It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High. Psalm 92:1. Lately, I have had a deep sense of gratitude for what the Lord has done in my life. Sometimes I forget where God has brought me from. A few weeks ago in a church service, we sang, “When I think about the Lord, how he saved me… it makes me want to shout hallelujah, thank you, Jesus!” I began to weep at the keyboard as I thanked the Lord for completely changing my life around. Where would I…
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16 The shield of faith, along with the other pieces of the armor of God, is vital to our spiritual longevity. This defensive weapon not only shields us from the enemies attack, but it is a weapon of versatility and power. When our flesh or a voice of oppression says, “this is too hard for God.” Faith says, “Nothing is too hard for the Lord.” When the enemy says, “Your family member will never serve God,” faith says, “It’s not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should comes to repentance.” Hebrews 11 records men and women who possessed exemplary faith in God. Keep in mind that what the Lord did in the past, He will do again because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)! By faith according to Hebrews 11: We understand the creation Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice Enoch was translated Noah prepared an ark Abraham went out into an inheritance Sara received strength to conceive Abraham offered up Isaac Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau Jacob blessed the…
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2. We are only one person. Shocking insight, I know, but it’s a good reminder. Have you ever sat amidst other people in a humid room that is void of air conditioning? It is insufferable unless there is a small tripod fan in the corner that is oscillating back and forth, giving you a brief moment of respite when the warm air hits your perspired brow. One fan in a humid room can only do so much among so many people. Multitaskers are like an oscillating fan, trying desperately to meet people’s needs with the assemblage of their talents, aspirations, and abilities. However, people often forget that they are only one person, who can target one thing at a time. Sure, you can give fragments of yourself to ten separate endeavors, but only for a short amount of time before you have to move to something else that is petitioning for your attention. Are you tired of trying to do everything? Laws of Attraction There is a certain law of attraction in the perpetual pursuance of success, accolades, and completed tasks. Is there any thrill…
If this world could buy peace, it would become one of the most popular and expensive commodities. However, peace cannot be purchased, so there is a surge of fabricated peace that assures the anxious heart to take rest through self-medicating, busyness, or prosperity. This counterfeit peace reveals its fallacies after a few uses, but unaware of another remedy, people enter into a vicious cycle of trying to escape the cares of this world. Jesus gives us hope, even through our trials. He declares, These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world…
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18. For every brokenhearted person in this world right now, there is a loving God next to him or her, waiting to apply His healing balm of Gilead. Brokenness causes a person to feel like they will never experience normalcy again and they wonder if they will ever feel like their true self again. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever sat amidst people and wondered, when will I feel whole? If this post is hitting home to you right now, God wants to save you from your crushed spirit. About ten years ago, in one of the most broken times in my life, I cried to God night and day. To be honest, I didn’t know if I would ever come out of the darkness. I attended as many church services and conferences I could because, even though God felt far away from me, I could see Him working in the lives of others. I knew that I would not be numb forever. One night at the altar, I sat on the ground for a long time, praying silently under my breath. It was at…
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, ESV) When I graduated college and began to live on my own, my job paid monthly. As a new grad, I had no real savings and lived in a new city alone. Oh, I also had no credit cards. I quickly learned that I must make my money last the whole month. It was a challenge. One positive thing was I had no debts, just basic living expenses. Have you ever wondered if God cares about how we spend our money? Would it surprise you that over 2,300 verses in the Bible are about money, wealth, and possessions? God desires us to be good stewards of the resources He gives us, and His Word offers valuable principles to help. It teaches ways to properly give, receive, and manage our money. GOOD STEWARDSHIP Here are a few biblical principles that will help us become good stewards of the resources God gives us. Pay God first. If we pay bills first and then tithe, the money frequently runs out before we get to God’s part. If we pay our tithes and offerings first, God will stretch our remaining funds…