Have you died today? Are you fruitful?

Thursday’s Awakening

Topic: Have you died today? Are you fruitful?

John 12:23-26

We are created to produce fruit and when we do so the seed must die. We were created not just to produce fruit but produce much fruit. When we refuse to die we are alone in our shell. Our spirit can only be at peace when it is doing the will of the Lord. When we do other things we may be surrounded by many but internally we will feel alone. No one can fill that void but Jesus.  John 12:²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Have you ever seen a peach tree or a rose garden, or an apple tree? In order for the tree to exist and produce fruit a seed had to die and be planted. When we serve and obey God we become a fruit tree. We begin to produce continually. Season after season we will continue to bring forth fruit. We will continue to touch lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ and other lives will begin to bring forth fruit. A seed is a hard fruit. The only way the fruit will live outside of the seed is to die to the earth and allow the germination process to begin. A seed cannot grow without germination, which is a process of a seed growing into what it will become. We have to die to this world and the things of this world and allow Jesus to begin the germination process in us. Jesus causes us to break through our harden outer shell (pit) of selfishness and self centeredness.

When we begin to germinate we become God centered and God focused. We stop focusing on things we want. We stop fitting God into our schedule one day and week, and we begin to see how we fit into God’s schedule. We begin to wake up giving God praise before we are fully out of bed. We begin to ask God what should we do and where should we go before we make any plans. We worry less on what we want and we only concern ourselves with what Jesus wants from us. When become God centered we begin to grow outside our tiny little shell and become something greater with a greater purpose in the earth.

John 12:25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  When we remain a seed in our hard shell and refuse to become the fruit inside of us we will die. Sunflower seeds are sold by the bag for someone to break the shell and eat the center. Nuts are seeds that are sold for someone to eat. When we refuse to become fruit we are sold, picked, and devoured by this world. We are busy distracted with what we want to do we don’t notice we are being sold and picked, chewed on and spat out.

John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. When we follow Jesus the germination process begins. Jesus begins growing and developing us into sweet fruit. Our fruit trees will always produce as long as we are connected to the vine. The average peach tree produces 40 peaches a year. A mature 12-year Golden Jubilee can ripen out over 150 peaches a year. When we are connected to the vine which is Christ Jesus, our branches will bring forth much fruit, but it begins with the seed. We must die for our light to shine and for our fruit to grow. When we are connected to the vine we are constantly producing year after year.

Do you want to be a seed or a fruit tree? Do you want to produce the average fruit or can God trust you to bring forth much fruit? Don’t fit Jesus into your schedule allow him to totally take over your life.

 

God Bless you and yours! I love you and Jesus is crazy about you.

 

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Calling For Corporate Prayer

Wednesday’s Declaration

Topic: Calling for Prayer

Psa 150, Rev 3:19, Matt 7:7, 2Chr 30:8

 

Stats

28 Million obese people in the world.

29K died of hunger yesterday

138K died from water related diseases this year.

750Million people without safe drinking water

518K deaths of children under 5 this year in the world.

82K suicides in the world this year, 3K in the US

2Million in jail in the US

God bless you for taking the time out to pray for others. I pray that you and your family will be blessed for standing in the gap and praying for others. Please pray the prayer below or your own prayer. We praise, repent, ask, and yield.

Praise

Lord you are the guardian of our soul. You are holy and there is none like you. You are the source of the new life. You give new beginnings. Lord you are a strong tower of whom we can run in the time of need. You alone are exalted on high and lifted up. We praise your name continually. You are faithful in your love, forgiveness and protection of us and your people. You are the door, you open the way to heaven and abundant life.

Repent

Forgive us for not responding in prayer to the suffering in the world.  Forgive us for being unfaithful to you and at times walking in flesh. Forgive us and your people when we stray away from your righteousness. Forgive us for not being soft and pliable in your hands. Forgive us for not being clay that you can mold and shape for your glory. Forgive us for desiring things of this world over kingdom things. Forgive us for not sharing your gospel to all. Forgive us when we live for self over living for you.

Ask

We come boldly to the throne of grace that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. There are many sick among us and you word tells us with your stripes we are healed. We ask that you heal the hunger in the land. Heal the land and allow it to bring forth fruit and vegetables for your people. We ask that you move upon the hearts and minds of men and women all over the world to assist in feeding those that are hungry and restoring water to those without. We know your work can only be done through us your people on the earth. Help us to be mindful of those in need and move into action. Give us the grace to do your work in the earth. Help us to focus less on ourselves and more on doing your work in the earth. For when we seek your kingdom all else will be given to us.

Obesity is the gateway to many other diseases. Heal the emotional attachment and addiction to food. Help your people to attach themselves to you and become addicted to you only. We come against addictions today. We come against anything that would seek to separate your people from your love and righteousness, in the name of Jesus.

