Peace, Be Still......

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Mark 4:35-41

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Friend, sometimes we have to face storm we did not see coming. I am talking about the kind of storms that arrive when you find out that someone who promised to love you never meant it or had changed his/her mind. Sound familiar? I’m speaking of the kind of storms you face when you come home and the person you love the most is waiting with bags packed but he is not taking you with him. I am referring to the kind of storm when the doctors are unable to make eye contact or when they are shaking their head negatively. I am speaking of the kind of storm when you cannot afford to come home because the bill collectors are at the door waiting. I am speaking of the kind of storm when a stack of bill is waiting to be paid and you arrive at work to find out that you no longer have a job. I am speaking about the kind of storm when the person who was supposed to be your new beginning and you second chance rejects your love. There are some very painful storms. This world in which we live can be a sad and lonely place filled with storms of heartaches, disappointment, disillusionment, and pain but when we have Christ onboard we can rest assured that our storms will pass. Praise the Lord!

You are probably in the middle of a storm right now? Please know that it is not by accident but by design. Jesus most like wants you to experience His peace. You may feel alone but you are never alone. You may not see Him or feel His presence at times, but I assure you, He is still with you. Like me, you probably don’t want to encounter any storm. You probably want to live a boring and unpredictable life with everything unshaken. Or you may want your storm to disappear just as soon as it comes. But I do not believe we can manipulate God into avoiding the storms or somehow making them suddenly disappear. The above scripture teaches us that sometimes we have to face storms whether because we were disobedient to God or even because of our obedience. It is through our storms that we see the glory of God.

My dear friend, if you are like me, what you fear is what you are unable to control. We cannot force anyone to love us or to be loyal to us. We do not have the power to protect ourselves or the people we love every minute or everyday. But Jesus has the power. Why not trust Him to calm our storms? It is His presence, His love, His power, and his tranquility that brings us peace. The prophet Isaiah called Him the prince of peace because of His ability to offer peace.

If you are in the middle of a storm at this moment ask Jesus to bring peace to your heart and mind. Remember that Jesus is the One who holds your future. Trust that He will answer the worries, the fear and the uncertainties of tomorrow. Remember, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3

Jesus knows about the pain that is ravaging your heart, the pain that torments you and keeps you up at night. Ask him to bring you His peace and He will.

May you experience the presence of the Prince of Peace in your life today and always!

Praise the Lord!

My Soul Rejoices in the Lord.....

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2

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People who know me well will tell you that I have been through some rough and unstable but transforming days in recent years. There were days when I wondered what I was doing and why I was where I found myself. There were days when I felt powerless against my own attitude, my habits, and my inability to pull myself out of the mess that my have life had turned out to be. God is faithful. He restored my joy and re-established a new sense of purpose in me along with a renewed trust in Him and His ability and will to carry me through my treacherous path. God grace is what sets me free. It wasn’t my own strength or the strength of those I trusted. I have a real and new appreciation for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised a comforter and boy did we need one! Only those who have experienced grief, pain, rejection, disappointment and severe loneliness can truly appreciate the works of the Holy Spirit.

Through my sleepless nights and tears filled days, I knew that I was never alone. God wiped my tears away and filled my heart with joy. He removed the people who had no business being in my life. I did not understand it then because I mourned those people for a while. But God replaced then with people of purpose and encouragers. Although today I am a work in progress, I have something to be thankful for. I am grateful for tears and pain. I am thankful for experiences that were instrumental to getting me on a godly road. My soul rejoices in the Lord for His mercy and His love.

Friend, have you ever forgotten God’s love and mercy? Have you ever let the worries and cares of this world cloud your view of what God has does and continue to accomplish in your life? I pray that you never forget that God has been with you through the darkest hours and He will continue to be with you. Do not forget the wonderful spiritually and physically blessings that God brought into your life through your darkest hours. My prayer is that like me, you once again let God’s Word open your hearts and minds to see that you can and should praise God from the bottom of your hearts for everything that he has brought into your life. Let your heart rejoice today, and please do not forget any of the blessing.

Praise the Lord!

Are you Lonely?

