Keep your eyes on Christ...

Jesus told them, "It's me. Don't be afraid!" John 6:20

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After feeding the five thousand, Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Few hours later in the night, the disciples encounter a storm. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water and this terrifies the disciples and they think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus tells them "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

I have been meditating on this passage for 2 days now, the disciples witnessed how Jesus fed 5000 people and yet they were terrified when the storm came and even more terrified when they saw Him coming toward them, walking on the water. The touching part for me is the fact that Jesus lovingly told them "It is I, don't be afraid," He could have been so upset for their lack of faith because just hours earlier He fed many with just a little and they were all present.

This morning what is it you are going through (yet again)? Are you terrified? The real question is, didn't God deliver you last year? He will do it again. Glory! This situation here is not new, it's just taking another form but the good news is God is able, yes He is. He is greater than all of your obstacles, your lacks, your challenges, your heartaches and your pain and your hopes and dreams put together. He can, and He will take you (victoriously) out of trouble if you would just trust Him (believe completely/ no doubt). When you trust the Lord you will win. Why did Peter sink? He saw Jesus walked on the water and as long as Peter kept his eyes on the LORD, Peter stayed afloat. It was when Peter got his eyes off of the LORD and on to the waves beneath him that he sank.

The lesson for you today is that your faith must be rooted in Christ and you must not allow yourself to be distracted by life's circumstances. I don't care how terrifying and/or hopeless it seems. Christ didn't die just to watch you perish hopelessly. He is still the answer to all of your trouble. Call on His name, invite Him in and He will deliver you once again. When Jesus has control over the situation. The wind and turmoil of the waves obeyed Him. As a born again believer, if you keep your eyes on the LORD rather than the situation that threatens to overpower your life, you will be able to walk through the waves with confidence in Christ's ability to bring you peace. The word of God in 1 Corinthians 10:13 assure us that there is nothing that can happen to the believer outside God's control.

It is my belief is that Jesus walks on water to assure us that the invisible realities of faith in Christ are victorious over the visible threats of this world regardless of the form they may take (financial, physical and spiritual challenges). Christ is the answer. Focus on Jesus and walk victoriously out of your trouble.

Praise the Lord!

Don't Be Afraid To Change.....

Ah Lord Yahweh! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you? Jeremiah 32:17

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My greatest obstacles in life always resulted from resisting God’s attempt to solve my problems. Typically, I would do what non-believers do when faced with difficulties: I would first worry about it, then I would discuss it with a person I trust following by my obsession about the many ways to work it out myself and finally I would turn it over to God, but only after trying and failing until I arrive to my wit’s end. So I trusted God to help me only when I got desperate. What a fool I was! I got in a lot of trouble and experience multiple heart breaks. The wise man knows to turn to God at first sign of trouble. I always knew that God can do anything and I knew then that he wanted to help me, but I never gave him a chance. I wanted to deliver myself and give myself the glory. I have seen God moved in my life and have learned that nothing is impossible to him, but I still I constantly worried until I realized that if I was going to get my prayers answered, I would need to change tactic and attitude. I decided to put my pride aside and trusted God. I now know for certain that there is no obstacle too great, no barrier too imposing to be leveled, no wall too thick to get through. My Dear friend, there is nothing too hard for God. Got any rivers you think are too deep? Got any mountains you think are too high and can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible. He does the things others cannot do. He enjoys carrying the crosses you cannot bear. You will not be a burden, just come to Him.

Friend, you have to have faith in God. Faith is not wishful thinking or denial. Faith is based on knowledge of the written Word of God that cannot fail or return void. Living by faith is active belief and trust in God and his Word. God is its source and sustainer. The gift starts with God. It enables us to repent and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (public/humiliating death on Calvary) as payment for our sins. This marks our point of transition/conversion. Faith then grows. It is nurtured by the Christian experience. Trust in Christ increases with experience. The more we see that God is dependable and of great mercy, the stronger our faith in him becomes and that is why it is so important to attend a Bible believing church, and be among people who trust God. It is okay to leave a church you attended all your life and your parents were founding members if it’s not helping you faith-walk. You know if you not growing as a Christian. You would know in your heart if you need a new assembly. Your spiritual growth has a lot to do with your environment. You need to surround yourself with Bible believing people. Loyalty is a great thing and I am a big fan, but I am a die-hard/radical fan of God and I am proud to be God follower. It is time to stop being man-follower. It is okay to change. Don’t let a sense of misguided loyalty keeps you from being the kind of Christian God call you to be and the kind of believer you ought to be. Let God lead you in ending all improper relationships, stop following those who will leave you behind and embrace God’s truth. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). All power is His. He is the living God. There is no limit to what God can do for you if you trust him. Nothing is impossible to The Almighty God. Don't be afraid of change. Stop doing the same all things without results. Let go and let God.

