When your faith was first born, you chose to trust in God’s promises and rely on them for your eternal future. As your faith matured you learned the truth in the promises of a God who cannot lie. Step by step, decision by decision, your faith grew with each choice made to place your trust in God’s plan and not your own. The walk of faith for a believer is one filled with spiritual conflict between the carnal human mind and the spiritual heart for the Lord. You can often feel as if you are taking two steps forward and one step back, but you must persevere and endure until the end because the eternal reward will be more than worth it in the ultimate outcome. At the moment you accepted Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell within your heart to begin the process of bringing your faith from its infancy to final maturity. This process takes your entire life, but the result will be so wonderful that it will be beyond your ability to comprehend. It is the Holy Spirit that called you to Christ, sanctifies you by His power, and give supernatural gifts through His baptism. He was sent to be your encourager, helper, and guide through this world of darkness and difficulty. Paul talks about Him in 1 Corinthians 12-14. You may not know all about Him or understand everything He does, but trust in Him. Regardless of your denomination He is available to you and will assist you when you need Him.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” 

The times we are living in are filled with spiritual discord. Spiritual warfare rages daily and only those who are founded on the rock will be able to withstand the enemies of God. Our mission, as the church, is to go and make disciples of those who are separated from God. We are to share the good news of the gospel with those at risk of ending up in an eternal Hell. To do this, we must be bold enough to stand for the truth regardless of the opposition and persecution we may face. Those whose faith is lacking in the knowledge and discernment of the Word of God will fall away and will be unable to be bold enough to stand firm when needed. Paul vividly describes the times we are now living in his letter to Timothy. Even though your decision to follow Jesus and accept him as Savior has saved you from eternal separation from God in Hell, the enemies of Christ will still relentlessly attack you in an attempt to prevent your witness from persuading others to believe in him. We must be bold in our faith to silence the demonic voices trying to persuade us to keep our testimonies to ourselves. The lost desperately need the good news of Christ. Have the courage to speak out against what you know to be wrong, even if no one else stands with you. If your walk is with the Lord and the Holy Spirit dwells within you, what do you have to fear? God Himself prepares the way for you to accomplish His mission through your willingness to follow Him. You have absolutely no reason to fear anything. The future God has promised to you is glorious indeed. If God is for you, who can be against you?

Acts 2:2, 3 "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them."The most important thing that my dad taught me was that Heaven’s fire doesn’t just burn in the hearts of certain people. It is available to us all when we choose it. You can be full of Heaven’s fire too. You can light yourself up with love, joy, optimism, enthusiasm, energy, vitality, and oneness with God. You can brighten up the souls, warm up the hearts, and light up the lives of those around you. You can be a flame of goodness in an often dark and cold world. You can take your flickering candle and turn it into a blazing torch for everyone to see. You can share your generous fire and light a candle inside of each person you meet as well. Don’t let yourself be a smoldering ember in this life. Live well, burn bright, and let Heaven see your fire.

Focus

When you focus your heart and mind upon God and commit yourself to fulfill His purpose through small daily steps, supernatural energy floods into your life. Sadly, many people miss that mark because they forget God until they face a crisis like COVID-19 or some other earth-shattering situation. One of the most common regrets in times of trouble is that people forsake being true to the goals they set for themselves in life. Most people admit to not honoring even half of the goals that were meaningful to them, and they end up with a life filled with regrets. Let this season of trial become your wake-up call to not forsake the things that are important to you or that you are blessed with. Good health, a good job, or the simple blessings of everyday bring a level of freedom and opportunity very few people realize until they no longer have it. As they say, there are seven days in the week and “someday” isn’t one of them. Live everyday with a focus and praise for God's abundant blessings. They are new every morning and fulfilled every day.

Restored

Elisha warned the Shunammite woman about a famine that was coming upon the land and told her to take her family to another country until it was over in 2 Kings 8:1. The woman obeyed the Word of the Lord spoken through Elisha and took her entire household to live in the land of the Philistines.  After the famine ended, the woman returned to Shunem only to find that during the time she was gone, her house and land had been seized. When she went to the king to ask for the return of her property, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, was with the king telling him how this woman's son had been raised from the dead.  When the king realized who she was, he immediately declared in 2 Kings 8:6, “Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now." God not only provided for this Shunammite woman during the seven years of famine, but He also restored all she had lost during the time that she was away from her homeland. She experienced a supernatural, divine provision because of her faithfulness to God. When you remain faithful in giving, you are positioned for financial restoration, as well as restoration in all areas equally as important or even more valuable.  God can restore your family, friends, job, possessions, and more when this crisis passes. Don't give up on God and He won't give up on you!

More than Enough

The Lord is crying out to you to expect the best, have faith through the worst, and to praise Him in all things. There seems to be a spirit of  mediocrity that has invaded many a Christians life and they have accept that being mediocre is normal. 

