Monday, November 29, 2010

The Incredible God......

Deserves Incredible Praise!

But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of your people. Psalm 22:3

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The primary word for praise is Halal. It is the root of hallelujah, (to give glory, to boast, to shine, to be clamorous, to rave, to make a show, to celebrate). So praise is celebrating and honoring the person and work of God our creator for who He is and all He has done. Praise should come naturally from our heart. The above scripture says that our praise establishes a throne from which God can rule. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to praise Him as often as I can. God manifests Himself in the midst of praise. God is worthy to be praised. He is amazing and has done incredible things. He is never out of stock when it comes to grace and mercy and that should be enough but He gave His best (His son Jesus Christ) for humanity’s worst (you and I).

Friend, when was the last time you thought of all the things God has done? I promise you, when you make Jesus the focus of your life, you will become a person of praise for He is worthy to be praised. The phrase halleluyah (halal) is in the imperative form which is a command. When you read the words "Praise the LORD" at the beginning and conclusion of many Psalms, including one of my favorite, (Psalms 113), you should understand that the psalmist is telling “you” personally to praise the Lord by opening your mouth, and start singing to God. Do you trust in God’s mercy regardless of the situation you’re living in? Are you depending on Him in everything (good, bad and ugly)? Are you praising Him daily for His mercy and sufficient grace? You need to start praising God.

Dear friend, God deserves and merits our praise in big assembly, but He will accept our praise anytime and anywhere. (Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. Psalm 96:3). Our Father in heaven deserves our praise. If there is anything in your life keeping you from enjoying a relationship with The Incredible God, repent and confess it to God and invite The Holy Spirit to help you change so that you can become the son/daughter God created you to be; and if there is anyone you know who does know The Incredible God yet, make the decision to share the good news of Christ with him/her as soon as possible.

Praise the Lord!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Focus on the Blessings

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great” Matthew 5:12

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Have you ever suffered through a situation that should have been a time of rejoicing? I have. For years I complained about having to work in an environment I detested but after I left, I started worrying about finding a new job and never actually enjoyed my new found freedom. Sadly I overlooked my blessing. During times when the problems seemed so great please take a deep look. And you will see that the blessings are even greater. The devil has a way of shifting your attention toward the negative to keep you from enjoying the positive and that is why God urges us to be vigilant. You already know, based on the Word of God, that there is no lack in the Body of Christ. Everything you could ever need, every problem you could ever face has been covered by the blood of Jesus. It doesn’t matter what the doctor says. It doesn’t matter how much you are hurting right now. The situation will stop; it has to stop when you are covered by the blood of Christ. So there is no need to shed a tear and definitely no reason to spend a God given day worrying about a problem He solved 2000 years ago.

We have no patience to endure. We want victory but we don’t want to fight for it. We live in this “instant gratification” culture where everything is fast and easy and we carry that mentality in our relationship with the Lord. We measure God ability to deliver us based on how quickly we get our needs met. We refuse to invest the time necessary to develop a relationship with Him. We just want to get what we need and be on our way. God loves us too much to let us get away with it. He always comes up with ways to keep us at His feet. Children who trust their parents have no worries in their presence and “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1. So when trouble comes overlook your circumstances and focus on God’s ability and willingness to help through. Focus on the reward waiting in heaven. It will not be easy but meditate on the promises of God. Ask God to speak to you through them and ask Him to open up your eyes to recognize his truth. Do not get casual about the word. You really do need to spend time reading it. One of my favorite preachers put it like this: “the Word of God isn’t enough. You must continually feed on what it says. Get it out and read it. Feast on it Go to church and hear it preached”. You don’t nourish your body and live on the memory of yesterday’s meal do you? The same goes for the word of God. You must feed it to yourself daily. Don’t just sit around and let the devil beat you down. Christ already won the battle. It is done, finished. Praise the Lord!

