Grateful for New Mercies Everyday

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23

The current state of things in the world is not encouraging. Jobs are being taken away and houses are now owned by the banks. People are finding it hard to make ends meet and there seems to be no relief in sight. The rich may not be feeling the pinch as much as the poor but we all reside underneath the same sky. The sun shines on the godly and the wicked. The rain also comes down on the righteous and the wicked. Saved or not we are all in the same boat. It is good news to know that because of God’s love the poor may go through difficulties but we will survive. The strength and mercy that we all need, he will surely provide.

What can we do while God is at work? We wait on him. The dawn of each new day brings with it many blessings. It gives us the opportunity to start afresh and anew; to count our blessings and be grateful for what we do have. As the sun rises, we must ask God for a fresh outpour of his Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us. With the daily supply of God’s fresh anointing we can face any thing that life brings our way. Even when we make mistakes and invite trouble and sorrow into our lives, He does not turn his back on us. He picks us up, dusts us off with his mercy so that we can start over. We are able to stand despite opposition because we have God’s mercy upon our lives fresh and new everyday.

Loneliness

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age – Matthew 28:20b”

Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.” - Dag Hammarskjold

What do you do when you experience extensive loneliness? You may not be physically alone by any means. You may be surrounded by scores of people yet your soul feels very alone. Life may be going on as usual – Work, marriage, school drop-offs and pick-ups must all continue and the bills still need to be paid.

When you feel lonely know that you are not alone because God is with you. He has promised to love us in spite of. Our father in heaven knows us and understands our needs more than we do. He created us and his love for us surpasses human understanding so it’s important for us to know he is always with us and there is really no need to be lonely. I discovered that the best cure for loneliness is developing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as he has promised to supply all our needs according to his riches and glory. Loneliness was the very first thing God termed as “not good”. He created Eve to be a companion and a helpmate to the Adam. By God’s design, every human has a need to feel loved and have a sense of belonging.

If you are overwhelmed by loneliness today, fight the lonely feeling by taking the following steps:

1. Place all your expectations in God.
2. Believe in your heart that God is with you.
3. Embrace the abundant life God has for you.
4. Accept the things you cannot change and start to change the things that you can.
5. Develop new habits.
6. Start living where you are right now

God Sees Everything

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. – Psalm 31:7

Nothing is ignored, overlooked or missed by God. The Bible tells us that not a single sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing about it. He knows how many trees exist in the wild and he knows how many strands of hair we each have on our heads. He knows about all the struggles we go through in this world. He understands us better than any other human being can because he created us. He understands our dreams, our hopes and our aspirations. God is intimately involved in every intricate detail of our lives and no harm can befall us unless he allows it.

So no matter what you are going through or how insignificant your life may seem, know that God has his eyes on you. You are special and you are one of a kind. There is no one out there quite like you. No one has exactly your DNA or your fingerprint. God has a unique plan and purpose for your life. He has something special just for you to do. Do not let the problems of this world frustrate you such that you start to abort God’s purpose for your life by your own actions.

Regardless of what you are going through, rejoice in the knowledge that you are not some distant vague thought in the back of God’s mind. People may treat you badly or ignore you because they can see no value to your life. But God always has you on his mind and He has big plans for your life; plans to use you to declare His glory to millions in the world.

How Do You Really Forgive?

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

If you live in the real world, you will be wronged at one time or another. Someone will do something; say something that will at the barest minimum annoy you or worse case scenario, make your life a living nightmare. Either way, the reality is people hurt people and will continue to do so until Jesus comes. But how do you deal with life when you believe that you have been treated badly? How do you deal with the people responsible for your pain? How do you deal with people who have done wrong when they continue to justify their actions? Do you shake hands with them and tell them everything is ok? Do you give them a warm embrace and thank them for all they have done?

Forgiveness is one of the biggest tests of the Christian faith. We are called to forgive one another of everything and every time. But I must admit that it is hard to do sometimes. But I have found it to be easier when you look at forgiveness as being more for you than for the offender. When you forgive your heart is released from the burden of bitterness and anger. You are free to go on with your life. When you make a decision to let go of un-forgiveness, you put yourself in a position to hear more clearly from God. It is better to leave everything to God and let him fight for you.

Personally, I have no issues with forgiving people who trespass against me because I will often trespass against others and God due to my human nature. We all have issues that we struggle with. So if we understand that we are also capable of mistakes and forgive, we can enjoy the benefits of letting go. It is vital that we choose not to live life in any other way than along the path of forgiveness. When all is said and done, one thing I do still struggle with is facing the people who I believe have done me wrong. I find it easier to let the issue as well as the people go. Why you may ask? Well it’s because I am unsure of what my reaction will be if I get to seat across a table people who have wounded me deeply and engage in conversation. I don’t know how I would handle the situation.

