The Earth Doesn’t Need Your Help To Keep Spinning

Hey you! Yeah you, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders – here’s a news flash. God doesn’t need your help to run the universe and He doesn’t want you to go through life constantly struggling, always burdened down, always fighting against something.

Yes, we know that trials and tribulations will come in life. And there may be seasons that are more difficult than others, but we can’t just settle where we are and accept that it’s always going to be this way. Just like God led the Israelites into the Promised Land, He wants to lead you to a better place. He wants to bless you with His provision and blessing.

The key is that when difficulty comes, instead of focusing on where you are, instead of dwelling on whether things WON’T work, turn your focus toward your heavenly Father. Do as the bible says and cast your cares on Him.

Today I want you to encourage you not to let the heaviness of this world drag you down. Put your faith and hope in the Creator of the universe, knowing that He is in complete control and has great things in store for your future. Keep praying, keep believing and keep trusting because He wants to lead you into YOUR promised land!

Freedom

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose”

Paul and Silas were put in jail for spreading the good news. It wasn’t fair. They were beaten with rods without a trial. As they sat in the prison, bloody, bruised and uncomfortable, they began to sing praises to God. As they were singing, all of the sudden, there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, the chains fell off, and they walked out as free men. What happened? They praised their way to victory!

Friend, I know what lows are about. I know it’s hard sometimes to see your world crashing around you and still choose to respond with praise and trust and faith. I’m not perfect either, but I will say that throwing yourself a pity-party or a tantrum at God serves only to keep you upset and delay your promotion in His plan for you. Most of the time, the things that are really worth something take sacrifice to obtain.

Today, I want you to understand, if you’re going to live in victory, you have to learn how to praise in your midnight hour. When things seem the darkest, when you’re in pain, disappointed, lonely or experiencing a loss. When you praise Him ‘no matter what’, that’s when God will break your chains and set you free!

A sacrifice is when it costs you something, when you don’t necessarily feel like doing it. Keep your faith in Him, not because of how you feel, but because He deserves it! Praise Him in your midnight hour then get ready to embrace the freedom He has planned for you! Freedom from your grief, your financial woes, or your loneliness. Just like He did for Paul and Silas, He will set you free if you will only dig in and press forward in faith. You never know, TODAY could be that day!

What Lies Behind

Have you committed to letting go of the past? If you’ve followed my blog this month, or even my Facebook page, then you know  I’ve been talking a lot about forgiveness and letting go of the past. That’s because I believe so strongly, with all of my heart that it‘s the single biggest obstacle that stands between where you are and where you want to be.

Paul said in Philippians 3:13, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Many people don’t fully understand what it means to forget the past. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget is to disregard intentionally or to overlook.

In other words, you have to CHOOSE to disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means disregarding the bad – and the good. There’s a saying, “Good is the enemy of great.” Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising higher as much as past failures. The bottom line is, if we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new.

This is a new day and it’s time to forget what lies behind. Today, make the choice move forward. I really feel like this message is designed especially for someone specific out there so if it’s YOU I hope you let this sink down deep in your spirit. Trust that God has a better future in store for you. Trust that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you let go of what lies behind and press forward, you’ll move forward. You’ll see increase and blessing and live the abundant life He has in store for you!

Are YOU Blocking Your Blessings?

The bible says, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” If we don’t forgive, we’re blocking the ability for God to work His fullness of blessing in our lives. But when we choose to forgive, we are choosing God’s way and opening the door for Him to heal our hurts and restore our souls.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what that person did was okay or that you even have to get back into relationship with them. You choose to forgive because that’s the only way to open the door to YOUR healing. You give them power; you allow them to control you when you refuse to forgive. Every time their name in mentioned itupsets you all over again. Understand that it doesn’t hurt THEM one bit. Friend, do YOURSELF a favor. Release that burden so that YOU can be whole again, and move on into a better future.

