DON'T GIVE UP

For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the affliction and oppressing distress which befell us in [the province of] Asia, how we were so utterly and unbearably weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life [itself]. Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the [very] sentence of death, but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God Who raises the dead. - 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, AMP 

            Your afflictions have two important factors: 1) It is not about you. God will use you to minister to someone else about the same burdens that you are enduring right now. 2) Your burdens, no matter how difficult, are for the glory of God, that His excellencies may be revealed in your life. As I read the above scripture, I’m thankful to God for the Apostle Paul’s ministry. I’m thankful for his obedience and honesty about his sufferings. Sometimes I wonder what if Paul would have given up or returned back to his old life because the road got rough. Paul always talked about his sufferings as a Christian and how he endured. In the scripture, the first words say, “We do not want you to be uninformed.” He is showing us that in this Christian walk you will face affliction and oppressing distress. You will feel like giving up because you feel defeated and crushed in your spirit. He says that they “felt within that they had received the very sentence of death.” He obviously felt that at some point it was so bad that they thought they were going to die. But the next verse says, “but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God Who raises the dead.” Has it ever gotten so bad in your life that you had nowhere else to turn except to God? Has it ever been so terrible that your family, friends, or church couldn’t even help you? Well, Paul is saying, it was this way for Him that he may learn to trust and depend on God alone.

            Many times, we go through things in life failing to realize that it is not about us. However, it is all about Christ. If you’ll take the time to read about Paul’s sufferings, it will amaze you. He endured some horrible things but only by the grace of God. Through his sufferings, he learned to trust and depend on God, not people. Sometimes God will allow us to go through a season of loss or suffering to teach us to be totally dependent on Him. In the midst of that, we cannot give up. We cannot lose hope and faint. If we do, how can we minister to others that are suffering? You need to endure patiently until God delivers you. As a result, you can minister to someone else about how the Lord has delivered you and will also deliver them. Paul says, “If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:6-7, NIV) What Paul is saying is that he suffered that we may have comfort and salvation. He knew it was not all about Him. Furthermore, the Bible says that God is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). The same way that God comforts us in our sufferings, we in turn can comfort someone else in their time of suffering.

            It’s easy to become depressed and internalize every issue in our lives.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4:7-10). That treasure we have in this earthen vessel is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the message of salvation, hope, and eternal life. We carry that precious treasure whether we are afflicted or not. We are expected to continue on whether hurting or not.

            Stand on this: Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Be Blessed

 

Faithful God...Faithless People

“Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’” (Malachi 3:13-15, NKJV)

            For the past week or so, the Lord has had me to examine the book of Malachi. It was intriguing to read as I related to the people of God in that time. There was so much to take from these scriptures so I’ll try to truncate what I received.

            God’s people had returned from the Babylonian exile, the temple was rebuilt, and they received word from Zechariah about how the Lord would bless them. Although they were free, the word of the Lord had not manifested yet. I don’t know about anybody else but it is frustrating to receive an awesome word from the Lord but the manifestation takes what seems an eternity to happen. In their waiting, in their serving God, the people turned from God in their hearts. They became tired of doing the right thing. They no longer gave God their best. They gave the Lord blemished sacrifices. In other words, instead of giving God their full tithes & offerings they now began to tip God. The Lord Almighty says, “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” (Malachi 1:6) When we decide to do the opposite of what God has called us to do, we are now in rebellion. The respect for God is lost. Have you ever seen a person just disrespectful towards God? I don’t want to be disrespectful towards God & neither should you.

