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Be Meek

“17So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. 22And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’” ~ Genesis 26:17-22

It probably felt like every little thing Isaac did the people had a problem with, but he never fought with them over anything they claimed as theirs. Instead, he gave it to them and moved on until God made room for him. I wonder what we would reap at work, at school, even at home with our families if we didn’t argue with people and just gave them what they think belonged to them.

Right after I wrote that I jokingly thought to myself, “We’d be broke is what we’d be,” but that isn’t true… The Bible says “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth.” Isn’t that what Isaac was being, meek? He allowed them to take the wells his father dug that they then filled in and then he just dug it out again. Imagine if we were meek, sure people would think they’re walking over. They would think you’re a real pushover, but what would God think? Would He not bless you like never before? Would He not prepare a place for you at your job, or at your school, or even at home? Isaac reaped 100 fold the same year he sowed, why? Could it be because he was meek? Could it be that he didn’t think too highly of himself, but was humble? In order to be meek, you must first humble yourself or pride will speak for you.

I just wonder what would happen if Christians were meek… would we then inherit the Earth? Now, remember being meek is NOT staying silent when someone is doing something wrong or watching your country destroy itself and do nothing about. Being meek is exactly what Isaac did in these verses, give to the people what they felt was theirs without being annoyed or doing it begrudgingly. But simply saying that’s fine, take it MY GOD will provide for me when He sees fit.

Peace. Love. Go forth and be meek.

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Be Humble

“6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7

This is why we don’t see what we think we deserve at a certain time. We think we deserve it now, we even try to make it for ourselves and wonder why it hasn’t happened yet. We as Christians, who want to move on and go to the next step the next level must first humble ourselves. If we can’t be humble with the minor things how will we be able to be humble with the major things? We wonder why it takes so long to get to a certain point, sometimes it’s because we are not ready.

When a door is closed, we don’t need to become angry or discouraged or take it into our own hands. We don’t need to try to kick it down or pick the lock ourselves, instead, we need to take a look in the mirror and see why we’re still stuck in this hallway. It’s almost like you are walking through a hallway and every time you get to an open door, to exit the hallway, the door closes. It’s like those Cheez-It commercials you can’t go on until you have matured enough to pass the test before you. Sometimes that takes years, sometimes it takes months, but it will never be rushed. Perfection cannot be rushed, it is a tedious and sometimes slow process. Abraham had to wait 14 years before he got his promised son, Isaac. Could it be that God wanted to get Abraham to a place where he would hold nothing back from God because he trusted and loved God so much?

Sometimes we have to wait because our hearts aren’t in the right place. Sometimes God keeps us in the hallway so that He can fix us because where He’s taking us will be difficult or impossible to overcome in our current condition. Don’t be discouraged by the closed door, in due time it will be opened for you. In due time that prayer will be answered. In due time that God-given dream will be handed to you, but your heart has to be in the right place. You have to be humble, meaning that your desires are to build the Kingdom, not yourself.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Humble.

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Take Your Promised Land

“1Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’ 4And they said to one another, ‘Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’

5Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, ‘The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.’ 10Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.” ~ Numbers 14:1-10

We look at the people of Israel and say, “How could they grumble against God? How could they be so hateful towards Him? How could they do all of those things? Serves them right that they didn’t get to enter the Promised Land.” But what we don’t realize is that that’s exactly what we are doing today.

We allow fear to turn us against God. We allow fear to control us. We allow fear to say what the truth is, instead of believing what God tells us. We turn away from God and grumble and accuse Him of doing us wrong, instead of taking the time to try to see it through His eyes. But how do we do that?

We have to seek Him. We have to read our Bibles. We have to pray. We have to build a relationship with Him so that we can build faith. So that when the Spirit of Fear tries to jump on us. When he tries to take us over. When he tries to turn us away from God, we will be able to stand strong as Joshua and Caleb did. Are you willing to miss out on your promise because of fear? Are you willing to sacrifice your peace to bow down to fear? We have to stand firm in our faith. We have to trust God Almighty, for if God is for us, who can be against us?

I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. I’m not saying you’re not going to have to face giants. What I’m saying is that God is on your side. He promised that He would fight for us, we need only be still. We only have to have faith. We only have to believe. Fear is a liar. He’s already stolen your peace, don’t let him steal your promise land too.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Take Your Promised Land.