Today I want to strongly urge you to surrender your grudges and your hurts to God and trust that He will be your Vindicator, your Redeemer, and your Healer. Ask Him to search your heart and show you if there is any unforgiveness blocking His blessing in your life. Ask Him to help you truly release it so that you can walk in the freedom, peace, and victory He has for you.

Arise And Shine

The bible says, “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” Notice that this verse doesn’t say that the glory of the Lord is going to come on you one day. It doesn’t say, “Maybe when the economy gets better, when your life slows down, or after you get rid of every bad habit.” No, it says God’s glory is already on you!

The word “glory” in the original language indicates that God’s favor, blessing and splendor is on you in a heavy way. It’s something that is tangible and has weight. Think about it this way: You are not less than, intimidated or weak; you are heavy with God’s favor. You are dripping with God’s goodness. Your attitude should be, “There’s no telling what’s in my future! I am weighted down, not with burdens, not with problems; I’m weighted down with the favor of the Creator of the universe!”

When you really understand that you are heavy with God’s favor then it’s easy to live with excitement in your expectations. It’s easy to believe for big things when you know God favors you in a big way. It’s time for you to “arise!” It’s time for you to “shine!” Let that sink down into your spirit today because no matter what things LOOK like or what PEOPLE may say, God’s promise says that His favor is heavy upon you!

Look Again

The bible says that after the prophet Elijah prayed and asked God to end the drought, he said to the people, “I can hear the sound of an abundance of rain.” He was saying in effect, “There is a yes from God in our future!”

Elijah told his assistant to go look on the other side of the mountain to see if there was any sign of rain. When the assistant came back, he said, “No, Elijah. There’s not a cloud in the sky. It’s perfectly clear.” Elijah didn’t get discouraged and think, “What are we going to do now? I might as well quit this prophet business.” No, he simply said, “Go back and look again.”

This happened six different times, but Elijah kept saying, “Go look again.” On the seventh time, the servant came back and said, “Elijah, I saw a small cloud in the sky. It isn’t much, just the size of a man’s hand.” The bible goes on to say it wasn’t long before, “the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was much rain.”

Friend, like Elijah, maybe you’re believing for something but aren’t seeing anything happen. I want to encourage you to learn from his example; don’t give up, go look again! If God has promised it, He will do it. Keep faith in your promise from Him and it won’t be long until you see the showers of blessing He plans on pouring down into every area of your life!

Hardened To Difficulties

It’s easy to look around at what’s happening in the world today and be tempted to feel afraid or discouraged. Your circumstances may seem overwhelming. During times like these, it’s important to remember that God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In fact, not only is He with us, He has promised to strengthen us and harden us to difficulties.

That means, when tough times come, they just bounce right off of you. You don’t allow your circumstances to steal your peace and joy. You have the attitude that says, “This may be a big problem, but my God is bigger!”

The bible says, “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.” The King James Version says “Fear not” or “Be not afraid” 103 times. There’s good reason that God wanted you to really get this.

Keep in mind that the enemy isn’t specifically after your checkbook or your relationship or your health; he’s ultimately after your peace and joy. But when you stay connected to your heavenly Father through prayer, studying His word and declaring His promises over your life, you’ll be hardened to difficulties and stay safe in the palm of God’s hand!

Do Not Lose Heart!

I’d love to tell you that if you stay in faith, if you believe, then God will always answer your prayer within 24 hours, or at least within the first week. But I think we all know that’s not reality.

God promises He will be true to His word, but He never puts a timeframe on it. In fact, He tells us that we need patience to see the promises come to pass. The bible says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”  

Sure, it would be a lot easier if God told us when we were going to get well, when we would meet the right person, or when our finances would increase. But the truth is, that wouldn’t take any faith. It takes faith to say, “God, I don’t know when You are going to do it, but I trust You enough to believe that You will do it.”