I am still walking with God and asking for his help on a daily basis on how to pursue a relationship with people such as these. I am confident that God will show me the way that is best for me through the help of His Holy Spirit. He showed me how to forgive to begin with and how to let go so that I can be free. He is also teaching me that it is important for me to feel empathy and compassion towards others as I personally do not represent a picture of perfection. If a relationship with people who offend me is what he chooses for me, it will happen in His time and not a moment sooner.

Looking For God?

But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. – Job 23:8-10

My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the command of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. – Job 23:11-12

In difficult times we look for God and we sometimes cannot feel nor hear his voice. We may feel abandoned. And we pray, believing that we are praying in line with the will of God. It becomes frustrating when we do not get the answer that we hope for. It seems as if God has taken a much needed vacation. But truth be told, God is always there – right by our side – even when we can’t feel him and when we can’t hear his voice. God never takes a holiday. He is always at work on our behalf and in our lives.

It is important to stay on course when obstacles come our way. We must never be tempted to compromise our faith by taking short cuts that are contrary to God’s word. Life is a journey and we must remember that whatever we are dealing with now is just part of the big picture. It may shake us but it will not end our lives. We must get to a place in our faith where we are confident about the future God has in store for us. When we are sure of our future, we can go through trials knowing that they are only temporary and will never last forever.

Trust God and understand what that He knows what he is doing in your life. Keep following his Word. Don’t deviate from the course of faith that you have chosen. Trust in the Lord your God and in the promises laid out in his Word.

It’s Time to Change Our Ways

Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.” – Jeremiah 26:4-6

Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. – Jeremiah 26:12-13

The world is in a mess. It is obvious even to the blind that things are not the way it ought to be. We now live in an extremely godless society where more or less anything is permissible. The church is talking but their voices can’t be heard. The Gospel is now being used as a means to achieving monetary gain. Things are rapidly progressing from bad to worse. Our children are stabbing and shooting one another. The rich are getting richer whilst the poor continue to languish in poverty. There is something inherently wrong with society that programs, law enforcement, courts and jails will never have the ability to fix. At best all they do is trim the leaves while the roots continue to flourish.

There is only one thing that can get us out of the mess that we are in and that is faith in Jesus Christ. America needs to return to the God upon which our great country was founded. There is only one answer to America’s problems and that one answer is Jesus Christ. We must return to God as a people. We must turn our attention and our face back to God. There is no other way. The more fruitless routes we try, the more lost we become. As a country, we must change our ways before we become an example to all other nations as to what not to be. If we do not change, we will become like an object of cursing among all the other nations of the earth.

Night Visits From God

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you, “Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. – Matthew 14:25-32

Jesus had left his disciples on the boat to go up on a mountainside to pray. The boat was a considerable distance from land and was being tossed around by the waves because of the strong wind that was rising. The disciples were probably getting a little anxious. And to heighten their fear and trepidation, Jesus comes walking on the water! They didn’t even recognize him; they thought he was a ghost. But he reassured them very quickly by telling them who He was and not to be afraid.

When life is difficult and we are in the middle of change, it is often difficult to recognize and discern God. We are so overwhelmed by what is going on around us that the still small voice inside of us becomes drowned out by the chaos that we are facing. The disciples had been around Jesus for a while yet they did not recognize him. The same thing happens to us sometimes. Even when we believe that we are walking with God and we know Him somewhat, tough times can make us question what we believe. And to make matters worse, when God shows up with the answer that we have been waiting for, we do not recognize it.

Like Peter, when we get a breakthrough, we want to confirm that it is from God. Even when we receive the confirmation that we need, we will start to back out the minute we hit a roadblock. Peter felt the wind and started to sink. God in his infinite mercy will rescue us even as we seem to doubt. He rescues us because he does not want us to abort our destiny. The Bible records that as soon as Peter started to sink, immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

Night visits from God are precious and special. I have had them and I would not wish them on anyone but they are the kind of experiences that build up your faith. When nothing seems to be working and your whole existence seems to be occurring in a very dark and lonely cocoon, God always shows up just in time to give life and light to an otherwise dark world.

Suffering from Short Term Memory Loss?

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” – Exodus 14:22-24

It’s tough when Christians grumble and complain. There is nothing more unattractive than a whining Christian. The Israelites were one day praising God and writing songs and the next they were whining and complaining. They had quickly forgotten how God brought them through the Red Sea; how He parted the waters and they successfully walked through on dry land. If they had stopped to think, they would have been able to rationalize that the same God who parted the great Red Sea will provide water for them to drink. He would not have brought them all this way just to allow them perish in the desert. They were stressing themselves out over water to drink when God had just brought them through a great big ocean. How quickly we humans forget!

