It's His Fight

 

O God, will You not stop them? For we have no power to face this army that's attacking us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You. This is what the Lord says TO YOU: Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. You won't need to fight. Take your positions; stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. Go out against them, for the Lord's with you. At the VERY MOMENT they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies ... to start fighting among themselves. 2 Chronicles 20:12,15,17,22

If you feel like giving up, keep in mind that God believed you can handle it. So often, we're overwhelmed with the heaviness of the attacks, BUT GOD will take care of our enemies if we pray and praise Him.

Stop fighting the fight, it's already been won. The only fighting that we’re to do is to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 1:12). Fight back with faith. The battle belongs to the Lord.

There is a wonderful promise to those who are engaged in the good fight of faith: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or oppression [narrow circumstances—a word that means you have been pressed into a corner and you are in trouble.] or persecution, or famine, or lack of clothing, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all of these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things about to be, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other creation, is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:36–39.

There's a battle going on, and God’s children are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. It looks like, in this world, we are losing, but we are really winning.

To the world it looked like Jesus lost when He was on the cross, but actually, it was the biggest victory of all time. So … whatever it is that you’re battling with, whatever trial is in your life, even though it may be something over which you think you may never get the victory - the very thing that appears to be your worst battle, your worst stumbling block, your greatest weakness, your greatest sorrow, your greatest affliction, your greatest loneliness, your greatest defeat - if you will surrender yourself to Christ, out of that you will have the greatest victory just as did Jesus.

We have to win the fight, and the good news is that it's possible. It's the devil telling you that you can't do it, but Jesus tells you that you CAN. Who do you choose to believe?

The Bible tells us that God always causes us to triumph. We serve a General who NEVER loses a battle.

Stand still.

Pray AND praise!

Father, thank You that victory has already been won and that the enemy of our soul has already been defeated. Help us to pray, believe and praise as You work in our lives. Give us faith to hold on. In Jesus' precious name, amen.



see also: You’re Surrounded

Yes, You Do Know It

 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ... The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!” Psalm 29:3-9

 

If you belong to the Lord, you DO hear His voice. If you didn't, then there would be no reason for the enemy to try to convince you that you don't.

Don't listen to the voice of confusion, it's NOT of God. God is the author of peace, the peace that passes understanding. BELIEVE that you hear God's voice ... by faith. Don’t just have selective hearing, when it’s something you like it’s Him and if it’s something you don’t like it’s the enemy, it doesn’t work that way.

Be careful about these “still small voices” that we hear in our heads and our hearts. We need to be sure that it is God that is talking to us. Sometimes our flesh and even the devil will put thoughts in our heads that are not of God. You can usually tell if it’s actually God that’s talking if the thing that He tells you is in agreement with the Word of God. He doesn’t go against His Word.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:3-5

Elijah described God’s voice as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12). God does speak with an inner audible voice at times. However, I’ve found that usually, God's voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

God told Habakkuk to record the vision (Habakkuk 2:2). This wasn’t an isolated command. The Scriptures record many examples of individuals' prayers and God's replies (i.e. the Psalms, many of the prophets, Revelation). Journaling is the writing out of your prayers and God’s answers. I call the process "two-way journaling," and I’ve found it to be a catalyst for clearly discerning God's inner, spontaneous flow, because as I journal I’m able to write IN FAITH for long periods of time, simply believing it is God. I may write a prayer of thanks or something that’s weighing heavy on my heart, and then I’m still before the Lord to see if He wants to respond back to me. He ALWAYS does.

When you pray, He answers. Expect God to talk back to you. Answers and responses may come at a time other than when you’re praying, but they do come.

Things that will help give you discernment for God’s voice - Spend time with Him. Be still before Him. Focus on Jesus. Get in the Word. Listen. Journal. Repent when you sin. Shake off offenses and pray for those who despitefully use you. Get to know God and be obedient.

Yes, you do know it …God’s voice that is … believe you know it.

