Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Dig in, you may be here for awhile. But where the Lord plants you, you will still prosper.

God is the same, he does not change. Whenever he takes the time to speak, then he will surely bring it to pass. In the Jeremiah 29, we understand that God has a problem with those who speak falsely in his name.

We are encouraged to know God and his voice – because he does speak to our hearts daily. If we learn to recognize him, then we can also recognize what is NOT him. Those discernment will keep us from falling for false prophets.

In verse 7 of this same chapter, the people are told that where they find themselves to pray to God for that city and seek peace. For the peace of that city means a peace for them as well. I say again, “Dig in, you may be here for awhile. But where the Lord plants you, you will still prosper.” And you will have peace.

We must understand that God is a deliverer and he will deliver us. But he has a plan to work his will. We want immediate deliverance. But God uses situations to teach us, strengthen us, and to mold us into who he needs us to be.

Just as the athlete uses resistance training to gain strength, to build muscle, and endurance so will God use adversity to make us. This is not done overnight – it takes time. For there is a lot of unprofitable qualities that must be burned off before we are fit for the next phase our walk with God.

We cannot move to the next level that God has for us, until we shed the excess weight we are carrying on this current level.

God has a plan.

He knows that thoughts that he thinks towards us, and he will give us that expected end. So God told the people to prosper and increase right where they are. This is is not the end that he has planned, but it IS where he needs us to be right now.

Even though our “right now” is not the destination of our journey, it is also not the end of our lives.

So fix your face. Dig in, you may be here for awhile. But where the Lord plants you, you will still prosper. Trust God’s plan.

No, we cannot see it.

No, we do not know the details.

But we SHOULD know the God we serve.

In our rush to get back to the normal of our lives, let us not miss the lesson(s) that this current climate has taught and is still teaching.

There are false prophets in the land. They are saying many things that are not from God. They are sent to prey on our emotions and fears. To give in to them is rebellion against God.

I say again: Dig in, you may be here for awhile. But where the Lord plants you, you will still prosper.

Have a blessed day!

Sin will take you farther than you want to go. Cost you more than you want to pay: Luke 16:19-31- The rich man and Lazarus- and in hell he lifted up his eyes, be tormented.

Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Definition of sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.

Consequences of sin is death again Romans 6:23 for the wages of sin is death

Difference between Christian (a follower of God, or believer) and sinner (a non-believer)? The Christian does not wake up with sin on their mind. Also, a Christian does not stay down. Proverbs 24:16- For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again. Get up. A non-believer will remain in their sinful ways, because that is what is known to them. But it is wonderful to know they do not have to remain there. God will receive them if they repent.

Your flesh is always weak: Matthew 24:41- Watch and pray. Just as God will receive the unbeliever if he repent, the enemy will welcome back the Christian who chooses no longer to believe. We must guard ourselves agains falling back into sin.

How do I fight sin? Psalms 119:11- Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. In order to fight sin we must use the word of God. We must hide it in our heart. So when our flesh rises up (the temptation to sin), we can use the word of God to gain victory over the temptation.

Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This scripture doesn’t give you the okay to continue in sin. We must look at Romans 6:1- What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. Matthew 15:11-Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Romans 7:15-18- War in my member. When I want to do good.

We must make a choice – daily- to serve God. We must fill ourselves (our heart) with his word, and use the word to fight the Good fight of faith. We can (and must) be victorious – God has equipped us to be so.

Understand we must not yield to sin! We do not have to because of God. Let us use the arsenal that he has freely given.

Have a victorious day!

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Key definitions:

Rest: cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.

Yoke: (harness, collar, coupling, tack) a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the neck and attached to a plow or cart that is pulled.

Meek: patient, long suffering, forbearing, resigned, gentle

Lowly: humble.

God recognizes where you are and what you go through. Because he walked in the fleshly bod just as we do, he knows the frustration, temptations, vulnerability, anger, and pain we face on a daily basis. Hebrews 4:15, explains this clearly.

