brought us and commit like never before in building up Your Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered

I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee

I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,
but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do

I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph

This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

The Ultimate Servant

Mark 10:45 (NKJV): “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

One of the most powerful yet overlooked principals in all the world is servanthood. Most of the time this principal is in operation without being recognized by the parties involved. From the womb, parents (or guardians) serve their children by nurturing them and taking care of their needs. Spouses serve each other by rendering mutual benevolence according to I Corinthians 7. Pastors and church leaders serve their congregations, soldiers serve their country, and politicians serve the citizens of the jurisdiction of which they are elected.

A vital element in servitude is sacrifice. Not only does servanthood involve a sacrifice of time, but it also includes the sacrifice of plans, intentions, and sometimes even resources. The Ultimate Example of Servanthood is the Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Savior of the world declared in Mark 10:45 that, “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The church of old sang how Jesus, “…healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, caused the lame to walk and the dumb to talk…” But The Supreme Sacrifice of all time was when He gave His Life to save the world.

As we’re voting today for politicians to serve us, let’s remember our Lord’s Ultimate Act of Servitude on Calvary. Pause to give Him praise for His Continuous Service of Intercession at The Right Hand of our Father in heaven.

Let’s Pray: “Father, we thank You for being our Ultimate Example of Servitude. Thank You for volunteering to die on Calvary’s Cross and for serving us even right now at The Right Hand of the Father. Help us to serve one another in building Your Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession: Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

:) ENJOY TODAY :)

Various Scripture References

Former 1st Lady Barbara Bush compared life to a train ride. Here's what she
quoted about life:

We get on board the train at birth, and we want to cross the continent
because we have in mind that somewhere out there is a station. We pass by
sleepy little towns looking out the window of life's train, grain fields and
silos, level grade crossings, buses full of people on the roads beside us.
We pass by cities and factories, but we don't look at any of it because we
want to get to the station...This station changes for us during life. To
begin with, for most of us, it's turning 19, getting out of high school.
Then the station is that first promotion then the station becomes getting
the kids out of college, and then the station becomes retirement and
then...all too late we recognize the truth-that this side of that city whose
builder is God, there really isn't a station. The joy is in the journey and
the journey is the joy. Sooner or later, you realize that there is no
station and the truth of life is the trip. Read a book, eat more ice
cream, go barefoot more often, hug a child, go fishing, laugh more. The
station will come soon enough...

Why is there a surplus of people who don't enjoy "the journey through life?"
Why are there individuals who, more often than not, continuously fail to
embrace the beauty that makes each day unique? I submit that one of the
reasons is because we spend too much time worrying about tomorrow and too
little time focusing on today. While there are events that manifest which
are legitimate matters of concern, most of our worrying is completely
un-necessary. Dr. Walter Cavert's research reported the following
statistics: 40% of our worries never happen; 30% of our worries concern
the past; 12% of our worries are needless worries about our health; and 10%
of our worries are insignificant or petty concerns. Only 8% of the things
that worry us are worth the grey matter it takes to do so. Jesus gave
these instructions regarding worry: "Don't worry about tomorrow. It will
take care of itself..." (Matthew 6:34, CEV)

Let the words of the apostle Paul fill your heart today: "Rejoice in the
Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4 (KJV) Make the
proclamation that, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice
and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24) The exhortation today is to free our
minds from worry so that our hearts can "rejoice and be glad."

Let's Pray:
Father, according to Your Word, we cast all our cares upon
You. Whatever is worrying us, we lay it at Your Feet. We pray that You
will take care of every problem, every care, and even every concern.
Instead of worrying, help us to rejoice today, in Jesus' Name, amen."