Lord you are faithful we ask for the protection and healing of the children all over the world. Please protect them from predators, cancer, and anything that would seek to destroy our youth. We come against the works of the enemy as we know is desire is to kill, steal, and destroy. We come against mental and emotional sickness and the desire of suicide. Someone is contemplating suicide right now and we speak life into their minds and hearts. We ask that you help them to know you are the Lord of new beginnings and there is greater in store for them. The enemy’s desire is to steal them from this earth as he knows there are greater works you have for them. Help them to feel your love wherever they are and abort their plans of suicide. We ask that you go into the prisons and meet the needs of those who have fallen but desire to be renewed. We ask that you meet the need of the falsely accused. We ask that you restore order and righteousness in all places including prison. Some are in mental and emotional prisons seeking freedom. Help them to live and walk in your abundance. We know you can go into any dark place and restore light. We speak your light, your holiness, and your righteousness to the dark places on this earth.

Yield

 

Help us and all your people to yield to your will and your way. Teach us to respond to your touch as you mold and shape us. Help your people to extend their hand and their heart to receive all that you have for them and as you lead them by your spirit. Lead us and your people to greater intimacy in you. Help us and all your people to respond to your call, to the tug at our heart leading us closer to you. Help us and your people to run toward you and not away from you. Help us and your people to know that you and you alone created us and you know what is best for us. Mortify the deeds of our flesh and increase your Spirit in us that we would serve you all of our days.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen

 God bless you have a tremendously blessed day!

 
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Are you sounding your own alarm?

Tuesday Inspiration

Topic: Are you sounding your own alarm?
Matt 6

Are we keeping track of what we have done for God? Are we sounding our own trumpet? We have to be mindful of our intent. It is very easy to begin focusing on Jesus and our flesh take over and we begin to glorify the works of our hands.

God created the heaven and the earth and everything in the earth. Jesus crowned us with glory and honor. Jesus allowed us to have dominion over everything he created (Psa 8:4-6). If Jesus created everything and gave man glory, honor and dominion, we are subject to the authority of Jesus. If God decides to take away our glory, honor and dominion we will not have a trumpet to sound. Our trumpet is a deceiver. When we blow our horn or glorify ourselves and seek credit for things God had done through us we are receiving our reward on earth from man. Our focus must be on Jesus and only Jesus. We need God’s reward as his is everlasting. Man’s reward is temporal. As the world says “what have you done for me lately”, we can never give enough to man, the world will always want more until there is nothing left for us to give.

Remember God crowned us with glory, honor, and dominion (Psa 8:3-9). The only one we should seek approval from is from the one who placed the crown and the honor. Jesus does not give us more than we can handle. Jesus will carry the burdens for us when we trust him (Matt 11:30). Man will use and abuse us until there is nothing left. We have to realize when we seek glory from man we are out of order, out of alignment. Each of us has been crowned with glory, honor, and dominion. When we begin serving man and seeking his approval we have made him/her our god and we can only receive reward from them. We have removed ourselves from the order Jesus established. We cannot serve two masters (Matt6:24). We cannot make people our god then ask Jesus to work it out. We have to decide who we are going to serve.

Some of us may not understand what it means to have the crown of glory and honor. A crown means to encircle something. When Jesus encircles us, he is first protecting us, second guarding against attack. When he crowns us, he is completely surrounding us on all sides. In that circle he gives us glory, which is his good sense, his splendor, his abundance, his riches, his dignity, and his reputation. He also gives us honor, which is a symbol or a sign of his magnificence, his splendor, his beauty, and his excellence.  After Jesus adorns us with glory and honor he gives us dominion. When we have dominion we have power, we have authority over everything God created (Psa 8:6-8). We have to remember our authority comes from above. If we are living below the glory, honor, and dominion God has given us, it is because we have stepped outside of his crown. We have removed ourselves from his circle of protection and have decided to serve another master. God is a jealous God (Ex 20:5). He does not want to share ownership. Jesus is the only one who paid the price for us and he is the only one we should serve. Imagine paying full price for a car or a house and the previous owner wants to continue to live in it or drive it. Imagine the previous owner wanting to have authority over what you purchased after you have paid full price, taxes, fees, and interest.

When we demonstrate great works in the earth and we begin to glorify the works our hands remember who gave us our gifts, remember whose authority we are under. If Jesus completely removes his glory from us we will be wanderers just as the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years (Num 32:13). We will travel in circles never moving to the next level. We will never receive what God has for our lives. Without God’s glory he will turn us over to a reprobate mind and we will become filled with unrighteousness (Rom1:28-30).

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.

Accept your crown, walk in the authority of Jesus Christ. Do not blow your own horn as we know all our gifts and talents come from above. We don’t want God’s gifts without his glory and honor. We don’t want to be a gifted wanderer. We don’t want to reside outside of God’s protection. We don’t want to live beneath the authority Jesus has given.

Let’s lay up our treasures in heaven. Let’s stay in alignment. Let’s blow Jesus’ horn.

God bless you and yours!

 

Pray

Matthew 6:8-13

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

 

 
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Do you trust Jesus?