Today and every day let this be your prayer: “God, give me the grace to accept Your timing.” That means you’re asking for God’s strength, His supernatural empowerment to stand strong while you are waiting. Choose to keep believing, to praise Him, and to accept His timing. Know that He is faithful and has untold blessings in store for your future!

Your Times Are In God’s Hands

In life, oftentimes we’re waiting for something; waiting for a dream to come to pass, waiting to meet the right person, waiting for a problem to turn around. When things aren’t happening as fast as we would like, it’s easy to get frustrated. But you have to realize that the moment you prayed, God established a set time to bring the promise to pass.

God has a set time for your opportunity. There is a set time for that problem to turn around, a set time for your healing, your promotion, your breakthrough. When you understand the time has already been set, it should take all the pressure off. You don’t have to live worried, wondering if it’s going to happen.

The bible says, “My times are in Your hands...” Today, choose to trust in God’s timing. Trust that He has your best in mind. Trust that He is working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank Him for ordering your steps and leading you into a life of greater blessing. When you do this, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your life because you know that the promise has already been scheduled and your answer is on the way!

Preparation

God uses our experiences in life as stepping stones to prepare us for what He has in store next. Scripture tells us that He’ll even take things the enemy tries to bring against us and turn them around to use them for our good. He is always leading us on a journey of preparation.

That’s why it’s so important to keep our eyes focused on Him. The bible says, “A person’s heart plans their way, but the Lord directs their steps.” We have to trust that when we’re submitted to God – even if we don’t understand at the moment – He is ordering our steps.

If something is not happening on your timetable, remind yourself that God knows what He is doing. He has your best interest at heart. He is preparing you to be able to handle the greater position He’s lining up for you. While you’re waiting, don’t make the mistake of trying to figure everything out. If you’re constantly trying to figure things out, that will only frustrate you.

Turn it all over to God. Declare, “God, my times are in Your hands. I’m not going to worry because I trust that You are leading me on a journey of preparation for new levels of blessing.” Learn to commit to this and your peace will increase; you’ll be able to better appreciate and hold onto the great things God has in store for you.

Run YOUR Race

No, I didn’t confuse my blog with my Facebook page – this isn’t going to be about fitness, lol. I know it’s easy to be tempted to go through life competing with everyone around us. When we see someone who’s more talented, better looking or has more  money, instead of running our race and being comfortable with who we are, oftentimes we feel inferior and think, “I’ve got to catch up to them.”

The problem with this unhealthy competition is that it’s a never-ending cycle. There will always be someone ahead of us. But, it’s a very freeing thing when you realize, “I’m not competing with you. I don’t have to have as big a house as my neighbor to feel good about myself. I don’t have to keep up with my co-worker. I don’t have to be a certain size. No, I understand that I’m not in competition with anyone but ME. I’m going to be the best ME that I can possibly be.” Friend, that’s an attitude God can work with.

The bible says, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” Take your eyes off of everyone around you, trying to measure up or exceed THEIR performance and just focus on being who God made you to be. That’s when you’ll rise up higher and position yourself for every blessing He has lined up for you!

How Do You Represent?

What do you do to honor God? A lot of times people think, “I go to church to honor God. I read my bible to honor God.” And yes, those are ways to do it, but did you know that you also honor God when you get to work on time? You honor Him by being patient with the cashier going through their training phase. By refusing to gossip about people. By being productive each day and respecting the people who are in authority over you.

The bible says, “Remind people to be submissive to their authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work.” Actions speak louder than words. When you give your very best in all areas of your life you’re honoring God. Showing up everywhere you go with a good attitude, friendly, organized, being your best – people will notice there’s something different about you. They’ll want what you have.

Don’t get bogged down in pettiness. If your boss doesn’t treat you right. If your parents always criticize you. If your spouse rarely does the sweet things they used to. Listen, you will relieve yourself of a lot of needless stress if you just concentrate on YOU and pray about the rest. Sure, do all that you CAN do but leave to God that which you can’t.

