A Lesson in Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

As I continue to learn, grow, and journey with the Lord I realize love is not what I say, but it’s what I do – it’s how I treat people. As I study 1 Corinthians 13, I understand that love is not a feeling, it’s an action word. It’s a conscious decision to be patient and kind. To love means that I decide to live out this particular scripture line by line to the best of my abilities, regardless of the recipient or circumstance.

We are not responsible for how people treat us. We cannot control that. However, we are accountable to God for the way that we treat others. In Matthew 7, we learn about the Golden Rule. “So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12). If we are going to learn to love the way that Christ loves His church, we must treat people the way that we want to be treated and love, unconditionally.

I’m a flawed person, extremely flawed. When I think about God’s grace and mercy towards me, I think to myself, “How can I mistreat others because they have mistreated me? After all the wrong that I’ve done, God forgives me continually.” Loving others means: not holding a grudge, not hanging their flaws over their heads, accepting people for who they are, and praying God’s best for them – even when they mistreat you. It’s easier said than done when the mistreatment causes you hurt or pain of any kind. However, we must look to the Lord for our strength to do this thing. It’s in our weakness that His strength is made perfect (2 Corinth. 12:9).

God is love. He loves everyone. He is not partial. Matthew 5:45 says, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Honestly, this truth doesn’t always sit right with me. I always want God to vindicate me and do my wrongdoers wrong. But the reality is, He is merciful and kind. He doesn’t always repay evil with evil, and neither should we.

As I questioned God about loving and honoring others – He showed me Genesis 9 – Noah & his sons. In verse 20 we see Noah drunk, uncovered, and naked. He was a flawed man. His son Canaan saw his father’s nakedness in his drunken state. Instead of covering his father, he exposed him by telling his two other brothers. On the other hand, verse 23 says, “Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.” We see a clear depiction of how we ought to cover others even in their flaws.

1 Peter 4:8 commands, "Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]." God is calling us to love. If there ever was a time that we needed more love, it’s now. Make a choice to love.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

~1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Be Blessed & Stay Encouraged!💜

A.M.

Victory!!

For the Lord, your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. ~ Deut. 20:4

As I sit writing this blog entry, I began to recite these lyrics:

Victory is mine,

Victory is mine,

Victory today is mine.

I told satan, get thee behind,

Victory today is mine.

I realize that no matter the situation, I have the victory, and so do you! In Deuteronomy 20, we see instructions given to Israel to prepare them for battle. This scripture pertains not only to the children of Israel but to us as we are God's people. Verse 1 says, "…be not afraid of them: for the Lord, thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” This verse reveals two things to me: the first thing is that the Lord is with me in every situation, in every battle, and every hard place. I am not alone. His presence is my portion. Second, the verse reminds us of how the Lord previously delivered Israel from Egypt. The same God who gave you the previous victory and delivered you will do it again. He's the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Heb. 13:8).

Verse 4 says, “He goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.” We don't need to fight against our enemies; the Lord will fight for us. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. The Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord (Rom. 12:19). We must trust God enough to humble ourselves, hold our peace, and believe that God has given us the victory. No retaliation is needed.

The bible tells us that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:4-9). What does that mean? We are in a position of privilege, power, and authority because of Christ’s work on the cross. He's given us authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and, over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall harm us (Luke 10:19). We have power, we have authority, and we have the victory. We are not defeated. We must learn to speak and pray from a position of power and authority.

In my quiet time with the Lord, He recently showed me that Hannah never approached or sought revenge against Peninnah (her rival); see 1 Sam. 1:1-19. She went to God in prayer - intense prayer. She gave birth to her miracle in the place of prayer. Take note that Hannah's miracle was birthed from a place of prayer, not retaliation or revenge. As you allow the Lord to fight your battles, believe and know that you have the victory.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corin. 15:57

Be Blessed & Stay Encouraged!💜

A.M.