Monday Motivation

Topic: Do you trust Jesus with your life?
Luke 23:18-56, Prov 3:5-6

We often trust many people to make decisions for our lives but do we trust Jesus to guide our lives. We will accept what everyone else says, but do we consider and believe what God says concerning our lives. If we struggle with validation or insecurities we do not believe God. The bible says let the weak say “I am strong (Joel 3:10)”.

We often long for approval by various people whom we have attached ourselves. When we don’t receive the approval or validation we seek we begin to make decisions that may be outside the will of God. Our focus must remain unmovable and unshakable on Jesus. Our focus must remain on our Father in heaven. We cannot allow any distractions. Jesus will supply all of our needs (Phil 4:19) and when we delight in him he will give us the desires of our heart (Psa 37:4). Jesus will validate us if that is what we need. Jesus will send someone to encourage our heart. The problem is we often want God to move the way we want him to move. We want validation from our parent and God sent the president of our company. Jesus is not our puppet, he will move in our lives, but we have to trust him with the keys. Two cannot sit in the driver seat.  

Most of us have a story to tell or a testimony. Jesus has brought us through something or is in the process of bringing us through something. Some of us are going through something right now and cannot not see God’s mighty power. I am here to encourage you. Trust he is working on your behalf. Keep your eyes on the Lord!

When we take our eyes off of God we give in to our feelings and we allow our feelings to minister to us instead of the word of God. We trust our feelings more than we trust Jesus. We begin to glorify our situation, slowly turning away from Jesus, and trusting ourselves and others.  

We make the biggest mistake when we decide to trust ourselves over Jesus. When we give the Lord what we want him to have and we only want him to move in a way that we want him to move, we insult our Creator, our Maker.

God has a plan which is above our plans. Some of us have gone through things or are going through things that are or were painful. Some of us are holding on to pain and it is fueling our decisions, and we have not stopped to consider Jesus’s pain. Whatever situation we face we need to place it over what Jesus faced to keep things in perspective.  Jesus was not guilty of any crime yet, he was crucified (Luke 23:14-15, 22-23). Jesus was scourged and they placed thorns on his head, and as the blood fell down his face the people he came to save, were screaming crucify him, crucify him.

When someone is scourged they are tormented. They are whipped severely among other tormenting acts. We complain when we hear someone was speaking ill of us behind our back. They were screaming in Jesus face “kill him” even though he had done nothing wrong. Crucifixion is a slow and excruciating death. Imagine multiple open wounds from scourging and trying to hold yourself up on the cross as your chest falls forward. The pain of the nails as infection, dehydration and asphyxiation takes place. We are often very much focused on our situation and our problems that we don’t take time to consider what Jesus went through so that he could carry our burdens and direct our paths. We trust our friends and our family, some of whom have done very little for us but we don’t trust the one who paid the ultimate price. When Pilate informed Jesus that he had the power to release him or crucify him; Jesus reply was “You have no authority over me unless it has been given from above (John 19:11)”.

Some of us have allowed people and things to take authority over us and we need to respond to those things as Jesus did. We need to reply when our feelings are hurt “You have no authority over me”. We need to reply when we are talked about and mistreated “You have no authority over me”. We need to speak it until we believe it.  When everything around us is falling down, we need to say “You have no authority over me unless it has been given from above”.

When we begin to truly trust God we will not give in to our feelings but we will profess the word of God. When we truly trust God will not allow ourselves to be offended because we will have the peace of the Lord (Psa119:165). When we truly trust Jesus we will not allow the enemy to steal our joy because Jesus suffered so that we would live a blessed life. Our circumstances should not dictate our joy. Jesus already paid the price turn all your worry, anger, doubt, insecurities, pain, guilt, dreams, desires over to him. When problems arise say “You do not have authority over me”.

God Bless you and yours!

Pray

Jesus you are almighty. You are great and greatly to be praised. You paid the price so that I would live. Forgive me for trusting others before you. Forgive me for not considering your pain. You paid the price for me. I want to say thank you for all you have done for me. Thank you for saving me. Teach me how to trust and obey you. Teach me how to let go and allow you full access to my life, my thoughts, my actions and my will. In Jesus name I pray.

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Fear is a Spirit. Don't invite it in.

Wednesday’s Declaration

Topic: Fear

Josh 10:1-43

We often face difficult situations in life and become fearful. We often have faith for those things we have experienced God’s grace and fear for those unfamiliar events. Sometimes fear catches us off guard and completely consume our thoughts and actions. Once we allow fear to guide our decisions things begin to fall apart and then we pray. We may pray and believe God can work it out but our actions line up with fear and not faith.

When we allow fear into our hearts we have to work twice as hard to remove those feelings. The good news is Jesus can still bring us out even when we doubt him. Once we recognize that we are operating in fear we must immediately repent and begin to speak God’s word over not only our circumstance but our emotions.

Begin to Declare, Deut 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Make it personal I am strong and of good courage. I have no fear, I am not afraid of________ Jesus is with me. Jesus will go with me, and he will not leave me or abandon me.