Even if you’ve never seen God at work miraculously in your life or in the lives of others around you, you have received salvation – that is a great miracle! God has miraculously brought us out of the darkness right into his marvelous light. If he could do that, why do we think that He will not be able to handle our everyday problems? Every time we are tempted to grumble and complain, we need to take our mind back to a time when God saw us through a difficult situation. If your memory is not excellent, keep a journal and write down these times with dates and include feelings of relief and joy as well. As believers, we are in the hands of God and not in the hands of men. The world may take its best shot but God will see us through just like He saw the Israelites through the Red Sea – Amen.

The Deliverance of the Lord

Have you been through tough times recently? Have you just come through something so huge – so difficult that you know in your heart you never will have made it through without God? Did the Lord make a way for you when it seemed like there was no feasible way out? Is your surviving and thriving story a shock to the people around you? Are you a living and walking miracle?

Maybe the world has given up on you and you feel all alone. You are not alone; you will never be alone. God Almighty is with you and will always be with you. If take time to remember the story of the Israelites and the crossing of the Red Sea, it should bring you great hope. I am sure the Israelites were scared to death as they watched the Egyptians approach in their chariots. The Bible records in Exodus 14:10 that they were terrified and cried out to the Lord. For a brief moment they even turned on Moses and accused him of bringing them into the desert to die. But God promised to save them and He did deliver His people from the hands of the Egyptians. Moses and Miriam made up a beautiful song about the awesome deliverance of the Lord. Here is a portion of that song:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.
“Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power.
Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.
By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood firm like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’
But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.” – Exodus 15: 1- 10

God, the Mighty Deliverer

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. – Isaiah 42:16

This important piece of scripture reminds me of the grace of God upon my life. There was a time in my life when I was so blind I could not see the great big iceberg right in front of me. It wasn’t long before my life hit that iceberg and all hell broke loose. I was up one minute and in deep despair the next. But the mercy of God reached out to me and showed me that my life was not over. Gradually, God began to lead me in the way that He had chosen for me to go. My life started to make sense; my troubles and disappointments began to have meaning.

I no longer focused on a life of “me”. I have begun to understand that it isn’t about me at all. It is about the things that God would like to do and accomplish through me. It’s about making my life available to Almighty God to do with it as He wills. Gaining this very crucial understanding simplifies a lot of things for me. Issues that used to plague me no longer do. People that used to antagonize and bother me no longer have the power over my life that they once had.

God delivered me and He set me free. He turned on the light in my otherwise dark and lonely world. He made all the crooked places in my life straight. For the first time in a very long time, I am excited about my life and the lives of my daughters. I look forward in anticipation to what the future holds.

Are you excited about your life? Or do you simply go from one day to the next not knowing where your life is headed? Do you need direction? Are you desperate for the light to be turned on in your dark world? Give your life to Jesus Christ today and watch your life change for the better.

My Constant Companion

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. – Matthew 28:20

Looking back at where I have come from and all that I have had to endure and go through, my level of comfort and peace with myself and with God surprises even me sometimes. Even though life continues to take its best shot, I am holding on to the promises God has for me. I have since eradicated my need for human affirmation as I know now that regardless of what you do; there will be someone who doesn’t like it. I have been relieved of the burden of wanting people to like me. I no longer have to exhaust myself trying to be anything different from what God has called me to be. It is a liberating feeling to be just me.

It no longer matters who is with me because God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. Why should it matter whether you like me or not? I am not here to please man but to do what is pleasing in the sight of God. As long as I stay on course and focus on what God has called me to do, I will never be alone. Even if the world says that I don’t have a chance – it does not matter what they think; it’s what God says that counts.

Do you need a companion? Are you all alone with no-one by your side? God is with you all the time. You may not always feel the presence or hear his voice but He never leaves your side. He has promised to be our constant companion.

God is Our Comforter

All this I have spoken while still with you. But 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. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:25-27

Where do we go when life knocks us down? Who do we turn to when the world decides that we are no longer of any use? When the world tells us that we are done, where do we go and what do we do?

There was a time when life told me that my existence was over. People that I felt I could trust quickly closed. I looked all around me and no-one was there. I became the talk of the town. I didn’t know what to do. I felt as if I would lose my mind at any moment. I had been through difficult times all my life but nothing hurt like what I was dealing with now. As I sank from one level of depression to another, I prayed for a minute that God will take me. But as I looked at my children and imagined the kind of life they would have without me, I decided to seek other options. Amongst the many avenues available to me, I chose Jesus Christ and I have never looked back.

God gave me a reason to live. First He gave me His Holy Spirit to comfort and direct me. I felt new found peace and joy. Of course sometimes, I would reflect on the things that have happened to me and will sink into moments of sadness and despair but spending time in the presence of God takes all the negative feelings away. I suddenly get recharged and hope comes alive once again in my heart. Through His Only Son Jesus Christ, I learnt that there was more to my life than I had been led to believe. I began to study as was amazed to find out that God had a unique plan for my life and that it was incumbent upon me that I find out what my purpose for living was. People may have written me off but God still had use for me.