So if you have been suffering through some tough times lately, I challenge you to look around and wake up to the blessings that surround you. Pure joy can only come when you focus on you blessing and overlook the circumstances. Keep your eyes on the Lord and remember earth is the journey but the destination is heaven.

Praise the Lord!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Intimate Friend

True Friend

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you”. John 15:15-16

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For many years I longed for deep friendships. It was quite embarrassing to discover that after a certain amount of years on this earth, I knew people from every continent and yet I had no real, intimate friends. I would meet people and instantly feel connected to them and I would offer them my friendship with all the benefits that come with it but over and over I’d get disappointed. I wasn’t getting the commitment I expected in return. I set expectations that no one could ever met and as a result I grew up isolated, guarded and secretive. I was surrounded by people but lonely inside. Over the years I randomly trusted people who appeared to have wanted a deep friendship with me just to face the painful realization that they did not know how to give what I was so desperately searching for at the time.

I was reading the above scripture one night when I finally understood its true meaning. I have read it many times before but that night I realized that true friendship such as the one I was looking for can only come from God. The loneliness that I grew up with could only be filled by the unconditional love of God. It was unfair to expect earthly friendships to fill needs that God strategically created us with for the purpose of filling Himself. Like me, perhaps you have never thought of Jesus in that way, perhaps you never seen Him as a friend, a real friend who cares about every area of your life. You know him as the Savior and the Eternal Son of the Living God but do you know him as “your” intimate friend? The above scripture confirms that He is indeed our friend. He wants to share Himself with us. He gave himself for us. The people we choose as friends will let us down. They are limited in their ability to fulfill all of our needs and in many cases they don’t even know how to love but Jesus is the one who loves His friends. He loves us so much that He gave His life. Wow! Imagine that for a minute. Who do you know will give his life for you: A spouse, parent, a brother or sister? I seriously doubt it. People dedicate their lives in search for their own happiness no time to worry about anyone else.

God did create us with a need for each other; however, by no means should that need be a substitute for the innate need to be with God. Friendships are important, but they don't always last. Jesus knows us and loves us despite who we are. He stands by us through our ups and downs. He doesn’t hide away when we are facing adversity. He doesn’t use excuses to justify his absences and you don’t have to leave Him numerous messages to finally get a call back. He cares about our weakness and loneliness. He will always be there for us. He is our friend. Unlike other friends, we didn’t choose Him. He chose us (John 15:16).

When a love one turns his back on you, when you’re going through your darkest hours, I want you to remember that you are not alone. Jesus promises to dry up your tears when you are in pain. He promised to remove your anxiety when you are worried. He promised to hold your hand while walking through the dark valleys of life because He is your friend, your best friend, the life-giving friend, the friend for life. If you never had a real friend, I have great news: Jesus longs to be your friend. He wants to have that deep, intimate, and true relationship you so definitely deserved. Call on his name and start enjoying a friendship you never thought possible.

Praise the Lord!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

I Praise the Lord....

I Praise the Lord....

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! Psalm 34:1-334-

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I praise my God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I praise him because He is a wise God: He has the ability to devise perfect ends by the most perfect means. He is a father who truly knows best. He is Sovereign: My God knows no limits. He is in control of everything that happens in my life. My God is holly; there is no sin or evil thought in Him. My God is omniscient. He is well aware of everything in my life. Nothing is hidden from Him. My God is Faithful. He keeps all is promises. My hope for the future rests upon God’s faithfulness. My God is immutable. He will not change and He cannot change.

My God is righteous. He is exactly as He should be. My God is omnipresent. He is everywhere. He is keeping an eye on me. Oh my God is merciful: He took upon Himself the judgment that was due me. He dies for me and he is working on my behalf write this moment. My God is full of grace: He grants merit where it is undeserved and forgives my sin debt that could not be repaid.