God knows what He’s doing. Especially when you keep being your best even though others aren’t treating you the way you feel you deserve – God will work those things out in your best interest. Give Him time and control to work everything for your good.

As believers, we should set the standard in all areas of life. When people see the depth of your character and your spirit of excellence and know that you are a child of God it will speak greater sermons to them than any preacher could say. Remember that you are His representative on the earth. Today, make the decision to honor your Creator in all that you do. Think about how you’re representing as a Christian. Would anyone want what you have in Christ just by watching how you conduct yourself?

Be Free From People Pleasing

There will always be people in life who try to squeeze you into their mold; people who try to pressure you into being who THEY want you to be. They may be good people. They may even mean well. But the problem is that they aren’t your creator. They didn’t breathe life into you. They didn’t equip you, empower you or anoint you; God did!

People may not be able to grasp God’s plan for your life. But that’s okay, it’s YOUR plan; specially designed by your Creator. If you’re going to be all that God created you to be, you can’t focus on what everybody else thinks. If you allow yourself to change with every criticism, trying to win the favor of others, then you’ll go through life being manipulated and letting PEOPLE direct your destiny.

You have to realize that you can’t keep every person happy. You can’t make everyone like you. You’ll never win over all of your critics. When you get up in the morning, instead of trying to please people, ask your loving heavenly Creator to search your heart. Ask God if your ways are pleasing to HIM. Stay focused on that.

Free yourself with this truth today. If people don’t understand you, that’s okay. If you lose some friends because you wouldn’t let them control you, they weren’t true friends anyway. You don’t need other’s approval; you only need God’s approval. Keep your heart and mind submitted to Him and be free from people pleasing!

Decide To Be Great, With Or Without Their Approval

If you’re going to do anything great in life, if you’re going to be a great businessperson, a great teacher, a great parent or a great leader, not everyone is going to cheer you on. I’d love to tell you that your family, friends and co-workers will celebrate you, but that’s not the case.

Some people simply can’t handle your success. As you grow and increase, as God pours out His favor, somebody will get jealous. Somebody will start finding fault. Don’t be surprised if someone close to you tries to belittle or discredit you.

If you focus on making everyone around you happy, you’ll start changing and lose sight of what God has placed in your heart. Friend, your destiny is too great to be distracted by people who are never going to affirm you.

Don’t take it personally. It’s oftentimes not even about you. It’s their problem. Shake it off, run your race, be great anyway. Greatness in the midst of criticism begins with forgiveness. Don’t hold a grudge. As you keep doing what is right, God will honor you. He’ll promote you, and you’ll see the dreams and desires that He placed in your heart come to pass!

The Next Level

We serve a God of increase. He wants you to continually rise up higher in Him. He wants you to know Him more so He can reveal His glory through you. He wants you to be blessed so that you can be a blessing to others. He wants to take you to the next level!

The “next level” looks different for each of us. For you, it may be healing in your body, or a promotion at work, or a new relationship. No matter what it is, know that God has your best interest at heart. As the bible says, He desires to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond what you could ask, think or imagine. He loves to do above and beyond and show Himself strong on your behalf.

Today, I want to encourage you to meditate on this from the bible, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” As you submit every area of your life to Him, God will cause you to rise up higher. He will give you strength and take you to the next level in every area of your life.

New Levels

God’s desire is that we continually progress, that we reach higher heights and go to new levels. Oftentimes, as soon as we make the decision to step out in faith and obey God, the enemy brings in fear and frustration  to try to stop us.

He’ll bring thoughts like, “You really think things are ever going to turn in your favor? You heard God wrong, He’s not going to use you in any significant way. You’d better just get used to more of the same.” He’ll do his best to use fear and doubt to try and convince us to shrink back and stay where we are.

The bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” It says that fear is a spirit. It plays on our emotions and holds us back. But the good news is that we have power over fear!