Do you feel alone and in despair? Is your heart broken such that you feel that you could never love or be loved again? Jesus is reaching out his hand to you today. Take the new lease of life that is being offered to you. Embrace it with open arms. Your life will change far beyond your expectations. Your live will be completely transformed and renewed as you walk with God day-by-day. Refuse to live another day without the Ultimate Comforter. Give your life to Jesus Christ today.

Refuse to be Moved

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. – Psalm 55:22

Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. – Zechariah 4:6

We are often weighed down by the problems of this world. We worry about money and we fret over health. We get bogged down by various situations – some we have control over and others we can do absolutely nothing about. When life becomes unbearable, we are to cast our burdens onto the Lord. God can do a much better job at solving the issues that plague us. God has the power to make a way where there seems to be no way. He has the ability to not only see us through difficult circumstances but to also keep and sustain us as we go through the issues that we face. God gives us peace beyond understanding even in the toughest of times.

Whatever you might be dealing with right now, make a decision that you might be shaken but you will not be moved. Rather than look around trying to find answers, look up above and seek God for help. Real issues will never be resolved by your willpower or your strength. Life’s serious problems require the intervention of the Spirit of God.

Looking for Strength and Peace?

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:8

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, is the Rock eternal. – Isaiah 26:3-4

A very good friend of mine called me today in deep distress and after explaining his situation, I could really understand his cause for concern. If I was ever in the same place that he is, I am not sure if I would have handled it any better. But one thing is certain, God sees everything that happens to us and it is not his will for us to be robbed of our peace. There is however one entity that is glad when we are depressed and would like to drown forever in the sea of “what ifs”. This entity is the Devil. We are to be cautious when life throws us a lemon and we are having a hard time. It is vital that we do not do the job of the enemy for him.

If life is threatening to take away your strength and your peace, remember the following:

1) When you are facing a difficult situation; a problem so tough that no-one can help, it is time to turn to the God you claim to trust because He is the Only One who can get you out.

2) Remember that God has you and your situation in the palm of his hand.

3) Your situation is not hopeless especially to God. He has not created a mountain he can’t move or a stone he couldn’t roll away. Just because all the people around you cannot help does not mean that God cannot solve the problem.

4) Trust in God’s timing. He always comes through right in the nick of time.

5) Don’t pitch your tent in the land of “should have, could have, and would have”; you are right where God intended you to be even as everything around you seems not to be working. God is not a God of confusion. Everything that happens to you has purpose.

6) All things – negative, difficult, joyful and positive work together for good because you love God and all will be to His Eternal Glory. Being a believer does not shield us from difficult problems but it does give us the wonderful opportunity to see God work in our lives. We are able to experience the supernatural power of God as He sees us through problems that we would otherwise never have victory over.

7) Be still and know that God is at work. Stop all your DIY attempts to rescue yourself. Turn your insurmountable problem(s) over to the Lord; leave them completely at the altar. You just dedicate your life to Him and watch him see through.

8) When you truly trust in God, your life will be a testimony as to His power and His grace as people who know what you are dealing see you have strength and peace in spite of it all.

Trust Only in the Lord

Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? – Isaiah 2:22

Sometimes we place a great deal of trust in our earthly relationships and we get let down because the people we are counting on are only human. If we understand the imperfection that exists within our own individual selves, we can better appreciate and understand the inevitable failures of others. No-one is perfect; not a single one. The Only One who is a picture of perfection is God. He is the ultimate creator so it makes more sense to trust in him than to trust any one of his many creations.

When we learn to place our trust where it really belongs, which is with God, we feel more safe and secure. We are in the hands of the Only One who will never disappoint or let us down. If you could choose between investing your hard earned money in stock that may fluctuate in price and stock that is guaranteed to appreciate regardless of the economy and market conditions, which stock would you choose to invest your money in?

God never changes; His Word remains the same yesterday, today and forever more.

Work Only to Please the Lord

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness but to the simmer he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:26

In everything that we do our main priority must be to please God. When we show up at our job, we are to work as if we are working for the Lord. What we choose to do with our lives with regards to our work should be pleasing to the Lord. If we decide to please ourselves instead even if we gain wealth, it would not bring us any joy. Our main goal as believers is to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does not mean that we all stand at a pulpit and preach but it does mean that our lives must be a testimony of the love and grace of Jesus Christ. We must preach the Gospel at all times and use words only when necessary. Our lives are to be a testimony – lives that are pleasing to God.

Some may interpret this to mean that they are to abandon their daily jobs and go around preaching but we are to be fully engaged in the work of God. Being fully engaged in the work of God does not prevent us from working in other areas especially if our ministry does not generate enough money to sustain us. God has called us to do something apart from praying. Staying home all day praying means that sooner or later we will be out on the streets! The Bible clearly states that a man who does not work does not deserve to eat. The key is whatever work we do we do it with diligence and commitment and at the same time make God our number one priority.