Daily Prayer:
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!"
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered

I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed



I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by
Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

Our Ultimate Goal

Matthew 22:35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Probably the most critical variable in the formula to success is goal-setting. Someone once said regarding the setting of goals: “If you don’t aim for something, you’ll hit nothing every time.” Every day, we see organizations aim at achieving their goals through the use of language like objective(s), purpose, and mission (or mission statement). At the beginning of each year, many individuals set goals in the form of New Year’s Resolutions. There are daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals. I’ve seen three to five year goals, ten year goals, short term goals, long term goals, and even goals that are to be achieved before death. But what is your ultimate goal?

While many believers say that their ultimate goal is to make it to heaven, there is a more definitive objective that Jesus wants us to aim for on our journey there. Although accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior according to Romans 10:9 is our ticket to heaven, it is the Will of God that the fruit of our confession be displayed on a consistent basis. When the lawyer came interrogating Jesus regarding the greatest or ultimate commandment, Jesus replied, “… ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39). To be honest with you, this is not always easy to do! But as we ask The Father to live His Life and show forth His Nature in our lives, we’ll see the fruit of agape or unconditional love.

The exhortation today is to make loving God and others unconditionally our ultimate goal in life.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, we pray that You’ll help us to love You and others with an agape or unconditional love. We ask that Your Nature will show forth in our lives. We admit that we can’t do this without Your Assistance! Help us in this area today and always, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
so that I shall live and not die to declare your works
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,
but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

A GOD IN CRISES

Matthew 14:30- “…he was afraid; and
beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught
him…”
 

Have you ever been at either a place or an event and partook
in a “moment of silence?”  I recall dropping off my daughter
at school once during this momentary pause at the beginning of the school
day.  When the school’s activities resumed, I was a little offended
that more time wasn’t given to the discipline of prayer.  Like most
other places, a moment of silence at school was just that—“a moment
of silence.” 
 
Will God answer a prayer that’s less than five seconds
long?  What can we say in such a short period that could possibly cause
Him to respond?  Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the publican
proves that it’s not the length, but the content and sincerity of the
prayer that touches the heart of God. (Luke 18:10-14)  Because our God is,
“…a very present help in trouble…” (Psalm 46:1),
He’s available during times of emergency.  I defend that accidents
have been prevented and lives even spared because of a cry of help (to God)
during crises situations.  Jesus’ immediate response to
Peter’s three-word prayer literally prevented him from drowning in the
midst of the sea. (Matthew 14:31) 
 
It’s comforting to know that we serve a God Who
responds during times of crises. 
 

Let’s Pray: 
“Father, thank
You for Your Intervention during times of crises in our lives, in Jesus’
Name, amen.” 
 
Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 
 
Daily Confession:
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godlinessAnd
for delivering my life from death and destruction
so that I shall live and not die to declare your works
                            
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray, butI will be diligent to what God has called me to do 
 
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Several weeks ago, I got to meet a gentleman that I’ve developed a relationship with over the phone at a conference in Austin, Texas. Adam Richardson is my Bible Software representative and whenever I have questions or problems with my software, I always call him. On the phone, his voice is the voice of a middle aged man of at least 50 years old. But when he walked up to me in person, I was blown away. Although he has the voice of a fifty year old, he has the face of someone twenty-five. I was thrown aback because he doesn’t look like he sounds.

One of the biggest problems in the body of Christ is that there is a surplus of people that don’t look like they sound. Although we profess to be Christians, many lifestyles are not lining up with our confessions. To be honest with you, some Christians don’t know how they should look because of the erroneous doctrines that are floating around the Body of Christ. The Fruit of the Spirit operating through the lives of God’s people is the picture that believers are to look like. Paul instructed the church at Galatia how we should look: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Let’s devote more time in prayer that The Fruit of the Spirit will continuously be on display in our lives.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, let Your Nature show forth in our lives today through the manifestation of The Fruit of the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:


“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

A GREAT PRIVILEGE

John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am
not of the world.
 

