What Does God Have to Say about Sexual Immorality?

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

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There is no better time to discuss sexual immorality then in this day and age. We are living in a world where things have become so confusing. The line of good and evil are blurred. Moral values have become things that we should be ashamed of or at least refrain from showing. Sexual immorality is now celebrated. Almost all young Hollywood star have released a sex tape or some "accidental" nude shots. Abstinence has become a laughable topic. Incestuous relationships have become more common. Some sexual immorality has become a social issue and not a spiritual one. Parents have a responsibility to instruct children on what is good an honorable. They are certainly not going to learn it anywhere else. The digital explosion has made pornography accessible to children. Parents to be extremely vigilant.

The Bible even warns us about vigilance in 1 Peter 5:8:  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Do not let him devour your child. Be vigilant! Your children can still know the truth in this deceitful world.You are actually can teach against sexual immorality without teaching hatred. Teach them to hate sin but they can still love the sinner. Jesus loves us but He hates sin. When He lives among us He never rejected anyone due to sin. As a matter of fact, He came to reconcile us with the Father by paying the ultimate price (gave His life) for our salvation.

Friend, God is holy and He requires His people to be holy. Did you know that the word holy is used about 100 times in the book of Leviticus? Why do you think that is? Nowadays, Christians emphasize the love of God, which is one of God, many attributes but we cannot appreciate His love and goodness until we understand His holiness. God’s holiness is a recurring theme between Exodus 15 and Revelation 15:3-4. God is the creator. He creates all; Therefore, He creates sex. His purpose in creating sex was for procreation and our enjoyment. But God also set limits for the enjoyment of sex, for our own well-being and  protection. When we go outside those boundaries, we get hurt and we enter sin.

We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 1 Corinthians 10:8 

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22

Sexual immorality is everywhere, both visibly and hidden and the practice and acceptance of homosexuality is so great that heterosexuality seems abnormal. Often times, adults and young adults in Christian conferences around the nations have shared that they find themselves either making excuses or explaining their stands concerning abstinence in order to gain acceptance. The teenager who understands that her/his body is a temple gets picked on, alienated, and seen as weird but to an extent understandable but adults face the greatest challenges. People (even Christians) find it ridiculous that a 40-year old wants to remain pure. Biblical principles do not apply to healing and prosperity alone. All of God’s commandments are to be respected. You must know the truth about God’s rules regarding sexual immorality. The Christian needs to have knowledge (understanding) of why he/she needs to resist sexual temptation.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

 Abstinence is God’s only recommendation when it comes to sex outside marriage. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, control sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence is your spiritual act of worship and honors God. I cannot stress it enough: The Bible recommends total abstinence before marriage. Sex between a husband and his wife is the only form of sexual relations of which God approves. Masturbation is sinful. It undermines intimacy between a man and his wife. Obedience to God requires that sex be reserved to only one’s spouse. This kind of truth will make some feel uncomfortable; People get uneasy, when you start telling them that adultery, homosexuality, lust and fornication (sex outside marriage) are sinful; therefore, you are not likely to hear it at the local churches. This kind of preaching does not fill arenas and stadium. People don’t celebrate truth. They do not want to hear it. Even parents are also reluctant to speak to children about sexual immorality. The devil convinces them that it is too early until one day they realize that it is actually too late.

 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Ephesians 5:3

My dear friend, strive for holiness. The good news is you don’t have to do it alone. You have the Holy Spirit as your helper. You can resist sexual temptation. Don’t try to please people. Your goal is to please God. It is better to be alone than to be living in sin. If you deprive yourself of a sinful indulgence God will reward you greatly, but if you insist on sinning you will pay the regrettably terrible price of experiencing separation from God.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 1 Thessalonians 4: 3-5

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Praise the Lord!