                        On the contrary, we can do everything right but our hearts can be wrong. They were still offering sacrifices to the Lord but they were in disobedience and rebellion. They became unfaithful people. Sometimes we think we’re getting away with wrongdoing but God is all-knowing. He knows & sees everything we do. He even hears everything that we say. God says, You have wearied the Lord with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17). Sometimes we can lose sight of what’s important by looking at the wrong things. Looking at people who don’t serve God, looking at people who serve God halfheartedly and begin to wonder, “God is this ok with you?” Especially when we see them “prospering”. As the Psalm of Asaph reminds us, we need not concern ourselves with the seeming prosperity of the wicked, but God who is just will deliver His people. Asaph admits in Psalms 73, “Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” It seems as though the wicked get away with everything but we live day by day waiting on the promises of God. However, my Bible tells me that He will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Him, Because he trusts in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Focus. I think the people stopped trusting God, which  is why they went astray in the book of Malachi. Even we stop trusting God He is still loving, faithful, and true to His Word. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed”. Thank God for His consistent nature.

            God can be trusted. He is faithful. He is God. If He has promised you some things, they will surely happen. We must learn to trust God & wait. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19) Don’t get tired of serving God. I know it gets difficult at times and you wonder God what in the world is going on here. In His own good time, He’ll reveal His purposes & promises for you. Don’t backslide because you’re tired of waiting on God. Don’t start hanging with your old crew again because they are familiar. Move forward & obey God.

            We must have faith in God to finish the race that is set before us. God is a faithful God. If we have His Spirit in us, we need to be faithful people in return. When you meet your Heavenly Father on that Day, may the Lord say to you, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’

Be Blessed.

What Is Your Fragrance?

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NKJV)

            We, His people are to leave behind the fragrance of Christ. Everywhere we go we should be the bearer of the Good News. As a woman who enters a room smelling of a sweet, pure, expensive perfume attracts those around her, so should we. We should leave behind the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever our feet travel. What scent do you leave behind on your job every day? What is the aroma that fills the room when you enter into it? Do you leave behind the fragrance of our Lord when you leave a place? We are to spread the fragrance of Christ, which is the Gospel everywhere. To those seeking God, it is the sweetest of aromas. It gives life, salvation, and freedom. To those that reject Christ, the Gospel is a stench to their noses. It puts a damper on their way of life. Regardless, we must leave or wear the fragrance of Jesus Christ. And how do we do this? People in the world don’t want Bible scriptures tossed at them. Our conduct, our lifestyle may be the scent that they need to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” It is said that we might be the only Bible that some people see. When we are around unbelievers, do we dare to fit in or do we stand out as a sweet smelling fragrance or seductive cologne. In the life of the unbeliever how many believers do you think approaches him in one day or even a week? How do you influence unbelievers on a daily basis? The person at the bus stop that you see every day, the unfortunate person you pass by on the way to the store, the promiscuous teenager you know, have you shared with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Do they now know there is hope and a better way? What was the smell that you left behind today?

            Woe to him who leaves a stench that is not of God. How will we attract the ungodly if we ourselves are ungodly? How can we show the love of Christ if Christ is not in us? How can we show the world there is freedom in Christ if we ourselves are not free? Let our lives be not mere words but actions that promote salvation in Christ. The Spirit of Christ should follow us wherever we go. Any spirit that is not of God such as lust, rebellion, disobedience, lying, drunkenness, malice, or envy should not be left behind by the believer. What are we saying to the world if this is the case? The Amplified Bible in 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine, test, and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?”

               Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! (Haggai 1:5, NKJV) Let us honestly examine our ways. Do we leave behind a stench or the sweet fragrance of Christ? What is your fragrance?

Need Guidance?

Numbers 22:26 - Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.

    Numbers 22: 21-32 explains how Balaam was headed in the wrong direction and how God went to the extremes to direct Balaam’s path. As I read this scripture, I was encouraged. I was encouraged to know that God will lead and guide me if I allow Him. Even if we choose the wrong way, God is still God. If you look at Numbers 22:22, it says God was very angry when Balaam went in the direction he went. Despite His anger, God still opted to direct Balaam’s steps. Even when we head in the wrong direction assuming that we know what is best for ourselves; God is still there to keep us in line with His will.

