The Proper View of the Struggle!

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)   
⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

          On the island of Jersey there is an area called 'the Devil's Hole'. This is a great black vault in the ground. Fixed into this hole is a statue. It is an artist's idea of what the devil looks like. The figure has a forked tail and horns coming out of his head. He is black, and he has a rather foolish-looking grin around his mouth. When most people see it a smile comes over their faces. This is what Satan likes more than anything. He wants everyone to think of him as a harmless figure of fun, as someone who doesn't really exist and there is no reason to be afraid of him.  This is the thing that we have to be careful of as believers.

          The apostle Peter cautions and warns us how important it is to view suffering the proper way.  He shares with us the source of our suffering which is Satan.  He refers to Satan as the adversary and devil which refers to him as an opponent that accuses or slanders.  Peter warns us we have an enemy that is active and is always plotting on how he can disguise himself to throw us off balance so he can destroy us.  Peter commands us in the midst of what is going on in our lives to be sober.  The challenge that we face as believers is to remain clear headed when the enemy throws different things at us.  We have to exercise control of our mind.  Don’t allow your situation to intoxicate you to the point where you are in a mental frenzy.  Remain calm, collected in spirit, and temperate in the midst of our combat zone.   No matter how bad it gets, remain disciplined.  The reason we have to be sober is so we can deal with what is real.  We cannot numb ourselves with temporary fixes so we avoid the reality of our situation. We have to keep our mind alert through the vehicle of prayer. 

          Peter also tells us to be vigilant.  Another principle we have to practice is to remain alert and watchful while we go though our struggles.  We have to make sure we are spiritually alert and not asleep.  It is imperative to be spiritually alert and pay attention to every area of our life.  If we remain vigilant, we will always be prepared to properly respond any spiritual assault the devil.  Our soberness and vigilance will determine if we are successful in handling our spiritual conflict. 

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

Peace Be Still

Mark 4:38-39 (KJV)
³⁸ And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
³⁹ And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

          I recall as a child what adults used to say whenever there was a bad storm.  They would always say sit down and be quiet because the LORD is working.  As a child I did not pay much attention to what they were saying.  As I look back now, the statement had much spiritual significance.  Why can’t we sit down, be quiet, and let the LORD work when we encounter our storms?  Storms are designed to teach that the LORD is in control of every aspect of our life.

           In the text the disciples are in a brutal storm.  In the midst of the storm, they started panicking.  They forgot Jesus was in the ship with them.  Why do we panic and allow the elements of our storms to rattle us.  The disciples were so rattled that they started talking crazy.  They felt like Jesus did not care about them because he allowed them to go through the storm and he did not move when they wanted him to.  Do not allow your storm to rattle you.  Remember Jesus is with you and he cares.  Do not listen to all of the noise in the storm.  The noise is designed to distract you from focusing on God.  

          If you are not careful, the noise of your storm will make you feel like you cannot make it through your storm.  The noise will tell you that you are not qualified enough, you do not have enough to make it, you are out of your league, and you are going to fail.  Do not fret or fear in your storm because we serve a God who is sovereign and he can calm our storm at anytime.   

God bless you and keep you is my prayer!

How To Face and Overcome Fear?

Psalm 23:4 (KJV)  
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

There was a show that came on T.V. some time ago called “The Fear Factor.”  The show was very interesting to me because it made people face their fears.  Success or failure on the show was predicated by the contestant’s ability to face and handle their fears.  As I watched the show it indicated to me how powerful and paralyzing fear can be in life. 

Have you ever been gripped by fear to the point where you were paralyzed?  Has fear ever robbed you of experiencing success?  How do you handle your fears when you have to face them?  Do you avoid what you fear?  Do you clam up and shut down to the point where you are withdrawn?   Often times we find ourselves operating by fear.  Fear is a tool that the devil uses to make us under achieve and remain idle. What is it you fear the most?  How long are you going to allow fear to hold you captive?  Fear is like a dark envelop that hold us captive.  We can never experience the promises of tomorrow if we are held captive by the fears of yesterday.

          The psalmist David writes to tell us we can face and overcome our fears.  This verse paints a picture for us of life.  It gives the imagery of a shepherd leading sheep through a dark valley.  It illustrates to us that we will all have to go through valley experiences.  There are many experiences in life we will have to face but we do not have to be afraid if God is leading us.  Many times as shepherds lead sheep through valleys there would be cougars, mountain lions, and other harmful animals standing at the top of the cliff watching and waiting for an opportunity to pounce on them.  The position of the sheep in the valley made the animals look bigger than they really were when the sun shined on them.  Fear always makes things look bigger than they really are.  Fear makes things look impossible, unachievable, unbearable, and impassable. 

What are you facing right now that appears as a giant?  I want to encourage you to face it.  The psalmist reassures us we have a shepherd that helps us as we face our fears in life.  Understand that you are not alone and God is with you every step of the way as you face your fear.  The way to overcome fear is to have confidence in God and know whatever you have to face in life he has the ability to get you through it. 

God bless and keep you is my prayers.  

God's Plan

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV)
⁵ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

          Have you ever found yourself struggling with God’s will for your life?  Have you ever questioned whether God has a plan for your life?  Your life quite frequently does not seem to make sense to you.  You have become immune to the chaos, confusion and catastrophe you are encountering.  Life has become so foggy you cannot see your way and you feel so alone.  