The bible says that perfect love casts out all fear. When we receive God’s perfect love, we can have confidence about the future because we know His plans are for our good. Joyce Meyer put the enemy’s strategy this way, “New level can often times mean new devil.” Understand that the enemy will come harder at you the closer you get to God’s next higher level for you.

Choose today to see those lies as the enemy’s pathetic last ditch effort to keep you from your awesome God-given destiny! Stand your ground and choose to believe God’s promises and receive His confidence so that you can overcome the doubt and move forward into the better life He has prepared for you!

Get Plugged In!

Everyone goes through seasons in life that seem overwhelming; times when you’ve felt drained of strength and power. But, you haven’t been left without hope. You haven’t been left without an answer. The Creator of the universe is with you, and the bible says, “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.”

Where does this strength and power come from? It comes directly from Him. When you connect with Him, you are connecting to your power source. It’s like plugging a lamp into a light socket. You “plug in” through prayer and reading/hearing His word. You “turn on” the switch by the words of your mouth – by declaring what God says.

Decide to turn your focus to Him. Turn your thoughts toward Him; set your heart upon Him and open the door for Him to fill you with the might and power to overcome. Remember, you don’t have to let the difficult times overwhelm you. Rise up and connect with Him because He is your source of strength! He promises to equip and empower you for victory in every area of your life!

Season of Grace: Time To Take Action!

God will never ask you to do something without giving you the ability to do it. You may get passive or complacent and think, “Yes, I know I need to do that. Maybe next week.” Well, next week turns into next month. Next month turns into next year. And you can miss your season of grace.

You ever hear of someone who quits smoking cold turkey with little or no struggle? Maybe they tried before and failed again and again, but this time is was easy. Ever wonder why that is? The bible says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens.” When you feel the call to take action, you need to TAKE ACTION, before that season of grace to do so passes.

The bible says, “For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.” When we put off what God has told us to do, we miss that season of grace. But, if you’ll deal with things as soon as God brings them to light, you’ll have a special grace, a special empowerment. You’ll feel God’s enabling power helping you to do it.

Today, is there something you’re putting off? Something you know in heart that you are supposed to do? Don’t let the season of grace pass. Don’t let complacency destroy you. Your destiny stands before you. God has something amazing in your future. Be bold, be strong. Step out in faith, be obedient, and embrace the good things God has in store for you!

Complete And Lacking Nothing

God wants you to be complete and live in His abundance, lacking nothing. The bible says, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” I know for some of you “perfect and complete, lacking nothing” may seem like a stretch from where you are today. It may seem far off but remember this – in an instant, God can turn things around.  

See, God has set up a system of blessing for you and it starts with His word. The bible says that God has given each of us a measure of faith. We all have faith and it’s up to us to develop it. Romans 10:17 says that faith grows as we read and study His word. Faith, in turn, produces patience and when we allow patience to have its perfect work in us, we will lack no good thing.

Today, no matter where you are in the process, the key is to keep moving forward by reading and hearing His word. Once you read for yourself all of God’s promises that are for YOU. Once you read how much He loves and adores you; it will heal your heart and restore your soul. It will produce security, confidence and patience in your life and you can move forward, being complete and lacking nothing in your life.

Get It Out In The Open

The bible says, “For the Lord God is a sun and a safe-covering. The Lord gives favor and honor. He holds back nothing good from those who walk in the way that is right.” God’s not looking at your past mistakes; your past is erased in His eyes. He’s looking at how you live now, today, in this moment. And every moment is another chance to be better; come up higher; choose more wisely.

Sure, you may make mistakes from time to time still, but the bible also says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Don’t let the mistakes and bad choices of yesterday ruin your today. Don’t let the enemy rob you of the peace and provision God promised you just because you don’t believe you deserve it.