God Loves Us

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:27-29

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When was the last time you woke up in the middle of the night just to tell your heavenly Father a secret? When was the last time you got on your knees just to give Him the "411" on what's been going on in your life? When was the last time you tell Him how much you love Him for saving you from eternal death by sending His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you? The Bible says "that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers.... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

This amazing truth has become reality to all who believe and follow Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe, close to Himself, and free to be His friend. So "put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!  Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials, not immunity from pain. So "do not be dismayed at the painful trial you are suffering, as though somethingstrange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ..." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

The kind of love that Jesus has for us is worthy of praise. Friend,  even our pain and sufferings seems meaningless when we think of the unconditional love of Christ for the church. Our financial complications seem meaningless when we think of what awaiting us when we finally see our Savior face to face and have the privilege of putting our arms around Him and to thank Him for His goodness. This great day could be any moment, perhaps even today. Friend, let us focus on our glorious future! Let us live with joy and hope! Let us remember that God loves us unconditionally. Let us love Him back! Let us live a life pleasing to Him. Let us learn to rely on Him! We are indeed a chosen and blessed people.

Let's pray together:
Heavenly Father I thank you for showing me the truth about you, knowing you has been a source of joy and hope. Thank you for the gift of life through your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for being the lover of my soul. Thank you for being the Shepherd who leads me beside the still waters and makes me lie down in green pastures. Thank you for being my loving father and all that I  need to get through each and every day. I love you; accept my prayer and praise in Jesus Holy name. Amen.

Praise the Lord!

Submit to the Full Authority of God ......................

"Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.Job 22:21

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

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I have struggled with the issue of submitting my will to God most of my life. It is not easy to surrender, but after a (long) list of disobedience that ended up with predictable and devastating consequences, I have decided that God's word is true, that His will certainly is "good, pleasing, and perfect." I have come to the place where I finally understand life does not have to be so hard. I decided to live a life as a soldier of Christ. I have learned to resist certain temptations (still struggling with a few but I am winning with Christ' support). I love God and I have decided to start showing it by my way of life.

Friend, you can say you love God all day long but if you are not living a sacrificial life and start resisting temptation then how much do you really love him? Love come with certain sacrifices and you have to be willing to make them. The will of God comes from the heart of a loving heavenly father and therefore it cannot be anything but "good, pleasing, and perfect" for you and for me. You cannot run away when the going gets tough. God created us perfectly. We have what it takes to go through trials and come out of them victoriously. We have the Word of God which is his will. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Are you going through the same issues? Are you going in circle? No matter what you are going through today, there is a way out. Christ laid His life down so you and I can have access to the perfect will of God.

Let's pray this simple prayer: Lord, help me accept your will for my life just like you did. I want to love the will of God, embrace the will of God and live the will of God. Lord Jesus, I want to submit to the will of God no matter what the cost as you did. And Lord, I believe you have the power to make it so. I trust you to be the Good Shepherd and I know you will lead me to green pastures. Thank you. for answering my prayer. Amen!

Praise the Lord!

Be Holy!

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in al you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

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As the body of Christ, you and I must understand that every sin damages the entire body; When someone in the body of Christ does something that is less than honorable, it affects us all. There has been n epidemic of misconduct in the church in recent years that ranges from sexual immorality, child abuse, molestation, incest, drunkenness, drug abuse and even divorce. Technology makes it all accessible but to be honest nothing surprises us anymore. We know from experience that Christians tend to sweep things under the rug. I know this for fact because I grew up in church. It seems easier to hide things as opposed to dealing with them, and that is most definitely not what Christ had taught us. Christ came to bring darkness to light and not the other way around.

There comes a time when you and I have to be serious about out heavenly Father's business.  We must be serious about the cause of holiness. God is Holy and He wants the body of Christ to be just like Him: holy. We cannot and should not use being human as an excuse for dwelling in sin. Christ's death forever change our sinful nature. It is your responsibility and mine to strive for holiness, and to look like our Father. We should not live our lives like the people we see in multiple reality shows. We must keep certain standards. We are the light of the world. We should be afraid to stand for core values. It bothers me a great deal when the voice of immorality is louder than holiness! Listen, were are in the world but we are not of this world. We must not follow the crowd. We must follow Christ.