You have gotten to a place where you want to give up.  All of the pressure, problems and perils of life are overwhelming you.  Your plate is running over and you have reached your breaking point.  You want to cry, but there are no more tears left.  You want to scream out for help, but when you open your mouth the words do not come out.  You look at your life and say life did not turn out the way I expected it to. What do you do when you are about to break?  How do you find the strength to keep going on when it seems like your life is not going anywhere?

          In the text mentioned above, Jeremiah helps those of us struggling with the will of God.  God had a task for Jeremiah to perform and Jeremiah struggled with it.  God tells Jeremiah in this text that he had a plan for his life before his conception in the womb.  That is a great reassurance to all of us wherever we are in life.  God has mapped out every aspect of our life to the smallest detail.  There is nothing we encounter in life that God has not authorized.  The reality of life is we do not get to choose what happens to us. God is in control of our lives. We have to learn to embrace what God puts in our path.  

I thank God he is in control because he knows what is best for us based on his will for our life.  God has created every one of us for a purpose.  We cannot allow what is going on in our life to inhibit us from fulfilling our purpose.  When you feel like giving up understand God has a purpose for your life and the struggle is designed to push you forward. 

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

A Simple Act of Obedience!

Luke 5:5 (KJV)

⁵ And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

It is interesting in life how we always find ourselves back at the same place we started with no results.  When we find ourselves back at the place we started with the same results, God is showing us we cannot do things on our own strength.

Have you ever struggled with a situation for a period of time?  Have you ever put every ounce of energy both physically and mentally toward solving a problem?  Have you ever done everything you know to do but your situation remains the same?  What do you do when you are tired after you have done all you know to do?  How do you continue to function when you are desperate for your situation to change? 

 

As we walk into the scene and setting of this text, we find Peter frustrated because of his lack of productivity.  He is a professional fisherman and he is still unproductive.  The text shares with us, it does not matter how much ability or skill we have in a certain area of life, we will experience bareness.  It is a part of the process God has to take us through to get us to trust him.  It also teaches us God is the governor of our seasons.  At some point doing our season of bareness God will give us radical instructions to follow.

It intrigues me how God does things sometimes.  It seems like he shows up at the most inopportune time and asks us to do ridiculous things.  Has he ever done that to you in the midst of your barren season?  He gives us radical instructions to see if we will comply.  A miracle can only take place when we follow through with God’s orders.  The issue is not if God can turn around our situation, but the most important aspect is if we will do what he instructs us to do. 

Obedience is what God is looking for from us.  When he instructs us to do something, we have to move right away.  Delayed obedience is still disobedience.  As you look at you life today, are there areas in your life you have disobeyed God.  Right now is the chance for you to start obeying God.  God can turn it around for you if you follow through with his orders. 

God bless and keep you is my prayer.  

The Discipline of Delay!

Psalm 40:1 (KJV) 

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

I recently had the fortunate experience of having to wait in a long line to check out at the store.  It was interesting to me because there were eight different lanes and a self checkout area, but only one lane was open.  I wanted to get out of line to go to a different line to check out.  A person about five spots ahead of me got out of line to go to the self check out, but the self check out area was closed.  So the individual had to come back to get in line.  He lost his spot and he would have to wait in line longer because he was impatient. 

Sometimes God makes us wait because he wants to show us we do not know what is best for us.  Sometimes we think there are better options than the path God has us on.  He also wants us to learn to trust him while we are waiting.  How many times has our impatience caused us to get out of line with God’s will only to run into an obstacle?  The frightening thing is God has a way of bringing us back to our point of exit so he can finish the process of developing our patience.

The psalmist David writes to share with us how he had to wait on God.  David was stuck in a pit for a long time.  Have you ever felt trapped in a situation and it seemed there was no way out?  So did David.  David shares with us, he kept on waiting.  Why is it so hard to wait?  I know society has set the pace for how fast things move around us, but we cannot allow society to influence us while we are waiting on God to deliver us.  David did something most of us do not do when we have to wait.  He prayed to God the whole time.  He persevered in prayer until God answered him. 

How long are you willing to pray while you are waiting on God?  Instead of trying to figure the situation out, ask God for the wisdom to handle the situation.  Many times God wants to give us wisdom in the midst of waiting, but we are moving too fast.   Waiting is designed for you to line up with the will of God for your life.    Have you lined up with the will of God in the midst of waiting?  If you have not, it might be the reason you are still waiting.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

A Broken Vessel?

Jeremiah 18:4 (KJV)
⁴ And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

          A couple of weeks ago, I dropped my Ipad.  I thought because I had it covered and protected it was safe.  Little to my surprise the screen cracked.  When I discovered the screen cracked I was confused. I was confused because I thought covering the device would prevent it from being broken.    I did not realize how fragile the device is. Even though the screen was cracked, the device still worked and was able to carry out its purpose.  As I analyzed my situation, I could not help but see a couple of spiritual principles about life.  It does not matter how we try to cover ourselves, we are very fragile and frail.  It does not matter how we try to cover ourselves with  prayer, studying God’s word, or putting barriers up to cover our weaknesses, we will have an experience that leaves us broken. Life has a way of breaking us down.  Have you ever had an experience in life that broke you down, shattered your heart, or made your life feel fragmented, disgusted, or hopeless?