Understand today that God wants to pour His favor and honor onto your life. If you feel like there‘s anything in your life that you need to be cleansed from, go to Him today and confess it to Him. He said, “I will show loving-kindness to them and forgive their sins. I will remember their sins no more.” Get it out in the open and let Him begin to help you move on, so that you can receive the good things He has in store for you!

Life Without Limits

Did you know you can limit your life by dwelling on the wrong things? So often, wrong thinking keeps people stuck right where they are. If you think you’ll never accomplish your dreams, then you’ll stay stuck where you are. If you think you don’t have the talent, the connections, the funds, then you’re focusing on the wrong things.

We have to remember that God’s promises never run out or expire. The bible says, “I have seen that all things have an end, even if they are perfect, but Your Word is without end.” His word stands true forever! So don’t limit what God can do in your life by focusing on what you see in the natural.

You have to realize that you serve a supernatural God, and just because you don’t see a way doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a way. God can bring one opportunity, one person, one idea into your life and it can thrust you to a whole new level. He has explosive blessings in store that can blast you out of where you are and into a place of abundance.

Today I want to challenge you to start looking at your life and potential through what God is capable of – not you. If you’ll shift your focus from your limited power and start looking at God’s limitless power, you’ll see His boundless possibilities for your future. Take the limits off by setting your thoughts on what the Creator of the universe can do in your life once you surrender it to Him!

Shhh!

So many people today find themselves caught up in the day-to-day busyness of life, driven to do more in less time. It seems people constantly strive to find ways to cram more into their already overcrowded schedules.

But at the same time, God is constantly trying to remind us that we can step away from the hectic pace of life and come to Him for rest. The bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God...” He invites us to be still before Him, to get quiet so we can hear His voice and set our hearts and minds at peace.

Every day you should take time to meditate on God’s promises. Every time you’re in traffic, put on some praise music. Make it a point to spend time with Him throughout the day, even just mutterings or “chat” with Him in your mind. That’s what’s going to keep you strong; that’s what’s going to keep you moving in the right direction.

Today, I want to encourage you to make it a point to be still before God. Quiet your mind of all the things on your agenda and just focus on Him. Even five little minutes, if you really commit to shutting out all of life’s distractions, you might be surprised to find how much of a difference it makes. Let your heavenly Father love you, let Him speak to your heart and let Him fill you with peace and strength each and every day.

Feeling Locked Out

Have you ever been locked out of your car or house? It can be very frustrating and inconvenient. Not having the right keys can keep you stuck and unproductive. It steals your time; it can steal your peace and joy if you let it.

On a spiritual level, we need keys to access what God has for us —joy, peace, freedom and blessing. But we don’t have to stand on the outside living in frustration. You don’t have to live in defeat, mediocrity, sickness, or any kind of bondage. You can have the abundant life the bible says Jesus came to give you.

I want to encourage you to surrender every area of your heart to God and ask that He make you whole and complete. Ask Him to show you how to walk in His ways. Choose to receive the hope, restoration and blessings He’s lined up for you.

Today, if you feel stuck, locked out or defeated, remember that God is the one who holds the keys to your freedom. All you have to do is call on His name and He will answer. He promises to hear you and deliver you.

Look Straight Ahead

What are you looking at today? Not in the natural, but with your spiritual eyes. In other words, what is in the forefront of your mind and in your heart? Are you constantly dwelling on your problems or things that have happened in your past? The bible says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.”

In the natural, you will move in the direction that your eyes are looking. In the spiritual, it works the same way. Whatever you focus your mind and heart on, you will move toward. If you are constantly dwelling on your problems or things in your past, wondering “what if,” then you will stay right where you are. But if you choose to forgive and release the past, then you can focus on what is ahead of you, and you’ll begin to move forward.

God doesn’t want you to live in the past. He wants you to keep growing and moving forward. Make the decision to meditate on His promises. Look straight ahead so you can see the blessings He’s lined up for you and move forward into the life He has promised you!