The process of transitioning from being a civilian to
entering the military is a progressive one.  While each branch of service has
differences, there are commonalities shared amongst the group.  All service
members are required to attend some form of basic training followed by
technical or Advanced Individual Training (AIT).  But the most common dynamic
is the fact that each branch of service is a subculture within the larger
society.  The military has its own language, schedule, uniform code, and
justice system.  Most of the time, it’s easy to identify someone serving
their country as a member of The United States Armed Forces 
 
In his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus reminded
The Father that we are “…not of the world…” just like
He’s not of the world. (John 17:16)  When we get saved, we become part of
a subculture within the larger society called The Kingdom of God.  It is the
Will of God that believers think (Romans 12:2), talk (I Peter 1:15), and
conduct ourselves (I Peter 1:16) differently than the world.  We can be proud
of the fact that we belong to the most powerful organization in the universe,
The Church of The Living God.  Jesus declared that “…upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it.” (Matthew 16:18) 
 
I was proud to serve my country as a soldier in the United
States Army.  I’m even prouder to be a solider in the Army of the Lord. 

Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You
for the privilege to serve You in the Kingdom of God, in Jesus’ Name,
amen.”          
 
Daily
Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today For
my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

Be A Witness

Acts 1:8 (ESV) 8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The proverbial
saying, “Actions speak louder than words” is really
true—especially as it relates to our confession as Christians.  Believers
must always remember that our lifestyles speak louder than the highest pitch of
our vocal cords.   The world doesn’t want to “hear a sermon”
as much as they want to see one.   Each and every day, the lives of believers
are “the Bibles that the world reads.”
A
conversation with one of my daughters reminded me of this reality.  Recently,
she’d been dealing with difficult people in the workplace.   Instead of
being vengeful and vindictive, she decided to be professional and at the same
time, show the love of God.   One morning, she found the following note on her
desk when she came to work: “…Thanks for being a positive example.”  

Jesus gave the disciples the
following promise:   “…you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)  Although
the disciples were to tell others about our Risen Christ, our greatest witness
is to show others the Attributes of Christ in our actions as well as our
attitudes.   And as the world sees Christ in our lives, His Presence inside us
will be The Magnet that draws others to Him.  
The exhortation
today is to, “Be a Witness.” 
Let’s
Pray:   Father,
thank You for reminding us that the world is watching us.  We pray that The
Light of Your Glory will shine through us today and every day, in Jesus’
Name, amen.” 
Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
Daily Confession:
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and
not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things
that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death
and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to
declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live
in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed,
oppressed, or depressed
Because You’re keeping me in
perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall be no lack in
my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs
according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
 
Thank You that all things are working
together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

A Life of Integrity

2 Samuel 11:7: When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.”
So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. 14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”

One of the most overlooked factors in the episode of David and Bethsheba is the integrity of Uriah. After David impregnated his wife, the king tried to cover his sin by sending for Uriah and having him sleep with Bethsheba (II Samuel 11:7-8). But Uriah’s integrity wouldn’t allow him to retire in his home. Instead of enjoying his bed, he slept outside the royal palace with the king’s guards (II Samuel 11:9). He even refused to sleep in his bed after the king had gotten him drunk! (II Samuel 11:12-13) Unfortunately, David had so much faith in Uriah’s integrity that he trusted him to deliver his own death note to his commander (II Samuel 11:14-15) . The paradox of this passage is that King David—the man who was supposed to set the standard for integrity for all of Israel—had allowed the desires of his flesh to desecrate his character to that of being a deceiver, a liar, and even a murderer.



The dictionary defines integrity as, "adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.” Many times we forget that as Christians, we’re commanded to be people of integrity. Let Uriah’s life be a reminder of the integrity that Christians are supposed to display. At the same time, meditate on this season of David’s life; for it proves the importance of protecting our integrity because of the possibility for it to dissipate.



Let’s Pray:
“Father, help us to be walk in integrity today and always, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You’re keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
I confess that there shall be no lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

What’s Your Expectation?