You may fall into that category and have continually accepted the lowest amount of God’s power needed to maintain what you have all ready received from God. 
I believe God is saying to you today not to forsake His power and recognize there's so much more to Him than you realize. He has set before us an open door and declared that He is more than enough in every situation. So don't settle for less, but expect and receive the abundance of the blessings of God. He is more than enough!

Rest In The Lord

Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass."
Negative thoughts block your creativity and problem solving abilities, as does worrying about what others do and say. Make up your mind to embrace personal changes as an opportunity to be different and rise above the commotion of life. There is always a benefit and opportunity when you replace anticipation with expectancy  You will notice a more powerful attitude of faith growing within you each passing day. So, choose your thoughts and attitudes about each change you encounter and that you make. Recognize how your positive thoughts build bridges to possibilities and opportunities in your present and future. Let your mind and spirit rest in the hope of the Lord. and quit fretting over what people do or say. It's that relaxation that allows you to deal well with any positive changes in your lifestyle and mindset. Create smart goals so you can consciously guide the changes you anticipate making. Realistic goal setting helps you decide how to make the changes happen that you need. It also helps you experience your successes through the grace and glory of God in spite of what people say and do. Your goal is to please God, rest in Him, and not let others persuade you that you can't change. Just wait patiently on Him and see Him do in you what nobody else can do.

Dine at the Master's Table

Why do you accept seconds rather than do what is  needed to keep your faith fresh and really trust God in all things.? It appears that many in the church would rather ride a dead horse into the ground before accepting the necessary changes that would make their faith relevant to the problems they face today. You have to refuse to be afraid of change or think that change is always bad. God is real and so is life and change is going to come whether you like it or not. It's what you do with it that makes the difference.You've heard many talk about old time faith, but faith is never old time. It always on time faith that you read about in Hebrews 11. It's not about just getting by, but it's about persevering even in the worst possible conditions. Nobody in that chapter settled for seconds and neither should you. If God said it, then believe it, accept it, and receive it. Let your faith be fresh and full and dine at the Master's table!

You are important to God and you are needed to do His work.  It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody else to do something someday.  Your someday is now and the somebody the world needs is you equipped with the gifts God has place within you. 

Don't waste another day-rejoice is His salvation, speak His Word, and see His glory manifested in the lives of those who so desperately nee Him. Who knows, the next Billy Graham may be among those that you reach today.

Reflect

At Christmas, we all reflect upon how we grew this past year through our relationships, that serve as building blocks for the coming year. As we remember the good and bad we have faced during the year, Jesus finds a way to remind us how we made it through the difficulties and challenges. The removal of old dusty attitudes and ideas offer us the opportunity to sweep away what no longer mattes and clears the path for new information and enlightenment. In the center of the clearing, lies the opportunity for a rebirth of Spirit, moving us ever forward toward an abundant future. The Christmas season is a reminder that something new was on the horizon. Let His glory renew your path and make your future bright.

The Carpenter

Jesus is often identified as a carpenter because of his earthy heritage. I'm sure he learned this earthly trade from His earthly father, but His spiritual building is the greatest you will ever know. Whatever repair is in order, you can open His Word and find precisely what you need to hear. His shop never closes, there's no charge for His services, and He does incredible work that lasts for eternity. So, let the Christmas carpenter have full control of your life and give Him all the broken pieces. He wants to fix whatever's wrong, assemble all the parts, put them back in working order, and place you on display before the world as a heavenly-crafted person. If you've been repaired and renewed by this Christmas carpenter from Nazareth testify of His goodness today. Let the work of the Christmas craftsman fill you with hope in this wonderful season.

A Dead Horse

Most people will accept seconds rather than make the changes needed to keep them fresh and trusting God. To quote an old saying, "They will ride a dead horse into the ground" before accepting the necessary changes that could make them relevant. I refuse to be afraid of change or think that change is always bad. God is real and so is life and change is going to come whether we like it or not. It's what we do with it that makes the difference.

Can your church once once again impact and influence your community?  The answer is yes, but the window of opportunity is closing quickly.  The work ahead will take a radical commitment to change your direction and fulfill the Godly expectations that you read from His Word.



Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."


The word "devoted" originates from two Greek words (pros) and (kartereo) which means to be earnest towards, to persevere, be constantly diligent, to attend assiduously all the exercises, to adhere closely to, to attend continually, to wait on.


The early church, did not meet and vote to get a consensus about the direction they were going to take in the building of God's church on this earth. They simply acted out of spiritual conviction that this is what God was directing in their lives. They had the example of their spiritual leaders such as Peter on the day of Pentecost. 