I suppose Matthew 5:13-14 expresses it best: "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? can you make it salty again? You are the light of the world means you are like this house on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. Whether you realize it or not people are watching you.  The world just loves it when a prominent church leader is revealed to be less than honorable. Nowadays there isn't any difference between the way Christians live and the way the world lives. Christians want to fit in. Holiness is simply not a popular topic in this "laissez faire" culture.  Some church leaders are more interested in building their own empire than building the kingdom of God. Just recently a popular televangelist revealed her sexual sin as tough it was nothing in an effort to glorify it in order to relate to mainstream and the ideology of our time. What is going on?

I think it was the prophet Malachi who said that marrying unbelieving women, divorcing the wife of one's youth, and the worship of other gods (sex, money, position, children, spouse, ect.) is an act of treachery against the whole body. Sin is never honorable. We confess sin in order to be forgiven not to minimize it. Remember, sin is bad news. It is a disobedience to God and should never be embellished or downplayed. Church cannot exhort the congregation to repentance because they are too busy leading their sinful lives oblivious to repentance. Each time that the church chooses not to call its member to repentance, the body gets hurt. The world is always observing. God is always watching. Our lives should be a testimony. Who is standing for the Lord? You and I should. It is our responsibility as believers.

let us stand together for holiness and righteousness! Let's go back to the business of soul seeking and not membership growing and empire expanding! Let us (you and I) together make the choice to buildup the church as instructed by the lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Let us Pray!
Father how grateful I am for today's word! Thank you for sending your son to die for the forgiveness of my sins. Help me live daily in a way that is honorable and pleasing to you. Help me resist the temptations of this seductive world. My desire is to be more like every day. I honor you and I love you.  Amen.

Praise the Lord!

 

I am a Child of God - In Fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Children of God do not Finish Last!

We shall be the head and not the Tail..........

"God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord". 1 Corinthians 1: 9

The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Deuteronomy 28:13

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When a child gets adopted by a rich family, it does not matter where he/she comes from; he becomes an instant and accepted member of the family and gain right to the family riches. Unlike the ordinary family who can give up their children or in some cases lose the right to them, when you are saved you belong to God forever. The devil cannot take you away. Your salvation is secured. You are loved beyond measure and protected from generational curses, sickness and disease. In short, as a child of God, you have victory over sins. You have victory over your finances. You have victory over sicknesses and diseases. You have a working marriage. You have children who love and serve God. You have it all by faith. Claim it in Jesus name.

I have heard that nice guys finish last and I am telling you that isn't always the case. The children of God never finish last. We may not have have the victory here on earth. Those of us who know God understand that we are going to spend eternity with Him. It is a win-win situation. Should we live or die? It does not matter. We belong to God and one day we will be with Him. How can we finish last?

Friend, today is the day to start anew. Today is the day you change your thinking and break free from negative thinking. It is important to remember that the devils knows that your salvation is secured. He cannot take it away but he will put the pressure on to shake your faith. You must remain vigilant. You have to remind yourself that all negative situations are temporary they are opportunities to experience the glory of God. You must also remind yourself that you are more than a conqueror through Christ no matter what trick the devil is trying to pull. You must confess the Word of God often: "I shall live and not die and I can do all things through Christ" so on and so forth. Confess until your situation change. oh! it will change! There is power in the Word of God.  You in relationship/fellowship with God who is able and willing to change all situations. Praise God!

My friend, you have been broke way too long. You have been sick way too long. You have been jobless way too long. You don't have to accept the tail.  It is time to be the head! Claim your inheritance. Claim your new life. It's time to break out of your situation. Amen!

Your fellowship with God is extremely important. A partner knows what is going on. It does not mater what you see in the natural you will come through victoriously. It does not matter how you feel. It does not matter what it looks like. It does not matter what people are saying. It does not matter what family members are accusing you of this time. It does not matter what pressure the bill collectors are putting on you.  Listen, it does not even matter what your doctor is saying. You are whole. You will have healing. You will have that dream job. You will earn that degree. You will be married and I don' care if you are 40, 50, or 80 for that matter. The devil is a liar!!! You have power and dominion in Jesus holy name.


You shall be the head and not the tail!

Praise the Lord!

All Things are Possible if.......................

Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. Mark 9:23

But he was wounded for our transgression, 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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A few years ago, the local college where I used to teach allowed the students to watch the inaugural of president Obama in the classroom, and the common theme in my class discussions was “all things are possible if you believe”. All of a sudden, my students believe that they can now reach mountains and live a life without limitations, it is an attitude that brings me much joy; but my question to them was, all things are possible if you believe.....in what? It is great to make such powerful statement but something is definitely missing from it. Don't you think? It is not a complete sentence. The majority of the adults students stated that the missing part of the statement is "if you believe in yourself." Really if you believe in yourself? Can anyone live a minute longer, if he believes in himself? I think not. You can believe in yourself by acknowledging the magnificence of grace. The grace of God given to you through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is only through Jesus that all things are made possible. Jesus alone can provide that boost that cross us from a life of limitation to a limitless possibilities.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." John 14:1

Friend, do you believe that Jesus is in action in your life right this moment, by His Spirit, lift burdens, breathe life into your forgotten dreams, those that were impossible to come to completion without him? Do you believe in His ability to do exceedingly abundantly far above what you can ask or think even far beyond your wildest dreams? Do you believe He remains the same today, yesterday and forever? Do you believe He has all power in heaven and on earth to do according to His will? Why do you still worry about health? You say you believe but do you really? God can heal you inside and out. He is able. Do you believe? Decide this year that Cancer, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Kidney disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and all the usual suspects are not in charge. God should be the driving force in your life. Only God is worthy and only Him makes all things possible to those who believe. He listens when we pray according to His will. Praise the lord! And friend, this is exactly why you and I need to know His will so that we can pray according to His will. It is only when you believe in God’s power and abilities your confidence to move mountains will be boosted. When you know His will, you pray His Word and as you pray His will, and it is your faith in Him that causes us to overcome all barriers.

Friend, all things are possible when you believe......in Christ and Christ alone. The doors of impossibilities can only be taken down upon His command. Jesus is Lord!

And Father how grateful we are for the blood of Christ! You love us and we know it. Thank you for guiding us, and teaching us you way. We love you, and we honor you for only you are worthy. Only you are Holy, and only you are God. Amen.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7

Praise the Lord!

My Lord Provides!

As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. "Father!" he said. "Yes, son," he replied. Isaac continued, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?" "Son," Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust." Then the two continued going forward. Genesis 22:7-8

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God had provided for Abraham in the time of great need. He will provide for all of those that put their trust in Him. The God of Abraham is alive, and let us rest assured that, as certainly as Abraham, Jacob and Daniel in distress, that when there seemed to be no way of escape, the Lord appeared for them and was seen , even so shall it be with you and I when times of extreme pressure come. He is not a respecter of persons. He does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34 says that God does not show favoritism. We shall all be tried and tested, but in our utmost need God will see to our deliverance, if we would let faith have her perfect work, and will pray and quietly await the moment when the Lord shall be seen working His glorious provision. The Lord is the Preserver and the Provider of men. I pray and long for all of us to get this truth firmly planted in our hearts. I pray that you let yourself be reminded of Abraham and all of those before us who trusted God to be their provider and were not even once deceived.

You cannot know God until you know His names. He does not see into the future. He knows it. Abraham trusted God to provide a lamb for the sacrifice, and just when he was about to kill his own (only son), God stepped in and offer a substitute. God is indeed our provider and we should trust Him to take care of all of our needs. I absolutely love the way God steps in my own life. Every time I think that it is over, every time I think that I am at the end of my rope, He releases another inch of his ever-long rope. "My son God will provide" was Abraham reply to Isaac and in due time God did provide, and then Abraham honored him by calling Him the provider. He is also our provider. God is still worthy of the name. Thrust God with all of your needs and you will see His glory.

So friend, what is your pressing need this morning? Whatever it may be, God has it in unlimited supply and He wants to provide it for His glory. He wants to give it to you more than you want to receive it. God's wealth is at your disposal; His healing (emotional, physical and spiritual) is at your disposal. Don't continue to torture yourself by refusing to take God at His word. You are His child, His creation. You are His personal property, and He desires to give you His perpetual care and complete attention. I want to remind you that The God of Abraham, Daniel and Jacob is still in perfect control. He is able and willing to do all things. You must take the initial step to believe His word and you need to remind yourself every morning that you serve Jehovah Jireh.