Hebrews 11:1: “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen…” (The Living Bible)

One of the most powerful principals in the entire universe is that of faith. If you surveyed a group of people on this subject, the majority would probably view the word “faith” from a positive perspective. However, faith is really a two-edged sword—even in the lives of Christians. While the goal of the believer’s faith is to be rooted and grounded in God and godly things, there are times when we expect a negative outcome. How can you tell? Because our expectations manifest in our behavior—more especially our words.



Jesus declared, “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) This means that our mouths are simply the reservoirs to that which is in our hearts. I’ve met more than a few individuals who have been hurt and have allowed their hurt in an area to be their expectation. And their expectation comes out when they open their mouths: “Things are going good, but just wait…” “Nobody can be trusted…” “You think you know them, but keep watching, they’ll change…” Unfortunately, these individuals don’t realize that their adverse outcomes were simply a manifestation of their faith.


The Living Bible’s definition of faith is, “…the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen…” (Hebrews 11:1, TLB) From a psychological perspective, the opposite end of the spectrum of faith is called a self-fulfilling prophesy which is simply, “a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true.”

As we come to the end of another workweek, let’s evaluate our expectations of life, circumstances, people, but more especially—of our God.



Let’s Pray:
Father, deliver us from past hurts, disappointments, and negative expectations. Help us to expect Your Word to manifest in our lives, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father,

I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today

For by Your Stripes I’m healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You’re keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that there shall be no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

Better Days are Ahead!

Exodus 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the
waters were divided.

Two days ago, one of my daughters called me and said,
“Pastor, I had the worst day that I’ve ever had in my profession! 
Everything that I attempted either failed or was delayed.”  She told me
that she’d stayed on the phone for forty-five minutes just to be told
that she didn’t have all the necessary information to complete an
important business transaction (Parenthetically, she’d asked the
company’s representative if she’d turned in everything the day
prior and was told she had).  Another agency informed her that a system
she’d put in place to assist others had defaulted.   The bank even told
her that her name wasn’t on an account that she’d been utilizing
for almost twelve years!   She was so frustrated until she literally sat at her desk and cried!
 
Yesterday she called and testified that she had a wonderful
day—one of the best that she’d had in a long time!   Instead of
being on the phone for forty-five minutes, she received superior customer
service with another company and was able to wrap up the deal in less than ten(minutes).   She re-established systems and structure to be able to assist others in need.   The bank called her back and apologized for their gross mistake regarding her.  A tremendous breakthrough occurred in her life twenty-four hours after one of her worst days. 
 
One of the enemy’s biggest tricks is to cause us to
look permanently at situations that are only temporary.   But I want to
encourage you that you are only one day away from enjoying the best day of your life! Hours after one of their biggest disappointments—hearing that
Pharaoh had retracted his decision to release them from Egyptian
captivity—the children of Israel experienced their greatest deliverance.
God literally divided the waters of the Red Sea, caused them to walk on dry
ground, and then drowned the Egyptians in the Sea.   What a mighty God we
serve! 
 
Always remember that our bad days are merely the barometer
that measures the magnitude of our good days.   There are better days ahead!  
 
Let’s Pray: 
“Father, we give You
the praise for all our days—the bad as well as the good.   Help us to be
optimistic about our good days, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”
 
Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 
 
Daily Confession:
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life
and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or
depressed
Because You’re keeping me in perfect peace as my mind
is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall be no lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches
in Glory by Christ Jesus
 
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.
                                        

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A Merciful God

Exodus 33:19:  “…I am the Lord, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose...” (CEV)

I recall the media interviewing the owner of a business in our area that was robbed during its hours of operation. 
The thieves were armed and surveillance observed their intent to take the livesof those working.  But an interesting thing happened when the robbers tried pulling the trigger—their guns didn’t fire!  The cameras actually
showed one of the robbers attempting to fire his weapon and rounds falling out
of the chamber!  When the employees were interviewed, no one mentioned or
credited God as The Catalyst behind such a notable miracle.  The reporter
chalked it up as the employees being “lucky.” 