Praise the Lord!

Support Each Other

Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13

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The above scripture says that when we all come together in the unity of the faith, we'll have "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." In other words, when the Body of Christ comes together and begins to act as one, we'll have the Holy Spirit without measure just like Jesus did! We'll begin to see ministries functioning in the fullness of their callings. We'll begin to see manifestations of the Holy Spirit in full measure. We'll see Jesus in fullness as we've never seen Him before. We will be able to do the things Jesus did when He lives among us as a man. Praise God!

Organizations of today are using teams because they understand the power of coming together. Schools are using teams as well. They know the benefits of coming together for a common goal. Together we can reach heights that would be almost impossible alone. Let's help each other. Let's pray for our neighbors and friends. Step into that oneness today. Start today by making a daily effort to make yourself available to God to pray for others. Make yourself available to someone who needs you. Once we truly join together in faith, we will overcome the world and no evil force in the world will be able to overcome us. We'll march right over them in the fullness of the power of Christ Jesus and bring this generation to a glorious close. How exciting it will be! Praise the Lord.

Some of us have focused on ourselves since birth; it's always been all about us. Take a step of faith today and reach out to someone else and you will experience fulfillment you never thought possible.

Pray for someone at your church who's been battling an illness. Be an intercessor. The person does not even have to know. Diabetes, Cancer and High Blood pressure are ravaging our community, declare war against them by praying and exercise with someone. Implement a fitness program. Do not wait until a family member is affected. Together we can make a difference. There is power in agreement in the body of Christ. Start using your power and you will prosper, your church will prosper, and your neighborhood will prosper. Sickness, diseases and poverty would have to go away glory to God!

Help each other and watch the world change!

Be strong, be fortified and be determined, go win the world for Christ!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 63 (New International Version)

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

9 They who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.

10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Praise the Lord!

I Will Praise the Lord!

I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Support Each Other

Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13

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The above scripture says that when we all come together in the unity of the faith, we'll have "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." In other words, when the Body of Christ comes together and begins to act as one, we'll have the Holy Spirit without measure just like Jesus did! We'll begin to see ministries functioning in the fullness of their callings. We'll begin to see manifestations of the Holy Spirit in full measure. We'll see Jesus in fullness as we've never seen Him before. We will be able to do the things Jesus did when He lives among us as a man. Praise God!

Organizations of today are using teams because they understand the power of coming together. Schools are using teams as well. They know the benefits of coming together for a common goal. Together we can reach heights that would be almost impossible alone. Let's help each other. Let's pray for our neighbors and friends. Step into that oneness today. Start today by making a daily effort to make yourself available to God to pray for others. Make yourself available to someone who needs you. Once we truly join together in faith, we will overcome the world and no evil force in the world will be able to overcome us. We'll march right over them in the fullness of the power of Christ Jesus and bring this generation to a glorious close. How exciting it will be! Praise the Lord.

Some of us have focused on ourselves since birth; it's always been all about us. Take a step of faith today and reach out to someone else and you will experience fulfillment you never thought possible.

Pray for someone at your church who's been battling an illness. Be an intercessor. The person does not even have to know. Diabetes, Cancer and High Blood pressure are ravaging our community, declare war against them by praying and exercise with someone. Implement a fitness program. Do not wait until a family member is affected. Together we can make a difference. There is power in agreement in the body of Christ. Start using your power and you will prosper, your church will prosper, and your neighborhood will prosper. Sickness, diseases and poverty would have to go away glory to God!

Help each other and watch the world change!

Be strong, be fortified and be determined, go win the world for Christ!

Praise the Lord!

Spirit Filled

Be filled with The Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

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Some Christians do not understand what Being Spirit filled is all about. It is centered on the Word of God. The command “Be filled with the Spirit” is the same as “Let the word of Christ dwell in you.” When one is filled with the Spirit, one will also be with the word of God. A person who does not read the word of God cannot be spirit filled. The person who is filled with the Holy Spirit is the person in whom Jesus Christ dwells as Lord. The Holy Spirit always points to and glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, never himself. He works in concurrence with Christ. One does not need to broadcast being spirit filled. The beauty of being filled is the fact that it brings fruits. It manifests itself by showing its fruits. Jesus said if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 37-38 and verse 39 denotes that Jesus was making reference to the Holy Spirit. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him while he was in the desert (Luke 4:1) and what happened with Jesus is exactly what God does in our lives.