Think Before You Speak

A man can never speak any better than he thinks. We are always encouraged to speak as children but no-one spends time to teach us how to think. Speaking is indeed important but thinking is worth so much more. It is vital for us to think before we speak because when we speak in a hurry without thinking we spend a lot of time trying to clear up the mess that we create. In most cases, it’s not even what we say but how we say it. In truth, a man will never be any greater than the way that he thinks.

The Bible tells us over and over again about the importance of listening and learning in order to improve our thought process:

Let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:5

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. – Proverbs 4:1-2

Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. – Proverbs 4:10-13

My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. – Proverbs 4:20-22

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. – Proverbs 5:1-2

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. – Proverbs 10:11

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he speaks rashly will come to ruin. – Proverbs 13:3

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of then wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. – Proverbs 15:1-2

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. – Proverbs 16:20

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. – Proverbs 21:23

Protect Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. –Proverbs 4:23

A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. – Proverbs 17:20

We often do not fully comprehend how fragile the heart really is. Our heart and soul is like the control room of our body. Our actions and in-actions all stem from what is in our hearts. The Bible tells that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. When we talk, we speak out of the residue of our heart, soul and mind. We can never speak differently from the state of our hearts. So it stands to reason that we must take every precaution to protect our hearts.

I have a burden to encourage young girls about relationships especially with the opposite sex. Women must never open themselves up to be abused or mistreated by anybody. God values you and He values your heart. You must spend some time understanding how God views you; learning how you are the apple of His eye. When you can grasp that; when you can really wrap your head around the love God has for you, you will be able to recognize people who want to take advantage of you or mislead you. Take pride in yourself and protect your heart. God will send you the right friends at the right time.

If a man is treating you badly, it probably time to make new choices for yourself. I know as women we are nurturers by nature and we are trained to nurse things back to health but fixing an abusive man is not your burden to carry. It's a great gift to know when to let things go. The Bible does not condone abuse in any form. The more you open up yourself to be ill-treated, the more you damage your heart. As you allow yourself to be mistreated by man after man; each one leaves his own mark of dysfunction and then you become bitter, angry, discouraged and cynical. All these negative feeling pollute your heart and allow weeds to grow instead of the wonderful seeds of the Word of God – the only instrument that has the ability to keep us whole if only they are allowed the chance to take root.

The enemy has no other plans for our hearts except to steal all the seeds that God has placed in us. How does he do that? By allowing all sorts of negativity to affect us and change the way we view ourselves and the world. Guarding our hearts from negativity gives us a great chance at protecting our faith.

Be Still and Know that He is God

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still. – Exodus 14:13-14

I don’t know about you but I am desperate to walk in God’s will for my life. I don’t want to be anywhere but in the center of God’s will. But as I try to take steps to move along the path God wants me to walk, I get distractions and issues that threaten to move me away from God’s promises for my life. As I try to deal with these problems on my own I suddenly realize that trying to figure out things using my own wisdom will get me nowhere. I must stand firm with the assurance that God is working behind the scenes on my behalf. God is up to something in my life to make all the dreams and visions He gave me come to pass.

Even with the difficult season that we are living in; we can make a decision not to lower our standards and we can be committed to staying true to our faith. We must decide to let God’s purpose drive our decisions and not the material things of this world. With faith we will be still and we will stand firm and wait on God’s timing. We will not fall into the temptation that constantly encourages us to take matters into our own hands or do anything that will compromise the faith that we strongly profess. In spite of all the challenges and obstacles that we face, we will choose to do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

Where Do We Go From Here?

No life is without struggle, it is just the degree of struggle that differs. Some have a lot of resources with which to minimize suffering and other have no choice but to endure the hardships that come along with their struggles. Money is not everything but it does have the power to solve some major problems. When we are under attack personally and financially, there is often the desire to take matters into our own hands as we feel trapped and compelled to do something about our situation. Some of the things we do have us go so far as to compromise our faith and we become vulnerable to the wiles of the enemy. We eventually end up worse off than we were before.

Regardless of the depth of our faith, we sometimes find it hard to be still when things around us are going crazy. We forget to look to God for help when catastrophe strikes. We persist in looking down and all round us when we really should be looking up above. With the recent state of the economy, some have lost their homes and jobs. Many that bought their homes with good intentions are being forced to abandon the properties because they are bound by loans that now make little or no sense as investments. Retail spending is down as people either does not have the means or are trying to be wiser when it comes to spending. Food and fuel prices keep increasing everyday. To make matters worse, it is evident that the government is powerless to get the country out of the mess that it is in. But why should they care? Most of the people in power are all upper-class. Their homes and livelihoods are not threatened like that of the average Joe. Their families are all covered by good health insurance. They do not have the worries that poor people face in this country.

