Yes!

God wants a “yes” from you.

Sometimes the greatest battle is not fought against external opposition but rather in our own decision making to yield our will to God’s word.

Imagine being faced with a life altering decision that can completely change the course of your destiny? Now imagine if that decision means immediate hurt, rejection, pain and or seeming suffering?

Just ask Mary, mother of Jesus ( Luke 1 – 2) . The present task seemed great – much for this young woman to bear.

This is real scandal – in those days to be pregnant prior to marriage really meant to be shamed openly. God has a funny way of drawing public attention to the divine work that He is doing.

Just imagine what her fiancé Joseph had to potentially face in terms of open shame – but still, the Lord ministered to Him and in his heart, evidenced by his actions, he said yes!

A few key principles from this story were that:

1. An impossible situation only seems that way until the Lord proves otherwise

2. God takes care of every adversary when a heart is submitted to Him in obedience

3. The decision to accept God’s word is the greatest part of any challenge

4. When you yes, he will provide every resource along the way – so one must move forward

I hope that you read it the story and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about who God is a midst the chaos…

Friends, when you and I obey the will of the Lord – He fights our battles !

I am experiencing more victory in my life and seeing the providence of God as I begin to say “yes” to daily challenges.

The good news is that today, you can join on this journey and experience the joy of victory! The areas of open shame, scorn, ridicule or defeat can be changed into your greatest testimony of overcoming.

Think about the areas in your life that cause you angst and ask the Lord to lead you. Invite Him in to interrupt the heavy burden you carry and trade it for His which is much, much lighter.

Believe in Him. Today that it IS just that simple – it was always God’s plan to help you. So why doubt Him now?

Regardless of the Herod’s or shut doors, God is doing an new thing for you – will you say yes?

Beloved, stay connected to God because as your source , He longs for that connection with you.

As always, I am praying for you and can’t wait to hear your testimony of overcoming!

Isaiah 41:10(NIV)

10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Jesus Meets You Where You Are

There was a man who was crippled for 38 years laying by a pool side that was known for healing powers; please read John 5:1-15.

Jesus was passing by and asked this man if he wanted to be well.  The man explained to Jesus that he was waiting for someone to help him get to the pool.

At that very moment, He was challenged in one way: to believe God or to continue laying there.

How many times, do we hear of Jesus coming to help us right where we are but instead we choose to find our own way?

Jesus is never surprised by anything about you. When He makes the offer to give you a new life it is always intentional. Jesus planned to meet that man at that time the same way he wants to help you right now.  Think about how many things you have seen or heard, including this blog, about Jesus Christ,the Son of God who seeks to redeem mankind. The one who heals every disease, and who brings the dead back to life.

For 38 years, this man was known as a paralytic.  But now this man in an example to you and  I, thousands of years later, that Jesus can meet us where we are.

Your past is not waste, can be used as a great testimony of what God can do in a moment and how much of a great future you have in store!

The transformation of God’s presence in our lives is instantaneous. When we believe in the power of God in Christ Jesus, miracle, signs and wonders take place.  Depression is broken, and a new mind of peace is the gift of God. We don’t have to live under the bondage of sin: fear, doubt, unbelief will lead us to self-destructive behaviours. Instead, the promise of God is eternal life, reigning with Him. 

Today is your day to see the power of God displayed in your life. It doesn’t matter how long you have been struggling or even whether it was your fault or someone else’s… You could have been abused or been an abuser. You could be drinker, smoker, promiscuous…whatever the case may be, know today that Jesus is at your door, knocking to come in.

You don’t have to wait anymore. Like the man at the pool, believe Jesus Christ. He came form heaven, lived among us here in human flesh, took on our sins, died and rose again defeating EVERYTHING that stands to destroy us. Surely this same Jesus has the power to give you a better life now and in the life to come.

The choice is yours right now.

Like to man at the pool, admit that you cannot help yourself. Believe that Jesus can help you. Accept Him in to your heart and make a public declaration that you receive Him.