Why is it important to be spirit-filled? As Christians we are under the authority of the king of kings, Jesus Christ, which means we are to be submissive to His commands. Everyone who is Spirit-filled will learn to submit because this command is for everyone. Sin is what separates us from the filling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God is how the filling of the Spirit is maintained. Keeping us in line is one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit. Although our focus should be to be filled as Ephesians 5:18 commands, praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit is not what accomplishes the filling of the Spirit. Only our obedience to God's commands allows the Spirit freedom to work within us. Because we are sinful creatures, it is impossible to be filled with the Spirit all of the time. We have the responsibility to immediately deal with sin in our lives, and renew our commitment to being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. All Christians have receives the Holy Spirit at time of salvation. You may not recognize it but whenever you are filled joy, hope and peace, you were filled with the Spirit. Nobody stays full of the Spirit all the time and no one is always totally happy and under complete submission but it should be all believers goal, and being filled with the Spirit is something you choose to ask God for. Ask for God's spirit. Remember, "Ask and it shall be given unto you." (Matthew 7:7

As a follower of Christ you represent love and happiness and pure/complete joy. Christians should be the happiest and hopeful people on the face of the earth because we serve the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God. He has given us His best, His son Jesus Christ. On the day of salvation (when we invite Christ to come to our lives) the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us and He never leaves. If you already been filled with the Spirit than don’t be afraid to share it with others through prayers. Become an aggressive giver. Let the light in you shine. Let God's lobe be expressed through you.

Praise the Lord!

It is Time to Get Serious

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

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We are living in a dangerous time. The world is facing a period not seen in recent history. We have many nations at war simultaneously. Young people full of promise are dying all over the globe. It is not my wish to frighten you this morning, but I want you to feel a sense of urgency in aligning your life with God 's purpose. You no longer have time to play around. It is time to get serious. Our mission as God chosen people, is to be holy, forgiving, compassionate, humble and patient in dealing with others. Some Christians do not even say good morning anymore and when greeted, they walking around repeating "bless and highly favored" as though it was a joke. It just does not sound real to me. I think they are doing so to be deceitful. To make others believe that they are sanctify. We don't have to walk around quoting Bible verses and repeating how blessed we really are. We must be too busy to play those games. It must be about the Father's business. We need to start ministering to our family, friends, co-workers and neighbors with our way of life. We shouldn't have to tell anyone that we are believers. They should be able to tell by our actions. Our lives should be the testimonies, and our lives should be the reasons people want to come to Christ. Amen!

Christians ought to live victorious lives. You and I have to stop living a life of defeat. In order to accomplish that you and I have to turn our back from recurring sins by asking the Holy Spirit for help. Let us get to the next level. We are saved for a purpose. We are blessed to be a blessing. Friend, Don't sit on your inheritance. Let us get serious with kingdom work. no time to sit around and play games. You and I have the obligation to let people know that in this world of uncertainty, Jesus is the sure thing. Jesus is the hope of this world. He is the only answer. Let people know that suffering is temporary. Jesus has paid the price for their salvation. The work is done. It is not about us. It is about kingdom work.

Today you need to ask God to help you prepare for you ministry life. You need to ask Him for strength to go into your world and proclaim His goodness, mercy and grace to this suffering and dying world. You have a job to do as a believer. You have to carry Jesus light into the darkness of this life. It has never been more urgent. It is time to get serious and embrace your destiny as a beloved child of God. It's time to start giving a little since you have already received ( a lot) eternal life. Don't be self-fish, share with your neighbors and friends the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by your actions (not empty words) and be blessed!

Praise the Lord!

God is Enough

and God's Comfort is Enough

When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul. Psalm 94:19


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There is a rest remaining for the people of God through the days of their adversity, which shall not last always. I thought about the psalmist often when I was growing up and I wondered how his faith could remain strong through all adversities. Surely he never had to go through the difficulties of living in today's world. The psalmist had many troubled thoughts concerning the cases he was in, concerning the course he should take, and what was likely to be the end of it. But you see, thinking of him was the wrong approach. I should have been focusing on God whose word remains valid to all eternity.


God promises to be with us every day of our lives and this is a promise He keeps, just like all of the others. If He is with us every day, then he is certainly present in our time of needs, amen. All we have to do is lie still in his arm like an infant in his mother's restful arms. One of my sisters recently had another baby two weeks ago, I visited last Friday and the baby was crying continuously. I called my sister over and as she was reaching for him, he had already stopped crying because the baby can already identify his mother's comfort. But some us are in our 20's, 30's 50's even and still don't know how to rest in our loving father's arm. In times of trouble His mercy and grace holds us up (psalm 94:18). We may and should trust him to carry us through the dark days of our lives.

God is faithful my friend. It is against His nature to lie. He promised to be with you and He is. Call on His name in your time of needs and your joyful days. Invite Him in. Allow Him to interfere in your daily dealings, for only He can provide the comfort you need. You may not have a spouse or a family to help you through life but you are not alone. God love is indeed sufficient. My dearest wish is that you experience God's love to the fullest.

Praise the Lord!