Those in the household of faith recognize that the endangered lives were spared because of God’s Mercy. 
The psalmist observed that not only is the Lord good, but His Mercy is
everlasting (Psalm 100:5).  How many times have we benefited from the Mercy of
God and not given Him the glory?  Mercy isn’t merited or earned (Isaiah
64:6), but The Lord exercises It in Sovereignty.  In fact, He told Moses in
Exodus 33:19, “…I am the Lord, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose…” (CEV) 

Let’s celebrate God today for His Wonderful Mercy. 


Let’s Pray: 
“Father, thank You for Your Everlasting.  We glorify You for having mercy on us when we
didn’t even recognize You as Lord and Savior.  We pray that You’ll
continue to extend mercy toward those not saved.  Save their souls we pray, in
Jesus’ Name, amen.”  

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10


Daily Confession:
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things
that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death
and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to
declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live
in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed,
oppressed, or depressed
Because You’re keeping me in
perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall be no lack in
my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs
according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
 
Thank You that all things are working
together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.
                                        
Questions of the Day:
John 2:6-11
 
What kind of vessels did Jesus use to place water?
What was His Command to the wedding workers?
What did He tell the wedding workers to do after they were full?
What did the master of the feast say to the bridegroom?
In verse 11, what was the end result of this miracle? 
 

THE POWER OF THE FLESH

Romans 7:18:  “For I know that
in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…” 

Pastor Craig Groschel confessed a real-life encounter that proves the power of the flesh—even in the lives
of Spirit-filled believers.   While looking for a parking space on a busy
shopping day, an ideal spot came available that was close to the mall
entrance.   He made “eyelock” on the spot and was pulling up to
park his vehicle when a small sports car driving down the wrong lane whipped
into the empty space.   Although he was a pastor with his family riding with
him, he snapped.   He backed up his oversized SUV towards the sports car and
revved his engine.  He then put the vehicle in drive, floored it, and sped towards
the man’s bumper!  A few minutes before impact, he slammed on brakes,
screeching to a halt inches away from the other car’s vehicle.  Finally,
he stared hatefully in the driver’s direction.  When they went inside,
the gentleman found him and apologized, “Man, I’m sorry I took your
spot.”  He continued, “It looks like you have a problem with
anger.  Did you know Jesus loves you?”   He then proceeded to witness to
Pastor Groschel the salvation of Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul made this confession to the church at Rome:  “For I know that
in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…”  (Romans
7:18)  We must get the revelation that there is a part of us that’s not
saved, never will be saved, and has the potential to act even more ungodly than
Pastor Groschel’s aforementioned incident.

  The fact that Paul said, “…I discipline my body and make it my slave…” (I
Corinthians 9:27) means that he realized the power of his flesh and his
responsibility to keep it under subjection.  We too must be aware of our areas
of weakness and put up barriers lest we fall prey to the sin that exists
“within our members.” (Romans 7)    

The exhortation today is to, “Walk in the Spirit and not yield to the cravings of the
flesh.”  (Galatians 5:16)

Let’s Pray: 
“Father,
help us to keep our flesh under subjection.  We pray that we’ll
“walk in the Spirit” and not yield to the cravings in our flesh, in
Jesus’ Name, amen.” 


Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and
not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things
that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death
and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to
declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live
in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed,
oppressed, or depressed
Because You’re keeping me in
perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall be no lack in
my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs
according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
 
Thank You that all things are working
together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.
Questions of the Day:
Galatians 5:16-17
 How is the
believer supposed to walk?
What is the
benefit of walking this way (vs. 16)? 
What is the
spiritual battle listed in verse 17?
 

OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY

 

James 4:14: For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

 
If you’re like most people I know, the following words
proceeded out your mouth at least once as a child:  “I can’t wait
until I get grown!”  In those days, it seemed as if time passed at a
snail’s pace.  But now that I’m in my early forties, it appears as
if my days (and years) go by “lightning fast!” The older I get, the
more I value every day The Lord allows me to see. 
 
When we consider that we’ll live someplace eternally,
our earthly existence is like a vapor.  And we must contemplate how and with
whom we spend our time on earth.  Let’s evaluate our lives to ensure that
we’re not wasting our priceless commodity of time on things (and people)
that add no value to our lives. 
 
The exhortation today is to thank God for the precious
commodity of life. 
 
Let’s Pray:    “Father, thank You
for life.  We pray that You’ll give us the wisdom to evaluate and
prioritize our lives.  Don’t let us waste time doing useless things, in
Jesus’ Name, amen.” 
 
Daily
Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 
Daily Confession:
 
Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
 
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life
and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I’m healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or
depressed
Because You’re keeping me in perfect peace as my mind
is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall be no lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches
in Glory by Christ Jesus
 
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
 
In Jesus, Name, amen.
                                        
Questions of the Day:
Challenge
 
Find out as many Scriptures as you can that go with the
daily confession
 

THERE MUST BE A DIFFERENCE

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.

George Barna, a well-respected Christian researcher, reported the following statistics
about Christians and Christianity: 
-48% non-Christians said they gave in the last month compared to 47% of Christians
that did
-36% of non-Christians read their horoscopes; that same amount of believers (36%)
read theirs
-29% of Christians give their time to nonprofit causes; 27% non-Christians volunteer
theirs

While you may not think these statistics aren’t a big deal, they prove this one
simple truth:   “In many instances the disparity between believers and
non-believers is slim to none!”  If we are going to be effective in winning souls to Christ, if we’re going to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” there must be a
difference in how we live our lives and how the world does.  And while
nobody’s perfect, Christians should strive to be like Jesus in our
actions and attitudes each and every day.  

The Words of our Lord to the hearers in Matthew 5:16 are as follows:  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 
Always remember that the world doesn’t need to “hear a sermon” as much as they need to see
one on display.

Let’s Pray:  “Father, help us to be like
and to represent You in our actions as well as our attitudes, in Jesus’
Name we pray, amen.” 

Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10


DailyConfession:

Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
Thelender and not the borrower
Theconqueror and not the conquered
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For By Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.
 

The Greatest Leader

Matthew 16:18- “…on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

I asked one of my spiritual sons to name three of the greatest leaders of all time. I qualified the question by giving him the one word definition of the word leadership—influence. When he communicated his choices, to his surprise I told him that I thought that Adolph Hitler and Jim Jones were great leaders because of the influence (though negative) they had on others. But my choice as The Greatest Leader of all time is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.



Jesus’ initial followers were a diverse group—from a tax collector to fishermen to a physician. But His Leadership Ability changed their lives. Although Mohandas (Mohatma) Ghandi is accredited with being the father of non-violence, the leadership model originated with our Lord and Savior. I teach and preach that one of the greatest factors in successful leadership is the leader’s succession plan. I believe that the true measure of a leader’s success is not measured by how well the organization functions when he or she is around, but by the performance of the outfit in the leader’s absence. Over two-thousand years ago, Jesus established the church then left and went back to glory. Throughout history the church has overcome all types of opposition. Although she is often the brunt of many a joke, to her credit, the church is still standing. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18)



Do your part in passing on Christ to the next generation. In doing so, not only will you crown Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but you’ll also confirm the fact that He is the Greatest Leader of all time.



Let’s Pray:

“Father, not only do we honor Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but we recognize Him as being The Greatest Leader of all time. Teach us The Awesome Traits of His Leadership, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:

Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered
I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.