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The Benefits of Praise

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—” ~ Psalms 103:1-2

Did you realize that there are benefits in praising the LORD? Here are a few

  • Forgiveness of sins
  • Healing
  • Eternal life
  • Crowns, or blesses us with love and compassion
  • Satisfies our desires with good things
  • Renews our strength
  • The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed
  • Compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love toward us
  • Does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities
  • Shows us a great and steadfast love

And there are so many more benefits in praising the LORD, like the favor and the blessing of success. So, with a pure and sincere heart begin to praise the LORD right where you are for being who He is, and for loving us so. We’ve done nothing to deserve such love and kindness. We actually deserved death and punishment. Instead, we received blessings and benefits. So, why not lift up your voice and shout a shout of praise. Sing melodies in your heart to the LORD for He is good.

Father, please help me to realize that there are benefits in serving You. Keep my heart true no matter what may befall me and help me to continuously praise You no matter my circumstances. Take my hand and lead me ever guiding me along life’s bumpy highway. Help me to have the courage to share these benefits with the ones I love and with those I meet. Come to Your people bearing Your benefits, and help us to recognize Your benefits. Thank you so much for not treating us according to what our sins and iniquities deserve. Let Your steadfast love surround us today, that we may be encouraged when we praise You.

In Jesus name, Amen.

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Rise Above

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” ~ Isaiah 43:2

It is plain that we will have trials, temptation, and hardships. We are not promised a rose garden with only sunshine and blue skies. No, there is also rain, weeding, sweating, and hard work. But the good news is, when we go through it, hard as it may seem, we will pass through, for our God is with us. He will not let our circumstances defeat us, or destroy us. He is there with us shielding us and protecting us.

Sometimes we feel like we are the Lone Ranger as we pass through the waters, and through the rivers, and through the fire, like no one is there, and there is no end in sight. But please notice that it said when we pass through, God does not intend for those situations to be perpetual, He does not intend for us to go through those situations alone. He intends for us to learn to grow and to draw closer to Him as we pass through.

Heavenly Father, please grant Your comfort and Your peace to those who are troubled today.  Grant them peace where there is no peace. LORD, bring Your people safely through whatever troubles they may be facing today. Send Your hornet before them to clear their pathways, and may the confidence that You are their God and their protection, be a source of comfort to them today.

In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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Praise Changes Everything

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.” ~ Acts 16: 25-26

First of all, I want you to understand that Paul and Silas were chained up in a Philippian jail. Then I want you to notice what they were doing. They were singing and praising God. Now, look at what those hardened criminals were doing. They were listening to them sing and pray. The audacity and faithfulness of their devotion to God in such dire circumstances did not go unnoticed by their fellow prisoners. They were wide awake and listening.

Maybe Paul and Silas’ unrestrained and unbridled praise and worship service relieved the burdens of the other prisoners who were sitting or lying down waiting for their judgment to fall. But watch this now, then “…suddenly there was a great earthquake…and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.” The chains that bound them fell off. The cell door that held them in swung open. They were free.

Do you want to be free today? Do you want your chains gone? Do you want a new start at life? Begin with praise and thanksgiving. Your praise and worship will change everything. What you cannot change for yourself WILL change through praise, prayer, and thanksgiving.

Heavenly Father, help us to be consistent, determined, and fully persuaded about the things of God. Standing on Your promises, praying always, and never giving up before we receive an answer from You. Let Your praise never end or stay hidden in our mouth. Give us boldness and confidence to praise you in every situation, no matter who may be listening. Help us to have the mindset that whoever is listening may be freed as a result of our praise. Thank You, Father, for Your faithfulness and love.

In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

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Open The Lock

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” ~ Galatians 5:1

I find this incredibly interesting, we have been set free by Jesus, but we can willingly go back into slavery. So many of us ask for freedom, but we don’t really want it. For some reason, shackles and chains seem safe. Why? Because we’ve been brainwashed to think that once we are one way, we will always be that way. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic. Once a drug addict always a drug addict. Once a slave always a slave.

Slavery has been abolished for over a hundred years, yet we still hold onto the hurt of those who were slaves. We still force our brain to conform to the beliefs during those times, when we live in a world of freedom. We are so brainwashed into bondage that we have added a 13th step to the 12-step program, relapse. We automatically think that we will relapse. We automatically think that everyone who fits into our category must be in bondage as we are in bondage.

If they are not we think they’re trying to be something they’re not when in reality they are just trying to be more like who they actually are. But we refuse to believe that, why? Because misery loves company. We want others to be in bondage as we are in bondage. We want others to be in pain as we are in pain. We want others to be hurt as we are hurt. We want others to be slaves as we are slaves.