Self-Examination: Part 1

 But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work. He can then have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable [in itself alone] without [resorting to] boastful comparison with his neighbor. Galatians 6:4

As my 40th birthday is quickly approaching (Lord slow it down), I've decided to take a step back, reflect, and perform a self-examination. Many times, we are extremely skilled at evaluating others. On the contrary, we seem rather incompetent when it comes to examining our own ways. In Galatians 6, the Apostle Paul admonished the Galatians to correct one another in love, not to think of themselves more highly than they ought, and to examine their ways. If we're honest, we're all guilty of finger-pointing. We're all guilty of trying to remove the speck out of our neighbor's eye rather than first removing the plank out of our own eye (Matt. 7:5). 

What planks are in your eye? Can you see them? If not, you can ask the Holy Spirit to show you. Sometimes, these "planks" are a hindrance to our progress in various areas of our lives. There is undeveloped fruit (patience, love, kindness, self-control, long-suffering, etc.) in our lives. God wants to develop the fruit of the Spirit in us. He desires for us to bear good fruit. Furthermore, we don't realize how our actions, attitudes, and behavior affect others. We don't see it because it's easier to judge and see the shortcomings of others. Other times, we do know and choose not to deal with ourselves. We have to want to be better. We have to want to grow. 

The word grace has been a running theme for me over the past few months. I kept seeing and hearing this word everywhere. In nearly every movie or tv show I watched, there was a character named Grace. In the signs I saw on the street and buildings, there was the word grace. It came to a point where it was happening so much, that all I could do was laugh. I began to ask, "God, what are you saying to me? Because at this point, it's obvious that You are communicating something to me about grace."

One of the things that I believe the Lord was/is saying to me is that there's not only grace for me, but for others. The same grace that I need and receive, I have to be intentional about extending it to others (and myself). We must understand and accept that we all have issues, hang-ups, flaws, and character defects. All of us. We have to be loving and forgiving, just as the Lord is towards us. Galatians 6:2 tells us to, "Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]." Easier said than done, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).

Before we enter the 2nd half of 2022, I encourage you to take some time to step back, reflect, and self-evaluate. Spend some time with the Lord and allow Him to show you yourself. David said in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Allow the Holy Spirit to have His way and respond accordingly. If there are some areas where you need to do better, agree with the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to help you to do so. God is not a condemning God. He corrects and those whom He corrects, He loves (Heb. 12:6). 

The goal is growth. Let's grow together. 

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

Lamentations 3:40

Be Blessed & Stay Encouraged!💖

A.M.

Difficult Deliverance

Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt (Ex. 13:17-18).

In the book of Exodus, we see a mighty move of God on behalf of His people. The children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt for 430 years! For centuries they cried out to their God for change, deliverance, and freedom. In the 430th year, their salvation finally came (Ex. 12:41). The Lord sent them help by way of a man named Moses. Their prayers were answered. They were no longer enslaved. They were no longer in bondage. They were no longer someone else’s property. They were a free people, God’s people. However, their deliverance didn’t appear the way they thought it should. Because of this, we see God’s people complaining, grumbling, and ultimately wanting to go back to a place of bondage - the very place they prayed that the Lord would deliver them from. 

By the hand of God, the children of Israel were delivered, and so are we. When God comes through for us, it may not come in the way we think it should or even the way we’d envisioned. He may take us the long and difficult path to teach us how to be steadfast and trust Him completely - as He did with the children of Israel (Ex. 13:17). God says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” God doesn’t do things or solve problems the way we do, and His thoughts go far beyond our understanding. There is a purpose behind everything that He does or does not do. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “…we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” There is even purpose in His timing (Eccl. 13:1). 

Has God delivered you, and it doesn’t look like you think it should? Are you complaining and grumbling about it? Would you rather go back to a place of bondage? Do you prefer the place of comfortable slavery rather than the place of difficult freedom? God never said that the “promise land” wouldn’t have giants and hardships. Don’t go back to that toxic relationship because you’re lonely. Don’t go back to that 9-5 because entrepreneurship is more challenging than you thought. Don’t go back to living opposite of God’s will because doing the right thing seems to be unprofitable right now. Stay in your deliverance. Keep your freedom. Trust God with the outcome. Just as He led the children of Israel to the Red Sea, He led you right where you are right now. He has already made a way for you! Trust Him to bring you to the other side as you act in obedience and keep a thankful heart towards the Lord.  