Jesus prepared the 12 disciples to turn the world upside down with only the Gospel. He didn't have them focus on the politics of the day.
 He didn't have them attempt to compromise with the religious structure of the day. He didn't tell them to develop a focus on programs. He simply poured His life into these men and gave them His life and His message so they could infiltrate their culture with a passionate desire to serve God and to build others to serve God. It was done by conviction and not by majority vote. They were not only willing to give their lives, but to die in the process. 

It was an improbable strategy, but it worked and you have this historical perspective as an encouragement that if God has done it once through a surrendered life then He can do it again. He can use you and your church to be a blessing once again to those who need Him the most!

Too Much Fear

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." 

Fear is an instinctual human emotion designed to keep us aware and safe, but too much fear can cause the loss of the very thing we feared losing in the first place.

More than anything else, we fear being rejected by others. This type of fear is widespread and debilitating. Why is this fear so deeply entrenched in us? In ancient times, being rejected from the safety of the community could have meant death. So it’s no wonder, really, that we want to be accepted by others. The fear of being alone for life is greater than we can imagine. This is especially true when it comes to fear of rejection. 

Childhood outcast experiences are often the root cause of obsessive, people-pleasing ways people face in  adulthood. They're always looking for signs of why others don’t like them. They do almost anything seeking assurance and acceptance from their peers. Fear of rejection motivates them to wonder what people really think of them.

Constantly seeking acceptance and reassurance from other people is a dead end journey. These things can only be found within you, not from others. Because any look, word, or reaction from someone else can be warped and misinterpreted. That's why we let the bullies win. 

Don't let the devil bully you around. Don't be afraid of rejection. God is a constant companion and you are never alone. You don't have to be afraid of what other think or say-just be you in Christ Jesus.

What Should I Put Up With

There’s a big difference between accepting that someone’s negative actions or behavior is born from a place of anxiety or insecurity versus excusing their behavior and therefore enabling it to continue wrecking your life. You don’t have to condone a person’s negative behavior toward you or others, even though you may be compassionate, loving and understanding of its origins.

Every person at some point has to be accountable for their own well-being.  And quite honestly, if someone decides to lash out at you again and again, you’re not obligated to be a punching bag. Jesus said to "Turn the other cheek" and to "love and forgive", but He did not command us to be constantly bombarded by people or situations that would ridicule or detain us from doing His work. Read the Book of Jude and find out how to deal with angry people. 

Keep in mind that differing opinions are a part of life and relationships. Yet, when you come across people who are intent on delivering harsh criticism because their opinions are different than yours, you just have to tell yourself that you may not be doing it perfectly in their eyes, but at least you’re stepping up and doing the best God has enabled you to do.  While they're just fussing, you’re getting up, showing up, and walking into the fire every day and doing the best you can. If you're trying your best and recognize that you're a work in progress remember God knows the path you are taking. One day redemption will come and the wind of the Spirit will drive the chaff away.

Rejection

1 Kings 18:21 "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." 

If you give too much power to the opinions of others, you become their prisoner. Everybody has one, good or bad, so don't let them stop you from being you. 

-Never let someone’s negative opinion alter your reality. 

-Never sacrifice who you are, or who you aspire to be, just because someone else has a problem with it. 

-Love who you are inside and out, and keep pushing forward. 

-No one else has the power to make you feel small unless you give them that power. 

-When someone rejects you, don’t feel it’s because you’re unworthy or unlovable. 

When one person rejects another, it reveals a lot more about the ‘rejecter’ than the ‘rejected.’ All you are really seeing is the often shortsighted opinion of one person. 

The Stone family has always enjoyed the entertainment Disney Parks has offered. If Walt Disney had quit too soon after his theme park concept was trashed by 300+ investors, there would be no Disney World. The early failures in Disney’s life didn’t dissuade him from moving forward. Of course, like anyone else, Disney’s failures were a blow to his ego. Anyone that has to suffer through the torment of failure and bankruptcy knows how this feels. However, it also laid the foundation for a successful career. When he formed the Walt Disney Company, all of his past failures helped to pave the way for a successful business. 

Disney and the Walt Disney Company have touched the lives of millions across the globe. From cartoons, to theme parks, and animated and live-action movies, both children and adults now enjoy the fruits of Disney’s labor. Had he given up, things would have been far different. But he persevered in spite of the doubts of others, bankruptcy, and personal failures. His rejections became the stepping stones for triumph.

Don't let man opinions control your destiny-be what God has destined you to be!

Sober

Peter warns us all of the dangers that Satan poses to God's people: 

1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 

The word "sober" (Greek nepho) is a verb found in the New Testament only in the figurative sense, implying "sober watchfulness." In addition, "vigilant" (Greek gregoreuo) means "to keep awake or watch (literally or figuratively)."

Combining "sober" and "vigilant" paints an interesting picture for us. When a person is heavily intoxicated, he wants nothing more than to sleep it off. So it is impossible for the sleeping drunkard to be vigilant about anything. The message for us is that we must be attentive to our physical and spiritual condition so that we do not become spiritually intoxicated. This type of person is exactly the kind whom Satan seeks. If we enter this state, then we make ourselves a prime target to be devoured by the "roaring lion."