The Exchange: Because he knows and understands, he wants to offer the world a way out. God offers us a way to live a life that is insulated.

Yes we will still face the same day to day struggles. However, when we put on the Lord Jesus, he bears the burdens for us. He gives us his all powerful word (Bible), and increases our faith was we walk with him and gain experience. We learn of him – who he is and what he has done for us.

The Exchange: benefits include peace, rest, and confidence.

God is a burden bearer. Through faith, we place the “load” of our lives on him by placing the situations of our lives at his feet. We trust him to work it out, to lead and guide us, to help us make decisions. His ultimate goal is for us to peace – rest for our souls.

When we wear his yoke, we give him permission to steer our lives. But remember his yoke is easy. It is not a physical burden to us. By doing this, God does all the “heavy lifting” of our lives, so to speak. Our ease comes from trusting him to do what his word says he will. It is a faith walk. Romans 1:17 explains this.

It is challenging to allow God to lead us. It is something we must work at and practice. It is a choice we must make every day. When we come to him, we are making an exchange – his will for our own. But the great thing about God – he knows you have plans and goals. He said if we seek him and his will FIRST the he would give us the desires of our heart. There is room to please God and go for your own goals too. It just needs to be done in the proper order. Priority

Life will still have it’s struggles, and pitfalls, ups and downs, good times and bad. However, life with God is easier than it is without him. Peace and knowledge of him makes it all worth while. In the end, heaven is our goal. A life well lived makes it possible.

Have a blessed day

Contrary to popular opinion walking with God is a suffering way. But it does not feel like it is. Why? Because the cards are always stacked in our favor. And again, it does not always feel that way either.

God has designed our life with him to be insulated from the world. We are in the world, but not of the world. He wants to bare our burdens and to share every heavy load we must carry. But it requires faith in him on our part to release these things to him.

To be insulated from the world means that our life is lived “in him.” Because we are in him, we are protected, but yet we experience everything the world has to offer, both good and bad. However, because we live in him, his peace, his mercy, and his grace still reign in our lives.

Living in him means we have decided to follow his lead in every situation, no matter what. That is the choice we have made, but even in this we sometimes fail. But the point of living in him is when we fall (or fail) we get back up and try again. This is the victory that comes from God.

Let’s talk about victory…

2 Corinthians 2:14

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

As we walk in him – it is God who will cause victory to be a shield around us. The enemy is always plotting pitfalls or causing people to attack us one way or another. This will never change. We will always have battles to fight. Battles that God expects us to win. Why? Because he prepares us for each battler and he equips us with tools that will guarantee our success.

It is our job to pick up the tools and use them effectively. We are to operate in excellence in every thing that we do. We are to expertly use the tools given. For this reason we have different levels of battle. We learn to use our Godly weapons in the light or easy battles. When the tough and down right hard battles comes, we have some experience and knowledge to fall back on.

At this point we should know more about God and about our enemy – which prepares us for a victorious battle

1 John 5:4

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

The main tool in our arsenal is our faith. Our faith in God positions us for victory. Everything we do should be done in faith. We walk by faith not by sight. So even if things don’t appear to be good or right, we keep fighting by faith. We speak our world into existence by faith. We call those things that be not, as though they were. We speak good health and healing. We speak deliverance. We speak peace. We speak prosperity and abundance. We speak love. We curse evil in Jesus name, binding it at the root.

We do this all in faith. The we stand on what we spoke, which should be supported by the word of God. Our victory comes because we believe what God says over what are eyes might see.

God will cause these things to come to pass. That is victory!

Deuteronomy 20:4

“For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

We are never alone. He promised to never leave nor forsake us. Our battle is to remember this fact and act accordingly. We act differently when we understand God is with us and is our protector.

We can stand boldly in faith and do or say what God has given us. It is the ultimate peace of mind knowing that whatsoever I speak from my mouth God is going to back it up with his power and might.

This is victory!!