Father, I pray that You give us the faith to believe that we hear from You. Help us in turn to be obedient when You ask us to do something. Help us to ignore the voice of the enemy. Speak words of comfort, peace and edification to our hearts to give us encouragement to continue on. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Don't Be Discouraged

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country - to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’” 

Of all the people in the Bible, Joshua might be one of the last we'd expect to need encouragement.

Years earlier, Joshua and Caleb stood their ground against an angry mob that was ready to pummel them to death with rocks. A number of spies had just reported that it would be impossible for the people to conquer the land of Canaan. The giant inhabitants of the land had powerful weapons. But Joshua and Caleb countered, ‘Don’t be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us’ (Numbers 14:9). Although this speech did not convince the frightened Israelites, Joshua and Caleb did not back down.

Given Joshua's courage, why did God need to tell him not to be terrified or discouraged? This was now about 40 years later, and Joshua was no longer facing fellow Israelites. Now he would need to lead an army of Israel against the Canaanites, who would fight to the death to protect their land, possessions, and families. The real battle would begin.

Yesterday's courage can’t be saved for today's challenge. But God's faithfulness is new every morning.

Believe in Jesus and know that the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Don’t be terrified. Don’t be discouraged.

Father, sometimes we’re afraid and discouraged. Thank You that You are our refuge and strength. Help us to remember that You are always with us. In Jesus' name, amen.


 

What's at the End of Your Rope?

 

 

 

 

Moses said to the people,
Don’t be afraid. God’s come
to test you, so that the fear
of God will be with you to
keep you from sinning.
Exodus 20:20

 
 
 
 
 
 

When you're at the end of your rope, you're at the beginning of hope. Grab on to JESUS ... He's our lifeline of hope. Hope in God, He's the only one that will never fail you. He can be trusted.

Our bad circumstances don't negate how good God is. He is good ALL the time.

Maybe 'What's at the end of your rope?' is the wrong question. I'll rephrase it to 'Who's at the end of your rope?'

Praise Him ... and HANG ON!

Father, I pray that You help us not be afraid when we’re being overwhelmed with circumstances. Thank You that You won’t leave us when the going gets tough ... we’ve all been there, done that in other relationships and it’s getting old. Help us to renew our minds to the fact that there IS hope and it's YOU. No matter what happens, YOU’RE our ONLY hope of a LIFELINE. Give us faith to grab on to You and NEVER let go. You sure aren’t. I love You Lord, amen.

 

 

see also:  God's Hand
               There's a Reason for That Test, You Know
               Faith Walk
               The Man with the Plan
 
 
 
 
 

Someone Cares

The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Exodus 3:7,8

 

 

‘Nobody cares.’ What a terrible thought. Whether it’s the teenager who feels she has no one to talk to or the widower who feels that everyone is too busy to bother with him, the thought that no one cares is dreadful.

Although the person who feels this way may not be aware of just how much people do care, the most important thing to know is that God cares. He ALWAYS cares. When His people cried out to Him from slavery in Egypt – God cared. He was concerned about their suffering, and He came to their rescue. He used Moses to deliver them from their bondage and bring them to the Promised Land.

God cares about you. He ALWAYS cares about you.

When you cry out to God in your suffering – God cares. When you doubt that He cares, when the circumstances of your life seem to say that He doesn’t care, just look at Jesus suffering on the cross. He went to the cross to free you from your slavery to sin and death. He promises to bring you to heaven one day. The One who cared about you enough to do all of that certainly cares enough to deliver you from whatever other trials you are facing.

When you are tempted to think, ‘Nobody cares,’ look to the cross and be certain that the LORD cares.

Prayer: Thank you Father, for proving Your love for me by sending Jesus to the cross. When I am down, when I doubt Your care and concern, lift my eyes to the cross and comfort me with Your care. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Gift within the Gift

 

The
GIFT
is
JESUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Savior, Jesus Christ was the gift that our Father God gave to us. There were 7 gifts that Jesus brought us with the gift of Himself.