Our Adversary is out there. He is lurking, prowling like a hungry lion for prey. Believing that he does not exist is just plain stupid. Probably even more so as believing that there are no lions on the savanna in Africa.

I have never been to Africa. I have not been through the territories itself, I would not want to go out on the savanna and think, "I wouldn't get hurt. There are no lions out here."

Have you ever seen the savanna? It is the same color as a lion. You cannot see lions very well on the savanna because they hide, they are camouflaged, and they can sneak up and be right there at your throat in a moment.

That is the way that Satan is. The darkness is his world and he is hidden and camouflaged by it. The best thing he could do for his cause is to get people to believe that he does not exist, because they will then ignore him, and be open and susceptible to his temptations, his spirit, and fall victim to his attacks.

So, what do we do? Peter's advice  to us is very simple: 

-Be humble. 

-Trust in God to take care of you. 

-Be sober-minded, or self-controlled. 

-Do not let yourself get caught up in the latest religious fads. 

-Get a hold of yourself and know what you are getting into before you are led astray. 

-Be aware of signs of Satan's presence and keep yourself unspotted from the world.

Breach Repair

Isaiah 58:12 "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."

Fear thrives on “It won't happen to me "thinking. In other words, our emotions convince us that an undesirable outcome results in defeat, embarrassment, or spiritual and personal annihilation when are faith is breached by a real situation that causes us to stumble and fall.

We ask these questions if and when it overwhelms us:

-Why did if God let this happen and reject me?

-What's going to happen to me in the future because of my failure now?

-Will I ever recover what I have lost? 

Although these are difficult questions to find answers for, none of these things will result in an “end of the world” scenario that you allow them to become. If fear convinces you that they will, you irrationally fear the outcomes and give your fears control over you. As a mere mortal you're inefficient at predicting how current or future mishaps will make you feel. In reality, you avoid consciously thinking about it all together, which only perpetuates your subconscious fears and let's your imagination run wild.

Ask yourself this question: 

“If a disaster or calamity should strike what are the most constructive ways I could cope with it and move forward with my life?” 

Remember, how you feel after a personal setback or loss is important in your recovery. Allow yourself to be upset for a short while, and then begin the process of growing from the experience and moving on. Just doing this will help you feel less fear about the possibility of the fallout from your failure. God is the restorer and He can return what has been stolen from you.

Creating A Situation

1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a false belief about a situation that motivates the person with the belief to take actions that cause the belief to come true. This kind of thinking often kills opportunities and tears relationships apart. In other words, you might wrongly believe that a group of people will reject you, so you become defensive, anxious, and even hostile toward them. 

It's your behavior or thought pattern that brings about your greatest fears, which weren’t there to begin with. And then your fears or thoughts justify what you were thinking right from the very beginning. You create a situation that doesn't even exist before you even realize it.

Do you see how this works? 

Look carefully at your own tendencies. 

How do your fears and beliefs about possible rejection influence your behavior toward others? 

Take a stand. Instead of letting false ideas show you what might be wrong in your relationships, start looking for signs of what might be right.

Just Breathe

Just Breathe

2 Timothy 1:3-7 "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Ministry should be releasing, and not strangling. If God is in something you’ve got to relax and let what He wants to happen take place without incessant worrying and constant micromanagement. Three things I wish I had learned earlier in ministry concerning this: 

-Learn to let go a little before you squeeze too tight.  

Take a deep breath and meditate on what God wants to do rather than what you desire to do. Sometimes our thoughts are not His thoughts and our desires are not His desires. Why He does some of the things He does I will never always understand, but if I snuff out someone's dream before it begins, I may be doing more harm than good. Let God use others and don't be afraid. Guide them, mentor them, even correct them if you must, but for His sake allow them to use their gifts for His glory.  

-When the dust settles and you can once again see the forest for the trees, take the next step forward. 

Yes, there are times when it gets a little to personal. Satan uses different vices to catch you unaware in snares that are unexpected. It's in those clouded moments you need to stand still and see the glory of the Lord. Pressing ahead into uncharted areas can lead you into an ungodly perspective or circumstance. Wait until the dust settles before you take your next step forward. His light will pierce the darkness.

-You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to be headed somewhere great.

Until you've been there you don't know what you'd do in a situation. You can give advice or even show a judgmental attitude, but until someone has lied on you or treated you badly you won't understand. Yet, in every trial there is a victory to come. Sometimes it takes years for vindication, but God will help the righteous to triumph if we wait on Him. People may never forget or forgive, but God does!

Everything in ministry is in perfect order whether you understand it yet or not. It just takes some time to connect all the dots and see what God has in store.