Our challenge is to make sure we operate in faith, not fear. And to make sure we are truly lead by God, and not moving on our own will.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

We all have things that would draw our attention away from God. If we allow ourselves to be distracted long enough we might not ever find our way back. This is a danger that costs so high a price that we should avoid it no matter what.

To help us avoid pitfalls and detours away from God’s plan for our lives, there is always a way of escape.

This is victory!!

Gods is so awesome that he knows we have lusts that are there just to pull us away from him. He knows that our flesh will always be susceptible to these lusts. For this reason God will always provide a way of escape whenever temptation appears. It is our job to look for the escape, and take it.

Contrary to what people will have you think, you are never so far gone that you cannot find a way out. The problem is we don’t always want to face the consequences of our choices. But there is always a way of escape. God is faithful, that we are not alone. He will be there to help us successfully navigate every situation.

This is victory!!

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Finally, all of this so that we can walk in peace – always. We are designed to overcome the world even as our savior has.

We have been equipped for every battle we will face. We just have to fight the battle in him. He overcame and so will we!

This is victory!!

Have a victoriously blessed day.

2 Corinthians 1:20

“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

It is good to know that we serve a God that is always considering us. He loves us so much that he is constantly making provisions. There are things, hindrances, road blocks, etc to our journey that we have not even thought about. It is amazing to know that God has, and has already worked out a way for us.

God has made so many promises in is word just for us.

Our problem is that we fail to find out just what he has for us. We tend to go through life blindly. This is the hard way to live. The word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway (Psalms 119:105). This means we need his holy word to see where we are going.

Because this life is a journey, we need a road map to successfully navigate our way. The Bible is that navigation. Faith is the fuel to our journey. Just as we trust a natural map to be true, and ultimately capable of directing us to where we need to go, we must believe the same about the Bible.

Our duty is to study the map. John 5:39 says, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Also remember why we should study the scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

What you need is in the Word of God – for your every situation!

God’s promises are sure and true. The things he has promised are yours for the taking, but you have to go get them.

To know what those promises are you need to find them in the word of God, then stand on them by faith.

Here is just a sneak peak:

But I challenge you, search the scriptures to find out what other promises God has made concerning you!

God speaks to us all directly and he does it through his word. There are promises in his word that are just for you.

Because God promised it to (and for) you, you have to go get it. Be who and what God has designed you to be. Accomplish and achieve the God given (God inspired) goals that are in your heart.

He promised, go get it!

Have a blessed day.

Romans 8:11

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

God is so awesome!

As I was in praise and worship this morning God dropped this in my spirit and it is exactly what I needed to hear. So I thought I’d share with you as well.

There are some things/issues we have that causes us grief. So much so, that we cry out to God asking for help. Or sometimes we even hide from God if the issue is severe (or embarrassing) enough.

We are torn, we want to be delivered, but we also still enjoy the messiness of our issue. We are at the point where we are sick and tired of ourselves.

God told me, if he is in you and you are in him, the same spirit that raise Jesus from the dead is in you too. That same spirit will raise you up from the mess that you are in. But there are some requirements. We have to stop being so dramatic, and do what needs to be done.

Just as the lame man that was healed – he had to rise use and walk. Had he not moved, he would never had known that his deliverance took place.

We are in the same boat. We have to stop being so dramatic, crying about what we need. Instead we have to step out on faith and try God. He is faithful, if he said you are delivered, then you are. You have to step out on that branch and confirm your deliverance by faith.

This requires you to confess with you mouth that you have been delivered and set free. You must believe it in your heart!

This requires you to make different choices.

This requires you to look for a way of escape when temptation comes.

This requires you to change the people you hang around with/fellowship with.

Understand that you cannot walk in deliverance without change. You will need to change the way you think. You will need to change some of the places you go, and you will need to change some of the people you hang around with.

One of the major mistakes people who struggled with various types of additions make is the company they keep. If you really want to be free, you cannot keep the circle of friends you had. Remember these are the same people who enabled, facilitated, and encouraged your behavior. To walk in deliverance and be free – a change is required.