I praise my God for allowing me to experience his fullness another year against all odds. I praise my God for blessing me with earthly parents who knew him. I praise God for my precious relationships. I praise my God for surrounding me with positive people. I praise my God for always placing me in Bible believing churches where His Word is not compromised. I praise God for the lovely, outstanding, godly children in my life without whom life would be boring, sad and just different: Keren-Happuch, Lynn-Iris, Christina, Jimmy –Lee, Gregory-Zidane, Patricia-Franztnie, Sarah, Sabrina, Ferna-Marie, Rachelle, Jolie-Luna, Esther, Frederick-Miccah and Jayden-Osteen. I praise God for creating me as I am (wonderfully and fearfully made). I praise God for not given up on me when I gave up on myself. I praise God for my trials and tribulations. I praise God for not sparing any hardship that is instrumental in perfecting me. I praise God for being Him: The Alpha and the Omega and the only Holy, worthy and only Father God.

Praise the Lord!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Jehovah Jireh is our Lord!

God is our Provider

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1Timothy 6:19

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God wants us to trust Him. He does provide for those who put their trust in Him. When He wanted to provide for Abraham, he tested his faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son (we know that God did not spare his own son for our salvation). Faith is not believing in Him in spite of evidence but it is obeying in spite of consequences. Christians still count on their own ability. When in trouble, they get discourage if don’t see a way out. God will really provide for those who trust in and understand that he really indeed Jehovah Jireh. God is the Almighty he can do all things. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”. Colossians 1:16-17

He created everything for our enjoyment. He wants us to have it all. Obedience is the requirement, but you can’t obey without faith. “without faith it is not possible to be well-pleasing to him, for it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who make a serious search for him”. Hebrews 11:6. Searching for God is indeed the door that opens the blessings/victories of our lives, and His provision depends on your obedience.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice His son and an entire nation still enjoying the blessing. What is it that God has been asking you to give up for Him? Is it your pride? Your job? Is it someone or our lifestyle? I am warning you that you will not experience victory unless you do as He commands. Take a leap of faith by obeying God’s word. Believe that He is your provider. Let go of yourself, turn totally to Him and live a life you never thought possible because God is full of surprises. Just when you think it was all over, He will come up with another way to shower you with His blessings and His ever increasing love.

Praise the Lord!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Be Blessed!

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great” Matthew 5:12

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Have you ever suffered through a situation that should have been a time of rejoicing? I have. For years I complained about having to work in an environment I detested but after I left, I started worrying about finding a new job and never actually enjoyed my new found freedom. Sadly I overlooked my blessing. During that time when the problems seemed so great please take a deep look. And you will see that the blessings are even greater. The devil has a way of shifting your attention toward the negative to keep you from enjoying the positive and that is why God urges us to be vigilant. You already know, based on the Word of God, that there is no lack in the Body of Christ. Everything you could ever need, every problem you could ever face has been covered by the blood of Jesus. It doesn’t matter what the doctor says. It doesn’t matter how much you are hurting right now. The situation will stop; it has to stop when you are covered by the blood of Christ. So there is no need to shed a tear and definitely no reason to spend a God given day worrying about a problem He solved 2000 years ago.

We have no patience to endure. We want victory but we don’t want to fight for it. We live in this “instant gratification” culture where everything is fast and easy and we carry that mentality in our relationship with the Lord. We measure God ability to deliver us based on how quickly we get our needs met. We refuse to invest the time necessary to develop a relationship with Him. We just want to get what we need and be on our way. God loves us too much to let us get away with it. He always comes up with ways to keep us at His feet. Children who trust their parents have no worries in their presence and “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1. So when trouble comes overlook your circumstances and focus on God’s ability and willingness to help through. Focus on the reward waiting in heaven. It will not be easy but meditate on the promises of God. Ask God to speak to you through them and ask Him to open up your eyes to recognize his truth. Do not get casual about the word. You really do need to spend time reading it. One of my favorite preachers put it like this: “the Word of God isn’t enough. You must continually feed on what it says. Get it out and read it. Feast on it Go to church and hear it preached”. You don’t live on the memory of yesterday’s meal do you? The same goes for the word of God. You must feed it to yourself daily. Don’t just sit around and let the devil beat you down. Christ already won the battle. It is done, finished. Praise the Lord!

