Still Standing

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

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Many Christians have trouble understanding why they suffer setbacks. It really doesn’t matter how long you have been a Christians and how strong your faith is, we all have moments when our faith is tested. There are some situations that just don’t turn out the way we hoped or expected. If that ever happens to you, don’t panic, don’t give up. Stand firm, re-align your thoughts to biblical principles, remember God is still in control and your battles are His. It’s not over until He says so. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

There could be a day when you awake to the same situations of the previous days. You find yourself finding the same problems yet again. You may not feel strong enough to face your troubles but remember this: “Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you, but be happy as you share Christ's sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when he appears again in his glory”. (I Peter 4:12-13) Just when you think it is over, you are lifted up and your strength completely renewed because “My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak. So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ's power will live in me. Therefore, I accept weakness, mistreatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties suffered for Christ. It's clear that when I'm weak, I'm strong”. (2 Corinthians 12.-9-10)

If you have been praying for a long time about a situation and you are not seeing results, don’t worry, there is a reason for it, no the time for anxiety and fear. You don’t know it all but you’re the child of the Omniscient God. So when you get to one of those situations that you don’t seem to understand, call on God. At a recent single convention, a 48-year old man admitted to have been praying and ACTIVELY looking for a wife since He was in his 20’s and I told him that could be the problem. There are moments in life when you need to “stand still and let God”. God is not moved and pressured by time. He is Eternal. He knows how long your life is going to be, He knows when to bring this person into your life. I don’t care how long it’s been, you ought to keep praying and thank God for sending your mate even though you have yet to see him in the natural. It is not over until He says it is. You may be going through right now but your suffering will come to an end. Job didn’t stop trusting God through his adversity Follow his example. The Bible says when it is all over, you have won because “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be any more death. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared”. (Revelation 21:4)

Praise the Lord!

The Miracle Worker

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arises.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people! Luke 7:11-16

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This is the grace of God in action, that widow got an unexpected miracle. We are serving a God full of compassion for His people. He rewards us when we least expect it, that is why it is so important to seek His Kingdom first. We can trust Him to take care of our dearest needs. God is telling you “Do not weep” this morning. He hears your cry, He loves you. He wants to touch your situation this morning. You have been crying long enough. You have been carrying this pain way too long. Would you put it on God capable hand this morning? His compassion has not changed. He loves you just the same. What He did for others, He is still willing to do for you. Will you please trust Him this morning? Bring your trouble to Him once and for all, and leave it at His feet. Your days of sadness, fear and worry are over, praise God; we are serving a compassionate, living God.

Our Miracle worker has not yet retired and nothing is impossible to Him. He cares about the mountains of your life as well as the little disturbances. He wants to give victory in all circumstances. You may bring all of your trouble to Him. He cares about your soul and the math exam you are about to take. His plan is for you to walk in victory, praise God.

As you leave home this morning, I pray that you feel highly favored, victorious in Jesus name, because you are indeed blessed, victorious the son/daughter of the Almighty.You don't have any trouble, all you need is faith in your maker, your father.

Praise the Lord!

Eternal Security

Can You Be Sure?

"For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" Romans 14:10.

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There are more than 600 different denominational churches all with different doctrines, beliefs, and teachings. There is so much confusion in the world in regards to religious beliefs which can be traced to the ignorance of God’s word. People are conflicted by the many different doctrines of religion, and they are so confused, they don’t know what to believe. My advice is to believe God, seek the truth. “For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It is the will of God for you to be wise, sound minded. Any person who is serious about salvation can not afford to follow any of the many false doctrines that are being taught. But what is the truth? Who to believe? Which way to go? Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Savior, has already answered all of our questions by His suffering and death on the cross. He is the only truth. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)He is the One to follow and the truth is found in the Bible.