Stop being dramatic. At the point you prayed and repented by faith, God delivered you. Our problem is we don’t believe we are delivered because we don’t “feel” like it. We want to wait for the dramatic rescue. But God does not always operate like that. He is not moved by our emotions. God is only moved by our faith.

So understand, if God is in you, his spirit will raise you up and set you free. Stop the dramatics, and walk in your deliverance. Be free!

Have a blessed day!

1 Corinthians 15:51, 58

“51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Sometimes we work so hard, so long, and so much, that we can lose sight of why we do it. The loss of focus causes us to take time from those who need our time the most. Family, friends, spouses, and even our ministry suffer due to this attention deficit.

Every now and then we need to do a welfare check. This check is an inward and outward check.

We have to take time to check in with the ones we love. Those who we have pledge to God, that we would love and cherish, till death parts us (this would extend to our children). Those who we owe a moral obligation to cover, and those who have been engrafted in our family. We need to see how we are doing from their point of view.

Then we need to do an inward check. We have to ask ourselves (and honestly answer) some status questions:

Have I spent quality time with my spouse?

Have I had quality engagement with my children? (Spending time with them doing what they enjoy in an effort to get to know them better).

Have I remained true to the call and direction God has given me for my ministry?

Once we have honestly answered these questions, we need to take action. Then you can complete the final stage of the welfare check.

If you are doing well, then keep doing what you are doing. You can take comfort in the fact that you are on the right track, doing what God has required of you.

If you are lacking in some areas, then your actions should be corrective in nature. Repair your relationships and spend time nurturing them.

This may seem time consuming, but it is not. Most people will just appreciate that you care enough to inquire. They will let you know what is needed to maintain a good relationship. The benefits in this is twofold, as the welfare check also affords you the opportunity to express what you need in return. So that all is well from your point of view too. Once everyone involved has a clear understanding, you can all move forward together.

The final stage of the welfare check is to talk to God.

Life is full of distractions (I know, I say this all the time – because it is true!). Working hard brings a lot of stress (distraction). The stress takes our focus in many directions. As long as their is something to stress over, we will always fight distraction.

God is able to remove stress (or worry). He tells us to cast our care on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Give him our stress and refuse to take it back. This will keep us focused.

Looking at the scripture text in 1 Corinthians, we are reminded of why we work in God’s vineyard. We are reminded of why we care about God’s people, of why we fast, and why we pray. We are reminded of why we suffer, of why we constantly extend ourselves out to be hurt and rejected.

There is a reason. We have a goal that we are working towards. We want to see God’s face in peace and forever be with him in glory.

Yes, every now and then we need to remind ourselves of this most important fact. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed…

The remembrance of this fact is enough to encourage us to keep on fighting the good fight. And don’t be fooled – it is a fight! But it is a fight that we will win! We have to fight not to give up or to give in. We fight to stay encouraged. We fight to keep moving forward even when we feel we are alone in the battle.

My Monday Morning Encouragement is this: be steadfast, unloveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.

Understand that you may not always find encouragement from other people. But know how to encourage yourself in the Lord.

Do your welfare checks at least quarterly.

Seek the Lord daily

Know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

God will bless the hard work you put in for your family and for your God.

This is Monday Encouragement!

Have a blessed day!

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Haggai 1:5-7

“⁵ Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

⁶ Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

⁷ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”

Have you ever felt like you are working and working, but not getting anywhere. Do you feel you all of your effort is wasted?

If you find your self here, take a step back, stop moving, and just wait.

Take some time to consider your ways.

Consider is defined as think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision. think about and be drawn toward (a course of action).

Most of the time the frustration we feel with our situations is because we did not take the time to consider the situation fully. We moved before we allowed God to pull us in the direction we should go.

Patience is a virtue. It is an essential component to success. Yes success involves risk, but it is a calculated risk. Risk that is based on experience and research.