Man/Woman of your Word!

Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37

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You say "yes" but your action is telling me "no", which one is it? Finding out that someone you love and trust did not keep a promise or is a liar is very hurtful and and difficult realization. Jesus calls those who would be His followers to live according to God's will. They must always do the right thing even when no body's watching. They must pursue God's interest rather than their own. People of the kingdom live for God, not for themselves. Your love for God ought to make you treat others with respect. I need to be able to see God in you. In that context, God wants us to resemble Him in every way. He wants His people to be men/women of conviction, and that is why He ordered us to let our "Yes" be "Yes" and our "No", No. 1 Peter 3:10 also warns us against lying "For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit".

Why can't Christians be truthful? Jesus addressed the issue of honesty and truthfulness thoroughly in His sermon reported on Matthew chapter 5. What does it mean to be true to one's word? To be true to oneself and to others requires character. Unfortunately even Christians fail miserably at it. Those of us who have been in loving relationship with Christ know what a real loving relationship should be like and it i sad when we don't recognize any of Christ's characteristics in those who claim to care about us. Truth and honesty shouldn't be hard to us because God, our father is the source of all truth and there is nothing false or deceitful in him. Jesus told his disciples that the truth will make you free (John 8:32). We are His disciples; we should live our lives according to it and be faithful witnesses of the truth. As disciple, your word is more important than anything you can put on paper, more binding than any legal contract. Christ's disciples must speak truthfully without "stretching" the truth.

Jesus always told the truth, the Bible describes him as the "faithful and true witness" (Rev. 3:14), and He calls himself "the truth" (John 14:6). Jesus condemns lying because it goes against the word of God, but He rewards obedience, Proverbs 3 1-2, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity". Moses, Abraham and many more early believers used to obey without understanding. God expects, and deserves, the same kind of obedience from us today. Christians should be willing to say, as did the lady reported in Joshua 2:21, "According unto your words, so be it". Those of you reading this today ought to follow her example in repentance, obedience, and service.

Let us take a stand for righteousness. Let us make an effort to be man/woman of our word. Let us make an effort to treat people with dignity and respect. Let us tell the truth no matter the cost. Let us not inflict emotional pain on those we claim to love, if not for our sake but for Christ; after all, it is not about us, bit it is about Jesus.

Be a man/woman of your word and be blessed.

Praise the Lord!

Not so Fast! My Body is a Temple

Keep on running away from sexual immorality. Any other sin that a person commits is outside his body, but the person who sins sexually sins against his own body. Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, because you were bought for a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

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Here’s what the dictionary has to say about temple: Having within it a divine presence, a place reserved for a highly valued function and a place dedicated to worship. Doesn't it make sense that a divine presence resides within your body? Look at yourself, aren’t you fabulous? God created us perfectly. We are the best part of the creation. We were created to God’s image. He loves us that much. We have to also respect our bodies by keeping fit and eating right.

We meditated last month on the power of the Holy Spirit and we were reminded that He lives within us. And because He is always present (from the moment of salvation) The Holy Spirit knows you and I pretty well. The Holy Spirit is with us where ever we go and whatever we do He sees. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows our sinful acts and our holy deeds. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He is not just hanging out with us? He is watching over us. He is making sure that we don’t fall for the same old tricks His main purpose is to build us up in the body of Christ to the glory of God. The Holy Spirit is busy handling His many functions:

He is a gift that gives gifts 1 Cor. 12:3-1
He comforts (John 14:16-26).
He baptizes (Acts 2:17-41).
He sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).
He indwells (Rom. 8:11).
He regenerates (John 3:3-5).
He empowers (Micah 3:8).
He gives joy (Rom. 14:17).
He gives discernment (1 Cor. 2:10-16).
He anoints (1 John 2:27).
He bears fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Because your body is a temple, you have the responsibility to care for it. The spirit of God lives within you my friend. I don’t know your life but you do. What is the condition of your temple? Do you do drugs? Do you smoke or drink alcohol? Or are you one of those people who struggle with sexual immorality? It doesn’t really matter what your situation is, it can be turned around. Your body needs to remain a place where God, Jesus, and the Spirit can reside. It is a place of prayer. Perhaps you are in need of a "spring cleaning" (rededication/recommit) or you need a major cleaning (salvation). Either way, I know someone who specializes is complete temple make over (body and soul). He is an expert when it comes to temple cleansing. His name is Jesus Christ and if your temple needs a make over, then look no further. He alone can provide the cleansing you need. He gave His life for your salvation. It is not too late to turn your life around. It is time to stop destroying the temple of God. Surrender your body to the Lord and start glorify God in you daily life and be blessed.

Praise the Lord!

The God Who Can.....