Why is it so important to know the truth about eternal security? Because the above scripture tells us, that one day, we shall all stand before Christ giving account to our time here on earth. All judgment comes with a verdict and some people will get to be with Christ in heaven and some will be forever separated from Him. Forever is a long time to be without God, wouldn’t you say? You must know, without a doubt, where you are going to spend eternity. You cannot afford not to know. YOU CAN BE SURE. It is so simple, just say yes to Christ. Believe that He is the son of God who died, resurrected and ascended to heaven where is preparing a place for you. You need to start living for Christ. He believes you are worth dying for; therefore, living for Him shouldn’t be a problem. Your soul is worth more than the whole world and everything in it. Jesus says in Matthew 16:26, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Your soul is the part of you that is going to continue to live on forever throughout all eternity. You cannot afford to lose our soul and be eternally punished. You have got to make sure that you spend eternity in the loving arm of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Friend, you need to get ready. You need to be sure. You have got to put your affairs together today because “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14) You must not make an error concerning your salvation in following what "seems right" to us, or that we "feel in our heart that we are saved" The Bible warns us about that in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death". Our feelings are not a safe guide, but only the Bible is. My dear friend today is the day of salvation. Come to Christ and be sure.

Praise the Lord!

Submit to God

“For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

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Submission is not a well liked word. To be submissive is a term that has been distorted because there are men who have used the word as a weapon to club their wives rather than as a hammer to build their homes. God tells the wife to submit to her husband, He also tells the husband to love his wife (Ephesians 5:22-25). When God tells children to obey their parents, He also instructs the fathers to "provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). God tells you to submit to Him, it is for your good (James 4:7). Jesus is the head of the church, and He leads by love. The same should be true in the home. It is not a word apply to only a certain group of people. God asks all believers to submit their entire life to His will and not just an area of their lives. Some people have no trouble letting God in, as long as He doesn’t interfere with in all their dealings. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Submission requires humility. One cannot submit to God without humility. Obedience requires us to humble ourselves and to surrender to the authority of another, and we are told that God resists pride; therefore, having a humble and submissive heart is a choice we the believer must make.

When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were equipped with all the provisions we need, in Christ, to become a mature believer, and a good soldier in the army of the Lord, but we have to make the choice to learn about those provisions through study of the Word and to apply those provisions to our daily walk. The believer’s journey of faith is ongoing. It stops when the Lord returns. You have the obligation to study and meditate the word of God because faith comes by hearing (repetitive) the word of God. Accepting Christ is by no means the end, it is the beginning of the journey. You have got to keep walking and growing. As a matter of fact, you ought to be growing, when one stops growing, one dies. God is a loving Father. He does not ask us to submit to His will as a punishment. He asks us to submit in order for us to benefit from His infinite wisdom. When we humble ourselves He makes it His responsibility to watch over us, and to keep us in His loving care. Learning to depend upon God is learning humility. Submitting to God is true obedience. The purpose for humbling us is to teach us to trust and obey; so that, we may know God and be able to experience all the love that He has for us. When God has trained us to trust and obey, He will then be able to bless us with many blessings (Deuteronomy 8:16).

The humble person does not trust in himself, but he trust in the Lord and he learns to trust and obey God all the time and when trouble arises he does not worry because he knows that God cares for him and knows that God is always in control because submit to God’s will also involved submitting all of our fears and trouble to His capable hand.

Praise the Lord!

Dealing with Grief

Dealing with Grief When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.” Isaiah 43:2

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How should we deal with grief? The world can be a very dangerous place. There more kidnapping than ever before and numerous gun-related shouting. Child abuse does even shock us anymore, it is part of our current event, but how do we deal with all of it? Do we run to the pharmacy for Valium like the world does? Should we sleep through life or should we face our grief head on? This is no time to be half-consecrated and some what-dedicated. This is the time to go all the way with God, to give Him your whole life. This is the time to start relying on His might totally.

The same power that raises Jesus from the dead is available to us. We are children of the most high God. He is in us and us in Him. When dealing with grief we must call on God’s power. Naturally, our flesh cannot take much grief, but we do have the spirit if God in us and that is what we must remember. God has everything in abundance and He want to give us everything abundantly. It’s all at our disposal. He loves us to much to force anything on us, but when we ask, we do receive. Praise the Lord!