          Jeremiah in this text walks us into a potter’s house.  God gives him a vision to remind him of His sovereignty.  Often times when we are confused and life is spinning out of control God has to bring back to our remembrance that He is sovereign. This text reminds us we are broken vessels in the hand of a mighty God.  I want you to grasp the gravity of that statement.  It suggests to us all things are possible with us and our lives because God is in control of everything.  Often times we have to remind ourselves God is in control.  When we feel like giving up on ourselves because of how broken we are, remember God has a purpose for our life.  He allows us to experience our broken situation because He is developing us.  He works out our imperfections through our brokenness.  Often times God has to break our will so we will give into his will.  God does things in our lives to get us to surrender to His will. He wants us to recognize how fragile we are and how dependent we really are on Him.  Have you surrendered to God’s will in the midst of your broken situation?  Stop fighting against the will of God and let Him complete the work He has started in you. 

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

I Can Do It!

Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

          Have you ever faced a situation that seems impossible?  Have you ever had an obstacle that stole your courage to keep hanging on?  It seems as if no one cares and God has placed you on a shelf and forgotten about you.  What do you do when life throws one disappointment after another at you? How do you handle the frustration of not understanding what is going on in your life? Your life feels as if it is an obstacle course and you are waiting for the next hurdle to appear.  What do you do when you have lost hope and things look bad?  What do you do when God does not respond the way that you want him to? You have often asked yourself, “where is God?” It seems as if your life story is one let down after another.  It always seems like when you are on the cusp of experiencing a breakthrough there is always another setback. 

          The apostle Paul shares with us that our perspective is critical to us handling our situation.  Paul finds himself in a Roman jail cell, but he still has a positive outlook on his situation.  He did not know the outcome of his present situation.  Paul understood the key to him being productive in the midst of his situation was remaining positive.  The apostle Paul wrote several letters of encouragement to several churches while he was incarcerated.  How well do you function when the situations you encounter in life appear to restrict you?  Paul shows us how powerful positive thinking can be.  When we focus on the right things, we can be productive.  Paul’s focus was on Christ and not his situation.  Paul knew the only way he would survive was if Christ empowered him. Do you depend on God to get you through the rough spots in life or do you try to make it on your own strength?  Paul learned how to adjust no matter his situation.  If you learn to focus on Christ at your weakest point he will give you the strength to make it through.   

God bless and keep you is my prayers.

How To Handle The Load You Are Under?

1 Peter 1:6 (KJV)
⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

Have you ever felt overloaded by burdens? Has life ever pressed you to the point where you wanted to quit?  Life has a way of emasculating your vigor and fortitude to forge forward.  The burdens of life have a way of wearing and weighing you down.  One thing after another seems to keep coming at you without any time to adjust to everything that is going on.

Have you ever felt like you have a bulls eye on your back and you are a moving target?  As time goes on you seem to lose your resolve and resiliency.  It gets harder to continue to function day in and out.  You try to appear as if everything is fine, but you know people can see through the mask you put on every day.  The situation seems to deteriorate as seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months and in some cases months into years.  What do you do when you pray for the load to be lightened, but it seems to get heavier?   How do you keep going when you try to motivate yourself to keep going but it does not work? 

The Apostle Peter encourages us in the midst of a season of trials.  He tells us in our season of suffering, affliction or trials to rejoice because it is only for a season.  That is good news to me.  God has determined and dictated the length of our season of trials.  You can rejoice because what you are experiencing now is only temporary.  I love the song that says, “I’m so glad that trouble doesn’t last always.”  We need to be reminded of that when we are going through our trials.  You are not the finished product.  Your life is not over.  God has not put the finishing touches on your life.  Things may be dark right now, and you can’t see your way.  However, a brighter day is ahead.  Peter also says to rejoice because the season of trials is necessary.  God is grooming you for your next season. 

It is necessary for you to cry right now, hurt right now, not understand right now, and to be alone right now.  Dr. A.W. Tozer says “God can’t use you greatly until he has hurt you deeply.”  The quote suggests to me that pain propels us into God’s purpose for our life.  Pain is merely weakness leaving the body.  It is also the fuel that helps pull the productivity out of us.  God knows what he is doing with your life and he is preparing you for your next season. Hang in there and remember the hardest fight is just to keep holding on.  

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

The Blueprint for Rest

Genesis 2:2 (KJV)      

² And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

       We live in a very fast past world that demands so much of our time.  Have you ever found yourself wondering at the end of the day where the time went?  Do you look at your “to do” list and find you cannot seem to finish what you have started?  Do you feel anxious or overwhelmed on a day to day basis because of all of things you have to accomplish? 

       Life has a way of presenting us with multiple things at multiple times that seem to make our plate overflow.  I know we have many things we are obligated to, but often times we have too many irons in the fire.  I like the quote that says “The man that tries to master everything ends up mastering nothing at all.”  We have to learn how to be better stewards and managers of our time.  It starts by prioritizing and setting goals for ourselves.  If we learn to manage our time we won’t feel so rushed and we can experience true rest.

       In our text God gives us the blueprint on how to experience rest.  First of all, God had a plan before he started creating the world.  I know that sounds very elementary, but how many times we do things without planning and thinking it all the way through.  It is good to have a spontaneous idea, but it is better to take time to develop the idea before taking action.  God worked in stages to finish his plan.  We have to remember we cannot get it all done in one day.  It is fine not to finish everything in one day.  I really believe if God wanted to finish creation in one day he could have done so.  I think he took his time to teach us the value of not rushing to complete things.  He also demonstrated to us everything has a process in which it must go through before it is completed.  The scripture also teaches us everything has a natural sequence of order and we should live in a world of order and not chaos.  Most of us live in a world of organized chaos. 