So if you have been suffering through some tough times lately, I challenge you to look around and wake up to the blessings that surround you. Pure joy can only come when you focus on you blessing and overlook the circumstances. Keep your eyes on the Lord and remember earth is the journey but the destination is heaven.

Praise the Lord!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

You are a Bride

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding of the Lamb has come. (Revelation 19:7)

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When I was single, I couldn't attend a wedding without crying. I used to be very emotional in the sense that, there is so much beauty at a wedding, the bride is always so beautiful, the groom so proud and parents so excited and happy that I get overwhelmed by it all.
One day, I was meditating on Revelation 19:7, and the Holy Spirit opened up my eyes on the true nature of my attitude at weddings. The reality is, I am a bride and you are also a bride. When we were saved we became espoused to the Holy Spirit, and what we got from it is more than a ring, we actually got the best husband of all, and a guarantee of eternal life.

As a bride you and I have the same responsibilities to be faithful and to honor our groom by your words, actions and behavior.

I now enjoy being part of wedding celebration for no eyes have seen and no ears have heard about the celebration that is awaiting us, at our wedding, when we finally meet our groom, and our Savior.

Let's take a moment to really praise the Lord today and worship Him for making provisions for all of our needs.

Praise the Lord!

Monday, November 15, 2010

A Promise of God


Again, I say to you, that if two of you are in agreement on earth about anything for which they will make a request, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19

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Can God really mean something like this? The only way we can grasp the meaning of a promise like this or any of His promises is if we have real wisdom, “and if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”. (James 1:5). Why would He make such promise? He did simply because He loves us. God is love. He is motivated by love. It is almost impossible to trust His selfless love because we are not familiar with it here on earth. Now, “Quid Pro Quo”, you do this for me, and I will do that for you is something we know. We are always looking for motivation hidden behind a behavior. You and I should understand that God is dependable. He has power to keep His promises. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t change. People chosen by God who accomplished something for Him chose to believe His promises. You can and should rely on His love and His infinite Wisdom. Moses trusted God and knew Him well because he said “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19). What did God say in the last book of the Old Testament? “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

Now, the promise of giving you what two of you agree on is a promise that God will keep. He does keep all of His promises. If you don’t have anyone to share this promise with, ask God to send someone to you. “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22) Pray with them for their specific need. They’ll pray for yours. You may count us your prayer partners, too, if you wish. His promises are powerful, because of His love.

Trusting is not something that comes naturally to us. It has to be attained. We grew up experiencing certain hurts and disappointments. These need to be recognized and released if we are to learn to trust. A life that includes trust in God is a joyous life. It’s difficult for adults to learn new “tricks”, but trust is not as difficult as you may think; every attempt at trusting is one step closer. This year, we are going to take baby steps together. We are going to strengthen our faith together by reading His Word, and by encouraging each other.

Can we all trust God? Really trust Him? Can we trust Him with our hearts, our resources, our lives and our souls? Absolutely! There was nobody before Him and there will be nobody after Him. He is the Alpha and The Omega. He had no predecessor. He will have no successor. He is the source of all things. He is all things. He is the giver of life. He is life. He is the joy out of every sorrow. He is the light of every darkness. He’s the peace that passes all understanding. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. You can trust that He will keep all of His promises. You can and should absolutely trust Him.

