Hold to the Vision and trust The Lord to See it Through

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give these instructions to the Israelites: When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your special possession, these will be the boundaries.” Numbers‬ ‭34:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Immediately following verses 1 and 2 God gives Moses the boundaries for the land the people will inherit. What this tells me is that often God will allow us to see the end result of a thing but He won’t show us how that thing is to be accomplished. This is where our faith and trust in Him are exercised. Beloved what has God revealed to you about you? Are you struggling with the details of the vision? Has the vision caused you to become stagnant? Beloved, let not this be true of you. So stop worrying about the details and let God be God! Amen!

Lightening the Load

God is Jehovah Jireh! He will provide all you need! You only need to open His Word and receive what He has for you to experience God’s perfect work in your life. 

Today I learned that one of the ways to weather a storm is to lighten the load. To remove those the things that may be weighing you down, hindering your progress, or causing you strife. 

Why are we encouraged to lighten the load? Because the heavier the load, the more deeply we will sit in the storm. Another reason we lighten the load is to stabilize us. If we’ve truly heeded God’s Word and dumped the unnecessary weight, we should end up with one singular focus, Jesus. 

Beloved, the storms of life come and they will make you feel as if you are drowning. But God! Trust Him to not only be there with you but to also give you what you need to weather the storm safely. 

The Hidden Blessings in a Heavy Load

We are often told that God will never put more on us then we can bare. While this is a popular saying, I am no longer sure it’s accurate. For if we can bare it, then we have no need for Him to intervene. Beloved, I think there is something magical and therapeutic about the place of suffering. For not only does it bring an end to self sufficiency, it also gives God an opportunity to work unrestrained on our behalf. He will either bring us through the storm (deliverance) or give us what we need to endure (peace) it. Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It’s in the Book

Proverbs 5

The warning in this chapter is not just for married men, it’s also a warning for the unmarried. We are to wait and enjoy intimacy with only our spouse. When we don’t wait, we find ourselves having to give our hard earn cash to a household we have no say in. See verse 10 AKA child support!

Today we have tossed aside this wisdom and believed the lie that God’s way of doing things is old fashioned and outdated. As a result, our kids are even more confused then we were. They can’t reconcile the love of God with the wrath of God. So they reject His wrath and believe that His love will cover every wrong they commit. And so they live recklessly, they live as if there are no rules, no boundaries and as if everyone is going to heaven. 

It is my prayer today, that God’s truth will once again be taught in the earth. And those of us who are in a position to speak, live and teach God’s Word will embody the very message we proclaim. Amen 

The Poison Within

Charles Spurgeon is believed to have said, our unwillingness to forgive someone for the wrong they have done to us or someone we love is equivalent to drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Beloved, there is simply no winner in this situation. Forgive, so that you can be forgiven and walk with the freedom that obeying God's Word can provide. Amen

“‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].

For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.” MATTHEW‬ ‭6:12, 14-15‬ ‭AMP‬‬

A Healthy Spirit Doesn't Happen by Accident

People take supplements because they know that the food they eat on a regular basis does not contain all they need to be their healthiest selves. Beloved, if the only time you sit at God's table is on Sunday you cannot and will never be your healthiest self. You need bible study and the teaching of the word throughout the week to help you stay the course. 

Having a hard time making this happen? Change what your tuned in to on the drive. Moody (90.1) provides an excellent source of solid biblical food. Another way to access great spiritual food is to utilize the podcast app on your phone. Many men and women of God have used this app to make their weekly sermons available to the general public. Some of my favorite heralds are Treadured Truth by James Ford, The Urban Alternative by Tony Evans, Living a Legacy by Crawford Lorrits, and Summit Life with J. D. Greear. And last but not least, read your bible and ask God to help you with your understanding. However, if you are overwhelmed by this task, the Bible app has many great short bible study series to help you approach this task in a more systematic way.

Remember remember your ability to apply the Word of truth to your life is your responsibility. And this is one that should never be left as the sole responsibility of those with a title and a formal call to do so. Beloved that is why we, and not just our teachers, are encouraged to..."be diligent to present yourself (ourselves) approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Until next time....