God wants to comfort you

"No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5

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It is hard to admit that we are lonely because religious people would assume is because we are living in sins. David, a man after God’s heart had moments of loneliness. Jesus was lonely the night of his arrest, that’s why he asked the disciples to stay with him. Friends, make no mistake, the reality of the matter is that we have all experienced moments of intense loneliness. I am going to be candid with you; there were times in my life when my loneliness was so intense and severe that it hurts. That’s right, loneliness is not a fun feeling, it can reduce us to tears and despair. There are times in our lives when we longed to see or hear those we love. Other times we longed for the company of those we love and most of the times those we love do not want to be with us. That is why rejection and loneliness go hand in hand. It is a reality that we have to face at one time or and other. Why is a God who loves so much that He sent his son to die would let us be lonely? Why would a God who says that His thoughts towards us are greater, higher and more glorious than we can ever comprehend let us feel such extreme pain? Why wouldn’t God make the entire world fall in love us? He should at least make sure that those we love feel the same way about us, right? Friend, God wants to be the desire of our hearts. He wants to be the one we desperately longing for, and our first real love. He wants to love one and other but He wants to be our number one love because He loves so much that He promised that not even death could separate us from His love. He wants to be our passion. Contrary to what people think, loneliness is not necessary results of sins. We tend to get preoccupied with the daily obligation of living that we neglect God, but He loves so much that He creates opportunities for us to run to Him, but what do we often do? We run to our love ones and our friends. There have been times in my life when I ran to friends and they were not available, or they simply didn’t care about my struggle of the hour, after all they were going through their own challenges. There are marriages that are destroyed because either or both parties didn’t feel totally satisfied and fulfilled with the other. Friend, your spouse was not created to play God in your life.

My friend, make no mistake, your spouse your children, your brothers and sisters as well as your friends are no substitute for the presence of God. We were created by love, to love. You and I need to make time in the presence of God a priority. We were created with a need inside of us that cannot be filled by anyone or anything other than God. It is unfair to put the burden on our love ones. The word of God in Matthew 11:28: says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” And we have to remember that and when we feel alone to run to God. Many people get in trouble when they chose sex, drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with loneliness. They often realized (too late) that no amount of sex, drugs and alcohol could provide the peace and fulfillment that God offers. The word of God in the above scripture reminds us that God will always be with us, and we need to welcome his presence in our lives.

The word of God in Exodus 20: 5 reminds that God is a jealous God and He does not wish to be an after thought. He wants to be everything that we need (source of joy, peace and love). God loves us so much that He created us with the need for him but when we decide to fill that void with other things, we soon realize that there are no alternatives to the comfort of our heavenly Father. We are too passionate about the wrong thing, the wrong relationships and the wrong people. Start your day with a word of prayer. Spend time in worship before you go out in the world and if you must get up 15 minutes early, than that is what you need to do. If you wake up 1 hour early to exercise, I don’t think 15 minutes out of your day is too much to give God out of 24 hours. My dear friend if you start your day with God, and spend time in prayer and meditate on his word, you will find never have to be lonely another day of your life.

Praise the Lord!

My Personal Savior

But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

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The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the universe with all authority in heaven and on earth is the greatest event of all time in the history of the world. I can’t think of any event that can top it. As if that was not amazing enough, scripture (Galatians 1:4) says that it was God's plan for His only Son should be born as a man, live a perfect life and then die, not for his own sins but for the sins of you and I. What an incredible God! Even more astonishing is that in 700 years before the crucifixion of Jesus, His death was described by the prophet Isaiah like this: "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all"

When I want feel sorry for myself. When I feel like dwelling on my lacks and challenges, I think of Christ’ sacrifice and all of a sudden my future becomes brighter. I grew up feeling unimportant, inadequate, and invisible. I am a middle child in a large family and I had to fight to be heard. I am overwhelmed with joy to know that not only Jesus has saved me from a lost eternity by dying in my place, but also Jesus has saved me from a life of sin by sending t he Holy Spirit to live in me and to empower me to live for God. He was crucified for little me. This is exactly why He came. He went through all of this to make sure that my sins are forgiven and bring me back to the father. It is all too easy to forget the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering for me considering how imperfect I am and how unimportant I feel. But Christ sacrifice is the clearest and loudest I love you there is. If like me you have struggled with love, acceptance and rejection, remember that Christ did all of this for you. He loves you that much. You are important to Him. He values you highly. There is no need to feel alone in a crowd anymore. God wants you to accept His friendship. He sent His Son so that you might be brought back to Him. The deeper you understand that you are God’s valuable and precious child the easiest it would for you to welcome His love