Begin to Declare Isa 41:10  Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you. Make it personal. Lord your word says than I am not to be afraid that you are my God and you will give me strength and you will help me. I believe your word but I need your strength to ward off fear and I need your help in my situation.

Begin to Declare 2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. If God didn’t give us fear, fear comes from the enemy. When we operate in fear we are operating under the authority of the enemy. We must speak against those feelings and speak God’s word over our lives. God gave us power, the power to command the spirit of fear to flee. Fear is a spirit that we allowed to enter in us and dictate our actions. Contrary spirits cannot coexist. We cannot hear and follow the Holy Spirit in us if we are allowing the spirit of fear to guide us.

We have to know and believe the power of the Lord. We find several accounts in the bible where the Lord commands us to “fear not”. That tells us he knows fear will come upon us and we must speak against fear. Joshua faced many situations that were fearful. Five kings and their men of war came against Joshua’s allies. Joshua was obligated to protect them. Joshua was faced with going up against five armies. The Lord immediately instructed Joshua “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you (Jos 10:7). God sent the armies into a panic, a confused state of mind. They weren’t even able to fight Joshua. God caused hail to fall from the sky to attack them.

Once we activate faith and rebuke fear Jesus can do his best work. His word says “Not a Man Will Stand Before Him”. That is the God we serve, God will cause our enemies to panic and become confused. God gave us power and when we use that power to follow fear we deactivate faith and begin to activate our negative thoughts and actions. When we take it out of our hands and give it to the Master and trust him, we will have sound mind free from anxiety and fear.

Whatever has caused anxiety or fear in your life, turn it over to the Lord. Continue to speak God’s word over your circumstance. There is nothing too hard for God. Believe the report of the Lord. Fear is a spirit, do not allow it in and if you do, speak God’s word to get it out!

God Bless you! Tell someone one about Jesus!

Pray

Most Holy Father. You are eternal and your mercies endure forever. Forgive us for giving into fear and circumventing your Holy Spirit. We repent for the actions, thoughts, and/or  words we committed under the guidance of fear. We thank you for the strength and sound mind you promised us. We magnify you today and every day. You are bigger than our circumstance and we turn our issues and worries over to you. We apply the Blood you shed on Calvary to our situation because your Blood still works. We thank you and we praise you in advance for working our situation out and giving us peace and sound mind. We love you and we thank you in Jesus name we pray.

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Does the Lord remember you?

Monday Motivation

Topic: Does God remember you?
Gen 8:1, Matt 5:21-23, 38-42

Does God remember us because we are seeking him? Does Jesus remember us because we are meditating on his word day and night? Does the Lord remember us because we are thirsting after his righteousness?

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Does God remember us because we grieve his holy spirit daily? Does Jesus remember us because we only call on him when we need him? Does Jesus remember us because we fit him into our schedule instead of allowing him to guide our schedule?

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We would not go a day without oxygen. Jesus is more essential to our lives than breathing. We do not have a choice if we are going to take a breath and we should not make Jesus a choice but a necessity in our lives daily.

When God caused the great flood he had to mourn every family he created with the exception of Noah’s family. Jesus loves us and it must’ve grieved his spirit to kill all those families at once. All over the world mankind was screaming out as they were drowning and as God’s Spirit left their bodies. Sharks began to become fat off the land as God’s creation began to infest the waters. All others began to decompose infecting the waters causing shellfish to work overtime to clean the sea.

In those seconds to God but months to Noah, God remembered Noah. God remember Noah because his cry was different. His cry was a sacrifice of praise. His cry came from meditation, from seeking and thirsting after the Lord. Noah’s cry was a thankful cry. Gen 8:1-3 says God remembered Noah. To remember is to recall, to bring back to memory. When God remembered him he caused the wind to blow over the earth and the waters to subside.

There are two ways the earth supplies water, it rains, or it springs from below. When the Lord caused the great flood he opened the fountains under the earth and rain above the earth. All the wells burst with water from below and the clouds opened up with rain. It was a tsunami and a rainstorm all at once. When God blew over the earth he stopped the rain above and the springs below.

Some of us are in a flood and it feels like a tsunami. The rain is coming from every direction and we need Jesus to blow on us, we need him to remember us, we need him to fight on our behalf. It is almost impossible for an ark to survive when waters are bursting from below and rain is pouring from above unless Jesus is protecting the ark. Regardless of what we face if Jesus is our guide and our protector our boat might rock but we will not drown. Water may be above and beneath but it will not penetrate our walls.  We have to trust God. We have to submit, as Noah submitted.

Imagine Noah on top of the ark trying to direct the ark. Imagine Noah saying he will only allow God in on his terms. Noah allowed God to be his pilot and he made it to safe dry ground. Noah allowed Jesus to be the captain of the ark and the food lasted without refrigeration for a year.  Noah allowed Jesus to guide the ark and he kept his mind throughout the storm.  We must become dependent on Jesus. We must know we cannot direct our own path, as we do not know where to find good fruitful dry ground.