          As I grow in the Lord, I realize that obedience is everything. I also realize that inquiring of the Lord is essential. We say we trust God, but do we consult God? We have to learn to get into the habit of praying about everything. The Bible says to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). We can’t assume that God isn’t concerned about matters in our lives whether big or small. In 1Peter, 4:7 the Word tells me to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. It didn’t say what kind of cares, it just say to cast them on Him. As I said, we must learn to inquire of the Lord. If we fail to do so, we can be lead astray by our own flesh or the enemy’s devices. Joshua 9 talks about how the men of Israel were deceived by the Gibeonites. Joshua 9:14 says, “The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.” Had they inquired of the Lord they would have known that the Gibeonites were trying to deceive them. How many times do we do what appears to be right or what feels good without praying to God about it first?

          In 1^st and 2^nd Kings, it chronicles the lives of the kings of Israel. The emphasis in every king’s life was his obedience and willingness to inquire of the Lord. Many times the kings of Israel had success, but it was only when God led them. When some kings turned away from God or stopped consulting with God, they were defeated because God was displeased. I found this intriguing because I can apply the same principles to my life. We have to learn to trust God’s counsel and not be lead astray by our own fleshly desires. Psalm 121:6-7 says, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." So, why not ask Him for His direction?

          Our prayers need to sound like that of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 10:23. Jeremiah prayed, “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” The Amplified version says this, “O Lord [pleads Jeremiah in the name of the people], I know that [the determination of] the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or in a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps. ²⁴ O Lord, correct, instruct, and chastise me, but with judgment and in just measure—not in Your anger, lest You diminish me and bring me to nothing.”

          We seem to forget that our lives are not our own. Those of us in Christ need to remember that we were bought with a price. We don’t belong to ourselves anymore. We are to seek, inquire, and require the Lord in every aspect of our lives. This is called total surrender. If you think of a slave and his master, once the master purchases the slave the slave no longer has his own rights. He is subject to his master, in everything. We need to be subject to Christ, in everything. God wants the best for us so why not humble yourself and seek His face for guidance. Sometimes we don’t pray about things because we don’t want to hear what the Spirit of the Lord might say. Sometimes we know that the way we are going is wrong but we refuse to humble ourselves to accept whatever God’s answer is. Let me just say, you’re playing with fire if you do this. The answers God gives are always good because His plans for us are good. So if God says left and you want so badly for it to be right, just be obedient and go left. Trust God.

     Proverbs 3:5-6 advises us to, “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” If we would just acknowledge God in our decision-making, we would be less likely to make foolish mistakes or head down a path that is detrimental to our lives or  Christian walk.

          Therefore, if you need guidance or direction for anything, I encourage you to pray. Seek God about the matter, and please wait for the answer! Remember: The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step] (Psalms 37:23, AMP).

God Bless

God is Impartial

Matthew 5:45 …He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

            God is fair and impartial (Romans 2:11). He doesn’t show favoritism. What He’ll do for one, He’ll do for another. As I looked at the compassion of God, it lead me to the impartiality of God. In our finite human minds we can’t begin to understand why He is so just. When people commit crimes and do things to us we don’t like, it’s off with their heads. However, God is different. He gives us chance after chance to repent. Even those that don’t repent, God is still gracious to them. He proves that in the above scripture (Matthew 5:45). The only reasons none of us were consumed by God’s anger before we were saved is His mercy and compassion. So why can’t we show that same mercy and compassion towards one another?

            I’m reminded of the Prophet Jonah who ran away from God’s call to preach to the people of Nineveh. This man did not want the people of Nineveh to receive God’s grace and mercy so much that he ran from the call of God. How disturbing is that? When a member of the congregation repents, pastors are happy. But not Jonah. He may have felt that these people disobeyed and disrespected God so much that they didn't deserve a second chance. That’s not how God felt. God wanted Jonah to preach to the people that they may repent, which they did. After Jonah finally gave in, preached to the people, they repented. Still Jonah was not satisfied. The Bible says in Jonah 4:1 that, Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. In verse 2 he prays to God, “I pray You, O Lord, is not this just what I said when I was still in my country? That is why I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and [when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions] You revoke the [sentence of] evil against them.” What kind of prayer is that? That’s like me praying, “God don’t tell me to witness to him lest he repents and you have mercy and bless him.” Huh? Well at least Jonah was honest, not right but honest.