Father how grateful I am for your unconditional love. Thank you for relentlessly pursuing me when I show no interest in a relationship with you. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for your precious gift in the person of your son Jesus Christ. I realize how wrong I have been for not understanding how much you love me. Thank you for my second chance Father God. I praise you. I honor you. I give you glory for who You are now and eternally. Amen!

Praise the Lord!

The Truth

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man come unto the father, but by me.(John 14:6)

I am sure you are well aware of the Great Controversy through centuries between the Lord Jesus Christ (the truth) and Satan (the liar). Satan has attacked the truth and is busy working hard in order to take with him as many people as possible to eternal damnation. The Word of God is truth and Christ Jesus is the truth. Jesus is called the Word of God. Jesus came as the Emmanuel! God with us! And from the beginning of His life on earth until His death on the cross, Jesus walked the truth. He came to show us the way. Some believe that He was crucified because He was a liar but Jesus was crucified as an innocent man. Pilate said, "I find no fault in this man." although all do not look at Jesus from the standpoint of Him being the Son of God; nevertheless they can find no fault in Him. He reveals the true God and exposes sinful man. Jesus Christ is our all in all. He is all the treasures of truth, wisdom, and knowledge. Colossians 2:3

No one has ever lived like Jesus. He is alone when it comes to how He lived. We can say in truth there never has been person like the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Truth. He fully reveals the Lord's way and enables us to be restored to it. Multiple religions are man's way of justifying their twisted lives. Only Christ leads back to God the Father. Let us not be ashamed of the Truth. Only here will we find the glorious path to true freedom. If we want to model our lives after Him we have to live in truth and abstain from things that make the devil feel at home in our lives. One thing that creates a climate for the devil is lying. If your life is not based on truth; you are creating a climate where the devil will feel welcome; therefore the Holy Spirit will not be around and your prayers will bear no positive results. By living and loving a lie, Satan will feel at home because the devil is a liar, the prince of darkness.

God's kingdom on the other hand, is built on truth.
Thy Word is truth. (John 17:17)
The Spirit is truth. (1 John 5:6).
One of the most devastating things in a Christian life is what we call a little white lie. There is no such thing as a little white lie. A lie is a lie. If there's an area in your life that is not based on absolute truth, then you are creating a place for the devil, and surely the Holy Spirit will shy away from your life. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Let's make the ultimate decision to always tell the truth. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16).

Let's ask God for His help right this moment, to help us change our lying life style so we can become the son/daughter of God.

The Scriptures claim that truth is fully embodied in the person of Jesus Christ (John 18:37). It is not so much that Jesus has the answers to life’s questions as much as that He is the answer. Friend, may you find the truth not merely in abstractions or in creedal affirmations, but in knowing Jesus as your Lord and savior.

Praise the Lord!

I am Loved and I Know it…..

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! John 12:27

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What is love? Many of us toss around this word and we often end up trivializing it. The word "love" is so misused and overused in our society that we hardly know what to think and how to receive it when someone says, "I love you." People seem to be on a constant quest to find new love of the week because their kind of love is temporary and base on performance. But Jesus came to show us love at its best. He came to show us God kind of love. Nothing made us attractive to God! On the contrary, we were despicable to God. But despite our shortcomings it was God's pleasure, it was God's will to predestine us to be adopted as his children. Praise God! I don't know about you, but this truth is freeing to me. To know that I don’t have to worry about being perfect and on my best behavior a all time while look over my shoulder, wondering if God is going to abandon me because I blew it yet again. Thank God I do not have to worry that God might change his mind about loving me because of my poor performance or because I show tendency to be imperfect on occasion. God already knows the worst about me -- and he chose to love me! God's love is unconditional. God loves me! God loves you! He loves us despite our imperfections quite a delight contrary to earthly, temporary, and quid Pro Quo earthly love. In a moment of intense feeling, we tend to say, "I will love you forever!" -- yet within years, or months, or even weeks, those feelings change, and we so often renege on our promises