Be Blessed & Stay Encouraged!💓

A.M.

Jericho Walls

Now Jericho [a fortified city with high walls] was tightly closed because [of the people’s fear] of the sons of Israel; no one went out or came in. The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty warriors. 

Joshua 6:1-2

The Lord has had me thinking about the Walls of Jericho lately. So naturally, I began to look at Joshua 6 to see what God was saying to me. As I read Joshua 6, I began to see a picture of God's people being shut out of the very thing that God had promised to them. Then I asked God, "How does this relate to me...to us in this day and time?" The walls represent barriers that the enemy has built up to keep God's people out of their place of promise...their place of breakthrough...their place of rest. A wall by definition is a barrier, a barricade, a separator, and a hindrance. What are some of the walls that the enemy uses to hold us back? Pride, jealousy, envy, self-righteousness, fear, unbelief, unforgiveness, disobedience, and the list goes on. Hebrews 12:1 pleads with us to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us. These walls keep us from moving forward to the place that God has for us. The place of peace, joy, abundance, purpose, etc. There was a better place that God had for His people in Joshua 6, but they couldn't attain it because of the walls that surrounded the city. What walls are keeping you out of the place that God has for you?

If you look at the text, it says "Jericho was tightly closed because of the people's fear of the sons of Israel." The enemy knows how powerful and effective you are for the Body of Christ. Thus, he will use whatever barricade he can to keep you from entering into the place of promise that God has for you. Whether that promise is peace, joy, purpose - he will do what he can to keep you out. The bible says that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus I came that we may have life more abundantly (John 10:10).

So, just as God gave Joshua and the children of Israel instructions that would ultimately lead to their victory, God wants to do the same for you. I want to encourage you today to sit in the presence of God so that He can give you divine instructions on how to defeat the enemy of your soul. I pray that every wall that the enemy has erected to keep you out of the place of promise comes tumbling down as you do what God has placed on your heart to do. Remember, you have the victory.

Be Blessed & Encouraged, 

A.M. 💗  

Faith & Feelings

Ok, I’m going to be honest - I don’t always feel like praying and I don’t always feel like studying my bible. To take it a step further, I don’t always feel saved and I don’t always feel like I’m righteous. But the truth of the matter is, I am saved – through faith in Jesus Christ and I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. So, it doesn’t matter how I feel, those are the facts.

In this faith walk, it’s critical that we don’t rely on how we feel to guide our decisions. The bible says, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17). It doesn’t say by feelings, sight, or sound – but by faith. If we live our lives totally based on our emotions, we’ll be all over the place, completely unstable. Our emotions change from day to day, and from circumstance to circumstance. Even in these uncertain times, emotions and tensions are high. If we let our feelings guide us, we’ll often end up in trouble by making poor decisions. Our faith in God has to be our compass. Our faith, not our feelings should be the guiding force to help us obey God and to do what we know to be right. We are called to live by our faith in the One who can be trusted.

Throughout this journey with God, at times it may feel as if He’s not there, not listening or is outright indifferent to our cries. But the those are all lies. The truth is, we know He’s with us because He said He’ll never leave nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6). We know His ears are open to the cries of the righteous because the Word of God says so in Psalm 34:15. What we know to be true about God’s character and His promises must override how we feel.

In Psalm 42, the Psalmist is clearly depressed and feeling forgotten by God. Nevertheless, these verses are so refreshing to me as I notice how he checked his own spirit.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you…

9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

This is a prime example of how not to allow your circumstances and your feelings to dictate your mood, your praise, and your faith in God. He reminded Himself of who God is and what He did for Him in the past. Essentially, He asked himself, “Why are you worried and why are you depressed? Hope in God! You know Him!” I’m paraphrasing but I just want to encourage you to believe God, what He says about you, and His promises to you. It doesn’t matter how you feel, but according to your faith, it will be done for you (Matt. 8:13, 9:29). Only you know what that “it” is. Be determined to live by faith and not your feelings. Be courageous and steadfast in your faith in God. He’s faithful.

Be Blessed & Encouraged,💓

A.M.