We have our nation brainwashed into thinking that people do not change. When in reality people can change, they just have to open their eyes to the key God put in their hands. The rapper NF said this in his song, ‘Outcast,’ “woke up in cell… door’s locked, but the keys are in my hands…” “I thought you had me in prison this whole time, but I’m the one holdin’ the keys.” See we place ourselves in these prisons, under these yokes, when Jesus has set us free. When He gave us the key to free ourselves, yet we are like a dog that returns to its vomit.

Why? Because we are uncomfortable in freedom. Our soul is not used to it. And because it is uncomfortable, we don’t want any part in it. We don’t want any part in things we don’t understand, but how can we ever understand freedom if we never take part in it? How can we understand Jesus if we never follow Him and build a relationship with Him? We were each given the keys, what will you do with yours?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Open the Lock.

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Flee

“7And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ 8But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?’ 10And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 11But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12she caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.” ~ Genesis 39:7-12

Ain’t that sin for ya, every day constantly whispering sweet nothings in your ear. Trying to seduce you with every trick it has. But the great thing is, just as Joseph had a way to flee, God has given us a way to flee from every temptation and every sin that comes upon us. He doesn’t just leave us there to deal with it ourselves, but instead, He sets up an escape route and tells us to run. Run like you have an open shot straight to the end zone.

Don’t look back wondering if sin and temptation are gonna catch you. Just as that would get you tackled by your opponent in a football game, so would it get you tackled by sin in the race we call life. Don’t look back, just run, run like your life depended on it because it does. Sometimes we don’t understand that running away from sin is the way to save our lives because some think they won’t get caught because it was done in secret, but God sees everything and Joseph understood that.

Maybe Joseph remembered how God warned Cain, maybe that was a saying used often “….sin is crouching at your door, it’s desire is for you, but you must rule over.” And that is exactly what he did, he ruled over it. He took that escape route and fled. Imagine if we all fled from sin, how pure would we be? How much closer to God would we be?

Peace. Love. Go forth and Flee.

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Taking Possession of Your Promises

“So Joshua said to the Israelites. ‘How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?…’” ~ Joshua 18: 3

Has the LORD put a dream or a great vision in your heart? It’s been sitting there for years now, but you’re afraid to venture out. You find excuses, you let others discourage you, and procrastination sets in, and it all prevents you from starting. Don’t be afraid to step out into that ministry God has called you to, yes there will be giants, but God will fight for you and deliver you. Go on start that business venture He has put in your heart. Having relational problems? Seek Godly counseling, and do not be afraid for the LORD your God is with you.

What He has given you no one can take it from you, but you can lose it through disobedience or unbelief. The Israelites, when they had first come out of Egypt before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, they were discouraged by a bad report and though they were on the precipice of their promise they lost out because of unbelief. Don’t let unbelief or fear steal your dream or your promise, trust God, He will bring about a great victory for you.

Our Heavenly Father, we need boldness and confidence to achieve the great dream, the great vision that You have placed in our hearts. Help us not to spend our time waiting for the right moment or the right opportunity where the sun is shining bright, and the skies are blue, but rather help us to find ourselves in the midst of Your Will for our lives and to take possession of that God-given dream or promise or vision and grant success.

In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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Shout! For the LORD Has Given You The City

“On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, Shout! For the LORD Has Given You the City!” ~ Joshua 6: 15-16

For the previous six days, the Israelites were walking around this huge wall with soldiers on top armed for battle. The wall was so thick chariots patrolled from its top. The enemy’s stronghold seemed impenetrable to anyone who came against it. Yet the Israelites, under God’s direction, walked around. We as Christians sometimes feel that way. The enemy has a stronghold in our life, we’re under spiritual attack, and it seems useless to fight against it. But we can’t be intimidated, we have to continue to circle the enemy’s camp in prayer.

Watch this now. On the seventh day, they walk around seven times, no one is talking, not a sound is being made. What strange little people, this is no way to fight a battle. Don’t they know, it’s arrows, and swords, and spears that will win the war? Don’t they know that it’s siege weapons that will bring this mammoth wall down? Yet they circle in reverent silence.

Sometimes, the things we must do to achieve greatness is not quickly realized by others. We must pray and fast. Give up some TV time and some leisure time in order to dislodge the enemy from our affairs. Some folk will consider us strange and confused, but one day the trumpet will sound, and the LORD will say shout! I have given you the city! This is your breakthrough! This is your time of success! Can you hear the trumpet sounding? Is today your day to shout? Why not, go on, shout for the LORD has given you the city.

Heavenly Father, please help us to listen for Your voice, to do exactly as instructed no matter how strange it may appear to our self or to others. Give us the strength and the confidence to obey, and the grace to trust.

Thank You, Father, for our coming breakthrough and our very great success.

In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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