You may ask – “Where is God in all of this? Does he even care?” God does care about his people but in order for His people to experience His blessings, they must adhere to His Word. We cannot be going our own way and expect to end up in the place God meant for us to be. Day by day, we have consistently removed God from all the important places He is meant to occupy. Why are we surprised that we are in the mess that we are in? Where do we go from here? Will things ever be restored? There may be some fictitious recovery – our government is good at showing us pictures that in reality do not exist. But if we want true and lasting recovery, America needs to turn back to God now.

My Prayer For You

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” – Numbers 6:24-26

The above prayer meant for the Israelites is applicable to all God’s people today. We are called to encourage and pray for one another. If we have friends and family that are yet to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we must pray that God will reveal Himself to them in His perfect time. Regardless of how easy or difficult or lives are right now, we all need God in our lives. No life is truly complete without the presence of Almighty God.

Our whole life is transformed when God shines his face upon us. It’s like we were once blind but now we can see. Everything becomes clear and we can see God’s desired direction for our lives. Doors begin to open so we can start to work the plan that God has for our lives. We gain immense confidence and courage. We are inspired and motivated to take life on because we know that God is for us and on our side. We are able to be a source of inspiration for others. Our individual lives tells a beautiful story of the mercy and grace of God. In times when everything around is going crazy, we have the supernatural peace that only a relationship with the messiah can bring.

I am burdened to pray for you today. May the Lord truly bless you and keep you. May courage, love, strength, hope, joy and peace be your portion in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. You are blessed and highly favored and no weapon formed against you shall ever prosper. You shall be the head and not the tail. Continue to be a blessing to the ones that God has placed in your life and your path. Speak the blessings of God into the lives of your friends and family.

My Source of Strength

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10c

There is an undeniable connection between praising God and joy. I find that regardless of the kind of day that I am having, listening and singing songs of praise renews my mind and the joy in my heart. Any feeling of discouragement or despair that I may have been experiencing gradually evaporates. The feeling of weakness and that my situation is hopeless is quickly turned around. I suddenly get a surge of energy and strength. I am quickly reminded about all the things that I ought to be grateful about. God speaks to my heart in ways that I cannot explain, telling me that everything that is happening to me is known to him and that He has the whole world in his hands.

The enemy of our souls knows that when we have joy in the Lord we become strong so he does all he can to keep us down and discouraged. He tells us about all the things that are going wrong in our lives and if there are none, he makes stuff up just to antagonize us! His main aim is to weaken us and mess up our walk with God but if we commit to stay grounded in God and spend time praising and rejoicing in Him, he will not have a foothold in our lives. The best part of it all is as we continue to walk with God and ignore the enemy’s distractions; we make room for God to do magnificent things in our lives.

All I know

Early in the morning Abraham got up saddled his donkey. He took with him his two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burning offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. – Genesis 22:3-5

It feels great when you believe in something and someone that is real. I am talking about a belief that is so real that you can feel it, even touch it. A belief that drives every decision you make and everything that you do. That is the kind of belief that Abraham had.

Can you imagine God telling you to take the only son that you waited all your life to have and kill him as a sacrifice? Can you imagine yourself having so much faith in the God that you serve that you have no doubts about taking your precious child to a secluded spot to slaughter him or her? Let’s be clear, I am not talking about going on a plane or a bus wearing a bomb and killing innocent bystanders. That kind of faith has no place in God’s kingdom. I am talking about a personal faith between you and God that does not threaten or harm other people that you have no jurisdiction over.

It is recorded that Abraham got up early that morning and saddled his donkey! If there was any day that any of us would have chosen to sleep in late; that would have been the day! Abraham not only rises early to obey God’s command but he cut up wood with which to burn up his only son. He instructed his servant to wait and that he and his son will be back. He definitely knew something deep down in his heart that an ordinary person reading the bible would not know. Abraham was confident that God would do something. He did not know what that “something” would be but he was sure that he would return with his son. Maybe God will raise him from the dead after the sacrifice or another sacrifice would be provided, he was unsure. All he knew was that the only son that God gave him in his old age will live.

What do you know for certain about your faith? What are you confident about? For me, all I know is that God will always provide for me. I know that I know that as long as my faith is kept in God and in God alone, He will take care of me. I am also confident that as long as I continue to serve God, I will never be put to shame.

Learning to Wait

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. – Habakkuk 2:3

We all have dreams and desires that God has placed in our hearts. Often we are in such a hurry to get started on our “new” life that we fail to stop and ask God about what He will have us do. We fuss and rush into things that we are supposed to think through thoroughly and plan carefully. We jump into new adventures without securely tying up the loose ends in our current life. We run ahead of God and make a total mess of our lives.

The most important thing that I’ve learnt about learning to wait is that God wants my dreams to come through especially since they are all to the glory of His name so I have no need to rush into anything or force my way into my future. God will make all the things I have seen through my eyes of faith happen in the physical at the appointed time. Knowing this allows me to rest in peace and it gives me strength to wait on Him day by day.