Most of the time, we move with out consideration, research, or communication with God. To continue to act without consideration is a breeding ground for frustration and failure.

So yes, take a step back. Ask God if your plan lines up with his plan for your life. If so, wait for him to draw you to a course of action. While you wait, prayerfully research and learn as much as you can. When you are pointed toward a God-inspired direction you will be better prepared to possess the land.

Be prepared to be obedient.

If you are not walking in obedience you will miss what God is trying to do with your life. God cannot work with a disobedient soldier. Your rebellion against the plan that God has for you will increase your frustration and poor decision making.

Consider your ways. There is a reason why you are having this Haggai experience. Find out why, repent, and walk in obedience.

Have a blessed week!

A major part of any relationship is appreciating the one you love. When you do, you just want to talk about the one you love to anyone who will listen.

To that end I just want to take time to talk about God to anyone who will listen. He has been so good to us all whether we realize it or not.

Today, I am thinking about (and appreciating) the mercy of God. For he was thinking about me while I was yet stinking in my sinful ways. I did not deserve his goodness, but he considered the plans he has for me more than the reality of where I am “right now.”

God is rich (plentiful; abundant) in mercy. There is no danger of him running out.

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.

God could have, at any time, punished us for the wrong we are guilty of. Instead he chose to extend his mercy toward us. Yes, I truly appreciate the mercy of God!

Full of Mercy:

Ephesians 2:4-5 “4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

Today, I am also thinking about the patience and long suffering of God. There are times when we feel like we are on a hamster wheel – just running in circles. We make the same mistakes, make the same choices, over and over again. We get the same results and wonder if things will ever get better.

God could have turned his back on us, but he did not. Instead, he waits patiently for us. He orders our steps, and takes corrective actions to bring us back in line. Because we are human, and a little hard headed, it takes time for the “light bulb” to come on for us. The light bulb that lights the way to a new path with smarter decisions. Causing a change in our life.

This light bulb finally came on for me. Allowing me to think better, to talk better, and to have a closer (different – more intimate) relationship with God.

It took time – a lot of time. To get here, I had to bump my head a lot. But through it all God was patient with me. He showed me his patience and long suffering over and over again. I sincerely appreciate that!

Patient:

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Long suffering:

Exodus 34:6 “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”

Romans 5:3-5 “3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Today, I also am also thinking about God’s sovereignty. By definition, sovereign is possessing supreme or ultimate power. God can do what he wants to, when he wants to for he is God.

I appreciate this attribute because I am a planner. I set a goal, then devise a plan to achieve it, the I try to execute the plan. This makes sense, however, you have to allow space for changes in the plan. Why? Because God is sovereign.

Many times our plan does not line up with God’s plan for us. With this conflict, God’s plan will always prevail, and our plan will take the back seat. We have to be willing to let God be God in our lives. This means not always having things our way – and being okay with it.

I appreciate God for truly being in control!

Sovereign:

Psalms 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”

Proverbs16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

Proverbs 19:21 “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”

God is all of this and so much more. He truly is EVERYTHING!

When we do not actively pursue a relationship with him, we short change ourselves. In our daily struggle to achieve, accomplish and obtain, we tend to lose focus of God.

But God is faithful. He exercises his mercy, Long suffering, and patience toward us continually. He wants us to understand he is a sovereign God. He does what he pleases- it is always to work his purpose.

What do we do when what we want is not the same as what God wants for us? Hopefully we will yield to God’s will, but realistically the best thing we can do in this case is to spend time with God in personal devotion time (praise and true worship).

Why? Because it is impossible to come into his presence and not be changed. Just look at Moses. He went in with a open heart, but came out a servant of God. Let God do the work. You just position yourself at his feet.

God is full of mercy – he is working for us even when we don’t deserve it.

God is long suffering – he does not give up on us, or turn his back on us,

God is patient – he will order our steps a taking us on the path that leads back to him.

God is sovereign – he does what he pleases for his own purpose.

God shows us his goodness because his ultimate goal is the saving of our souls.