You Are A Mighty Hero!

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is about a man named Gideon who was called by God to lead the people of Israel against an opposing army. One day, an angel of God appeared to him and said, “Hello Gideon, you mighty man of fearless courage.” But, Gideon didn’t think he was capable. He was focusing on his circumstances. He tested God; he told God every reason why he wasn’t up to the task.

I think about this often. I can just imagine Gideon looking around thinking, “Who is he talking to? I’m not a mighty man of fearless courage.” One translation says the angel greeted him, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you.” There’s the game changer, in that last part. Gideon was afraid, intimidated, insecure; just the opposite of what the angel called him, but what Gideon had that the enemy didn’t have was, “the Lord is with you.”

God doesn’t see you according to how you feel. He doesn’t change His mind because of what your cynics are saying. He doesn’t call you what YOU call you. He calls you what He’s equipped you to become! Yes, we‘re weak in ourselves. That’s why the bible says, "For Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses... For when I am weak, then I am strong." Because of Christ, you can BE strong even though you FEEL weak.

Today, no matter what has come against you: illness or injury, financial difficulty or grief from a loss, I want you to let this sink down deep in your spirit – the Lord is with you! God sees your future and He knows what you’re capable of. You may feel weak, but God calls you strong. You may feel intimidated, but God calls you confident. Get in agreement with the Creator of the universe and start believing what He says about you and the amazing future He’s calling you to!

What is Faith?

What is faith? An often quoted scripture from Hebrews states that, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It’s believing in God and His goodness even in times where we don’t see the evidence of it. It’s believing, as the bible says, that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is believing that the promises of God are true.

In the world, we exchange money for the things we want and need. But with God, faith is what we exchange. The bible says, “And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and really believing, you will receive.” Faith moves mountains. Faith is what opens doors.

Where does faith come from? Scripture tells us that everyone is given a measure of faith; that faith grows by hearing the word of God. Simply put, the more you hear the word of God, the more real it becomes in your life and the easier it is to believe His promises.

It doesn’t matter how much faith you have today, begin growing your faith by choosing to learn and obey God’s directions in your life. As you hear and follow this guidance, your faith will strengthen and you will receive what you’ve been believing Him for.

Embrace The N-E-W

The bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” As a believer in Jesus, you are a new creation. You have a new spirit and a new life! There may be old things in your life that you are trying to get rid of. Maybe you have old habits or addictions that you want to change. Just remember today that, “the new has come!”

It’s a new year with new opportunities and it’s time for you to be the new you. Let this be the year that you let go of wrong thoughts and toxic relationships. Let this be the year that you move forward into a new life at a higher level. Let this be the year that you take hold of all the spiritual blessings God has promised — peace, healing, protection and victory.

You should be encouraged today! Because no matter what is happening in your life right now, you have a chance at a new beginning. Choose to leave the old behind — leave behind old behaviors, old thinking, old words, old grudges and embrace the new by faith. Trust that your loving, heavenly Father is leading you to a better place. This year, believe and declare His promises and embrace the blessings that He has prepared for you!

Flourishing In The New Year

Have you ever seen a palm tree in the midst of a great storm? That tree may be bent so far over that it’s almost touching the ground – but when the wind finally stops, that palm tree bounces right back up. What’s interesting is that while that palm tree is hunched over under the pressure of the storm, it’s actually becoming stronger.

The reason the bible says, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree...” is because God knew there would be difficult times. He knew things would come against us and try to steal our peace and joy. He wanted to encourage you. He wanted you to have hope that you’re going to bounce back even stronger, like the palm tree.

Friend, though the storms of life may have knocked you down, you’re going to come back up – and stronger than before! If you reflect on the unfortunate events from your last year, remember, the storms you encountered have only served to make you stronger. Think of how much wiser and tougher you are now. Take this as confirmation today: your brightest days are right out in front of you! Always remember that with God on your side, nothing can hold you back!