The Word God in the above scripture didn’t say we wouldn’t pass through the waters, but it did promise to be with us when we do. Glory! When you go through the fire, you will not be scorched, so why are you afraid? You already know the outcome. When all is said and done, you are going to be alright. So how do you deal with grief? You do it with courage and faith, holding to God’s promises and by continuing to praise Him through it all. You are not another ordinary, lonely person. You a special, extraordinary, legitimate son/daughter of the Living God. Stop trying to believe in God. Take it up to the next level by actually putting your faith in Him. It’s time to stop being a spectator, watching God work wonders in other people lives. It’s time to be part of it all and claim your inheritance. Once you do that, changes will start to take place in your life.

Love, serve and praise God with your whole heart. Walk closely with Him in the good times and through your grief. Remember, God will not take your cares away from you. You have to give them to Him. As hard as it is, you are the one responsible to keep your thoughts under control, but you can do it, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” 1 John 4:4

Praise the Lord!

Trust God

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; Psalm 34:4-8

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My friend the psalmist knew God true nature. He knew him as a loving and compassionate father. He knew him as his source of strength and deliverer. Do you know God? Do you know his true nature? God is a compassionate father and his love knows no limits. He understands your heart. HE knows all of your fear. Come to his throne this morning. Lay all your fear at his feet and he will deliver you. It is his will that you shall be set free. God does not want to suffer. He does not want you to go in circle crying, wondering and questioning the reasons for your shortcoming. He is a jealous God. He wants to be included in your daily living. Come to him with boldness. You will not be turned down. You don’t have to be afraid. Your troubles are not bigger than God.

Friend, taste and see that the Lord is good. David had an intimate relationship with God. He knew God as an ally. He took full advantage of their relationship. What about you my friend? Do you know that God is you primary stop in the morning and your last at night? When trouble comes do you rush to the doctor? Do you call a friend or do you make a stop at the throne of grace? Do you even give God an opportunity to intervene in your favor? He is your creator. He made you and he certainly knows how to fix you. It does not matter where you hurt this morning; whether you are facing physical ailments, emotional or/and financial, God is the one you should turn to. He is able and willing to encourage you and to walk you through. It does not matter what it is; He can do it. Would you trust him this morning? Would you carry your burdens to him and leave them at his feet? Go on peacefully with your day. God is on it.

Father how grateful I am for your grace and for your unconditional love! You have never ceased to amaze me. Every time the devil prepare a trap, you go ahead of me and make a way. I trust that you will make a way again this time. I am not afraid for you are with me. Your salvation is forever. Those who trust will not be covered with shame. Thank you for being my father, my joy, my comforter and my only source. In your son Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Praise the Lord!

God is Good

Rely on God's goodness

Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

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When was the last time you thought about all of the great things that God has given you?

We tend to think about the stuff we need and can’t have and often forget to praise God for what He freely gives us. David knew of God’s goodness and depended on it. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; many besides him have looked unto the Lord by faith and prayer, and it has wonderfully revived and comforted them.

When we look to the world, we are perplexed, confused and worried, but when we look upon God, we find peace. David’s life, by all accounts, reveals an ordinary man with many faults, but his faith in God, turned him into an extra-ordinary man. The Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. One of the things I admire the most is that most of his psalms of praise were written prior to his victories. He foresees victory before he actually achieves it because He knew of God’s goodness.

Taste and see God's goodness; take notice of it, and take the comfort of it. He makes all truly blessed that trust in him. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of spiritual life. And as to this life, they shall have what is necessary from the hand of God. Paul had all, and abounded, because he was content, (Philp 4:11-18). Those who trust to themselves, and think their own efforts sufficient for them, shall want; but they shall be fed who trust in the Lord. Those shall not want, who with quietness work, and mind their own business.
Friend, God is good and you cannot begin to benefit from it until you acknowledge His goodness. He has the power to turn an ordinary person like you and I into extraordinary people. Take the time today to acknowledge Him for his goodness and all that He is and you will be blessed.

Do you feel alone today with no source of comfort? God is the answer. Are you searching for someone who can take care of your heart’s needs and wants? Who else can understand your heart better than the one who made it? The maker always knows his creation. I urge you to look deeply into yourself today and really make that special connection with God and you will find a peace you never thought possible.