When we turn it over to Jesus the waters will subside, the sun will shine, and flowers will grow in our lives.

If we become angry or bitter in the rain, God cannot hear our cry. If we retaliate or have vengeance in our heart, Jesus will not remember us in the storm (Matt 5:21-26, 38-42). We have to be strong and of good courage and allow Jesus to guide every aspect of our lives from the smallest task to the largest. Rain will come from above and/or beneath and when it comes we must keep our eyes on the Lord and he will direct our paths (Prov 3:6). That means when bad thoughts creep in, read God’s word. Depression and praise cannot coexist. When we begin to praise the Lord more than we acknowledge our circumstance we will have peace in the storm. The storm will come but it will also pass. Weeping endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psa 30:5). Joy comes from your praise. Joy comes when we stop weeping and begin to praise the Master, the only true and living God; The only one that can blow and cause the fountains below to stop and rain above to restrain. He is the Most High God and we must praise him!

God Bless you! If this message has been a blessing to you please tell someone about Jesus.

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Don't Go On Auto Pilot....Let Jesus Be Your Pilot

TGIF’s Word

Topic New Years Ark
Genesis 6-9

Everyone has read or heard of Noah’s ark. When Noah turned 600 years old he embarked on a journey with the Lord. Noah’s journey to new beginnings lasted a little over a year. Some of us are entering in the New Year with new hopes, new goals, and new aspirations. When we set out to attain new goals, it usually requires hard work, dedication, and determination. Noah prepared for the journey under guidance of the Lord; he then had to endure the journey. During the journey he had to wait on the Lord. After the journey he repented and praised the Lord. Then God blessed him and called him to replenish. What God orders he pays for!

 

Prepare Genesis 6:9-22

Noah was called to build an ark by following God’s direction. If he failed to hear the Lord the Ark would have failed the year long journey. We hear Jesus when we read God’s holy word. We cannot properly prepare for our journey ahead if we are not listening to the Lord, by reading our word. We will be shipwrecked if we decide to go on auto pilot and do it ourselves our way.

 

Noah faced several challenges he had to endure during the journey. I am sure nothing could have prepared him for the realization of losing everyone outside of his immediate family. There was a grieving time that I am sure occurred during the journey.

Noah worked every day; there were hundreds of animals that needed daily feeding & grooming. Noah had to endure the stench of animal excrement constantly. He had to endure the responsibility of managing the ship and its passengers. Imagine trying to feed every species and your family for an unknown amount of time.

When God prepares us for a journey, the journey may pose many challenges. During those challenges we have to focus on Jesus. If Noah had not kept his mind on the Lord he would have jumped out of the ark. We are not designed to go into auto pilot and work things out by ourselves. Jesus is our pilot, he will guide us, direct us, and keep us.

Wait Genesis 8:6-12

Noah didn’t leave the ark as soon as the water subsided. He looked for a sign from the Lord. He did not leave the ark until he was certain it was the right time. Sometimes we make it to the end of our journey and neglect to wait on the Lord. We are on auto pilot leaving God’s covering and protection when we leave the ark before the right time. Going on auto pilot will always cause us to forfeit our blessing.

 

Repent & Replenish Genesis 9:1

When the Lord brought Noah through the journey, Noah immediately made and altar and offered up a sacrifice unto the Lord. We must always repent for ourselves and our households. When Jesus brings us through we must always remember to praise him.

God gave Noah instruction to replenish the earth. Often when God brings us through he doesn’t want us to keep the blessings for ourselves. He wants us to replenish, reproduce, re-stock, and refill the earth. He wants us to grow from our experiences and help others grow. He never wants us to stay stagnant. He always calls us to grow and expand our territory.  He has given us grace, mercy, and favor and he wants us to extend it to someone else. He wants us to rebuild others.

If we started the Journey with Jesus, we need Jesus to endure the Journey. If we didn’t begin with Jesus we need to end the journey with Jesus. Whether you are coming out of a journey, going into a journey, or in the middle of a journey, keep your eyes on Jesus and don’t jump out of the ark. Remember to wait on the Lord and he will send a sign. When Jesus brings you out don’t forget to repent and praise him and he will bless you.

God bless you and your family!

Pray

Most Holy and righteous Father. Creator of the heaven and earth. You are the Most High God and we honor you with the fruit of our lips. We repent for the sins we have committed knowingly, and unknowingly, in the previous year. We repent for our sinful thoughts. We repent for everyone in our household. We ask you to forgive our sin and wash us from all iniquity. We thank you for allowing us to reach another New Year, with hopes of new beginnings.

We ask that you give us the mind and heart to read and understand your word daily. We ask that you give us an ear for your voice that we will obey your commands. We ask that you bless the work of our hands and our ideas. Help us to use our talents and ideas to the glorifying and edifying of your kingdom. In Jesus name we pray Amen.

Please grant the reader a special blessing this year in Jesus name.

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Are you salty is your light shining?