Are you anxious to start on the dreams that God has placed in your heart? Don’t be. Start to trust in the God who gave you these dreams to begin with. Have faith that God is in total control of your life and will make things happen at the right time. Be confident that He will bring your dreams to pass.

Don't Run Ahead into Danger

Those who wait for the Lord, who expect, look for, and hope in Him, shall renew their strength. – Isaiah 40:31

I remember when I ultimately realized that I had been living someone else’s dream for a long time. It was a huge revelation that for years, I was basically waking up, walking and going sleep in someone else’s life. I had over time become someone I didn’t know or recognize. Yes, I was in a marriage and had beautiful children but I had given up on everything I ever thought I could be simply to fit into a life someone else had carved out for me.

I wanted the “Happily Ever After” and I thought a man could give it to me. I never imagined that I had to be happy on my own before I could bring happiness to anyone else. Instead of spending time with God on my own to figure out His plan for my life, I ran ahead and married the first person that winked at me. I learnt the hard way that doing things outside of God will only bring trouble and sorrow. The worse part of it all is that pain and hurt may extend beyond us to innocent bystanders.

It is important for us to develop the habit of waiting and hoping in the Lord. We must never make the mistake of taking situations into our own hands especially when it comes to life changing decisions such as marriage. We are to commit all our plans to God so that we can be sure that we are on the right track and we can safeguard our hearts at the same time. God may have a different answer for us than we expect. He may instruct us to wait when we are sure that we ought to move. But one thing is certain; God will give us strength to persevere as we wait for His timing.

What is Your Plan?

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for his own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster. – Proverbs 16:3-4

We all make decisions every day and even if we do not, our decision not to make decisions is still a decision. We all have plans. Some of us consciously plan our life out, trying to do our best and make the most of what we have and others just take each day as it comes; simply deciding to go with the flow. The reason I make plans is because I believe that without a plan, one simply plans to fail. But success does not come with just planning. No matter how skillful we are at setting goals and making plans, they are all worthless without the anointing of God. Without the Holy Spirit, plans will simply be just what they are – plans.

As believers, it is important that we commit all we want to do to God and ask for His help and His guidance at all times. We are never to go it alone; we were never created to walk alone. Things work best when we walk alongside God or He goes ahead of us. Running ahead of God is never a great idea. We are to commit our goals into His hands each and every day.

God's Always Doing Something New

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43: 19

Sometimes when disappointment hits, we get down in the dumps and refuse to see life beyond what we are going through. We believe that our only chance at having a rewarding and fulfilled life has been lost and that we cannot go on. But the scripture reminds us that God is always up to something. Even when we cannot hear his voice or feel his presence, God is always doing a new thing in our lives.

God did not promise us a life without trouble – far from it. A Christian life is always complete – troubles, joy, pain, happiness, love, blessings in various forms and of course taxes! In the same token, a wise man once said that a Christian is like a tea bag – you never know what they are made of until you put them in hot water. We are never to allow our trouble shut us down. Instead we are to wake up each morning with a sense of expectancy from God; confident that God is going to see us through whatever we might be experiencing. We are to be convinced that God is going to turn all that we are dealing with around for our good. We are never to give up or give in.

God Gives Presents

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

We always give good presents to our kids on their birthdays and Christmas. We love them so we want them to be happy and fulfilled. But as human beings, we make mistakes because we are not perfect. God on the other hand is perfection. If we can give good presents to our children, imagine what kind of presents God can give to us. God has a lot in store for us if we would only believe. God wants us to study his word and talk to him so he can set us in the right direction for our lives. If you’ve had a difficult life until now, believe that God wants to take you to new heights. If you are hurt and in despair, He wants to heal your heart and make you brand new so you can be a blessing to others. He wants to supply all your needs so you are never in want again. He wants to help bring out in you all the gifts and talents that are within you all for His glory.

If you are ready to take your life to the next level, trust in God today. Ask Jesus Christ into your life. Watch your whole world transform. Start enjoying the presents God has for all those who love Him today.

You Can Win

Joseph inspires me to strive and never give up. Even though life might present difficult obstacles sometimes, where there is life and willingness to work hard, God always shows us a way out. God is able to make a way where there seems to be no way. I constantly teach my daughters that a difficult childhood may not be a lot of fun but there are a lot of great lessons to be learnt if one looks beneath the surface. Even though things may appear to be hard and we can’t do most of the things that their age mates are involved in, it is important that I let them know that God has a plan for their lives.

We are to do our hardest, work hard, refuse to be sloppy and pay attention to every detail and God will see to the rest. Whatever they might miss as children, God will restore to them a hundred-fold later in life. Just like my daughters, Joseph had a tough childhood. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. His brothers hated him so much that they got rid him. Despite being sold into slavery, Joseph held onto his faith and displayed Godly character traits. He served his employer as if he was working for the Lord at all times. Living a life of compromise was never an option for Joseph. Joseph, regardless of what his brothers did to him in an effort to destroy him became a winner.