1) He's our Salvation

    Luke 2:11 - For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

2) He's our Redeemer

    Galations 3:13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for
    us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).

    Galations 4:4-6 - But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a
    woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might
    receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His
    Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’

3) He’s our Healer

    Psalm 103:3 - Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.

    Psalm 147:3 - He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

4) He’s our Deliverer

    Romans 11:26 - And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of
    Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob’.

5) He’s our Wisdom

    Isaiah 11:1-3 - There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out
    of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and
    understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
    Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor
    decide by the hearing of His ears.

6) He’s our Counselor and Our Peace

    Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon
    His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
    Prince of Peace.

7) He’s our Soon Coming King

    Acts 1:11 - Who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same
    Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go
    into heaven.’

    Matt 16:27 - For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He
    will reward each according to his works.

    Matt 24:27 - For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the
    coming of the Son of Man be.

    1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 - For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
    voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then
    we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
    Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Jesus gives peace that the world cannot give. He’s the King of King’s and Lord of Lord’s.

People say that Jesus was born to die. That is true. But He was also born to rise again. He sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for us and will soon return and draw those who belong with Him in Heaven.










My Pastor, Rev. Wanda Meadows, preached this sermon this past Sunday and I wanted to share it.

Sweep Off Your Own

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5








It's really hard to be around family sometimes, especially this time of year. Them still condemning me for the old me. Let it go people, I'm NEW. Family sure can be our worst critics sometimes, makes holidays really rough, but I'm gonna love on 'em anyway. Hmm, most of the stuff I'm being judged for isn't even true. If you don't accept me, don't think I'm gonna run home and cry a river, I'll give the rejection to Jesus and move on. I can live without you ... just fine.

Then there's all the fighting and bickering, people talking over each other, no one really caring to listen to anything but the sound of their own voice. Hurts to see family arguing and disrepecting each other, but I always ask God for grace to be around them and try to see all the family anyway - they are family after all.

Stop the disrepecting. Quit gossiping and judging, YOU don't have it all right, either. We don't need nobody pointing out our sins and judging us.

Sad to say, a lot of church folk criticize and find fault but then try to hid behind the Bible or their own personal so called righteousness. We try to dog others for what they're doing or not doing but then we forget about what we're doing behind closed doors at home.

Let he who's without sin cast the first stone. Baby, you need to sweep off your OWN porch first before trying to make others sweep theirs or you try to do it for them. Take a look at yourself before you criticize or have something to say about others.

It's funny how we so quickly see others faults and judge harshly, but either don't see our own shortcomings or ask others to excuse us like it's ok if we mess up and not them. We're actually usually guilty of the very faults that we try to accuse others of. That's why we recognize it so easily ... it's familiar to us.

We ALL need a heart change. And judging IS NOT going to change someone. If anything, it will cause them to withdraw and separate from the body of Christ even more. People feel bad enough as it is, they need love and support, that's what wins one out ... love.

The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

No matter what you've done, God still loves you and He's there for you even when you can't feel Him. We make things so difficult sometimes, just relax and let the Lord lead. Don't think that you have to do everything right, that you have to please God and everybody, to be loved and accepted. God loves you and accepts you JUST LIKE YOU ARE.

Mother Teresa once said, 'If you judge people, you have no time to love them.'

Keep loving on family members and friends. Treat each other with respect, the way that you would want to be treated. God is the repairer of the breach and will mend the relationships that we give to Him and entrust to Him.

Sweep off your own front porch FIRST .... before you try to sweep around others porch.

Father, help us to quit worrying about what people think. Help us to stop trying to please everybody else when YOU'RE the ONE that we need to please. Help us to just do the best we can. Forgive us for judging our brother instead of loving on them and walking beside them in their time of need. In Jesus’ name, amen.





see also: In Times of Weakness