        How often are you pushed to complete assignments and then in haste you do not do your very best?  When we learn to take our time and become better stewards and managers of our time then we can rest.  After God finished working, he could rest because all of his work was good.  When was the last time that you have felt a sense of fulfillment at the end of the day?  Can you lay down at night to rest knowing you gave God your best with the day he gave to you?  “Your life is a gift from God, and what you do with it is your gift back to him!”

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

How Do You View Your Trials?

James 1:2 (KJV)
² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Life has a way of making a swift transition without any signs or warnings.  It is interesting how one day you are perfectly well and the next day terminally ill.  One day you are on top of the world and then the next day you are looking up from the bottom.  One event can change the course of our life forever.  The reality of life is we do not know what will happen in our lives from day to day.   None of us can control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to what happens.

James writes this letter to encourage believers who were suffering great trials.  Many of them had become discouraged because of the trials they were suffering.  Often times we become discouraged because of what we experience.  James says that in the midst of trials we can be encouraged if we look at our situation the right way.  How do you view your situation?  Do feel like God is picking on you?  Do you feel like a victim?  James says to count it all joy.  We need to have the right attitude about our situation.  What is your attitude concerning your situation?  Are you negative in the midst of your trial?  Are you difficult to deal with? 

James said to have joy.  Joy is an internal condition not based on our external conditions.  True joy can only be found through a relationship with Christ.  Do you have real joy?  If you don’t have true joy in the midst of your trial, it may be your relationship with Christ is out of place.  James also expresses we are not exempt from trials.  There are some things we have to go through to grow.  Trials are designed for us to grow.  When we are going through it, we need to seek to discover what God is trying to teach us.  We need to thank God for the opportunity to grow.  Do you thank God in the midst of the pressure, pain, and plethora of perplexities? 

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

Break the Cycle!

John 5:1-6 (KJV)
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"

Has your life ever felt like it is at a standstill? Have you ever examined your life and it seems as if you are in the same place you were last year? Often times we live in a vicious cycle of helplessness and sometimes we allow our situation to handicap us by holding us captive. When you look at the flow of your life, what keeps knocking your life off balance? Seemingly every time you turn around, the same issue keeps reappearing and you don’t know what to do. What do you do when you have a lingering issue that won’t go away? The issue has persisted so long you have conceded and given up on overcoming your issue. You have reasoned within yourself that maybe this is the life God intends for me to live. You question if things will ever get better or if things will change because the issue won’t go away. We have to remember to be optimistic when a situation is spiraling out of control. It does not matter how bad the situation is or how long you have been dealing with your issue. Our issues are never too bad to lose hope.

In the text mentioned above there is a very interesting story. As the text unfolds, we discover an impotent man who has an issue and he is sitting. This was the time of celebration but he is sitting instead of celebrating. Often times in our life we cannot see the forest because we are blinded by a tree. This man should have been thankful for all of the things going right in his life instead of focusing on one issue. For thirty-eight years this man had been enabled. He was always looking for others to do for him what he could do for himself. We have to be careful in life because enabling others leads to them depending on us. God never intended for us to depend on others, but to depend on Him. Stop looking for others to do for you what you can do for yourself. God is all about empowering others to take a step to do what seems impossible. This man was near breaking his cycle for thirty-eight years but fell short time after time. He sat around and for thirty-eight years and watched others overcome their issues.

When others are being delivered from issues around us, we might need to take a look at ourselves. Can you imagine seeing a different person year after year overcome issues? The question we need to ask is what is preventing me from moving forward or overcoming my issue? I can answer the question for you if your life is at a standstill and your issue is handicapping you. The answer is faith. Jesus asks the man a very pivotal question. Do you want to be made whole? That is where the solution lies to your issue. What do you want to do about your situation? Do you want to keep making excuses, feel sorry for yourself or make a change? If you want to change your situation, get up by faith, trust in God’s word, and do something about your situation.

God bless and keep you is my prayers.

The Fear Factor!

Numbers 13:33 (KJV)
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Mark Twain once said, “Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain.” I love that quote because it suggests in order to overcome our fears, we have to be willing to take a risk. Our lives can be summed up by the risks we have taken. If we look at our lives, many of us are at the place we are in life because we have not taken a risk. When was the last time that you have taken a risk? Does your fear of the unknown prevent you from taking a risk? Does fear paralyze you and hold you captive? There is nothing to fear but fear itself. All of us have a fear of something. What do you fear? Have you faced your fear? Fear is a tool the devil feeds off of and uses against us to make us underachieve. Sooner or later, we have to face our fears if we want to reach the destination God desires for us to reach.

In the text above, Israel is at a critical point. God’s vision for them is to make it to Canaan. Moses is ordered by God to send twelve spies into the land to scout out the land and bring back a report of the land. The twelve spies brought back evidence of the fruitfulness of the land. Despite the fact they brought back evidence, they allowed fear and the lack of faith to make them miss out on a golden opportunity. When you look at your life, what opportunities have you missed out on because of fear and the lack of faith? Ten of the spies gave a fearful report and two of the spies gave a faithful report. Fear always leads to doubt. When doubt sets in, it makes us look at things from the wrong perspective. It also makes us question where God is leading us. The ten men that brought back the fearful report focused on Giants in the land. It is interesting how fear makes things look bigger than they really are.

What are you facing that looks impossible or too big for you to face? There is nothing too big that we face for God or that God can’t get us through. Fear also makes you feel incapable of achieving whatever task has been assigned to you. It makes you doubt yourself and view yourself as insignificant. They had a bad view of themselves and they were worried about what others thought of them. You will never be able to achieve anything great in life and for God with low self worth. God has uniquely made everyone of us. Stop allowing others to define you and to determine how valuable you are to yourself. Self confidence comes from having faith in God and knowing he has equipped you with everything you need to accomplish whatever task he has assigned to your hands.