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

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Now those were Jesus words Himself and yet Christians still struggle with the omnipotence of God. I think it is because they tend to forget who they are addressing when praying. Friend, You need to keep in mind that when praying, you are communicating with:

. The Creator of heaven and earth
. The One who separated the Red Sea
. The One who rescued Daniel from the lions' pit.
. The One who gave a David victory over Goliath the giant
. The One who gave Sara a child in her old age.
. The One who rose up Joshua and the Hebrew armies to take the land of Canaan.
. The One who brought down the walls of Jericho. Glory!

Think for a moment: If God sent His son to die for you, then what wouldn't He do for you?
So the world seems against you. The devil declares war in your marriage, and in your relationships. So you're unable to find a job, you are sick in your body, you are struggling with sins, your love ones are battling addictions. War is raging all around you. There are all sorts of struggles, and on the inside, you battling against pride, anger, lust, greed, rejection and various wants and needs. As a Christian, what do you do when life is coming down on you hard, when all the doors seem to be closed? When you are in distress, worried or hurt? How do you fight temptation and face your giant? The answer is simply the word of God. You need to get into the word. You need to release your faith and watch God work. The Bible is filled with countless stories of victory and deliverance. God has not changed. "For I am the Lord, I am unchanged; and so you, O sons of Jacob, have not been cut off" (Malachi 3:6). He is still reigning, He will do for you what He has done for many. When trouble arises refuse to fear and don't give in. Go to the Lord in prayers, and praise and receive your miracle. Pride is the cause of Christian's weakness. We want to work and let God help a little when the reality is that we must come to Him, helpless and humble, to let Him work.

Surrender totally to God. Remain at His feet when life gets tough. Live in obedience; trust that God is able and willing. Keep praying and believing in His omnipotence and His undeniable love and the answer to your prayers will come, and like Abraham, David, Daniel and many more you will become strong in faith, giving glory to God, because you trusted Him and He didn't let you down.

I don't know what your mountain/giant is today, but I can assure you that the Omnipotent God can and will bring it down, for what is impossible to man, is possible to Him. He is the only living God!

Praise the Lord!

IT DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER……

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

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Every day should be a celebration of life. This is not just another 24 hours. You are not awake by accident. God preordained this day just for you. Begin every day with this affirmation of faith: "This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). People don’t enjoy each day because they are worrying about yesterday and tomorrow. The truth is yesterday is gone forever and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Friend, we only have today so let us make the best of it. Expect the unexpected. Expect something great to happen today. Expect favor of man and expect favor of God. Confess to yourself that “Disappointments of yesterday and worries of tomorrow have no place in my today”. In fact, don’t wait for something good to happen. Make something good happen instead. Call a sick friend and pray together. Take a child to the park. Invite a friend to lunch. Walk up to your aged neighbor’s door and offer to do the laundry, read a book or mow the lawn. Take the lonely couple down the block for a walk or offer to take their pet for a walk. You will be amazed at the results.

Trust me when I tell you that doing something for others brings much joy, and there is nothing more unfortunate than a miss opportunity. I was at the grocery store a while back and there was a lady before the young man in front of me. As soon as I approached the cash register the Spirit of God came upon me and told me to pay for her groceries. I was running late for work. I just stopped by to get my yogurt and I was in no mood to spend more than I planned. I justified it to myself by saying “God knows I don’t have much myself.” Besides, I was embarrassed to interfere. So I looked away as the cashier and the lady continued their animated discussion. I over heard the lady saying that she really needed the food for lunch and the cashier repeatedly said she could not pay for “hot food” with her EBT card. The card is for groceries and not for food from the deli section of the store. The total was $2.05. When I finally decided to intervene and make eye contact the lady was gone. I immediately felt intense sadness and remorse. I ran outside and looked up and down but the lady was nowhere to be found. I spent the entire day trying to make up for it. I even purchased treats for my students and my co-workers, but nothing can make up for the miss opportunity. Friend, God should be able to count on us to carry out His Will. We should be excited about life, about giving and serving. We are never more like Christ than when we serve each other and sadly, we are never more like the devil when we look the other way and refuse to help.

Friend, right now is your opportunity. Make the best of every moment. Be on a look out for opportunity to serve. Make today the best day for someone else and you will be blessed. God will reward you. Your challenges will be less visible when you focus on someone else. Choose to see beauty where you are right now. Look in the mirror and you will see the glory of God. The Word of God in Psalm 139 says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are no accident. God knew you before you were conceived. This day is yours to enjoy. Sickness, disease, pain, rejection and lack do not rule over you. Live today. It does not get any better than today. Get up! Go out and live!

Praise the Lord!