Praise the Lord!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Follow Christ


Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24

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To be Christian means to be a follower of Christ and to turn over our will and desire to Him. The first thing that we are supposed to learn when we become Christians is that we are now owned by Jesus Christ. This is what we call, "Lordship. We don’t just call Him Lord. He really is Lord of our entire lives. Many people don’t want to come to Christ because they believe that the sacrifice of self is too big of a price to pay, when the truth is yielding completely to the Lord won't cost you anything. It will only cause you to live life to its fullest. Jesus came for you to have life, more abundant life (John 10:10). Most people don't believe that God said what He meant and meant what He said.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6. When you turn over your being to the world, you are trading your diseases, your, lacks and worries for a life of health, prosperity and peace. How important would a lifetime of pleasure seem when compared to an eternity separated from God and all the blessings of life with him? How foolish will it be to seek comfort and riches of the world while ignoring the issue of our soul’s eternal salvation? Some people want to wait until they are older to follow Christ but the truth is some of us don’t get to grow old. People die at all ages, waiting for tomorrow might be the biggest mistake one can ever make; besides, it is better to start living in perfect harmony with Christ now, if we are going to spend eternity with Him, it is wise to develop a relationship with Him right here on earth. While Jesus called his followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow, He also promised awesome rewards: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

God is such a Great Father. He sent His son to die for our salvation. He is the creator of all. He has it all, but your life is the only thing that God cannot have unless you give it to Him. God gave you life so that you would have something valuable to give to Him. I don’t want you to give up your life for opportunities. Give up your self simply because you love Him. Look into yourself and decide once and for all to follow Christ.

Praise the Lord!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

God Loves You


“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” Matthew 10:30

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God knows everything about you, yes “you”. He even counted every string of hair on your head. Isn’t that amazing? I promise you that He knew you before you were born. “My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth” Psalm 139:15. I guarantee you on the authority of the Word of God, that He loves you. This is amazing to me especially because I am almost invisible in my family (being 1 of 9), let alone in my community and the planet. It is hard for me to comprehend of any reason why the Lord of lords, the magnificent King of kings would be and/or should be interested in me and yet our Lord looks down and He sees me and you. He sees millions of us and cherished us one by one. He keeps tabs on us individually. He watches out and provides for each one of us as though each individual was the only child.

Think about it for a moment: The great God that creates and runs the universe is concerned about “you”. Most people imagine that in God’s eyes we are just one of millions. We know most people don’t think we are important and so we assume God thinks of us in a similar way. But then, again, God is not like most people. To Him, each one us is special and worth sending His son to die for. To be honest everyone wants to be loved and accepted. There is nothing mankind wouldn’t do to find love and yet God loves us with his whole heart. He loves “you” with every speck of his enormous love. That means no matter how much he loves others, he couldn’t possibly love anyone else more than he loves you and no matter how much your spouse or/and your children love you, their love can never compared to the love of God.

Mankind type of love is limited and conditional. Most of us don’t know how to love but “God is love.” (1 John 4:8).People love base on their criteria but to God no Christian is too old, too poor, too uneducated, too stupid and too annoying to be loved. It doesn’t matter who your parents were or what family you came from because when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you automatically become an accepted (worthy of love) member of the elite family of the most prominent God. For just one aspect of this, see and just like any good father, He has plan for your life, great plans but unlike your earthly father, He’s got the means, the power and the will to bring the plans to fulfillment. Now what is you’d like to accomplish on this earth? Are you in the midst of great troubles? What are your most pressing needs? Bring them all to the Lord in prayers. There is nothing you loving father cannot do? If He could bring a dead person back to life, he can surely take care of you.

Have you been looking for the love that surpasses all intelligence? Has your search led you a destructive path? Then look no further than the loving arms of God. No matter what you have done, I assure you, He loves you. (Romans 5:8).Once under His command, He will bring the right people into your life. He will turn your sorrows into joy. He will repair you damage relationships. He will restore your peace. He knows you and yet he loves you anyway. He doesn't love you because you are so lovable or because of some misguided notion of love; He loves you because He is love. He created you to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us John 3:16) to restore that relationship. He loves you. You are precious in His eyes. He will never abandon you. You can count on His unconditional love.