Only love has the power to drive Jesus to accomplish what He did on that cross. Only those of us who have loved someone deeply can begin to understand what Jesus was going through during His last week on this earth. I don’t know about you, but I have great difficulty being away from those I love. I don’t enjoy separation. As stated earlier, In this world we tend to love on the basis of performance (we love people who stimulate us), and yet love still tend to be beautiful, enjoyable, and something worth finding. But Romans 5:6-8 tells us that God's love is not based on our performance! God's love, instead, is unconditional. So Jesus and the Father are one and Jesus knew that time had come and He also knew that death would separate Him completely from the Father. No wonder He felt troubled. It would have been so easy for Him to ask the Father to spare Him and the above scripture clearly tells us that the thought had crossed His mind but He was caught between a rock and a hard place. He loved the father and He also loved us. He opted to save us and to do God’s will. Praise God! The Cross of Christ is the clearest, loudest, most powerful "I love you!” ever proclaimed. When I think of Jesus love the only question that comes to my mind is why does he love me so much? I am as imperfect as it gets. The Bible does not elaborate on the reason but it makes it clear that He does because He is love. Jesus died on the Cross to take our (yours and mine) place and make complete payment for our sins so that we could spend an eternity with Him forever in heaven! He chose to die for us rather than live without us. Wow! We are absolutely, totally, completely, and indisputable love!

Father I thank you for your love. Thank you for opening the eyes of my heart so I can receive your love. Thank you for continuing to perfect what has concerned me for so long. Thank you for the sacrifice of the cross. Thank you for your son Jesus Christ, my savior and Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Happy birthday F. Davis. I love you and more importantly God loves you. May He continue to bless you with health, wealth and wisdom so you can take care of the 4 little ones. Be encouraged and be blessed!

Let us Talk about True Love

The passion of my soul's desire is for the house of the Lord; my heart and my flesh are crying out for the living God. Psalms 84:2

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Those who love each other cannot spend much time a part. Lovers direct all conversations to their beloved. They don’t waste any opportunity to be together. They are miserable apart and when together their affectation is apparent to anyone with eyes to see. People can recognize lovers even when they’re trying to hide it. They are always ready to run home when they are forced to be away even for a little while. When the loved one speaks, the lover listens with rapt attention to each other’s every word; they marvel at everything the beloved says, however ridiculous it may be or sound. People who love truly don’t doubt they believe without questions. Whatever sacrifice is needed to be together, they are willing to make it. People in love will give to the limit of their capacity because love open doors of possibilities. People have time for little else when in love. A true lover tries not to hurt his/her love one because he will also suffer, their hearts are connected. They have a true concord of hearts. They don’t let anything or anyone get in between them. They face all situations together (as a strong team). They don’t take any chances going against each other’s will by fear of causing each other unnecessary heartaches. Love also usually causes a longing to be alone together, and to keep all negative influences away from the circle and that is why newly weds often go in seclusion in an away place (called honeymoon).

When was the las time you spend quality time with God? You confess your love, you go to church and that is about it. You don’t long for His presence unless you are in trouble. Do you really love God? How come all of your thoughts don’t direct to Him? How come your spiritual life is non existent? I will give you credit for being religious but where is your spirituality? How come it is not apparent to anyone? It is true that you love for God is private, but God didn’t keep His love for you a secret. His Son Jesus died a public and humiliating death on a cross between two criminals just for you. How much attention do you pay to the word of the one you claim to love? Why is it so easy for you to break His commandments and go against His will? Why is it so hard for you to repent when you act in ways that grieve His heart? Why does it take so long to come home after you have been away for a while? In typical loving relationship, there is always a celebration when the lover who was away finally comes home. The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 describes the celebration awaiting those who decide to come back home, in the arms of the Loving Heavenly Father. You have nothing to fear, you can come home anytime, why not today? You need to go on your honeymoon with God to re-discover His love and to make the appropriate decision: are you going to serve Him with all of your heart and represent Him well in all that you do or are you going to continue to slack off?

Go on your honeymoon with God and let your heart and soul discover the passion, the fire that you felt during the days following your salvation. God has not changed He still loves you unconditionally. Will you embrace His love? Will you finally come home? I pray that you find the courage to do so.