Praise the Lord! 

It is Well with my Soul...........

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

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Sometimes the storms of life take us by surprise, but God is Omnipresent and Omniscient. He is never taken by surprise. He knows it all, He is always there. He does not slumber. He is faithful. He is all powerful. I must tell you that God never cease to amaze me. There are challenges that I would never want to face because I know that I could never face them, but God is faithful. He keeps all His promises. when God said "I will never leave you" He meant it. Friend, when trouble comes, do not run. You have what it takes to face any situation. God is always in the midst of the most devastating events that affects us.

My dead friend, no matter you feel, see, and hear, God is present. It is when we give our issues, our health, our desires, and other people first place in our lives that our problems overwhelm us. They become unbearable. I think if we learn to give God first place in our lives. We would no situation to difficult to bear. Jesus has to be the rock we stand on. He should be our anchor. When we are well attached to our anchor the storms may come, sickness may come, death may even come, but we would not be shaken because we know our anchor holds. We remain faithful. It is well with our soul.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 38-39

Nothing in this life and nothing in death can separate us (believers) from God's love. When bad things happen in life we often wonder about the love of God, but Whether we live or die, we are in His love. Jesus promise to never let us go. Once saved, we have security in our relationship with God. We have security that is a matter of life and death. We have assurance of God everlasting love. Listen, if we believe truly and wholeheartedly, each moment of our lives is by design and not accident, if we believe that our destiny rests in the hands of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord, the one with ultimate love, ultimate compassion, and and ultimate power then nothing would scare us. We would walk in absolute peace.

Friend, God knows what you are feeling. He knows you concerns and you desires. He is able and willing to help you in every thing you are facing. He loves you unconditionally. Rest in His love. Your peace is in God and not in your spouse, your job, wealth, and health. Only God is immutable. Do not let your heart be troubled. Serve God faithfully through calamity and favor. Love God unconditionally in sickness and in health. Praise Him always. He is worthy.

Thank you Lord for inner strength in the midst of this devastating storm. Let it be for your glory.

Peace, and be still my soul!

Praise the Lord!

The Word by Name is Jesus Christ!

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, and when you place it higher than anything else, your peace of mind is guaranteed. God is able to keep you from falling into sin but you must submit to His Word. Submission is a requirement. 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 the word of God commands us to read and meditate. God knew that there would be terrible moments ahead and the word of God is our solace and our only source of strength. The only sure way to rebuke the devil is with submission to God and the word of God. Jesus overcame His temptation. He did not fall for Satan's deception. Jesus responded each time with God's Word. Jesus is our example in every way; therefore, the way to fight Satan, when he speaks to us and tempts us in our thoughts, body 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). Friend, you and I have 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 do this: "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 yes it is! That is why you cannot do it alone but you can do all things through Christ. You can stand on God's Word. Jesus was tempted while He was on the cross. Can you believe it? Even at the last minute Satan tried to win. He asked Jesus (through one of the thief) "come down from the cross and people would believe you." How tempting and yet horrifying was that! If Jesus failed that last test you and I would be in big trouble. If He did escape the sacrifice of the cross both you and I would spend eternity separated from God. No temptation could move Jesus to disobey the will of His Father in heaven, Hallelujah! In order to be effective in our warfare, you and I must know how to use the Word effectively. Friend, it is through meditation that the word will come to live in us, take every thought captive, and consequently we will be strong in the Lord. Jesus promised that if we abide (become one/consume) 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.

Friend, when you are battling temptation, you can boldly and confidently choose to use the weapon God has given you. But you have to know how to recognize temptation. God's Word says His weapons are Mighty to the pulling down of Strongholds. He has given us a Sword of the spirit (Holy Spirit) A Shield of faith (His Word), and the Name and the Blood of Christ as well as authority over Satan. We are armed and dangerous. The devil cannot win.

Praise the Lord

I Know the God of Psalm 54.............