Tuesday Inspiration

Are you salty or bitter? Are you walking in your blessings?

Matt 5:3-16

We are called to be the salt of the earth (Matt 5-13). Salt adds flavor, it comes from the Greek word halas. It is also a preserver. Salt prevents food from breaking down, decaying or spoiling. Salt also has healing powers. Salt provides relief against infections, pains, and virus. When we think about that spiritually we must think of the trust Jesus has in us. He said when we have lost our flavor we are not good for anything. Since salt can heal, prevent decay without it there death. When we lose our flavor the world and everything around us dies. If there was no light only darkness would prevail and the land would decay, the cost of sin is death. Jesus has given us the power through him to change our environment.

Can you imagine sprinkling salt on your food and it was tasteless? We would most likely toss it out. Through Christ we can do all things and Christ has called us to be the salt of the earth. He called us to prevent the world from spoilage, decay, corruption, spiritual infections, and virus through him. If we are standing by and allowing the world to crumble because we fail to pray, to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to have mercy, to be peacemakers, to have a pure heart, to rejoice when persecuted when persecuted then we have lost our flavor (Matt 5:3-12). When we gossip, backbit, curse one another we are causing spiritual infections. When we fail to stand for righteousness and give in to the way of the world, we put out our light and allow darkness to spread like a virus attacking anyone in its path, particularly the spiritually blind. We are to be as stop signs in darkness. We are too put up roadblocks; we are to stop the infections through Christ.

We are called to be the light in dark places. Light can only shine in darkness. We should not become concerned when we see the world becoming darker. That gives us more opportunities to shine brighter. Light travels 669,600,000 miles in an hour. If that is true for natural light what more than the light of Christ Jesus that we have in us. That is the impact we will have if we let our light shine and do not hide it under a basket or a bushel. We cannot become discouraged by what we see, we have to continue to trust and believe in the Lord so he may show himself strong. God said if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. It is so simple we are the light, we are the salt, we are his people (2 Chron 7:14). This land would be healed if we would walk in what Jesus has called us to walk in.

We are battling things all around us that Jesus didn’t call us to battle. He called us to walk in the light, maintain our flavor, and pray. If God said it he meant it. God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent. He clearly states he will heal the land if we would turn from wickedness, pray and seek him.

When we seek Jesus we find him. He opens our mind to his word, which is his thoughts, he allows the Holy Spirit to guide us to all truth and understanding. We will live an abundant life when we realize that we may be lied on, persecuted, talked about and mistreated, but we have peace knowing that our rewards are in heaven. When we are in our carnal selves we cannot receive that. When we have an experience with the Lord he will give us peace in the storm because we are holding on to the ultimate life saver.

Trust in the Lord lean not to our own understanding and he will direct our path. Be the light, be salty, be blessed.

Jesus loves you. He is absolutely crazy about you!! You are blessed, walk in your blessings. May God bless you and your family in Jesus name I pray.

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Seek God First!!

Thursday's Awakening

Seek The Lord in All Things

Joshua 7

Often when God has delivered us out of many battles we believe we can handle the small battles on our own. That can lead to us worshiping ourselves and believing that we don’t need Jesus for all things. Sometimes we even believe we have built up enough credit that we don’t even have to seek God for everything and he will surely deliver us out of all things. God is Sovereign. Some synonyms related to sovereignty are independent, self-governing, dominant, supreme, and autonomous. Jesus doesn’t owe us anything at all; we were purchased with a price. God operates independently. He loves us but he doesn’t owe us. He has given us so much and when we do not consult him before we make decisions we put ourselves at risk. He is not going to automatically do for us because we think we have an extended credit line if he does nothing else he has done enough. There are some places, people and things he doesn’t want for us but we want for us. The only way we can be sure we are operating in his will and not our will is to seek him first.

Matt 6:33 says seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. The text does not say seek God after we have done an assessment. It doesn’t say seek God only for big issues. It says to seek him first. After you seek him wait Psa 27:14. Jesus knows what is best for us and we have to trust him for the big and the little. We are as dust, he created us, and we need to walk under his covering in everything.

Joshua experienced God’s many wonders. He witnessed the parting of the red sea as a child, he witnessed God parting the Jordan (Jos 3) and the fall of Jericho (Jos 6). When Joshua sent men to spy on Ai and his spies advised him to go in to battle with minimal forces he agreed (Jos 7:2-3). The text does not say he consulted the Lord. We are soldiers of the Lord and any battle we fight we must arm ourselves with the favor of the Lord regardless of the size of the battle.

We will often seek God when we are going into battle on our jobs or with people we have no control over. We seem reluctant to seek God when we are dealing with our loved ones. We tend to believe those battles are small and we can handle them on our own. Battles are spiritual. The enemy will use anyone that will allow him, and he will use them to attack us. Every time we go into battle we must consult the Lord. The big battles we may consider to be our “Philistine battles” that David had to fight and he always sought the Lord.  The Amalekites battles are the ones that fight us when we are not looking, when our backs are turned, they come after our children and the spiritually vulnerable (1Sam 30-1-3). We have to seek God and acknowledge him in all things and he will direct our paths (Prov 3:6). When he directs our paths our backs are not turned, our eyes are focused, we are aware of any impending threats to our household, our mind, or our spirit and we are prepared everywhere we go.