Understanding the will of God

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

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Does God have a specific will for every decision in your life? How does God guide us in making decisions that are good? Must we depend on feelings, intuition, impressions, and circumstances to determine God's will? Guidance and wisdom are vital for the believer’s faith walk. How do we pick which college to attend, which person to marry, which community to live in, what church to attend? The will of God is eternal and immutable. It is visible and ever present. It is easy to discern once you are sensitive to God's voice. The problem is that not all of us understand the will of God. To be honest, not all of us want to live in the perfect will of God because we know the Will of God may not be our will. We just want to be blessed beyond measures and to be able to go to God in times of trouble or when we have a pressing need. Some of us just want to use God like we use people. But God loves us too much, to let us get away with it. He is a good Father.

Most of us think that His desire for us is to be happy and to have the desires of our hearts outside of His will. Others think that He is a father that we can pressure into giving us what we need. So if anything is contrary to that, our flesh rejects it. Contrary to public opinion, the will of God isn't for us to be happy; it's for us to be holy (like He is) and to become better people and to strengthen our faith and to draw us closer to Him, and He teaches us discipline to keep our flesh from taking over our spirit. His goal is to make us more like Him. And sometimes, it takes trials and tribulations to bring us back to God. Some come close to God when they have to because trials and tribulations and they come kicking and screaming. God would much rather have you coming willingly or better yet, He would prefer to have you remain at his feet.

We have all heard or at the very least, we have read the scripture, Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." I've often heard people say that if you have a deep desire for something, then God has placed that desire in your heart, and that must be God’s will. And sometimes, that may very well be the case. Sometimes, it's not. Because the thing He desires most (since the creation) is to be in relationship with you. That's why the Scripture says delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Because if you're pursuing God (delight in God), you'll desire the things He desires. And if there happens to be some desires that aren't right for your life, they'll pass and God will place the right thing in your life and you'll realize it's everything you didn't know you always wanted.

Are you seriously seeking the will of God? Would you like to (finally) find the happiness and peace that you have been longing for? Come to your loving Father. He alone is the wise counselor. Only He has your best interest at heart. Seek God for guidance through CONSISTENT prayer and Look to the scriptures (read your Bible) for direction. Friend, make reading your Bible part of your daily routine and soon, real soon you will find yourself understanding the (perfect) will of God for your life.

Praise the Lord!

Regarding Anger.....

Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger (Ephesians 4:26).

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil (Psalm 37:8).

It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel (Proverbs 20:3).

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control (Proverbs 29:11).

An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins (Proverbs 29:22).


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Anger is also known as: annoyed, frustrated, on edge, sore, griped, fed-up, irritated, irked, provoked, disgusted, dissatisfied, disturbed, distraught, indignant, impatient, exasperated, cross, troubled, upset, mad, bitter, vexed, ticked off, uptight, aggravated, excited, envious, resentful and a few others that I will not mention. The Bible describes anger as a sin and anger expresses antagonism, exasperation, indignation, resentment, and outrage. Neither one of those words are never used in connection with God. Anger is one of those sins that Christians do not pay attention to but it is a practice that put the devil at ease in their lives. The devil gets joy from anger, but anger grieves the Holy Spirit. The Bible says in Revelation 12:12 and 17 that Satan is seething with anger. So if/when you are angry the Devil feels right at home in your life, and as we have discussed in a previous study, the Devil and the Holy Spirit cannot be at the same place at the same time, (they cannot co-habit). Having the Devil in your heart will keep The Holy Spirit away and consequently keep you prayers from being answered. You and I have to be vigilant. We must not do anything that makes the devil feel welcome in our hearts.

Is there anger, hostility and hurt in your heart? Is the devil attacking your health and you are angry about it? Has somebody done you wrong and you are still/always angry about it? Did you lose a parent at an early age? Did a loved one walk out on you? Is your boss holding you back by refusing to give the promotion that is rightfully yours? Have you been humiliated and rejected by people who claim to love you? Let me tell you, whatever may have been done to you; you are making it even worse by making your life the Devil's home. If you are saved, anger has no place in your heart. The Holy Spirit lives in you. You need ask God for forgiveness and forgive those who have done you wrong. You can overcome. Jesus made it possible for you to overcome any situation. You can be set free from anger. Satan does not have any power over you anymore. Take authority over anger and be free.

You may not shout when you are angry, but anger is still destructive no matter how you deal with it. I know from personal experiences that anger leads to spiritual bondage and unhappiness. Jesus died a humiliating and public death at Calvary just so you can break free from the Devil. Peace and fullness of love are yours in Jesus and they will not be activated in your life unless you get rid of anger once and for all. Friend, anger must be cut off once and for all. It is the only way to accomplish the righteousness of God. There are multiple verses about anger in the Bible.