When I played football in college my coach used to ask us if we were afraid to be great. Are you afraid to be great?

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

How To Reach Your Potential?

Deuteronomy 6:3 (KJV)
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

Dr. Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is not determined by the position that one achieves in life, but by the obstacles that one overcomes.” I thought it was very interesting a man who was a former slave made that statement. The quote suggests to me that he did not allow the things that were going on during the time he lived discourage him from reaching his potential. He experienced oppression, the lack of opportunity, and many obstacles. Although he was physically enslaved, he did not allow the chains to enslave him mentally. The times in which we live are similar to the times in which Booker T. Washington lived. We do not have chains on us physically, but if you look at our country and its economy there is a lack of opportunity. I have heard and read countless stories of people losing hope and giving up.

What challenge are you facing today? . . . Has your situation caused you to questioning your future? . . . I want to encourage you my friends because there is always hope.

In our text, the nation of Israel is in transition. They are in route to Canaan. Canaan represents spiritual prosperity. God had to take Israel through a purging process that included cycles of barrenness in the wilderness. Often times God has to dry out our flesh to teach us to trust him. All along the path to Canaan, God was teaching Israel to trust him. Often times in life we allow our flesh to govern our decision making. When our flesh dictates our decisions, we make decisions based on how we feel. We have to learn to die to our flesh and operate by faith in order to reach our full potential.

Many times we have aspirations, but we do not want to experience the agony it takes to attain what God has for us. The text indicates to us we have to allow God to lead us through the word of God. The word of God should be the standard for our life and we should only live to please God. I challenge you today to operate by faith and not by what you can see. God has something special for you if you let him lead you to your Canaan.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

Seize the Moment!

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (KJV)
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

In James 4:14 a very critical question is asked about life. The writer asked the question what is life. Then he answers the question in the same scripture by saying it is as a vapor that vanishes away. The scripture seems to suggest that we need to move with a since of urgency when it comes to purpose. God has given everyone of us time to fulfill his purpose for our life. Have you ever thought about what your legacy will be when you die? Whose life will be impacted in a positive way because you lived? What will people say about the life you lived? Will your life matter after you are gone off the scene? Will anyone remember you?

The author of our text mentioned above is Solomon. The bible labels him as the wisest and wealthiest man to ever live. He is at the end of his life and he is trying to find meaning in life because he was involved in a bunch of vain and empty things. I think we need to pay close attention to Solomon because I think he was on to something. One of the themes in the book of Ecclesiastes is vanity. Is your life full of empty things that do not have spiritual significance attached to it? Solomon admonishes us to grab hold of God’s purpose for our life and put our all into it. Do you put your all into the purpose God has for your life? Don’t allow distractions, discouragement, or debacles inhibit you from doing your best for God.

Understand we all have a certain amount of time to be productive. Do your best while you have the opportunity. I like the saying “don’t put off what you can do today for tomorrow.” The reality of life is none of us know what the future holds. We can be gone in the next second or we can be inflicted with a debilitating disease that prevents us from performing or functioning at our best for God. As John 9:4 says, I must work the works of him that hath sent me, for when night comes no man can work. John puts life into perspective and we all need to ask ourselves if we will be prepared when night comes. Remember, all of our talents and gifts are loaned to us by God. One day we will have to stand before God and answer for how we managed what he loaned to us.

God bless and keep you is my prayers.

A Lesson About Life’s Unexpected Turns.

Mark 4:35-40 (KJV)
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?


I am a former athlete and I have learned many lessons about life from athletics. There was a phrase we used on the sideline in football to get everyone’s attention. Whenever there was a drastic change the phrase “sudden change”. It let everyone know there was a change in the course of the game. Have you ever had a sudden change in your life? Has life ever caught you off guard? Have you ever received a phone call that changed the course of your life? You are still trying to get back on track, but you cannot seem to get on track.

Have you ever received an unfavorable diagnosis from the doctor that made you want to give up? The diagnosis made you feel like your life was over. How do you adjust to a curve ball life throws at you? How do you go forward and not really know how the situation will turn out?

In our lesson Jesus has just finished performing miracles. He tells his disciples to get into a boat with him and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. While they were in a ship they encountered an unexpected storm. It is interesting to me how being obedient to Christ can create a storm in our life. This lesson reminds me none of us are exempt from storms in our life.

As disciples, we have to encounter problems so we can grow. It does not matter how close we are to God, we have to go through different situations. The sobering reality of the storm is Jesus was with them. In the midst of your storm, understand if you followed the command of Christ he is with you. The problem is how the disciples allowed the elements of the storm startle them. Do not allow the wind and waves of life to make you afraid. As long as Jesus is with you do not be afraid. Jesus teaches us how to handle a storm. He went to sleep in the midst of the storm because he knew who was in control of the storm. When we encounter storms, we should be able to rest because Jesus is with us and he is in control of the situation. We have to understand he has the power to turn the situation around. All we have to do is trust him. How much do you trust God? Are you willing to get out of his way so he can work out your situation?

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

A Picture of Success!

Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV)
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Have you ever been traveling and gotten lost? One time I was following someone to a destination and the person I was following could not remember how to get to the destination. It took me a while to discover we were lost. I kept seeing the same store before I realized I was riding in circles. I kept following the individual because he insisted he knew where he was going. I called the individual and we pulled over. I had directions from MapQuest with me. We looked at MapQuest and figured out we made a wrong turn. As I look at my experience I could not help but see how sometimes in life we chase after things and get lost on this journey of life. Often times if we are not careful, we will find ourselves going in circles repeating a vicious cycle.