Praise the Lord!

Be Strong!

Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power. Ephesians 6:10

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We are faced with a series of battles in this life. To be victorious, one must be strong. Victory is for the strong. Today is not a day for weakness. Our God lives! Go deep inside yourself to find your greatest strength (The Holy Spirit inside you). But, what does that mean to be strong in the Lord? Many times we fall because we really haven't learned that to be strong means to be aware of how weak we are. We are only strong through Christ. We cannot face our battles alone for that the battles that are fought are battles that we in ourselves cannot fight, but rather, by clinging to the Word of God, and resting in Him, we know that the battle is already won on Calvary some 2000 years ago. His Word has so many promises, and we know God will never break a promise. He is the Promise Keeper.

We must learn to trust Him completely, because He knows and understands all that will happen to us. He has promised to be our refuge and we are not to be afraid, no matter the circumstances or those involved. As we grow in faith and trust in Him we are often challenged to the very depths of our spirit, and are called to stand firm in that faith and trust. Be strengthened by the Lord. The above scripture tells us to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." Being strengthened by the Lord is much simpler than being strong. We all know how to be strengthened by the Lord; we are strengthened through the Means of Grace through faith. When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ, we are strengthened and putting on the whole armor of God. Putting on the armor of God is the same as being clothed with Christ. It is not something that we do after being saved; it is part of being saved. Not only are we clothed with Christ's purity, but we are surrounded and protected by his strength as well. When we become adopted sons of God we are clothed with the Christ's righteousness and protected by Christ's Strength.

Christ has won the victory through His death and resurrection. He has overcome the world. When we trust in the Lord and in His mighty power, we believe in this work of redemption. We are powerful in that we are in Christ by faith. As we look to Him, we cannot fall for He is "able to keep us from falling. Being strong in the Lord means to allow God to be the power in your life. It is not to "get" God's power and use it for yourself. We are not to be the one using God's power. It is God who is the power and only He can use it wisely, justly and victoriously.

Praise the Lord!

Don't you ever Give up.......

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

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Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born famous actress. She once said, “If you have made mistakes there is always another chance, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.”

When adversity comes, our first reaction is to give up, roll under a rock because it is such an easy choice but anyone who grew up with step parents would tell you that is not the smartest to do. If you have to crawl under a rock, you might as well be dead. You have to keep fighting. Besides, the word of God urges us not to give up for God is on your side. “The battle is the Lord” 1 Samuel 17:47

Like many before us, we are face with challenges that we cannot begin to understand but we have to accept them by faith and turning them over to the Lord. We cannot let our situations keep us from trusting God. It is in our adversity that we will see the glory of God. Our Father wants to do great things for us. He wants to shows us His power but we have to trust Him.

Most people use the word “trust” without fully understand its meaning. Trust incorporates many things from knowing God’s will to not understand His decisions, to completely rely on His wisdom and His unconditional love for us. When adversity come you don’t wait to die, you call on the Lord, you get in the word and claim victory in Jesus name. You certainly cannot give up. God always has a reason for the things He allows in our lives. He is preparing us for a future, which He alone knows. We accept by faith that everything happens in our lives for His glory. We cannot allow the setbacks we encounter to get us down, we should instead learn from everyday life as well as the inspired scriptures that success only comes through perseverance, by keeping on and getting up each time we are knocked down. We must learn to persevere.

When trouble comes, just imagine yourself sitting on your father’s lap and tell Him everything. Unlike your earthly father, God will listen. He will not get tired of you, nor will be upset if you call on him in the middle of the night. I promise He will listen. He is the God in the daytime and the nighttime. He is a reliable father, nothing is more important to Him than your well-being. You can count on Him and you can talk to Him anytime.

Let’s pray together: Father God, thank you for your promise to never leave us alone. Thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ to die for us, and it is in His name that we pray that you will teach us to trust you and to love you. Help us learn to turn to you in time of trouble. Don’t let worry and fear take us away from your good plan for our lives. Help us hang on and never give up. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen.

Praise the Lord!

God of Possibilities......