Was Joseph a winner because of money, position or power? No! All the money, position and power were simply a by-product of the winning streak. Joseph was able to excel because he displayed the character that honored the God that he claimed to serve. Are you a winner? Does your character honor the God that you serve? God created us to be winners. We may not be rich or with affluence but we are taken care of at all times by the God we serve. We have our feet firmly on the ground and our eyes turned towards heaven.

Is it clearly evident that you are winning at life or do you have all that money can buy yet you know deep down that you are really losing at the things that matter? To be a winner you must be committed to God and your faith. You must refuse to be defeated in all the things that you do. Never let disappointment stop you from following your dreams. It is important that you do not live a compromised life whereby you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ but your life and the way that you live it all tell a completely different story. It is crucial that you are obedient to the ones that God has placed in authority over you. You must obey the laws of the land you live in and be available to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God Has the Power to Reverse the Order of Things

When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” He blessed them that day and said, “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. – Genesis 49:17-20

Most of the time, we as human beings think we know everything. But in reality we know very little. Only God sees and knows all. There are people who I believed will never have a chance and God saved them. God brought them from the back of the line right up to the front. When they talk about their experiences today, they feel as if they skipped many grades in Elementary School. Unfortunately, there have also been people who I expected will survive some ailment and they passed away. God has definitely taken away people in my life I felt he should have kept here on earth but I resign myself to the fact that He knows best.

The more I study, the more I realize that we cannot control the act of God in the life of anyone. Even when we see someone as undeserving, we are basing our assessment on what we can physically see. God may decide to promote that individual because He is more concerned about the state of the person’s heart. Our cultures and traditions mean nothing to God. Because our tradition dictates that people ought to act or behave a certain way or perform certain rituals does not mean that God expects the same thing. Every thing God expects from his people are clearly outlined in the Bible – anything outside of that is not crucial. It may mean something to man but it means nothing to God.

Based on the verses of scripture above, it will appear that the firstborn had certain rights but God reversed the order of things and gave special rights to the second child instead. He did not ignore the firstborn but He chose to make the second greater than the first. God can decide to give his blessings to anyone because He is God. He does not need to confer with the Board of Bishops or with us before He makes a decision on who to promote and who to demote. God does not answer to anyone. So before we look down on anyone and expect that God should not or would not bring them out, let us take a minute to reflect on the nature of the God we serve. We ourselves are undeserving of the grace that we have been shown. We definitely did not earn it. So why do we think that we deserve better treatment from God than the next man? If God chose to save you and I, He can save and promote anyone of his choice.

If you are feeling down in the dumps and think that you have gone so far down the wrong road that God cannot forgive you, don’t despair. If God can forgive me and give me a new life, He can do the same for you. Talk to Him today and acknowledge how you feel. He is waiting to hear from you.

No-one Can Frustrate God’s Purpose in Your Life

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they have done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there have been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. – Genesis 45:4-8

Even though he was sold into Slavery by his brothers, God’s purpose in Joseph’s life was fulfilled. No-one can frustrate God’s purpose – no-one. Joseph, in the above scripture, was able to extend the hand of forgiveness to his brothers because he understood that his experiences were all part of God’s plan for his life. Maybe he did not feel this way years ago when he was in prison but the reasoning behind his suffering is now clear. He was able to comfort his brothers and alleviate them of any sense of guilt because he knew God brought him to Egypt. Maybe he would have prepared a different method of arriving in Egypt but ultimately God’s plan and purpose was fulfilled through him.

God is not an author of confusion. Things don’t just happen to us. As believers we must understand that we are in a controlled environment. The Bible says that the footsteps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. This means that God always goes ahead of us. We may not get the meaning of some of the challenging times we face as we go through them but often times after we have passed through them, things begin to make sense to us. Everything that happens to us has reasoning behind it; every experience, every hardship, every success and every failure. They are all meant to work together to bring us to the planned end that God has prepared for us.

There are people that will enter our lives and betray us just like Joseph’s brothers did to him. But we have to know that some people are sent to actually betray us so they can push us from a point of mediocrity to a place of victory in our lives. They were sent to betray us so that we can come from the back of the crowd to the front where we really belong. I never would have gotten to the point that I am in today if I hadn’t been deceived in my life. But the deceit and betrayal did not destroy me as it was expected to, instead it transformed and moved me into a completely different area in life. It changed my vision completely and put me right smack in the center of God’s will for my life. If I could do it all over again, I would not have it any other way.

Understand today that no-one can frustrate God’s plan for your life – even you! If people have hurt you and mistreated you, look at them as agents of the Lord. If someone is threatening to leave because you refuse to be anything different from whom God has called you to be, kiss them goodbye. They were not meant to be around to enjoy the realm of glory that God is taking you to. Life is often not as complicated as we make it. When we acknowledge that everything that happens to us as children of God have purpose, it is easy to get back up and keep walking.