I’ve been in Hebrews this summer, which means I’ve learned a lot about the Old Testament and the New Testament – highly recommend.
This morning as I reflect on what I’ve learned so far through studying Hebrews I feel the need to say the following:
If you’re in a rough patch, season, or just a one time pickle that’s just about to do you in – don’t forget what God has already done in your life.
I’m not saying to dwell on the past, but I am saying to determine that God can take care of whatever “this” is too.
He can.
He will.
He has.
Look at what He’s already done. Look at what He’s already brought you through.
He’s not done doing His thing, and to that promise I shout Amen. Well, I’m gonna whisper it right now because I have a 12 year old sound asleep next to me on the couch.
Y’all, don’t you dare throw in the towel, because God certainly isn’t.
And He never will.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
I have two questions to ask regarding the above statement:
1. If God is clapping for you then what does it matter if anyone else is?
2. Are you not going to clap for someone else because they didn’t clap for you?
Ladies, this isn’t the mentality I want to teach my daughter or my nieces or my students. The time and energy spent on seeing who liked what and who followed whom can be spent in the Word. It can be spent serving. It can be spent truly resting in His arms.
I want my girls to clap for others regardless if those same people clapped for them or not.
Because it’s kind.
Because they have a good heart.
Because they are genuinely happy for others.
Because they are confident enough to not need a clap back.
Ladies, clap for someone today.
Or hug them.
Or text them.
Not because they did it first but because lifting others up is the evidence of God living within you.
Because joy is contagious.
And Momma, that thing you are too scared to do because you’re too worried about what others will think or if they will clap – no ma’am. If God wants you to do it – if He told you to do it – you go right on ahead.
He’s clapping for you.
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
“I’ve heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” Job 42:5
Sometimes I can read scriptures I have read many times before, and then one day one just kinda lights up and gets personal.
Have you ever heard so much about someone that you felt like you knew them? Then after meeting and getting to know them you realize what you had heard was only a part of who they were?
Growing up I heard a lot about The Lord…and through hearing I thought I knew who He was. It wasn’t until I had a personal encounter with Him, and spent time getting to know Him, that my eyes were opened. I realized how wrong my perspective of Him had been.
We read about Job and how he had many thoughts and questions about God during his time of trouble. He even listened to the advice and opinions of his friends and their thoughts of why he was suffering. But it wasn’t until God began to speak that his questions got answered and his were eyes opened.
In the middle of Job’s suffering he felt like God wasn’t anywhere near, but we can see that it was through Job’s grief that God was able to reveal to him His deep compassion and mercy – that He is always listening, observing and working all things together for His purpose.
It’s so easy to have faith when life is smoothly sailing along but then we allow fear and doubt to crowd into our mind when the storms come. Job’s storm caused him distress, doubt, and anguish, but after his personal conversation with God, he gained insight into God’s heart. It was no longer something he had just heard about, it was something he experienced personally.
In this life we will experience times of trouble, distress, and doubt. We may even have a friend list that consists of all sorts of flavors…with advice and opinions that are all over the spectrum. But there is no friend like Jesus.
He adds all the ingredients we need. He is a great listener and His Word gives us all the advice we will ever need. Through Him we have access to His peace that surpasses all understanding. Our happy place will always be found in the state of His Grace.
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; making the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5
Recently I was doing a Bible study over Colossians, and this verse that I’ve read many times jumped off the page and landed in my heart, specifically the last part “making the most of every opportunity”.
Really, it breaks my heart. How many opportunities have I missed, messed up, or even worse slammed doors that He opened? I need to be more aware of opportunities.
Every encounter is a chance to leave someone better than I found them. Each one is a chance to lift up and encourage someone who needs it more than I will ever know.
When I tell you this is completely against my nature believe it 100%. I’m pretty gifted at the eye roll and sarcasm, but encouraging is not my forte. Or should I say wasn’t??
Through Jesus I am a new creation. The old has passed away ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ) and I need to put off the old self and embrace the new self. ( Eph. 4:22-24 ) As His child I can pray to be the light He wants me to be ( Matt 5:14).
I may never be the encourager that some of my friends are, but I can be better than I am. I can pray for the wisdom to see each encounter as a way to show Jesus to people ( James 1:5 ) I can pray to be able to control my emotions ( 2 Tim 1:7 ) and put myself second in tense situations ( Phil 2-3 ).
I can pray to be transformed from glory to glory ( 2 Cor. 3:18 ). By praying these things according to His word I am aligning myself with His will. By acknowledging Him I know He will show me the right path to take ( Proverbs 3:6 ). I’m so thankful that He loves me enough not to leave me as I am.