I shall be with you," the LORD said to him, "and you will cut down Midian to the last man." Judges 6:16

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You may already know the story. God wanted to use Gideon for something great God wanted to use him to deliver the Israelites from the power of Midian), so He appeared to him and share the news with him, but Gideon did not embrace the news. He made many excuses instead, even though he already knew the glory and the power of God. They were just brought out of Egypt, He was still afraid to go, then The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I who send you." His reply was: "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel? My family is the meanest in Manasseh, and I am the most insignificant in my father's house". Again, God said go, I will be with you, but Gideon replied, if you are with us why are we going through so much? (Remember the Israelites were under the power of Midian for seven years by then). Again God say go. Does this story sound familiar? What has God call you to do? What other source of courage do you need? Who else do you need when you have the protection of the Almighty?

The problem with Christians today is that they don’t seem to understand that going through is part of the process. God did not promise that they wouldn’t go through stuff. He promised that He will be with them through it all. God promised victory, but Christians don’t want to endure. They don’t want to be soldiers in the army of the Lord Jesus Christ. They all want to go to heaven, but they want to go our way. They want to have victory on earth but unwilling to fight. They just want to live an uneventful/boring time on earth. Victory is for fighters. I can relate to why people don’t want to fight because most of the time they don’t know the outcome, but we have the promises of God to be with us. He already told us the outcome. We have the victory, the battle is won. We have the Almighty on our side. Glory to God!

Friend, trouble is going to come your way, it’s inevitable, but you are a child of promise. You have to learn to believe God’s Word. At one point or another (hopefully today) you have to start trusting Him. You have to take a step forward. you must not and cannot remain baby Christian forever. You have to grow in godliness. At one point or another, you must decide to take God seriously. Take Him at His word. Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1:12). God is looking for people who know His Word and live by it. He is waiting to execute. He is longing to give you the victory but you are not working the Word.

Friend, you have the victory in Jesus name, no matter what it looks like, no matter the situation you are facing this morning. You don’t have a job? Your spouse walked out? You’re having trouble conceiving a child? You can’t seem to find the right mate? Your love ones are not saved? Are you sick in your body? The doctor refuses to make eye contact because he knows that the situation is dangerous? But friend I am telling you it’s not over until God says it is so, Glory! Friend experience God to the fullest. Put His word to work and you will know a life of possibility, a life without limit: a victorious life. You are serving a God who can do anything but fail. You are serving The God of possibilities.

“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Praise the Lord!

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 a 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, and 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 meet 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!

You Have it All

Then 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.”

Psalm 73 proves that David 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. What good is money? What good is power? What good is a great relationship? What good is any of it when the sun goes down? 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!

Put your Faith to Work

“Jesus said to her; take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well” Matthew 9:22

I have been thinking about the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years in Matthew 9. I have been thinking all day about how big her faith had to be. Women were to stay away for many days during certain days of the month but that woman had been suffering from hemorrhages for many years and yet she didn’t care what anybody thoughts. She came out and had the nerves to try to touch Jesus. She didn’t let obstacles get in the way of her healing. I picture her, frail and pale fighting her way through the crowd and then through the disciples to make her way toward Christ.

Jesus most likely didn’t make the decision to work on her that day. If she didn’t make the decision to be healed, she wouldn’t have received her miracle. She made it happen. She took her faith and drew on the power of God. That's why Jesus said, "Daughter, your faith has made you well" (Matt. 9:22).

Three very important things happened: She believed in her heart that Jesus would heal her. Then she spoke her faith out loud. Then she acted on that faith by leaving her comfort zone, her house and tries to seek Christ’s presence and then she received her miracle.

Lots of people try to skip the steps of working hard when they need a miracle. They don’t want to pray, go through the test of waiting. They want to snap a finger by believing it in their heart and get what they need. In reality, when you need a miracle, you got to believe it in your heart, then say with our mouth that we receive it before we can actually receive it.

Are you in need of a miracle today? Maybe it’s not healing. It could be any other need. Jesus wants to help you but you must start by simply believing what God's Word says concerning your area of need, and let that Word change your heart and mind. You have to build your faith up. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17); so start filling the ears of your heart with the Word until faith for your miracle is born. Find everything you can possibly find in the Bible concerning your area of need and then expect your miracle. The Bible say God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Malachi 3:6, Hebrew 13:8). There’s no need to doubt. He already done this, he will do it again, just put your trust in Him. Draw His power.