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22 

He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:6

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 

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I do not know about you but I need to constantly remind myself that God is able. I always have to keep God in the "present." The circumstances of our lives tend to prompt us to forget who God is, what He has done in the past, and all that He promised to do in our lives. Whenever something new comes up  I have to instantly bring God in or else I panic. Friend, you must hold on to what you know about God. You must meditate daily. The word of God in Psalm 119 says "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." It is impossible to stay in the light without the word. To have clarity during time of great darkness one must have the lamp. You must keep the word of God alive in your heart and mind. The devil is always at work. You need to be on your mark. As I am writing this Satan just attacked me by using a loved one. You must hang on to God tightly.  If you think you can fight alone in this world you are mistaken. You can only do all things though Christ.

What I really love about the psalms is that David had no other name or power to depend upon other than the name and the power of God. My dear friend the sooner you learn to depend entirely upon God is the faster you will experience his delivering power. David made God is refuge and confidence. He knew without a doubt that God is able to do all things. It did not waver when things were difficult. David experienced from the hand of others everything you are experiencing now:  cruelty, malice, and treason and yet he continued to trust God and that was the secret to his victories. My friend, let us set God before us at all times; or else, we are in danger of despair. There cannot be any despair when we trust God with the outcome of our situations.

My dear friend, trust God and He will be for you what He was for David: an ever-present help in time of trouble.

Father how grateful I am for your clarity this morning! This week was eventful to say the least and yet I knew you were with me. I am fully aware of your ability to bring calm in chaos. Thank you for your peace and clarity in turmoil. I have no fear about my future. I rely entirely on your guidance. I love and honor you now and every minute of my life. Amen.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 54

Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    people without regard for God.[c]

4 Surely God is my help;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
    I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
7 You have delivered me from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Amen.

Where is the God of Psalm 23?

Where is the God David Loved so Dearly 

The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord all my life.  Psalm 23

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I know David was not perfect. He was a murderer, but was he also a liar? Is the relationship he so eloquently describes in the psalms really possible? If so, why don't love and goodness follow me every day of my life? Is it possible that a loving father can love one child and despise another? Can God shower one child with goodness while another seems to dwell in poverty, disease ridden, and constant anguish? The Bible says that God loves us unconditionally, but how is it possible that some  never fully experience the goodness of God?  If you are honest, you'd admit that at one point or another you have had questions. We have all struggled with the issue of faith. That is why the Christian life is called a faith-walk. It is a journey. It takes time to cultivate. It does not supernaturally happen; although we would actually love to have everything coming up roses without ever lifting a finger. The Bible clearly states in Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, and in 1 and II Chronicles that only those who seek the Lord with all their hearts will actually find Him.

Unfortunately most of us do not seek God. We pray and we go to church as a routine. We want to snap our fingers and receive the blessing, but the Bible never made such promise. We instead spend our time chasing after the things that this world has to offer: lust, pleasures, riches. Unfortunately they are all temporary. We must not be distracted. We must focus on God. We must seek Him and remain connected in spite of our circumstances. There are countless events and endless obstacles that we must get passed in other to see God clearly in His glory just as David saw Him. Dear friend, seeking God is not a waste of time. There are rewards attached to seeking God truthfully. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Oh! There is no escaping faith. God will be found when we go after Him, and we cannot seek Him unless we believe in Him. To experience the kind of relationship David had with God, we must also seek God with all our hearts just like David did, and just like the Bible says. Listen, we must not allow our circumstances to dictate our relationship with God. Love Him and serve Him feverishly no matter the circumstance. Death may come. Sickness may come. We may lose a job, a car, a house with all its belongings. Friends may leave. The stock market may even crash but God will always be near when we need Him.  Invest in what's important. Friends, it is time to prioritize. Even when everything is taken away, you can still have hope and a future. The word of God through the prophet Jeremiah says: “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Dear friend, the God that David loved so dearly is alive and well. He still reigns! He loves. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to know Him intimately in all His glory. Trust Him no matter the situation. I know from experience that life can be challenging but do not let fear or doubt distract you. Know that God has a divine plan for you life. Let your pain be for His glory. Stand firm. 