God's love towards us, His estranged creation, is graphically depicted in the sacrifice He made on our behalf. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Will you share His message of love with at least one person today? I trust that you will.

Praise the Lord!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Let’s Talk About Love

When was The Last Time Someone Professes Love to You?

“We love him, because he first loved us’. 1 John 4:19

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I have been sitting here since three in the morning trying to remember the last time someone says those very simple words to me: “I love you”. Well I couldn’t remember but I assure you it wasn’t this year, if ever. Then, I tried to remember the last time I receive a love letter, and again it wasn’t this year or the year before. The reason could be the fact that I don’t say I love you either. It’s been hard for me to say it because I don’t play with words anymore, definitely not since I found out the meaning of true love. I want to be able to mean those words before I profess them. Love is very serious and some of us have trouble loving people who don’t love us first. Allow me to be candid; I cannot love someone who does not love me first, and I need to know it. No need to say it, but I need to understand it by actions. It doesn’t matter what the initial attraction is, unless someone starts showing some love, I will not respond to words; therefore, I don’t repeat those words in vain.

The Bible tells us that "God is Love" (1 John 4:8). But how can we even begin to understand such truth? The world tells us that love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness, and the Bible gives us many passages of God’s definition of loves. The most common and my favorite is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." So one way God defines love is in the act of giving. However, what God gave is something no one else can ever give us. God sacrificed His only Son so that those of us who put our faith in Him will not spend eternity separated from Him, but will spent eternity with Him. This is an amazing love, because we are the ones who choose to be separated from God by rejecting his son, by rejecting God’s grace. Do you know what the Bible is? It is the ultimate love letter. It is God's love letter to “you”. It is God saying to you, "I have set my eye upon you. I love you!" It is God saying, I created you, and I know what you are all about, I HAVE SEEN ALL YOU HAVE DONE BUT I STILL LOVE YOU. I love you first. I loved you before you came to existence.

Friend, if like me you have been unable to respond to love unless you are first loved; here is your opportunity to do so. The Bible affirms God’s great unconditional love. The Bible tells in Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." You are worthy of love and the beauty of it is that you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be from such and such family. You don’t have to have the perfect figure. You don’t have to attend the best schools. You don’t even have to have a certain amount of money at the bank, God loves you, and you don’t have to do any works for it. Christ has already done the work for you on Calvary, many years ago. The work is done, completed. Your sin debts are paid in full. Glory to God! You are loved, you are accepted and if you never get another love letter in this life time, you are going to be just fine because you already know the power of the greatest love of all: The kind of love that offers eternal life. God love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. His love doesn’t make us weak in the knees, Glory to God. His kind of love gives strength. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly gave His life for us) to restore the relationship that is so dear to His heart.

If you want to know true love then get to know God by reading His word, and accept His son’ sacrifice. God is ready to pour out His love on you, and He wants to teach you how to love others as He loves you. The beauty of it is that you will NOT be rejected. Will you please tell someone about His great love?

God’s Grace Says Openly “I Love You”

Praise the Lord!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Keeps your Eyes on God

Remain Focus

My eyes are ever toward the LORD
Psalms 25:15

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In Psalm 1 we learn that there are two ways: One is right and leads to God. The other is wrong and does not lead to our heavenly father. Psalm 25 focus on the right road. It tells us that it is not easy, but it teaches us not to stop believing in God just because life becomes hard. We must not do things in our own way. We must do things God's way. He will always send us help. It also tells us to remain focus on God in adversity. When you keep your attention to Him, the situation around you will not be able to affect you as much because you will constantly be reminded of His glory and power, and you will know without a doubt that He is able to do anything, even remove your road blocks and changing your circumstances into opportunities. There is no limit to what you can accomplish when you keep your eyes on a goal because the dream (goal) is a much more powerful force than ability.