When Joshua’s men went into battle they were defeated. Immediately Joshua fell to his face and cried out to the Lord (Josh 7:4-9). Joshua should have consulted the Lord first and he would have known that someone in his camp had sinned against God. If he would have consulted God he would have ensured his house was right before God, before battling anyone else. We are in some battles today and we are wondering why things aren’t changing. It could be that we haven’t consulted Jesus in our actions or we haven’t repented before the Lord. We see that sin can keep us defeated.  There are so many consequences to sin and we often don’t see the connection. Jesus sees the connection; he knows the damage of sin.  Before we go into battle we should check ourselves, repent, ask and wait for direction.

Society tells us to grow up and be independent. Jesus wants us to come as little children and depend on him (Mark 10:15). We have to believe the report of the Lord and trust in him. Every time you think about doing anything on your own think of the little toddler that doesn’t want any help but is too little and doesn’t understand the consequences. As adults we laugh at them and help them any way. That is how the Lord looks at us, he knows we can’t handle it on our own and often helps us anyway but seek him first.

Just like in this video. The Lord is saying give it to me.

  http://youtu.be/h63BmK1LcSo

Jesus wants us totally dependent on him. Seek him before battle, before you start your day, before you make a decision, before you engage your family, friends, enemies, or workday. Acknowledge God, seek is face and allow him to direct your path.

God bless you and your family! Jesus is crazy about you he loves you dearly. He died just for you.

Pray

Most holy and righteous father, Creator of the heaven and earth. You are the only true sovereign King. In you we put our trust. We repent today for taking matters into our own hands. Forgive us for failing to seek you first in all things. Forgive us for failing to acknowledge you in everything so you could direct us. Teach us how to grow dependent on you. Teach us how to be obedient after you have given us instruction. We thank you Lord Jesus for all you do for us. I thank you for shedding your blood on Calvary and coming back for me. Help us to do your will in all things. We love you and we thank you for all your continued blessings.  

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Calling For Prayer......Staggering World Stats..Prayer Still Works!

Calling For Prayer

World Stats
38M Abortions This Year
36M AIDS/HIV Infected People
1.5 M Deaths AIDS/HIV This Year
7.5M Deaths by Cancer This Year
4.6M Deaths Caused by Smoking
2.3M Deaths Caused By Alcohol

Please pray the prayer below or your own prayer. We are called to pray for one another. Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield.

Most holy and powerful God, who produces fruit in barrenness, provides shelter and shade, judges and reigns in righteousness, heals the sick and the broken hearted. You are faithful in your love and protection. You are sovereign, majestic, omnipresent, zealous and exalted above all. There is no one greater or higher than you. We thank you that we serve the most high God.

We repent for the sins we have committed knowingly and unknowingly. Only you can understand our faults, cleanse us from our secret faults. Keep us back from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over us. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We repent for the land and ask that you forgive us oh Lord. We stand in the gap praying for those that are in need of you today.

Father there were over 38 million abortions, forgive us for destroying what you have given to us. Help us to receive your gifts. Father bless each and every mother that felt they needed to make that decision. We ask that you forgive them and be with them. Please help in family planning to ensure every life you give will be a life that is received. We know all abortions aren’t by choice some are spontaneous and we asked that you heal those that suffered through spontaneous, and traumatic abortions. Jesus please heal all those impacted by abortions.

 

Jesus we ask that you heal all manner of sickness. Heal those suffering from HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Malaria and all other sicknesses that are plaguing your people. We ask that you heal those suffering from mental and emotional illness. We ask that you comfort the bereaved and the orphans today. We ask that you heal as only you can Jesus.

We ask that you heal those suffering with additions. We know you are the master of intervention. We ask that you meet them where they are and remove the taste of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and any other addition that is destroying the vessel that you have given us. Help us to honor what you have given us. Restore them to righteousness. Help them to become whole again free from additions.

Lastly, we pray for salvation for everyone in the world. We pray that everyone would come to know you as their savior. We ask that you go with the missionaries that are preaching and teaching your gospel abroad and protect, lead, and guide them to those who are lost and are in need of a savior. We ask that you send your gospel to those places where only prayer can go and save those that are in need of you. I ask that you bless each and every person that reads this prayer. I ask that you bless them from the crown of their head to the sole of their feet. I ask that you pour out a blessing they don’t have room enough to receive. I ask that you bless their homes and their family. Please save each and every member of their family. I ask that the person that is reading this would be encouraged for praying for others. I ask that you bless them with that secret request they have been seeking you for in Jesus name. Help our ways to line up with your ways so you would hear from heaven and answer our prayer.

We yield our heart and mind to you and only you. Help us to be what you have called us to be. Help us to walk in the gifts you have given us. Help us to love one another and extend compassion to one another as you have extended to us.