Once I was young, and now I am old, Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. Psalm 37:25

Praise the Lord!

Living by the Word............

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

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Do your children believe that the most important in thing in your life is your relationship with God? Do you tell them to live a certain way and yet you live another? Surprisingly, most people do just that. They spend a life time teaching right from wrong and yet the children take the road of self-destruction. They often wonder the cause and the answer is simple: They simply do as you do and not as you say and taught. Your actions speak louder than our words. It is nice to teach your children but they learn the most by watching you. They handle situations as you do. Are you emotional, always ready to lose your temper? Are you a person who thinks before speaking or divulge everything that comes to mind? Do you pray over each and every meal or do you just dig in? There are a million little things that we do that affect our surrounding and we don't even realize. It doesn't matter how many times we tell our children not act as we do because they will most likely do it anyway.

We have a responsibility to teach our children to be good soldier of Christ. Serving God is not a grown up thing. It is not something that they would eventually grow into. It is something you need to teach them as early as possible by both your words and actions. It is the will of God. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) This tremendous forewarning and promise is for parents, prospective parents, grandparents, relatives, and anyone else who has a heart for children. It is absolutely reliable, since "all the promises of God in him are. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God" 2 Corinthians 1:20. The true and living God, who cannot lie, will keep this promise; our responsibility lies in the first word, train. But before we get to that, we must consider the way. Training also includes examples.

Be adults who put God first by your words and actions. Don't fall apart when trouble come, fall down on your knees instead. Let your children see that you believe in God's promise to take care of all of your needs. Spare your children the pain that comes with unbelief, lead them right. Spare them the hurt you experience by resisting God's will for too long. Don't let them go astray, spare them the iniquity. Be a great leader in your family and community by allowing your actions to speak louder than your words and be blessed.

Praise the Lord!

Happy Birthday Jose. P! Thank you for being a brother your siblings can really be proud of always. Thank you for leading by example.

Happy 7th. Birthday Frederic M. Davis! May the love of God remain in your heart now and forever! Auntie loves you so so  so very much.................

You are an Overcomer........

He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:21

He who overcomes what?

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 The goal of the devil is to get us to sin and by doing that we are denying Christ(Job 1:11).When we got saved, we overcame the devil. But the spirit of the world, constantly, tries to influence us to deny Christ, and that is why we sin. It is possible for a believer to resist sins. We do that a lot but not consistently or easily. We have to do better than that, and we can with the help of the Holy Spirit. Revelation 3:5 clearly explains why we must strive to overcome: He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels. It is not a secret that the devil's plan is to progressively bring us to the place where we will, deliberately and willingly, deny Christ. Holding to the testimony of the cross, in spite of all opposition, is what it means to overcome.

Why do we sin? Why do some of us fall for the same old tricks? We may not realize it or think of it as often as we should but there is indeed a spiritual war going on. We must win each battle. We already have what it takes (the blood of Jesus). We also have the guidance of the Holy Spirit; that is why the Bible urges us to fight the good fight of faith by taking the armor of God. Jesus does not have a throne for all of us to sit on. I am thinking that it is more a figure of speech meaning that those who fight the good fight of faith and overcome the devil will be in a position of dominion/power with Him just like He is with the Father (and that my friend is a wonderful promise!).

Is there a sin in your life that is becoming a stronghold? Are the trials/tribulations of your life becoming so difficult that you no longer have the strength to pray or to fight the devil? Think of the big picture. God's plan since the creation is for His people to be in perfect oneness (union) with Him, but the fall of man complicated the situation. Thankfully and gloriously the blood of Jesus reconciled us with our creator (and nothing can ever separate us from God anymore), Praise the Lord! Jesus won at Calvary. The devil has no power. He cannot have strongholds in your life. You can fight him successfully through the blood of Christ. Repent, take on the full Armor of God, and rebuke the devil and you shall overcome (the devil) and be with your savior from now on to eternity.

Praise the Lord!

Speak to me Lord...................

Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. Psalm 25:1
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Psalm 37:23

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Have you ever been faced with a situation and you pray and read the Word but still unable to hear the voice of God and you are unsure about which direction to take?
It used to happen to me. I had trouble making simple decisions such as whether or not I should move to another city, which school to attend and who to trust. I struggle with it until I read the story of Joshua. Sometimes we don't get the answers right away, and other times we don't get any answers at all because God had already given us the ability to know what the right decision is. Psalm 48:14 says,
For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.

When we are born again, God arms us with what's called the inward witness. The word of God and the inward witness are in perfect oneness. The Holy Spirit is the witness inside of us. He lives in the believer's spirit for the purpose of teaching and guiding. John 14:26 says, The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. When someone gets saved, the soul is what received the salvation but spirit, the body and emotions have to be taught certain things. You are used to speak and act a certain way all of your life and renewal does not happen over night, it is a process. There is no need to panic, you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is in you and He is guiding you, The only thing is you have to learn to recognize when He is speaking to you. You have got to learn to tune in and yield. At salvation we expect external help, in reality the help is within.

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We often expect God to send someone to help We want to hear a loud  voice, the truth is that God speaks to us softly daily and often. He speaks to our hearts. Surprisingly, God expects us to know His voice. The word of God says my sheep know me and they know my voice (read the parable of the Good Shepherd, John 10) and Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Friend, we have to and I have to put ourselves in position to hear God's voice. Just the other day God spoke to my heart. He instructed me to give someone at the bus stop a ride and I did it. I drove away in disobedience at first, but I quickly head back. I make the conscientious choice to listen to God  daily and I make it my objective no matter what it tells me to do or how hard it is, I try to yield. I felt such victory afterwards. It feels good to listen to God. You too can start training yourself to not only hear His voice but to yield to it. Don't just hear or read the Word but let us decide to "do and live" the word. "He awakens me morning by morning to listen" Isaiah 50:4

If you haven't heard it yet, you need to pray and ask God to teach you to recognize His voice and I assure you He will. Psalm 48:14 says, For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.He promise to guide you, and God keeps all His promises. As you learn to listen and recognize the voice of God, you will have the wisdom necessary to make daily decisions because you are more than a conqueror through Him. "In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" Romans 8:37

Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Expect God to speak to you today and be blessed!

Praise the Lord!

I Serve the God of Elijah!

He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed [the river].2 Kings 2:14

I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

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Nothing is impossible to God. We know that to be true. The stories of Daniel and David prove it. Elijah's story is one of my favorites in the bible. God is able to do great and amazing things. He wants to do awesome things through you and in your life as well. You have to trust God. When the battles come as they always do, you have to know that there is no losing with God. It is vital that you remember the battle starts in your mind. You have to pay attention to your thoughts. As you fight the good fight of faith today, remember this: Your mind is where the battle will take place. Whatever you allow to captivate your mind will rule your life. It is up to you to choose the Word of God (truth and life) or the the lies of Satan (death, eternal damnation) to captivate your thoughts. Make the right decision as you are starting the week remember Elijah. If you want the Word to reign, make up your mind now to resist the devil when he comes to plant doubts within you. Hold on to God's truth. Refuse to surrender to Satan's pressure. Decide right this second to that not fall for his lies and stand on the promises of God.

Make up your mind right now to be a winner and you'll spread the knowledge of victory in Christ everywhere you go. Stay away from people who don't believe like you do. Surround yourself with people of faith. God has promised that He will always cause you to triumph in Christ. You are GUARANTEED victory over adversity you face today. Believe in God's word and not the devil. The God of Elijah, David, Jacob, and Daniel still lives. He still makes a way where there is no way. He still takes His children from glory to glory. I don’t know where your challenge is this morning. It could be in your mind, finances, your body, and your soul. Ask yourself, is anything too hard for God? He is the One who gave Sarah a son when it should have been too late. He is the One who took His people out slavery in Egypt. He is the One who gave little David victory over giant Goliath. He is the One who protected Daniel in lion's den. He is the One who kept Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego unharmed in the blazing fiery furnace. He is the One He is the One who is actively watching over you today. He is still the miracle worker. Can you understand the power of the One on you side? You have the God of Elijah! He is with you right now. Glory!

Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You. Jeremiah 32:17

Praise the Lord!