            The Bible says in Psalm 145:9, the Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All includes everyone on Earth. Everyone has a chance to repent, everyone has a chance to know God, and everyone has a chance to experience God’s grace & mercy. I’m trying to be more like God. I don’t know about anyone else but I find it hard to let people off the hook. Honestly, I’m learning to be kind and generous to people I don’t really care for. We have to love as God loves. We have to show mercy and compassion on others as we want God to show mercy and compassion on us. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matthew 6:14). Like God, we must learn to be impartial. To show love even when it is undeserved. Jesus said to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF (Mark 12:31). Like God, we have to be fair and give people a chance. Even if they use up all their chance cards, throw them another handful. We can learn a lot from the character of God, including how to treat one another.

Matthew 5:46-48~For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

 

 



God is Fair

Ecclesiastes 9:11 AMP~ I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, neither is bread to the wise nor riches to men of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.   
          

            God is compassionate and full of mercy. He is fair and just to all (sinners & saints). He is fair to those who follow Christ and to those who do not. He blesses the just & the unjust. God’s definition of fair is much different than our understanding of the word. The bottom line is good and bad times happen to everyone. Now my first thought when beginning to understand this was, “Well God, what’s the point of obedience? Why should I go through all this trouble to serve You when You bless the unjust as well?” The answer I received was, “We are to serve God whole-heartedly. Not for profit or gain, but because He is God. Because He loves us. Because it is the right thing to do. Because we are not our own, we were bought with a price.” A very expensive price at that.

            The Bible says in Romans 2:11, that there is no partiality with God. This means that God doesn’t just give good times to those who serve Him & bad times to those who don’t. Time and chance happens to us all. A good example of this is the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda. In John chapter 5, Jesus heals a man at this particular pool. The Bible doesn’t indicate if the man was saved or believed in Christ. In fact, it proves He didn’t know who Jesus was. In verse 6, Jesus asks the man if he wants to be made well. In verse 7 the man responds, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” The man’s response indicates: 1. He did not know who Jesus was because he called him “Sir”. 2. He never answered by saying yes, he just gave an excuse as to why he wasn’t healed. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are. When God decides it is your time, then it’s your time. It was this man’s time for healing after 38 years of illness. It didn’t matter to Jesus that the man did not know Him & or that he did a bunch of works in the church. It didn’t matter to Jesus that the man didn’t ask for healing. Jesus, being the compassionate and impartial God that He is healed this man.

            Sometimes I wonder why God blesses one and not the other at a particular time. I found my answer in Romans 9:14 that says, “For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” In other words, God can do what He wants to do. Just because you pray, fast, serve in the church and the person next to you is willfully living in sin, doesn’t guarantee that God will answer your prayers first. He may answer the other person’s prayer to show Himself gracious which can lead to that person’s repentance. Seems unfair but God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways (Isaiah 55:8).

            Grace is not dependent on man’s work but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:16-18 says, “So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on him.] For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose of displaying My power in [dealing with] you, so that My name may be proclaimed the whole world over. So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills.” Love that Amplified Bible…

            In no way am I excusing willful sin and disobedience. It’s wrong. We shouldn’t take Gods’ grace and mercy for granted. We shouldn’t abuse His goodness because certainly God will repay us all for what we have done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

            We don’t know what God is doing. However, His word says He is faithful and can be trusted. I thank God for His grace & mercy. I would not have come this far if He did not show compassion upon me. If God only blessed the “goody goodies”, most of us would not stand a chance.