Praise the Lord!

You Have it All

You Have it AllThen wicked people ask, "What does God know?" "Does the Most High know anything?" Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased. Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence: For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment. If I had said, "I will continue to talk like that," I would have betrayed God's people. When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me; Psalm 73:11-16

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David, a man after God’s heart, was jealous. He could not understand why people who don’t love God prosper while those who honor God were facing hardship, and David said, “When I thought about this it was too painful for me.” Think about it for a second, does it make sense to you that people who have no sense of love, dedication or commitment, those who make fun of you for going to church, or for waiting on God to meet that special someone, to get the perfect job, and to buy your first home, those people are married, or switching girlfriends/boyfriends on a regular basis. They own the apartment you are renting and unable to pay for. They enjoy excellent health, while you have been dealing with various health challenges. It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? David says, “They are blessed, they have more than their heart can wish” David continues, “I just can’t take it.” And God says, “You are looking at them at the wrong time. You are looking at them in the morning. It’s morning in their lives. Like in nature in the morning the flowers bloom, but when the hot sun starts beating down, they wither and die.”

What good is money? What good is power? What good is a great relationship? What good is any of it when you diet? Psalm 73 proves that Davis realized that there was no need to be jealous. One day, you too, will come to the sunrise of your life. Every sacrifice, every effort, and all challenges are bringing you closer to that sunrise.

Friend you should focus on Christ. He went to prepare a place for you. If you think those who don’t love the Lord are having a great time now, you should see what the righteous are going to enjoy in heaven. There are people who rejected Christ and yet still enjoying His mercy and goodness but there will be a time when it will all come to an end. They will know no more mercy and grace. They will know the wrath of God, while we enjoy His love. What else do you need when you have Jesus? You have His peace (emotional, financial, marital). When you have Jesus, you have someone to love you unconditionally (will never leave you); you have someone to own you (handle all your challenges, take charge). When you have Jesus, you have total acceptance (complete). Your days of getting rejected are forever gone, you now have acceptance. When you have Jesus, you have someone who will be able to find you in the midst of your darkest hour; in your deepest loneliness, you will have someone to comfort you. Psalm 23:3 say, when you have God, you have someone to restore your soul. Glory! The hurt, pain, hardship, rejection, loneliness, are all temporary.

Friend, don’t worry that you haven’t come across all that is in store for you. The joy of the fact that you are a child of God should be present in your heart. That joy should remain in you until the appointed day when you are with your savior face to face. Now the world may not know it, your family and friend may not know it but you have something (you can be certain) that can’t be taken away. You have a seat in the kingdom of God, and if you are in the middle of a storm right now, don’t worry. You are not alone; Psalm 23: 4 assures us that He is with us. Those who have God have it all, and the best is yet to come.

Praise the Lord!

Recognizing the Lord

.....and Run to Him

But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
John 21:5

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This miracle took place after His resurrection. Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea. They went fishing and couldn't catch anything all night, and at the end of the day, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Him. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they did as he said it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish, 153 all together. The disciple whom Jesus loved, John, said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, he was stripped for work, but the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, they were not far from the land. When they got out on land, they saw a fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus was waiting and said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught and come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

The one thing that touches me the most is the fact that Jesus loved them so much. He indeed cared about every aspect of their lives. He knew how sad the disciples were because He went away. He had already appeared to them twice before but yet they were still depressed; they all sort of went back to their regular career out of despair and discouragement. This apparition was exactly what they needed. His timing was perfect. John, the beloved disciple, is the first to recognize the Lord. Peter impulsively leaps from the boat and runs to the Lord. What joy and peace he must have felt?

Do you run to the Lord when you encounter trials, tribulations and disappointments, or do you run further away from Him? The Lord is ever ready to renew us in faith and to give us fresh hope in his promises. He is always ready to rescue those who wait on Him. The Lord Jesus reveals himself to each of us as we open our hearts to receive his word. He is constantly trying to establish a relationship with you, do you recognize the Lord's presence in your life and do you receive his word with open heart and faith? There are great rewards when you recognize and acknowledge the Lord's presence. It was after recognizing the Lord that Jesus said to Peter that he would be 'catching people" for the kingdom of God. What a great revelation! Who knows what miracle God will perform in your life when you finally run to Him?