The Right Foundation

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore
whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise
man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall,
for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings
of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house
on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

At the end of Matthew 7, Jesus
tells a parable of two houses.  These houses could very well have been
identical.  The same contractor probably used the same materials and workers in putting up the structures.  But during the storm, one of the houses fell while the other one stood.  Why?  Because there was a difference in the foundations.   The house built upon sand collapsed while the one built upon the rock survived. 

Many people (to include some
Christians) fall apart during the trials and storms of life because they put
too much emphasis on the external and not enough on the internal.  As
believers, we must always ensure that we focus on strengthening our
relationships with God and not be distracted by things of lesser importance. 
The old church sang, “…On Christ The Solid Rock I stand, all other
ground is sinking sand…”

The exhortation today is to
ensure that we’re building upon The Right Foundation. 

Let’s Pray:  
“Father,
help us to prioritize You before and above everything else, in Jesus’
Name, amen.”

Daily
Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 


Daily
Confession:

Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tailAbove
only and not beneath The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered I
thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today
Formy God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus Thank You that all things are working together for my good And
that You always cause me to triumph
 
This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.
 
Questions of the Day   
 
How
did the gentleman approach Jesus in verses 14-15?
What
was wrong with his son?
How
did he try to harm himself? 
What
did Jesus say to the disciples?
What
did Jesus do in verse 18?
What was the boy’s end state?

IT'S MUCH BETTER AHEAD

Psalm 30:5- “…Weeping may endure for a
night, But joy comes in the morning.”

 
Today is Monday, September 20th, 2010. For some, this year has been one where you’ve had your fair share of heartache. Although the writer of Ecclesiastes proclaimed a time and season for everything, the season that many reading this devotional is experiencing is an extended season of pain. The trials of life have left more than a few fatigued from fighting life’s battles. But despite your challenges, I want to encourage you, beloved, to be optimistic about the final three months of the year.  
 
During our pilgrimage through life, things can sometimes
appear bleak and even dismal.  When we have to navigate through these seasons, we must encourage ourselves to keep believing that things will get better. 

Hard times don’t “come to stay,” they “come to
pass.”  The words of the psalmist often encourage me: 
“…Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the
morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
 
The exhortation today is to keep pushing, pressing, and
persevering…Things are much better ahead.  
 
Let’s Pray:
“Father, give us the
fortitude to believe that things are better ahead, in Jesus’ Name.” 
 

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil
that I may not cause pain!”

The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Display Your Christianity

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 17 Repay no one evil for evil… 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Earlier this week, I received an interesting call from another pastor. When the man of God opened the conversation with the words, “I have a concern about one of your members,” I wasn’t prepared for the dialogue that followed. A disgruntled parishioner had disrupted his church’s adult Sunday school class with slanderous comments towards me. The pastor told me that his remarks were so offensive that he literally had to take him outside of the church to speak with him! The pastor informed me that he’d become angry because I didn’t help him in a particular area of need. The irony of the situation is that I’d assisted this gentleman on numerous occasions, but when I drew the line in the sand, he’d become upset.


I must admit that when I heard the news, I was more than mad; I was livid! Both my pulse and my blood pressure shot up, my palms started sweating, legs started shaking, and my mind was thinking thoughts that were not of God! How could he put me on blast like that to another congregation of believers who don’t even know me? As my flesh was, “having its way,” The Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Pray for him.” Now, I must admit that my initial thought was, “God, you must be kidding!” But as The Spirit of God continued to convict me, I yielded to His Leading and began to pray for my persecutor.


One of the pills that we must swallow in following Christ is the fact that His Ways of doing things are totally contrary to the yearnings of our flesh. But if we’re going to be Christ-like, then we’re going to have to bring our flesh into alignment with God’s Word. Jesus gives the following instructions on dealing with our enemies:


“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Repay no one evil for evil…Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14, 17, 19-21, ESV)

The exhortation today is to always remember that your Christianity is best displayed in unfavorable situations.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, help us to obey Your Word and Your Spirit at all costs, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10