Soldiers in the Battlefield

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. - 2 Timothy 2:3

            When I read this scripture today, I froze like a deer in front of headlights. Something about this scripture reaffirmed who I am and what I am to do. I am a soldier in the Army of the Living God. A soldier doesn’t quit in battle. A soldier definitely doesn’t lie down and die in the battlefield. They continue to fight. Many times, we think God has left us because of the battles we face in life. However, I’m reminded that we will have hardships in this life. That’s the truth of the matter. We will always have battles that we must fight. That’s life. Nevertheless, a good soldier fights to the death, armed, and ready for war. When we watch war movies, we see soldiers being bruised and injured in the battlefield. I never saw a soldier run underneath a tree and say, “I can’t take this anymore. Just let me die here!” We see soldiers bandage up their wounds, take a sip of water out of the canteen, and keep moving on the battlefield. The same is true for us that have been called by God.

 

            When life bruises us, we are to 1. Bandage up our wounds by getting in the presence of God so that He may bring forth healing. The best way to bandage those wounds is to bring them to Jesus. Only His touch can heal. 2. Take a sip of water, the Living Water called Jesus. Since Jesus is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13- He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God), then we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God, especially on the battlefield. We need the Word of God to refresh and revive us. They say about 60% of the human body is water so obviously, we can’t live without water or we’ll die. Furthermore, we CANNOT live without the Word of God, or we will die, spiritually. 3. We must keep moving on the battlefield. Staying away from church, prayer & devotion, and your responsibilities in ministry won’t help you, but further hurt you. Another scripture that gripped me today was 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, and out of season.” Here Paul is telling Timothy to continue in His work for the Lord whether the situation is good or bad. The Message Bible says this, “Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome].”  

            It’s easy to get distracted from the things of God when things don’t go our way and the battle seems too much to endure. If I allow them, the cares of this life can burden me so much that I don’t want to be in the trenches anymore with Jesus. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be in battle any longer. However, the Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:4, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.” God called and equipped us with everything we need for the battles we face in life. He is the One who called us. We shouldn’t be consumed with the problems we face but consumed by the power and ability of the Living God. We should focus on what He wants, what His purpose is, and He will take care of everything else.  I’m not saying it’s easy to stay focused on the things of God when your problems are staring you in your face every day. But we are to keep our minds stayed on Him that we may have perfect and constant peace (Isaiah 26:3).

For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
(2 Timothy 2: 11-12)
  

Whether the flowers are blooming and everything is as we desire or if we are on the front lines being attacked by the enemy on every side, we must be consistent and remain in battle. For God is on our side.

 

           

Purpose in Every Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

            Every season has its purpose. In other words, every stage of your life has its purpose. There is purpose in your waiting season, there is purpose in your lonely season, and there is purpose in your sowing season. The waiting season is a tough one. It’s that season when God has promised you something and you continue to wait for it in faith. It’s then that God stretches our faith. Without faith, you won’t receive a thing from God. The Message Bible says in James 1:7-8, “Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way…” The lonely season is another common season. We all go through seasons of loneliness. At times God will isolate you from familiar people. Sometimes we just need to be alone with the Father to hear what He’s saying, not what your “bestie” or your “boo” is saying. It’s in those times God wants to develop us and deposit in us gifts and revelation. On the other hand, you may be surrounded by people and it seems no one can empathize with your situation. It’s ok, God is teaching you to depend and lean on Him, not people. Now, the sowing season is for a harvest. You must plant seeds to reap a harvest. There may be times you find yourself lending to almost everybody. Or you may be broke and still giving all you have; tithing your bill money but still trusting God. This may also be a season where you need to sow into the lives of other people. Just know and believe that your season of harvest is coming.