Trouble comes when you stop focusing on your goal. I used mental imagery and always try to motivate people about how to turn dream into reality. Well a few years ago I was working as a manager and I spent a lot of personal time training my assistant. I thought her everything I know about the business. I wanted her to be able to handle every aspect of it to make my life easier. The word around the store used to be that there were two "me". I couldn't be any happier. I even taught her the steps to accomplish her dearest goal. Life was sweet. I was able to come to work late and call on her whenever I needed. Well, one morning she came to the office and told me about her plan to move to Panama City, FL. I almost stop breathing, but then I relaxed because I figured it was just small talk, because she has no resources, but one morning I came to work and there was a map of Panama City on her desk, I could not believe it. A month later the map was up with highlight of different areas. Another month later a few areas were circled. A few weeks later there were photos of houses in Panama City on the wall and one day she asked me for a weekend off to go to (guess where?) Panama City… to take a look around, and a few weeks later she was gone. Within seven months Angela, who is now one of my best friends was gone. She was able to accomplish the impossible because she kept her eyes on the goal. Everything that I have done to discourage her and keep her from accomplishing her dream had absolutely no impact. Keeping her eyes on her goal was much powerful force than her obstacles.

Friend, do you know why you worry and keep going in circle? Do you know why you are still struggling with the same sins, the same obstacle without getting any results? I can guarantee you that it is because you take your eyes off of God. There cannot be discouragement or defeat when you keep your eyes on the Lord. When you keep your eyes on Him, His might and power become your strength and you are able to handle anything, glory to God

Have you taken your eyes away from God? Have you been going around your dream and yet unable to accomplish them? Re-align your thoughts, turn to God and watch your dearest struggles turn to victory.

Praise the Lord!

Monday, November 1, 2010

How smart are you?

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25

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You probably know people who are intelligent and know it. They tend to always flaunt it either by correcting every word you say or by undermining any decision you make. There are also those who are smart but are not fully aware of it. They are shy and made decisions with great difficulties. But how smart are you? Do you Do you seek parents’ counsel? Do you call an older sibling or do you instantly know which decision to make when facing different choices? I have news for you this morning dear friend. No matter who you are, no matter the level of education you have received and no matter how smart you know/think you are, when it comes to your life you cannot not rely on your understanding. You must severe all ties with your wise/clever/intelligent self when you are born again. You must relinquish will power to Christ. You must humble yourself and yield to the power of God.

Christians don’t belong to themselves. If you are a believer, on the day you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, your life as you know it is forever gone and is replaced by a brand new one. Listen, believers fail to remember at times that they were bought for a high price. The blood of Christ is in fact the highest price anyone could ever paid. Jesus did not die just to leave you alone. He actually cares for you. He wants to be part of your life (I mean every area of your life is under his supervision). He wants to be your counselor, your friend, and your number one “go to person”. He wants to be your everything. You can rely on your own wisdom and pay the consequences or you can come to Him. You are missing out when you don’t go to Christ. You are carrying loads that you could have easily left at his feet. The word of God in Matthew 11:28 says, Come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. You can actually rest in God’s presence. You do not have to carry your load.

Jesus says I am the truth, the way and the light (John 14:6). Let Him lead you friend. Let him lead you to that job. Let him lead you to that spouse, let him pick the house you should purchase. Ask him for help in finding those keys you keep misplacing. Invite him to accompany you during your mundane trips to the grocery store. Invite him in. Let him know that he is welcome in your life. Allow him to take his rightful place in your life.

Let us pray: Father God, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for sending your son to die for my sin. Thank you for showing me the truth. Help me submit to you. I want to surrender my will to your unfailing control. Take possession of me (mind, soul and body). Thank you for guidance. Thank you for your word. May your wisdom be established in me. May your divine perfection continue to thrill my soul. May the power of your Spirit strengthen me and cover me with the power that I need to overcome myself, my will, the seductions of this world and the enemy. Give me a deep realization of your presence so that I can share your goodness with others. I adore you. I love you for only you are worthy of my love. Only you are holy and only you are God. Amen

Praise the Lord!