What are you chasing after that has caused you to get off track with God? Where did it all go wrong for you? It does not matter you are off track with God right now. Do you know you can get back on track with God so you can reach the intended destination he has for you? All you have to do is put the same energy you expend pursuing things into pursuing God. The way to pursue God is through the word of God which is his standard for life.

In our passage, the psalmist helps us understand the way we should live life is not by the world’s standards. The psalmist shares with us that true contentment or satisfaction does not come from what the world can offer us. We have to be careful who we associate with because they can ultimately get us off track with God. Have you ever taken advice from an associate or friend that led you in the wrong way? Whenever a critical decision needs to be made in life you need to turn to God for instructions. That is why we need a regimented diet of the word of God.

God always has something to say to us about every situation we encounter. God shares with us in his word the right way to obtain the things we desire. Just because you do not have what you think you should posses at this moment, remember you are exactly where God desires for you to be. Right now you may be in a barren place, but remember God governs the seasons in our life. We have to learn to trust God where we are and ultimately he will prosper us according to his will.

God bless and keep you is my prayer

Matters of the Heart

Matthew 5:43-45
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Do you remember the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” I remember that saying growing up, but the older I have become I realize the saying is not true. Words do hurt and they have the power to scar you for life. Has someone ever said something hurtful to you? Every time you think about it the thought of it makes you cringe. You can still hear the words reverberating in your ears as if they were just spoken. How do you deal with the pain of your past in the present? Maybe the pain isn’t from your past, but it is a fresh wound that you so desperately want to go away. What do you do when you are trying to move forward but the pain from the words someone spoke to you is holding you captive?

In the fifth chapter of Matthew Jesus is preaching the sermon on the mount to his disciples. He covers many issues throughout the sermon. I personally think the issue in this section overshadows all of the other issues. He addresses the issue of love. The word love is one of the most misused words in the English vocabulary. One of the things Jesus wanted his disciples to understand is the principle of love. Love is a word of action. The way love is determined is by our actions. In the same breath Jesus mentioned love, He mentioned hate and enemies. The true measure of love is when one is confronted by an individual exhibiting hateful and oppositional behavior. How do you handle it? Ones response to hateful and oppositional behavior determines if an individual possesses love.

We have to always remember we are not responsible for what others do to us, but how we respond to them. Don’t allow the hatred and evilness of another to hold you captive. In the words of Reuben the hurricane Carter who was wrongly incarcerated “Hate locked me up, but Love is going to bust me out.” I challenge you to be patient with others who act in an immature manner. Allow your love to go as far as it has to go to rescue someone from their ignorance and hatred.

God bless you and keep you is my prayer.

Stay Focused!

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Earlier this week I had the privilege of participating in team building exercises at work. One of the exercises was called team juggling. The concept of the exercise is for a group to sit in a circle and throw multiple objects around at the same time. At the beginning of the exercise, the team had three objects to throw around. By the end of the exercise, the team was throwing around seventeen different objects around. As I reflect on the exercise I remember the key concept was staying focused so I did not drop the object being thrown to me. I could not focus on all of the other things being thrown around in the circle because it would make me lose my concentration.

The exercise paints a vivid picture of life. Life has a way of throwing different things at us. Our level of concentration or focus is based on our level of maturity. Sometimes life is very chaotic, but we have to remain focused. Often times, life throws a succession of things at us so fast we can’t absorb what is going on. What has life thrown at you lately? Does it have you off balance? Has it made you lose sight of what is important? It is very easy to lose sight of what is important.

The writer of the above scripture writes to help us with distractions. In verse one he sets the scene in an athletic arena. He wants us to understand life is like a track race. Anyone who has ever run track will tell you the key to winning is focus. The author shares with us that we have a good example to follow after in this race of life. When distractions come our way, we should always look to Jesus. Why should we look to Jesus? Jesus epitomized focus. He never allowed anything to distract him from fulfilling the purpose God had for his life. What an example for us. Jesus blocked out the distractions and focused on purpose. The picture is one of a track runner blocking out everything around him/her and staying focused on the finish line. It is so easy to get entangled with the complexities of life. When life is spinning out of control, can you stay focused on the purpose God has for your life?

I challenge you to look to Jesus when you feel like you are on a roller coaster ride. How can we look to Jesus? He has given us great examples throughout scripture. I challenge you on a daily basis to read the word of God so you can find a resolution to your chaotic situation.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

A New Beginning!

Joshua 3:17 And the priest that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all of the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

I am a big football fan and every football season there seems to be a story that stands out more than any other story. Last year, Michael Vick’s story was a story I watched very closely. I remember his initial interview when he was released from prison. He indicated there were some things he would have to change in order to be a successful person on and off of the football field. Many people doubted him, ridiculed him, and questioned his character. It is interesting to me that often times in life we have to experience setbacks in order to recognize a change needs to take place. Michael Vick’s story suggests to us we can start over again and we can have “a new beginning”.

It does not matter where you are in life, how bad you have messed up, how much you have underachieved, or what others think of you. You can still have “a new beginning”. It does not matter where you are from or what your life experiences have been. You can still have “a new beginning”.

