I am Available to you Lord...........

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:17

You are not awake by accident. God preordained this day just for you. Start 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 missed opportunity. It is possible that I have told this story before on Bible Tour. I was at the grocery store a while back and there was a lady who was waiting to pay. As I was approaching the cash register the Spirit of God came upon me and instructed me to pay for the lady's purchase. I was running late for work and only I stopped by to get my daily 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 did not wish to cause an embarrassment for the lady by interfering. 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. 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. How sad! 

The total was $2.05, God was not able to count on me for little over two dollars. I spent the entire day trying to make up for   the missed  opportunity. I  purchased treats for my students and my co-workers but I felt horribly all day long. I had to repent and ask God for forgiveness and I promise myself to keep my eyes open for opportunities to serve.  We should wake up ready and willing to be used by God in any way He chooses. 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 the look out for opportunity to serve. Feed someone. Help someone cross the street. Call someone. Pray with someone. Pray for someone. Visit someone. Study with someone. Love someone. Be like Christ. Make today the best day for someone else and you will be blessed. God will reward you. Your challenges will be less consuming when you focus on someone else. Choose to see beauty where you are right now. Try to see others like God sees you. Try to love the way you want to be loved.  Be that person who does not  miss an opportunity to serve. Be that person who leads someone to Christ by your testimony. Be the one whose life inspire others. Be the one that God can count on no matter the cost. Be totally available to God and be blessed!
 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16



Praise the Lord!

Fear is Ungodly

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

Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you. Deuteronomy 3:21

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

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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." 

 The part that hunts 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. The situation that you are facing maybe new to you but it is not new to God.  He is able to fix it and the good news is that God is willing to do so. He is greater than all of your obstacles, your lacks, your challenges, your heartaches and your pain and your hopes and dreams put together. God is greater than Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Heart disease, AIDS, High Blood Pressure, Glaucoma, kidney and liver disease 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. He is Almighty and Omnipotent. Why are you afraid? What is keeping you up at night? What is intimidating you?  Is it a negative diagnosis? Is it unemployment and or foreclosure notice? Fear cannot be where God is because it comes from the enemy.  ^"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eye and see the punishment of the wicked.

The lesson for you and me 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 and I perish hopelessly. He is still the answer to all of our trouble.

Dear friend, call on His name, invite Him in and He will deliver you once again, but you must turn it over to Him. Listen, the wind obeyed God. Your situation will have to bow down as well. 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 conviction 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 still the answer. Have no fear. Walk in faith and you will walk in victory.

Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36

Praise the Lord!