Yes, you can! Yes you can! Yes you can! You've already received a miracle, when you made Jesus the Lord of your life; you believed, confessed and received the greatest miracle in the universe, the miracle of a reborn spirit. Every other miracle you receive will come in exactly the same manner. God will come through for you. He always does and it does not matter what anybody thinks, does, or says. It does not matter what the situation looks like, you just have to stand on the Word of God, keep praying and receive your miracle.

Praise the Lord!

Weapons of our Warfare

The Word of God (#1)

My son, pay attention to my words, Open your ears to what I say. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart, because they are life to those who find them and they heal the whole body. Proverbs 4:20-22

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God's Word is the highest authority. When you place it higher than anything else, your success in life is guaranteed. God is able to keep you from falling into sin but you must submit to His Word. You have to trust God and allow Him to protect you and keep you out of trouble. You have to do your part. Over and over God commands us to read and meditate, He knew that there would be terrible time ahead and the word of God is our strength. The only sure way to rebuke the devil is with the word of God. He was also tempted. Jesus overcame this temptation. He did not yield to Satan’s subtle deception. Jesus responded with God’s Word. The way to fight Satan, when he speaks to us and tempts us in our thoughts, through our flesh, or in our emotions, is by using God’s Word. Jesus said, it is written, THAT MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD (Luke 4:4). Quoting God's Word to Satan caused him to cease this temptation and go on to another. His Word tells every born-again Christian how to live. We are to live by the word of God. We are to live by the Bible. Jesus is our example, consider, He WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED/TESTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN (Heb 4:15) . You can also do it: “I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

People say that it is too hard to resist temptation, and I say you can do this. Jesus was tempted while He was on the cross. Satan asked Him to (through one of the thief) come down from the cross and people would believe if he’d do so. Jesus came so that people would believe in Him. How tempting was that! And what a horrifying thought! If He escaped the cross both you and I would be lost forever. Thank God no temptation could move Jesus to disobey the will of His Father in heaven. In order to be effective in our warfare, you and I must know how to use the Word effectively. It is when, (through) much study and meditation on the Word of God, that word comes to live in us, and consume our thoughts, dwell in our heart, that we will be strong in the Lord. Jesus promised that if we abide in Him, and His Word abides in us, we will ask what we desire, and it will be done for us (John 15:7). This will include victory over Satan tricks.

When you are battling temptation, you can wisely choose to use the weapon God has given you. That weapon is His Word. He has given us a whole arsenal of weapons in His Word. God’s Word says His weapons are Mighty to the pulling down of Strongholds. He has given us a Sword of the spirit (His Word) A Shield of faith (His Word) The Name and the Blood of Jesus, and Authority over the devil.

Praise the Lord!

Good Bye or Good Night?

O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? 1 Corinthians 15:55

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Well known piece of prose but how many know that it’s biblical verse and not a piece of Shakespeare? Death is a very distressing and painful emotion that must happen to all of us at some point (Hebrews 9:27- it is appointed unto man to die but once and then the judgment)- very poignant words….the $64,000 question is: what will happen to YOU when you die? Will it be waking up to everlasting glory in the midst of other much loved Christian friends and family already passed on or will it be a final farewell and wretched dispatch to everlasting torment with weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12) in total darkness (isolation) and eternal separation from the once very accessible Loving God?

You see the part a lot of misguided philosophers put forward is correct-Yes, He is an all loving, all forgiving, all merciful God (Deuteronomy 4:31), slow to anger and quick to forgive (Jonah 4:2), BUT what they don’t tell you, an unknowingly self-destructing sinful audience (Hosea 4:6-my people perish for lack of knowledge) is that He is also a perfectly just God who has set aside a day of judgment not based upon how good you were, how many times you went to church or whether you believe in Him or followed any other “true” religion. No. It will be based solely on your relationship with His son Jesus Christ (John 14:6-No man cometh unto the father except thru me -Jesus); and whether you truly followed His teachings to the very end despite the many persecutions and temptations of this world (Galatians 6:7-do not be deceived, God is not mocked; 1 Samuel 16:7-God looks at a man’s heart). Your earthly achievements will do you no good or hold no sway in this heavenly court!!! (Isaiah 64:6-Your righteous acts are like filthy rags before me).