            When we look at the changing of the natural seasons, we see activity taking place. The weather changes, birds migrate, leaves fall, and flowers bloom. The same is true for the seasons in our lives. Different activities begin to take place when seasons change: division from friends, a shift in your inner circle, a divorce, the loss of a job, a new job, or a move to a new area. My friend this means two things: God is moving and your season is changing. **Sometimes there may not be any activity at all that you can see with your natural eyes. But that doesnt mean that God isnt moving.** 
Some people are in the winter season where life seems cold and no one understands. Then there is the spring and summer seasons where we coast through life and all is well. Let us not despise any season that we find ourselves in. But we must have a Job-like response to God’s seasons and say, “We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?” (Job 12:10, MSG)
 

            You’ll know when God has changed a season in your life because much like the weather, there is nothing you can do to change it. For instance, when its winter time, its winter time. As much as you want it to be summer, all you can do is wait it out. You can go outside with shorts and a tank top on if you want to; but you will freeze to death. You might as well dress warm and make the most of the winter season. There is a purpose for your winter season. It doesn’t have to be a waste of time. What I’m saying is some of the circumstances in our lives are beyond our control. All we can do is trust our Faithful Creator to see us through that season. As people of God, we need to start acting like people of God and seek His face about our seasons. We need to seek God about everything, especially our seasons. We need to ask God, “What season am I in? What do you want me to produce in this season? What are you trying to teach me in this time in my life?” It was Bishop T.D. Jakes that said, “You can’t pray away God’s seasons.” We try to bargain with God or tell God to “move” on our behalf when the fact is we should be asking God for the strength and wisdom to endure that season. “Even the birds in the sky know the right times to do things. The storks, doves, swifts, and thrushes know when it is time to migrate. But my people don’t know what the Lord wants them to do,” God says in Jeremiah 8:7.

            For [it is] better to suffer [unjustly] for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than to suffer [justly] for doing wrong (1 Peter 3:17, Amplified Bible). Let me say this, sometimes we create our own winter seasons by being disobedient. By living in disobedience to God’s word and His will we welcome frustration, heartache, and pain in our own lives. If your season has changed due to disobedience and sin, ask God for forgiveness and help. He’s ever gracious and can turn it around for your good. The infamous Romans 8:28 says we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

        The Bible says, “…those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right (1 Peter 4:17-19, NCV). Continue to do right in the eyes of God. You have purpose. Your seasons have purpose. Don’t waste your God given time wishing and praying for another season. Be fruitful in this season. Don’t jump ahead of God and do things out of season, but listen to Him. Discover what God wants for you during this particular time in your life. Enduring the challenging seasons of life is not easy. But we have the Holy Spirit to help us. God will help us. He will answer us. He will keep us. David said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). We will see His goodness.

            We can trust God no matter what it looks like, how long we’ve been waiting, or how many tears fall. He is trustworthy. He is a God of purpose and order. Trust that He has given your life purpose and He will do everything according to His divine order. Don’t miss your purpose in this season!

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God. My times are in Your hand..." Psalms 31:14-15 

 

The Pruning Process

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2).
 

            Some living organisms such as plants and even the hair on our heads must be cut to ensure proper growth. When you think of a gardener snipping away and digging up, this is all done to make sure that what is planted grows. Jesus says that,” every branch that bears fruit He (God) prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Let us establish what fruit Jesus is talking about. Galatians chapter 5 explains that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If you are bearing these fruit in your life under the power of the Holy Spirit, beware, there is more pruning to come.

            For the life of me, I have been trying to figure out why things get harder the more I try to do right. When we start to walk in the Spirit instead of our flesh, we begin to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. We start to bear the fruit that Jesus was talking about. Then, the pruning begins that we may bear more fruit. Just because you do good things doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen to you. In Mark 4:17, Jesus tells the parable of the Sower. He says, “Since they have no root (those plants again), they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away. Because of your faith in the Word, you will have trouble. Take comfort in the fact that we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. The pruning is for our profit.  