When We Let Our Light Shine

Moses in Genesis 3:3 was intrigued by a bush that was on fire and not consumed. Beloved, if you would just allow the Lord to have His way in your life, the fire within you would also piqued the interest of those around you. They too will turn aside and seek to know more about this great wonder before them. 

Therefore, I beseech you my brethren, to..."Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.” MATTHEW 5:16 AMP

No More Spoon Feeding, It's Time Prepare Your Own Meals

Today in Sunday school we were encouraged to put down the expositor. To pick up our bible, our bible dictionary and our concordance and to trust that God will, with enough sweat equity, open up our understanding. We talked about how the genre of the text informs our understanding and why you should never read anything out of context. In study we are to consider the times in which the text was written and the audience it was written to if we are to get a more accurate picture. Lastly, we are to bring both our questions and our insights to class so we can sharpen each other. 

We were studying Psalm 104 until the shift happened. The Spirit wanted us to know the reason the Psalmist was able to praise as he did; and it was because he knew God's word and made it his business to know it. 

Leaders it's time to stop preparing the meals and teach the people how to cook and eat for themselves. Truly, this is the only way they will be able to fulfill The Great Commission. To put it more plainly, in order to reproduce, you must already be that which you are trying to recreate.

 

There are No Short Cuts

For many of us, finding time to study and meditate on the word of God is hard to do. And the reason it is hard to do is because there are so many different things, people, and or events vying for our attention. Whether you realize this or not, our unwillingness to make His Word a priority is killing us. We know the effects malnourishment has on the body, yet we still neglect to feed our Spirit Man. Somehow we have bought into the lie that one meal a week is all we need to make it through. It's all we need to have the strength to stand, to weather the storm. Beloved, I am here to tell you today, don't believe the hype. Paul said to the Church of Phillipi and today I say to you, "Work out your salvation...!" The victory you desire will not be won on the sidelines. You will have to work for it and it does not come cheap. 

In Joshua 1:8 we are instructed to study...continually. To meditate on it (The Holy Writ) day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (NLT)

There are five things I would like to draw out of this text. 

• Number 1 - Notice that the verse referenced begins with the word study. To study something is to devote the devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge on, to look closely at or investigate in order to observe. Beloved if all you do is read the scriptures you have missed the mark. We are commanded to study it! To dig deep, to look closely at, to ask questions of it and seek the Lord for the answer to our questions. 

• Number 2 - How often should we do this? Continually, for to continue in something suggests that there is no end to it. 

• Number 3 - And after we have studied, we are told to meditate on it. To keep what we have learned always at the forefront of our mind. It should be what we focus on. In fact, our focus should be so intense that this Word finds itself deeply planted within our hearts. 

• Number 4 - The end result of both our studying and meditation should be action. No longer do we study the word and speak the word, we live it! According to Joshua 1:8 this is the only way obedience is possible, and it is the result of our studying that we find ourselves obeying out of love (relationship) rather than obligation. 

• Number 5 - The last thing that happens as a result of the hard work put forth is the promise. The promise of being prosperous in all we do. Please know that I am not speaking of the prosperity of men. No beloved, I am speaking of the wealth that comes from being in right relationship with the Father. The wealth that manifest's itself in the grace, favor and mercy of God.

I know your schedule is busy and that you really don't have time to do all of this. Beloved, what you don't have time not to. So before I leave you, let me encourage you to take it one step at at time. 

So where do you start?

1. Download a bible app
2. Select a book.
3. Listen to one chapter each day at least five times a day. 
• Once in the morning when you wake
• Once on the way to work
• Once during lunch
• Once on your way home from work
• Once before you go to bed at night
4. Jot down any questions and or observations you may have.
5. Pray and ask God for the answer to your questions
6. Pray and ask God to help you use what you have learned in your life 

Until next time...

Starved!

I will never be able to comprehend how there is a famine in a land where the word of God is so readily available. But even though this is something I cannot comprehend, it is my reality. Is it because the truth espoused in the word of God does not so easily align with the life we have made for ourselves? Or is it that those of us charged with proclaiming the word have watered it down so much that it no longer has its power?

Whatever the reason, it's time for a change. It's time to get back to proclaiming God's word