In the text mentioned above, the nation of Israel is in transition. They are about to enter into Canaan, but they had one last barrier to overcome. What barriers do you have in your life that prevents you from progressing with God? The Israelites practiced a very simple principle I want to share with you. First of all they got up at the break of day with a single focus. The focus was to overcome that which prevented them from moving forward. How often do you wake up in the morning with the intent to overcome barriers that prevent you from progressing with God?

The priests bare the Ark of the Covenant which was in the front of the whole nation. The Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments or the law. There are some laws we have to implement into our lives to move forward. There are also some laws we have implemented into our lives that hold us back. We need to break self-imposed laws. The priests were willing to do something they never did before. They were also willing to get their feet wet. What are you willing to do different today? Are you willing to charter in a new arena? How far are you willing to go with God? Your success or failure is determined by what you are willing to do. God bless and keep you is my prayer.

If you are willing to enter into "a new beginning" please pray this simple prayer with me. “Father, I recognize I am not where I should be with you. I desire to be all that I can be for you. I ask that you would help me recognize all of the barriers in my life. I surrender them to you in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”

Don't Quit!!!

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Have you ever felt like quitting or giving up at some point in life? Have you ever been so discouraged that you just don’t know what to do? At some point in our life, we experience difficulties that make us question God’s governance and guidance of our life.

Have you ever been to the point where life is a roller coaster for you? Life seems to throw one thing after another at you. You try to adjust and you just can’t seem to adjust. You try to do everything you know how to do but your situation does not improve. Life has a way of pressing us to the point where we feel like we can’t make it. What do you do when you are at the point where you are about to say, “I quit”? What do you do when you have prayed, fasted, cried, searched the scripture for a solution and nothing seems to work?

The Apostle Paul encourages us through this text not to give up. He writes this letter to the church at Corinth. He writes to a church that is divided with discipline and doctrinal issues. In this particular chapter false teachers challenged the resurrection of Christ. Paul writes to encourage the believers in the church to stand on the truth that they had been taught. The truth taught by the resurrection of Christ suggests that no matter how low life knocks you down, God has the power to resurrect you. God has the power to resurrect and revive the deadest looking situation.

This chapter teaches us we will always be challenged by naysayers while we are living for Christ. Our victory or defeat is hinged on how devoted we are to the word of God. We have to make sure we have a firm grip on the word of God. How strong of a grip do you have on the word of God my friend? Perhaps you are experiencing some type of trial for standing on the truth. I encourage you to keep standing. The enemy wants to move you from standing for God. Stand your ground and remain focused on the work God has entrusted to you. God has a reward for you in the end. The race is not given to the swift, or the battle to the strong, but it is given to the one that endures until the end.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

How to Handle a Hostile Environment!

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

I am a lover of quotes. I read a quote a while ago that stuck with me. The quote says, "There is no growth in the comfort zone." The quote was very eye opening to me. The quote suggested if I want to grow often times I will have to be in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

We all have a level of comfort and none of us like being in an uncomfortable situation. Our comfort zone makes us complacent at times and it is also a zone where we under perform. Often times God has to allow things to enter into our life to get us outside of our comfort zone. When we learn to function outside of our comfort zone, we begin to grow. God's ultimate objective for our lives is to develop us. When we leave our comfort zone, we have to enter into the faith zone. What is preventing you from leaving your comfort zone? Is it fear of the unknown? When are you going to leave your comfort zone? Do you want to maximize your potential with God?

The Apostle Peter wrote this epistle to first century Christians who were suffering great persecution. They were scattered all over the place. They were not in their homeland. They were being tormented and ridiculed for being Christians. It could be inferred they were not in their comfort zone. God allowed them to be scattered so he could increase their faith. Perhaps you are in an unfamiliar place in your life. The situation you are facing is something you have never faced before. You have to remember God is simply developing you. Peter encourages the Christians to:

First, bless God in the midst of their struggles.

Secondly, he lets them know, they need to speak well of God. Have you spoken well of God in the midst of your sickness, financial problems, occupational problems, or marital problems?

Finally, we have to learn to tell God "Thank you" in the midst of our trials (problems). We have to remember to express our gratitude to God. We have to learn not to complain but to have a positive attitude no matter the situation. Things could be worse than they are. God is in control of our situation and he knows what is best for us. We should always have hope that everything will turn out fine because God is in control.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

The Prescription for Worry!

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

Some time ago I was sick with an ear ache and congestion. I prolonged going to the doctor because I hate going to the doctor. Instead of going to the doctor I bought over the counter medicine to try and remedy the problem myself. As time went on my condition grew worse. One morning I woke up and the right side of my face was swollen. I still did not want to go to the doctor but, my wife convinced me to go. When I went to the doctor I discovered that I had an ear infection. The medication that I was using over the counter did not work. The doctor prescribed me several medications to address my infection. After I started the regiment of medications I started feeling better and my condition improved. After I left the doctor’s office, I thought about the fact I put myself in a predicament I did not have to be in. I caused myself undo pain and stress by not going to the doctor. If I had gone to the doctor earlier my situation would have improved faster.

Often times in life we become infected with worry from the stress of life. It is interesting that many times we try to handle the situation ourselves, when we have God who has the prescription to help us handle our worry. What specific problem are you currently facing? What situation in your life throws you off balance or creates tension when you think about it? We have to be careful with worry because it leads to stress. Stress is tension between the heart and the mind. Do you want to live a worry free life? Do you want to be able to rest at night? If you answered yes to these questions there is a solution.