            The more I think about my former years its trips me out. When I was doing some of everything and dealing with everybody, I had more friends, more relationships, and more phone calls. There was always excess. What happens is when God begins to prune us, He begins to cut off the dead things in our lives. The word dead has many meanings but the following few stuck with me. The word dead means:

a.       Not having the capacity to produce or sustain life; barren.

b.      No longer having significance or relevance.

c.       Idle; stagnant

            If we are honest, when we are operating in the flesh those dead mindsets, relationships, and attitudes seem alive and right to us. When we walk in the Spirit the dead things are cut off from our lives because they don't help us produce any good fruit. We are separated from some “friends” because they don’t have any significance or relevance to where God is taking us. Some of us need pruning to gain new mindsets because the ones we operate in leave us idle and stagnant. We know that attitudes are contagious. Some attitudes of the people we hang around have no capacity to produce or sustain any life whatsoever. Pruning or cutting off is necessary in our lives. It may hurt, but it helps us to grow. It matures us in the things of God.

            No trial or test is pleasurable. We don’t want to hurt or experience disappointment. However, God allows it so we can grow. The only way to grow is to remain in Him. Because apart from Him we can do nothing. Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The growth process is never easy. However, remain in Him. Let God do what He wants to do with you. Trust that in the end, He is going to make it all worth it.

Stand on this: 1 Peter 5:10 - And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.

God Bless

What Are You Saying?

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose (Proverbs 18:21, MSG).

                Much is determined by the words we speak. We often speak a bad day into existence or a positive result by the words we say. I don’t think we realize how much power we possess as Christians, much less, humans. Recently, I have taken notice of the words I speak and how they affect my well-being.  I have also realized the many scriptures in the Bible that pertain to the power of words. God is always leaving what I like to call clues and treasures in His word to help us. If we pay attention, we will begin to understand just how powerful words are in our lives.

                The Bible says in Genesis 1:1-3, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”.  God didn’t touch anything, He spoke and so it was. We who have accepted Jesus Christ have the Spirit of God within us. If we have the Spirit of God in us, we have the same power that God has. That is to speak things into existence. With that in mind, we should be careful of what we say.

                We must also believe what we speak is true. Jesus said, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24). If you believe you are a failure and speak those words, you are a failure. If you believe things will never work out for you and speak those words; guess what? Things won’t work out for you. I truly believe that we shall eat the fruit of our lips. In Matthew 12:34 it says, “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” If you sincerely listen to what people say you will hear their hearts. Furthermore, we are accountable for every word we say. Jesus said in Matthew 12:36, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment.” For your own sake, watch what you say. I know it is hard to speak life to a seemingly dead situation. When all hope seems lost & there is no sign of a breakthrough it’s easy to pay attention to what we see. The fact of the matter is, “…we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2Corin.4:18).

                It is imperative that we get in the habit of believing the promises of God and speaking life into our circumstances. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak (2Corin. 4:13). Speak life. Prophesy over yourself in the morning and throughout the day. It’s ok to do that. Get in agreement with God about your life and speak positivity.

                The scripture that describes Gabrielle the angel, visiting Mary about her supernatural conception came to my mind today. I thought about how she reacted when Gabrielle told her she would give birth to a son although she was a virgin. Though the promise seemed impossible she believed what God told her. She didn’t doubt and she sealed it with a word of agreement. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS (Luke 1:30-31). "I am the Lord's servant,"Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her (Luke 1:38). 

                On the contrary, if you look a few verses back the Bible talks about Mary’s cousin Elizabeth being pregnant also. Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah were old in age. The word of the Lord came to them by Gabrielle also promising them a son. The Bible says in Luke 1:13, But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. Zechariah’s unbelief caused him to say to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.” But the angel said, “I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won’t believe me, you’ll be unable to say a word until the day of your son’s birth. Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time—God’s time.” (Luke 1:18-20)

                I firmly believe that God shut Zachariah’s mouth because he knew that this man’s unbelief would cause him to speak things that would hinder what God wanted to perform. God could have caused Zachariah’s vision or hearing to become impaired until the birth of his son. But He didn’t. God closed the one thing Zachariah possessed that had enough power to change the circumstance, his mouth.

                God says, “The same thing is true of the words I speak. They will not return to me empty. They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I send them to do” (Isaiah 55:11). The same is true of the words we speak. What are you saying?