Lord, today I pray for boldness in each opportunity. Help me to get self out of the way and let Your light shine through.
We are image bearers of Christ; therefore, the same passion that He had should reside inside of us. Not only should it reside inside of us, but it should be overflowing. Everyone we meet should recognize that spark within us.
Others should see Him in our eyes.
They should hear Him in our voice.
They should feel Him when we walk in a room.
I hope you’re that passionate about Christ.
I hope I am, too.
Spread it like wildfire.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthian
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”-Psalms 23:1
I absolutely love this verse because it’s simple. I personally tend to overthink everything, so to have a verse that is short, sweet, and complete is a true treasure. Yet even while it’s only nine words, I still struggle sometimes with remembering it.
The 23 chapter of psalms starts by declaring who God is and who He needs to be from our side of the relationship–our shepherd. But, life isn’t always perfect, and we don’t always have Him as our one guide. Why do we let that happen, and why is it that we fail to remember a nine worded verse?
The simple answer would be the devil distracts us with shiny, new worldly items and promises us that they will make us more accepted…but we know that is a colossal lie.
It will always be a struggle to put God first if we allow the devil to distract us with these things. It could be as innocent as a ten-minute TV break, which turns into a thirty-minute break, into a three-episode break, which then turns into a binge-watch. The devil uses unintentional actions towards the Lord to intentionally mess us up. The truth is, it’s a struggle to put God first sometimes because we have to deny our fleshly desires and do the will of the Father. But putting God first doesn’t always have to be a struggle.
So, start small. Instead of checking the socials first thing in the morning, read the bible for five minutes. Instead of grooving to that song with some raunchy lyrics and a great beat, listen to some fun worship music. (Maverick City Music is a great one for that).
Creating a habit of putting God first won’t happen overnight, so be patient with it. If you don’t know what to do to place God in the throne room of your heart, just do the next right thing that has Him involved.
After the psalmist declares who God is, he orders himself to find every want and need in Christ.
He points out to us that if God is our shepherd, not only does he guide us, but he provides for our needs. Why should we want anything but the Lord? He created us and cares for us. If we want something more than we want HIm, we should check our hearts to see who’s really on its throne.
I’ve failed countless times at putting Him first, but the beauty of the gospel is that God is not only patient but forgiving too. He is gracious when helping us out of our troubles and forgives us when we fall short. While we are at the bottom of the ocean, He comes to us to save us.
I encourage those of you, who like myself, find it difficult to remember the importance of those nine words to take the first step towards putting God first. He’s patient with us, so be honest with Him. If you’re struggling, tell Him so, and in return, He’ll help. Start small, and over time with practice, it will be easier to put God first.
After all, He is our Shepherd. What more could we want?
What holds you back? What causes you to hesitate when it comes to abandoning your will and submitting to God’s?
If you are a believer in Christ you may think, “I’ve given my life to Christ and I’m saved”. That is true, but there are two separate parts to being a believer. The first, of course, is receiving redemption and forgiveness for our sins through Christ Jesus. It’s the second part, the on-going sanctification work within us that we often struggle with.
A lot of times we hesitate because we like being comfortable and are afraid the Lord will ask us to do something we don’t want to do. Other times we may not want to give up certain things or sin because we like doing what we want. We end up ignoring those parts of the Bible or the Holy Spirit when He convicts us, trying to show us the Lord’s will. You may have other reasons or fears that hold you back from saying, “Not my will Lord, but Yours be done”.
It comes to a question of trust or faith. Do we really trust God with our future? With our families, our finances, our very lives? The idea that we can control things is an illusion. Also, as a believer, we don’t get to just accept God’s grace and forgiveness but continue to live however we want in the ways of the world without dying to our flesh or submitting to God. The Lord requires our obedience. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.”
So, whether you’ve been a believer for 3 minutes or 30 years, a teenager, stay at home mom or a CEO, Jesus is still beckoning us: “Take up your cross and follow me.” The question is will you? Let’s determine to start July with a resounding “Yes!”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ~ Matthew 16:24-25 NIV
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ~ Colossians 3:1-3 NIV
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ~ 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV
For a long time I wasn’t. I knew where my heart was, but my physical body and mind were in a different place. I knew where I was called, but I was too preoccupied by EVERYTHING else. I was NOT available.
I’ve always been for serving others. If you love Jesus, you love people. Although this is so true, we must serve Jesus stronger than we serve people. If you’re serving Jesus with all of you, the being a servant for people will come naturally. This reminds me of Paul. When we think of his character and the history he left behind, he walked away from a lot when he became a Christian.