Old Testament:
Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 12:16 and 18, Proverbs 14:16-17 and 29, Proverbs 15:1 and 18, Proverbs 16:32, Proverbs 17:27, Proverbs 20:3 and 22, Proverbs 25:28, Proverbs 29:8 and 11, Proverbs 29:22,

New Testament:
Matthew 5:21-24, Romans 12:21, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Galatians 5:19-20, Ephesians 4:26, Ephesians 4:29-32, Philippians 4:5, Colossians 3:8, 2 Timothy 2:24, James 1:19-20, 1 Peter 3:9, just to keep the list short).

Is it really possible to have victory over anger? Anger is like any other sin. You certainly can break free from it. You can break free from anything. You can change. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and He will. The Bible is valid and still relevant. That’s why it is so important to study the Word. Continue to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Friend, practice forgiveness. Set you mind and your heart free. Put on the Armour of God and have victory over anger!

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you (Proverbs 20:22).

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9).


Praise the Lord!

What is God’s Purpose for the Believer?

Trust (have faith) in the LORD with all your heart (without any doubts) and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (He will direct your paths). Proverbs 3:5-6

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Many would agree that Proverbs Chapter 3 is the best chapter in the book of proverbs because it tells us clearly what God expects of the believer. God has a common purpose for all believers. He wants us to obey him. Simple as that. I am talking about the kind of obedience that goes beyond and deeper than following some church leader or religious regulations and/or some denomination’s rituals. It involves letting God lead our paths on a daily basis and letting God lead our every step. I am talking about a true oneness and total dependency. It's not even about doing what the parents, church elders are going to think and what people will say. It's about discovering your own path and walking that path as God leads you. Our pursuit in life should be to fulfill what God wants of us, our destiny, which we can discover through constant communication, openness, trusting God and through obedience, which includes love; an undeniable, unconditional and unshaken love for God. Pursue God and you will fulfill your purpose. It is really that simple.

Jesus Christ said it best: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). Jesus also said to seek and we will find (Matthew 7:7). If you and I pursue God with all of our hearts and we will not have to be concerned about what God purpose is for us because we would be living it.

The primary problem with finding our purpose is that we are told by parents, preachers and religious leaders to wait on God and somehow, magically, by snapping a finger, God is going to reveal Himself, and some people wait forever or until they get tired of waiting and they no longer believe. To wait, as we discussed many times here, is an active verb. We wait on God as we read this word and invest the time necessary to know His ways. We wait for the revelation as we pursue him and seek him diligently.

Another problem with (inactive) waiting is that while in the waiting period some people live as they please, oblivious to God and God's instructions. God wants to be pleased with us. He wants to live an obedient life. Revelation tells us that God created all things for His pleasure, which is according to His purpose. So we can conclude that it is by striving to live a godly life for us that we will fulfill our destiny and find our purpose which is to have a relationship based on true love, complete trust and obedience with Him.

It is natural for a child to love his parents and unnatural not to love them. We love our parents despite who they are and are they have treated us. We love them because of who they are: our parents. We should obey God because we love and trust him. We obey him because of who he is. God's word in Ephesians 2:8-10 clearly declares that we are saved by grace alone and not works.

The truth of the matter is we CANNOT OBEY GOD ON OUR OWN. It is IMPOSSIBLE. Jesus said in Luke 6: 43-44 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers." In reality we are all sinners. We bear bad fruits and the only way we bear good fruits is through Jesus Christ. That is why it is vital that we accept Christ as Lord. We become new creatures through Him as explained in 2 Corinthians 5:17; and only through the Lord Jesus Christ we can do all things ( Philippians 4:13). The Christian therefore, obey God because it becomes his nature (through Christ) to do so. Our loving Father creates a way to make it easy for us to obey him. Glory! WE CAN OBEY GOD THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Friend, your first objective should be obedience to God. Do not search for your purpose or else you will spend every day seeking and wishing in vain and you'd be preoccupied with the pursuit instead of being preoccupied with God. Walk in the Spirit to the best of your ability and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Do not let life road blocks distract you. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Walk in godliness. Walk in love. Remain in the Word and prayers. Meditate day and night. Let God lead you and stop leading yourself and you will find yourself living God's purpose for you.

Praise the Lord!

A Love Worth Finding

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ! John 4:16

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A song made popular the 80's claims that the greatest love is the love that we have for ourselves and people quote it all the time. We know it to be untrue because we hurt ourselves by the wrong choices we make all the time. We eat the wrong things, we do the wrong things and we hurt ourselves by trusting the wrong people. We live in constant fear. We are afraid to attend the wrong school, marry the wrong people, buying the wrong house and select the wrong job. We live with all kind of fears because we clearly don't know what is best for us, and we sure don't know how to love ourselves. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" 1 John 4:18, obviously the love of self cannot be the greatest love of all.