The apostle Paul is writing a letter to the Philippian church because they had some problems. Can I pin a foot note here? This letter indicates to everyone that every church has problems. Paul wanted the parishioners not to allow the problems to cause them to worry. This letter also illustrates to us just because we are Christians does not exempt us from problems. Trials, tribulations and temptations are a part of life. We cannot let them rattle us or knock us off balance. Paul shares with us we should not worry when we can pray. Don't allow life to make you so anxious you cannot function. You do not have to carry the burden around you are currently dealing with. You can release this burden by giving it to God. Someone asked me a question not too long ago. The individual asked "Why should I pray when God already knows the outcome?" I responded by saying, “. . . prayer shows God you totally depend on him to work the situation out according to his will. Prayer is not designed to change God's mind. It is designed to line up our will with God's will.” Have you wondered what God's will is in the midst of your situation? The first step that you can take is to pray in conjunction with reading God's word. God will answer your prayer, but you have to first pray.

I challenge you this morning to enter into a more intimate relationship with God by praying. When was the last time you have isolated yourself from everything to have an intimate conversation with God? I am a firm believer prayer change things. If you want your situation to turn around, I challenge you to pray and trust God to work the situation out.

May God bless and keep you is my prayer.

Pursuing God's Purpose In Your Life

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching for those things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

When I was a freshman in high school I used to run track. My favorite running event was the 110 meter hurdles. I recall a particular race I will never forget. I had the fastest time going into the finals of the district track meet. I remember the race so vividly because I had a bad start and I was behind in the race. While I was running, I started over striding to try to catch up to the others who were ahead of me. If you have ever run hurdles, you understand the danger of over striding. My focus was on the others in front of me and not on running my race. In the middle of the race I hit a hurdle and it knocked me off balance and I fell down in the middle of the race. I got up and finished the race after falling. The race scarred me and I never ran track again until my senior year in high school.

As I look back at my experience, I have gathered life is like a track race. Life is full of hurdles that stand in the way of us fulfilling the purpose God has for our life. Often times the hurdles of life cause us to fall, but we have to get up and keep going. We can’t let our past failures hold us captive. Can I ask you question friends? Is there an event or situation from your past you can’t get over? Is the event or situation so tragic you don't want to face it? . . . . You will never be able to fulfill God's purpose for your life holding on to your past. Do you want to fulfill Gods purpose for your life? If you do, there are some things that you have to put into practice.

This verse teaches us an assessment needs to take place on a daily basis. How often do you take an assessment of your life? I know we live in an instant society and there is not much time to slow down. How much time do you have for God? I know that you have a busy schedule and you have a lot of things “going on”. Can you fit God into your busy schedule? We have to learn to slow down so we can get on the same page with God. Are you on the same page with God? In order to answer that question an assessment needs to take place. The assessment needs to be based on God's standard and no one else’s standard. So the assessment tool needs to be the word of God. How often do you look at God's standard for life? What is your attitude towards the word of God? If you want to fulfill God's purpose for your life it starts with seeking God through his word on a daily basis.

The word of God reveals to us all of our imperfections and it also shares with us how to address the imperfections. Someone may say, you don't know how bad of a person I am or you don't know the things I have done. You may feel you have made a mess of your life and no one understands. God knows, God understands and God can help you. He is waiting on you to totally surrender to him. He can turn your life around. None of us are perfect. We are all a work in progress. We have to be honest with ourselves and understand there is always room for improvement. Don't allow yourself to become satisfied with where you are. Each day God blesses us with an opportunity for improvement. We have to learn to bid yesterday farewell and embrace the opportunity of today. Every opportunity God gives us; we have to pursue the opportunity with passion in order to do our best.

When we do our best according to God's standard, we don't have to live life with regrets. God is ultimately the judge of every one of our lives. Don't allow others to set your standards, but live your life according to God's standard. God has something special for you ahead, but you will never be able to experience it holding on to yesterday.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.

Be Encourage!

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

I was watching the news about a month ago during the time of the Tsunami in Japan. The morning I was watching the news, a lady was being interviewed in a town that was destroyed. Before she spoke, I could see the hopelessness in her eyes. She stated during the interview that she did not know what she was going to do and how she would recover from the devastation. There were city officials that told her she would have to leave the area because of exposure to radiation. Can you imagine being told to pick-up and leave everything you are familiar with?

Often times in our lives, God allows devastation, disappointment and discouraging situations to occur. Life can be unstable at times and in the midst of the unstable situations, we have to make choices. Have you ever had to make a choice in the midst of an unstable situation? It can be quite discouraging because the outcome may look unfavorable for you.

The apostle Paul writes this letter to the church at Ephesus while he was experiencing some difficulties in his own life. He is in a Roman jail cell but he is writing to encourage others. Can I ask you a question? How many of us can be a source of encouragement to others while we are going through our own personal struggles? Paul encourages the saints at Ephesus by telling them in verse 10 to take a look back at what they had previously been taught. Often times in our life we have to look back to go forward. Paul wanted them to be prepared for what was ahead of them. Paul also shares with them that they are not alone as they face life's difficulties.

Sometimes in life you may feel like your struggle is unique. Someone has been through it or is either presently going through the same struggle. As you go forward handling your struggle remember God will empower you no matter what arena of struggle you encounter. The empowerment can only take place if you make yourself open and available to God.

Have you surrendered yourself to God in the midst of your struggle? Surrendering is key to overcoming life's struggles. Every one of us has to realize we can't make it on our own strength and we are totally dependent on God. If you are tired and fatigued because of life's struggles, I challenge you to pray to God. Tell God you surrender to Him and you surrender the “struggle” to Him.

May God bless and keep you is my prayer.