Here’s the thing – we have to be available for the Lord. We have to stop booking our schedules so full that we do not have time to stop and listen to what he has for us. Being “too busy” is not an excuse. It’s a distraction from the enemy.
Let’s be REAL honest – you can even be too busy with church activities that you forget the purpose behind it all.
For real.
One of the last things my sweet Granny shared with me before she went on to be with our Lord was, “Do not be fifty years old just learning how to say no.” It’s okay to tell others no. It’s okay not to do everything.
It’s not about myself, it’s about Christ. That may mean a little bit of suffering. That may mean saying no to a few of your favorite things. If you’re available for the Lord, it’s worth it.
You’ll come to a time in your life where you have to focus on your family and where the Lord is taking you. Your family and friends need you to be available.
Besides, nothing will be done well if you’re being stretched too thin.
Now I ask you. Are you available? Are you able to say yes to the Lord today? What can truly help you be available? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
“As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 18:30
Every time the Word of God is opened, read, studied, taught or preached, we should see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Matter of fact, all of scripture is pointing us to Christ. Remember, “every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.” Today, with the Lord’s help, I want us all to be reminded of how important it is to “See the Savior” as we look into His Word. God is our Creator, our Redeemer, our Lord and our King! Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, is our Savior — (these truths are remarkable and indisputable).
This morning, as I share verses from Psalm 19, I want you to know that you can “See the Savior” in His creation, in His Word and you can see Him in His grace and forgiveness. These things are shown to us through His Son Jesus.
Psalm 19, points us to salvation, redemption and the grace of God found in Christ Jesus. We see in this Psalm what God has given to man. Let us never forget what Christ has done for us.
1. We should “See the Savior” in creation.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” Psalm 19:1-6 KJV.
You see, the Heavens declare the power and wisdom of God. They also “tell out” His purpose and plan. Creation is a witness of God to man; its majesty and power direct us to Christ. “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Isn’t the picture of God, that we have in creation, wonderful? Creation shows us the power He has and how awesome it is to “See the Savior” in creation.
2. We should “See the Savior” in His Word.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” Psalm 19:7-11 KJV.
In these verses, there are seven things that David states about the Word. (Here are 3 of them). David shares with us: 1. The law is perfect. The word is perfect and you are not; therefore, it was given to show us that we are all sinners before God. (Sinners need a Savior). 2. The law is pure. In its purity it will show you the purpose of faith. 3. The law is true. Not only is the Word true, but it shows us truth. Actually, it shows us Jesus, the truth Himself, for He is “full of grace and truth.” The Word is perfect, pure and true showing us that we can “See the Savior” in His Word.
3. We can “See the Savior” by His grace and forgiveness revealed to us in Christ.
“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:12-14 KJV.
Let us remember that Jesus Christ only is capable of forgiving sin. He paid the price for our sin with His blood and life. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” He is the only one that can cleanse us from our sin, for He is “our strength and redeemer.”
The point: God’s creation, Word, grace and forgiveness show us His glory – His Son, the Savior, Jesus.
“See The SAVIOR.” It’s time, you see who He is and what He has done for you. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”
As an assistant pastor, and called preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I often have the opportunity to preach and teach God’s Word. I am so thankful for each opportunity to share Christ, with anyone. Though I am not the greatest writer, I am thankful for this platform and this opportunity as well. Believer, I want you to be reminded of the power and presence of God in your life. These are things that you can be reminded of daily. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you.” God bless, and have an awesome day.
When you are trudging through a season of heaviness – or maybe even just one solitude situation that is weighing you down – there is a residual affect that can disturb every other aspect of your life.
It makes everything heavy. Just a few descriptors that Webster gives for heavy are:
▪️Difficult to lift or move
▪️Substantial
▪️More than the normal size, weight, or force
▪️Moving slowly or with difficulty
▪️Mentally oppressive
Y’all, that’s a lot to bear on your own. I know. I’ve been there and done that more than once in my almost 40 years.
What if I told you that I have the secret to making it through? It’s really no secret, though. It’s Jesus and a few amazing prayer warriors.
Will it still be hard? Yup.
Will it still be heavy? Yup.
But it won’t be AS heavy. God will literally lift that load up off your shoulders and help you carry it.
Let Him.
And your knee-hitting, verse-calling, hand-raising, Bible-believing besties—they got you.
Let them.
Don’t try trudging through a torrential rainstorm alone.
Call out.
Dial out.
Ball your eyes out.
But don’t do it alone.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22
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