UNCOMFORTABLE? Good, you should be…I was. But do not despair. Our Almighty Loving God (Our Father) has provided a way out. In fact, He loves us so much that He sent His only begotten son (Jesus Christ) to suffer and then die on the cross of Calvary whilst carrying ALL our sins and infirmities. (Praise the Lord!)

By rising on the third day from the dead, Jesus paid the debt we owed (in full) due to our original sinful nature. He has bridged that enormous gap between God and us. The good news is that the sin-debt has been paid off and that anyone that believes in Jesus is SAVED. Ephesians 2:8 says that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Accepting Him today as your Lord and Savior no matter where you have been or what you have done places you on the right side of judgment and your name in the Lamb’s (Jesus) book of life and us sinners receiving grace and mercy; God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Mercy being us receiving what we don’t deserve (Total love and access to God’s kingdom), and NOT RECEIVING what we do deserve (eternal condemnation/punishment and separation from God). Now that’s perfect unconditional Love in action!!!

Jesus said “Behold I knock on the door (of your heart)….he who opens, I will come in and eat with him and he with me”, Revelation 3:20. All are invited to the banquet, NONE are rejected! Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me, I will in no wise way cast out (turn away)”There is only one way to God (heaven) and that is by being born again, following the footsteps and teachings of Jesus Christ the Messiah (savior). In John 3:3 Jesus says “unless a man be born again (of water and the Spirit), he cannot see the kingdom of God”.

Friend, find a proper/true Bible based church that teaches the unchanging, UNCOMPROMISING Word of God and then avoid conforming to the ways of this sinful world. Release God’s never ending forgiveness and love into your life. DO IT NOW before it becomes too late. There is no repentance in the grave; it is simply a one way ticket. Question is which way will you be going? Make the right choice.

Now will that be Goodnight or Goodbye then?

Praise the Lord!

Walking through the Darkest Valley……

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:4

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No matter how much believers claim to trust God, they do not want to suffer. Some Christians assumed that life is to be uneventful and everything is supposed to be rosy on a daily basis. Christians seem to get caught by surprise when tragedy strikes. They actually believe they have an innate right to happiness and fulfillment and a life without difficulties but Christ never promised an easy life. Did He? Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24.

There are dangers attached to assuming that suffering, grief and other challenges should not be part of the Christians life, They may find themselves dwelling in self pity as they look at others, their conflict free relationships, their beautiful families, their beauty, their health, their success, their wealth, and compare their suffering to their apparent blissful life. In the assumption that they should not suffer, they may find themselves caught in the sins of resentment, envy, jealousy and bitterness.

Friends, suffering is a place of walking through sometimes,(it may last a long while). Suffering is a normal part of life on this earth. I cannot stress this enough: Grief is and will be always be part of the Christians journey on this earth. The believer’s life will include trials and difficulties. As you all know, sometimes problems remain unsolved for a long period of time because sometimes it takes quite a long time to get our life in order. I firmly believe the word walk in the above scripture is used to teach us that we have to pace ourselves. The valley of the shadow of death is a place of careful walking. We tend to want to run through our sufferings. We do not like to endure.

I have learned that coming out of grief takes time. Not all people walk at the same pace. I have noticed that some know where they are going and walk fast and confidently and seem to transition easily while others walk hesitantly and tend to dwell a bit longer in the wilderness. The promise of scripture is that our Good Shepherd, will be with us as we walk. Glory! He will guard our steps and strengthened us, He will journey with us even through our unsolved problems, and he will bring us to that new green pasture. He will prepare a table before us, even in the presence of our enemies. The only way to glory is through suffering. The only way to the table before us for Christ was through suffering and as we take a step, He will be with us.

And Father how grateful I am for your love! Thank you for being with me as I pass through my darkest valley. Thank you for your son Jesus Christ my Good Shepherd and thank you for the strength to remain faithful to you in my valley. I praise you. I adore you for only you are Holy. Only you are worthy and only you are God. Amen!

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 prepares 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!