Is there a love worth finding? Yes, indeed! I know of a great love. I have been hearing about it since I was a child and I have personal experience with it. I believe it to be the greatest of all and a love worth finding. I am talking about the love that caused Jesus to willingly lay down His life for "you" and to experience for Himself all the pains and weaknesses that "you" would experience. Unlike earthly love that requires perfection and demands you to change, this love accepts you as you are (unlovable, broken,hurt, diseased, full of baggage, financially ruined). You will not be rejected because it is a transforming love.

. This love makes you a child of The Living God. Galatians 3:26
. This love takes away your sins. 1 John 1:2
. This love wipes away generational curses. Galatians 3:13, Colossians 1:12-14
. This love makes you Abraham descendant and heir to all God's promises.
  Galatians 3:28-29
. This love surpasses all intelligence. Ephesians 3:19
. This love doesn't hold your past against you. 1 Corinthians 5:17
. This love (unlike other loves) is forever. Psalms 136:26

You can continue to fight and go from one disappointment to the next or you can enjoy everlasting love. The choice is totally yours. Jesus already opened the door, and it is up to you to walk in. It won't cost you a thing. Salvation is free. Christ paid the highest price for it. He paid with His blood. I don't know about you, but I want the love that is ever lasting. How many times you got hurt because someone you love didn't keep a promise? How many times a relationship was destroyed because someone uses your past against you? How many times a love one walks out because your weaknesses surface? You never know where you stand with earthly love. People find sick pleasure in keeping us off balance. They enjoy the guessing game. God offers stable, unchanged, and transforming love. I don't know about you, but I wish to remain in this loving relationship always. I want it to grow and continue to bear sweet fruits. I want to share it with the world so more people can benefit from it; after all, it is the will of God (Matthew 19:28).

The love of this world and all in it such as money, power and even good education can't save you when it matters the most. Embrace God's love and start enjoying a relationship like no other.

Praise the Lord!

Express your Love by Communication.......

Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind". Matthew 22:37

Did you know that there were many reasons for a divorce? A few are very common: financial issues, lack of commitment, infidelity and a change in priorities but poor communication or lack thereof is the primary reason for divorce in America. People don't want to live with those who ignore them and refuse to talk to them; the same people who vow to love them and always be there for them. Imagine living your life for a spouse, giving up your own dreams to take care of him/her and yet, and the children you have together but he/she never make time for you and often too busy to even acknowledge your presence, your contribution to the relationship as well as your love! How would you feel? God love us so much that he sent His son, who gladly came, to give His life for our salvation (John 3:16), and yet some don't have the time to communicate with Him. They don't pray and they don't meditate on His word. At times, I think that God must feel some sadness to see how much we put the cares of this world ahead of Him, when He ordered us to cast our worries on Him (Psalm 55:22). A spouse who spends all of his time with others surely does not care about his wife. Wouldn't you agree? People who love each other spend time together or at the very least use some form of communication until they can be together. Let us be honest, how long you think a relationship with no form or limited communication can last?

Friend, a man or a woman who does not spend time with you and use excuses to justify it, simply is not fully vested (if at all) in the relationship. Such behavior inflicts lots of unnecessary pain to the more vested partner. It is quite outrageous that people should treat the Creator that brought them into existence in such a way. Why would a saved person want to spend eternity with the God that he/she never had time for and does not know well? People think that they can treat God the way they treat each other. What a shame! They know God as a rescuer and a provider but not as a loving father and master whose word is the final authority in their lives. They do not know him as a friend. They call on Him only under extreme pressure. Most Christians don't even realize that God desire a relationship with them and that He grieved the lack of intimacy and togetherness/alone time just like we do when those we love don't show interest. The average lover walks out for lack of communication but the love of God endures forever. His love for us is so great that even though we spend so little time with Him, He still takes care of us. He watches over us like the Good Shepherd that He is. He wants only the very best for us, while at the same time He longs for our love and our time. But sadly few people even give God the time of day (Time that He gives/Time He deserves).

I believe that God is looking for those who will be His best friends and with whom He will form an impenetrable circle, an unbreakable bond, and undeniable connection. He is looking for those who make time for Him even in the middle of their trials, they know and believe that He is able and will pull them through because they know him. They know how He operates. They know His heart. He is looking for those who trust Him and make communication with Him a priority. You probably heard this before: "tomorrow is promised to no one". Make time to communicate with your creator today. Seize the opportunity (right now) to establish this relationship that you have been searching for. God is a real lover. It does not matter how long you have ignored him in your life, you can come back. You can walk right in. There is no waiting period and He will not give you the silent treatment and the cold shoulder. Friend, treat God with the honor that He deserves. Give him His righteous place in your life and in your heart. Make communication with him a priority and be blessed! He will welcome you back with joy just like the father in the prodigal son story (See Luke 15:11-32).

Praise the Lord!