Let the word of our mouths and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in your sight, or Lord our strength and our redeemer. In Jesus name and for your glory Amen

God Bless you and yours!
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Blessing Blockers! Take Inventory.....

Monday Motivation

Topic: Identifying Blessing Blocker

Joshua 7

God has called us to be obedient to his instructions. Unfortunately our disobedience rarely only impacts us. Our disobedience usually has a domino effect. It usually impacts those around us. We have to be obedient even when we don’t understand the purpose.

We are not in this world alone. We are all connected to each other. We can think about some sinful acts in our past and how affected those around us or even our present. Even those things we felt that only God knew impacted someone inadvertently.

We pay a premium for our disobedience. It can cost us receiving God’s promises. God gives us grace & mercy but he is not in the habit of continually blessing disobedience. There are many definitions for grace and one of them is time. When we sin and we do not know any better God gives us time, he gives us grace to get it right. He favors and protects us during our grace period. He covers our sins because he has mercy on us. Jesus has compassion on us, which is why we must repent and ask for forgiveness.

We find multiple examples in the bible of disobedience/sins that impacted others. Moses and almost an entire generation were kept out of the Promised Land due to sin and disobedience. Mankind fell for disobeying God in the Garden of Eden. Two cities Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed due to sin. Sin is contagious. Once we begin, we bring others along and the cycle continues. Then it spreads like a fast moving cancer destroying everything in its path.

Think of this minor example of sin similar to speeding and breaking the speed limit. When we are in our cars, speeding the very competitive person next to us is encouraged to speed as well. The person that is in front of us feels pressure to increase their speed because we are behind them speedily approaching their bumper. We have then influenced at least two other drivers to break the speed limit. The first few times we may receive grace, we may not get pulled over by the authorities. Suddenly we begin receiving camera speeding tickets in the mail. Spiritually we have speeding tickets coming in the mail. Those things we shouldn’t do and we haven’t felt the full effects of our actions but the Lord is warning us. Then we are pulled over by authorities, ordered to pay a fine and given points against our license.  We are given multiple chances to reduce our speeding and if our behavior doesn’t change we lose our license and our ability to drive.

Disobedience is the ultimate blessing blocker! God has things he wants to get to us but we are blocking our blessings due to disobedience. God delivered the children of Israel out of the wilderness to the other side of the Jordan to the Promised Land. When they arrived, God turned the city over to them, he specifically instructed them not to take anything from the land for themselves as it was cursed (Jos 6:18-21). Later they went up for a minor battle and lost (Jos 7:1-5). Joshua prayed to the Lord asking why he didn’t save them, why did he bring them across the Jordan without protection (Jos 7:6-9). Joshua prayed to the Lord and the Lord informed him someone in his camp had disobeyed his command and had taken that which was cursed, which he instructed against (Jos 7:10-13). One man’s disobedience put an entire nation at risk. Our sin is not our own. We take others with us.

Sometimes we are praying and doing what God has called us to do but we have some blessing blockers in our home that are sinning against God. Some of them we can remove or manage and some we have to continually offer up prayers on their behalf. Either way we have to recognize it, pray and seek the Lord for guidance. We have to be careful who and what we allow in our homes or into our space. There are blessings the Lord has for us but cannot get to us because we have some blessing blockers that we are trying to satisfy and make comfortable in our space. The blessing blocker is usually us.

God is gracious and merciful and he never gives us what we deserve for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). He gives us mercy and he always he gives us a way out. He gives us the opportunity to repent. There is still time to repent, ask forgiveness and obey. There are things the Lord has instructed us to do that we have repeatedly disobeyed. There are people around us, which are influencing us to disobey God, and we continually allow ourselves to be influenced. We need to seek the Holy Spirit for assistance to resist and obey.

The Lord wants the absolute best for us and he cannot give it all to us if we are disobedient. He can’t give us a new car if our license is suspended. He can’t bless us with health if we continue to eat fatty foods and refuse to exercise. He can’t give us joy if we won’t let go of those things he instructed us to release. There is no lack in Jesus there is only lack in us. If we find ourselves not receiving what God has promised us we need to take an inventory of ourselves and our space. We need to determine what our blessing blockers are, pray and seek the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Pray

Most Holy and Sovereign God. You are the Most High God. Creator of the heavens and the earth. You are a strong tower and in you we run and find protection. You are the only one that upholds the kingdom and each of us with your right hand of righteousness. You are wonderful in all your works of wonder and glory. You and you alone are exalted, lifted up and praised for your wonders abound. We repent today for being disobedient and causing those around us to disobey your will. We ask for forgiveness for allowing ourselves to be influenced and for when we influenced others to disobey your will. We thank you for covering our sins. We ask that you give us the will and the strength to obey. Teach us to lift you up when sin and doubt assail us. Help us to walk ever sensitive to your upholding hand. Open our heart to you and flow inside us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

God Bless you and yours!
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