Praise the Lord!

God's Power & Justice

For the LORD is a place where the oppressed can hide.
He will be a fortress in times of trouble. Everyone that knows your name (LORD) will put their trust in you. LORD, you will never turn away from anyone that looks for you.” Psalms 9:9-10 (please read psalms 9 and 10 today).

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David knew where to go when he was dealing with major issues, but why is it so difficult for Christians today to run to God, as opposed to running further away from Him when they are in trouble? For one thing, we are part of the “instant gratification” generation. We want what we want right now. We are pressed for time. We don’t want to wait and we feel that God’s justice takes too long. God is always ruling the world. It is hard to believe this, but it is true. Sometimes we must wait a long time for his righteous judgments. Righteous here means this: the judgments of God are the best judgments. While we wait for his judgments, what can we do? Psalm 9:9-10 tells us! We can: look for the LORD: if we do this, the LORD will find us. Trust in the LORD: if we do this the LORD will give us help. Hide in the LORD: if we do this, the LORD will make us safe.

Now it is not easy to pray and wait. We want to make the changes ourselves. We don’t want people to take advantage of us, we want to show how strong we really are, so we try to fix our situations ourselves, as results, we never get to experience God’s glory; but David prays that God will do something. In verses 16-18 David tells his people that God will do something. God will frighten the wicked away. (Frighten means make afraid). David knew that after fighting foreign countries (look in Psalm 9) there was unrest in his own kingdom. ("Unrest" mean people in the same country fighting each other). King David tried to stop it, but he knew that only God would really stop it.

When there is trouble pray to God about it. There may be unrest in your own heart and mind, but pray to God about it. You may feel frightened. You may not feel safe. Pray to God about it. Then read Psalm 10:16-18. Believe that one day it will be true. That is the promise of God to you. Don’t let the situations of this life take your focus away from your Almighty God, nothing is impossible to Him, don’t you forget it. He has the power to turn your circumstances into opportunities and your hardships into victory, if you would only wait.

Is your boss having everyone in frenzy? Is he/she is trying to make your life miserable? Maybe it is a spouse who trying to suck the joy out of your life. I am here to tell you that it won’t last. The Bible gives detailed instruction on how to deal with our enemies:

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...." Ephesians 6:10-18

God’s power and justice are around the corner.

Praise the Lord!

The Joy of the Lord...

And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

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As Christians we have a legacy that we cannot allow Satan to bankrupt: Our spiritual legacy. We must decide to not let him destroy our joy and peace. Make the determination stated in Isaiah 61:10, “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels”

We have to stay on top of our situations/circumstances. We need to remind our hearts of what Jesus said in John 16:33, “In the world re shall have tribulation: be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. Since He has overcome the world for us, we shouldn’t permit the world to overcome us. When tribulation comes, why give up our peace when our peace is in Him and He is our peace? For He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).Why should we be victimized by the works of the devil when the Son of God, our Savior, Jesus Christ has already destroyed his works? For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). Armed with this truth/knowledge, we should be invincible. The father who loves us will not let us be defeated. He already made provision for our defeats (the blood of Christ). Praise the Lord.

Friend, our joy can be challenged but it cannot be taken away. A simple prayerful reading of the book of Nehemiah would help us realize the possibility of victory in any kind of situation. Nehemiah was troubled/burdened with the situation of the broken wall of the city, he prayed and God granted Nehemiah’s request. From the very beginning of the project to rebuild the wall to the Holy City, he met with opposition of every type. There were conspiracy and threats. People from his own camp became discouraged. Nehemiah kept on praying and working and the wall was finished. Glory!

One of my favorite preachers had this recommendation about joy:

“Maintain the glow, the world needs to see radiant Christians. Let your light shine. Be an exhibit of the fruit of the Spirit JOY. It has transforming power. The fragrance of joyful Christians is a wonderful therapy for a sick world for the joy of the Lord is our strength”.

Praise the Lord!