After you have received Him, He is yours. You don’t need to sin anymore – no more self-dependence. No more drugs, lying, stealing or anything else that only makes your life more of a living hell. You can be totally free. You can always trust God to come through in the way that is best for you. That’s His plan.

Will you trust Him today?

Until we meet again, get connected! Read the Word of God, pray and ask Him into your heart. He longs for that connection with you – His beloved.

 

Believe

The past couple of weeks have been mentally strenuous. Start of “the final” semester; financial constraints; job challenges, you name it…the list goes on.

Admittedly, growing up, I did not have resilience. The first sign of hardship was always some indication for me that “I was not good enough”, or “I could never be successful in…” . Unfortunately, walking in that belief system amidst criticisms from others would only lead to an abyss of failure and hopelessness.

I thank God for Jesus Christ because accepting Him in my life gave me hope and promised a better future! I have learned that I don’t have to think the way I use to think because the Lord has done something new inside me. I am a new creation, a brand new person – old things have passed and all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17).

What happened was a strength exchange and the mind that would be limited by what I could see, is now free to think of achieving the “impossible”.

I read a quote that further enlightened me about the change he made in my life :

“Some people make the choice to believe those thoughts that seem to speak with more logic. Remember…logic does not always equal truth. Furthermore because negative thoughts appear or arouse your emotions faster and with higher intensity, their effects are usually more overpowering. In this case, some people will believe the thought that says they will not succeed rather than the thought that says they need to and can succeed. People who have been confronted with such opposing thoughts or voices now full well how hard it can be to make the right choices in situations in which negative thoughts bear down with strong logic and reason.

If you believe  the thought that tells you that you will fail in your attempt to change, will be held back, not by who you think your are but by who you think you are not. You believe you are not smart enough, not good enough or not intelligent enough. But if you believe in your ability to become, to change, to succeed, then you need to believe your thinking that tells you that you can and need to do so. Believing in yourself is choosing those thoughts that encourage you to move forward in spite of past failures and drawbacks. ” – Clarence  Duff

While circumstances may  seem overwhelming,  you can choose how you will face them.

For example, I may have the urge to weep and throw in the towel, but instead I choose to give thanks, learn and persevere until I get it right. I know that I will be successful as a result.

I’m not sure where you are on the faith journey. I do know that things can be rough but I am encouraging you now; just believe.

The Word of God states that you are made in His image (Gen 1:27) and that means that you have the best of everything stored inside of you!

Believe that you have the God given potential to achieve your goal. What ever you put your mind to do today, challenge opposing thoughts and know that you can and will make it!

Stay connected to God because He causes that transformation that will help you discover your full potential!

For your reading pleasure, I recommend this book: Discovering the Eagle Within: A Guide to Understanding Your Inner World of Potential and Thoughts by Dr. Clarence Duff.

Be Blessed!

Take the Limits Off

Things have been tight financially for some time now and I never thought I would EVER be in this position.

As the fall weather kicked in, the days grow much colder and I am in need of a jacket. Arguably, I am in want of a jacket because I really could borrow one from  family member:)

Even still, I started to become really saddened about not being able to afford and new coat but then I began to pray, asking the Father and reminding Him of His promise to take care of me…

I still haven’t received a coat BUT the weather has been unexpectedly warm since that day. I’m talking t-shirt and shorts kinda warm in the day time.

I would have never approached him to change the weather but He did.

Instead of receiving a fall coat, I received and increase in faith.

Today the message is short and sweet: don’t limit God when it comes to providing for you!

He goes beyond what we ask.

He does more than what we could think.

He not only controls every season and every resource; He IS our source!

Dear friend, don’t be distracted by what you don’t have, stay connected to God, be still and watch Him reveal all the marvelous things He is doing for you!!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)

When Things Seem Beyond Your Control

Perhaps you are in the midst of pursing your purpose; you know that thing that you were formed a fashioned to do? That thing that no one has to pay you for? It just stays on your mind night a day?

Well today I would like to encourage you to move forward with what the Lord has placed in your heart to do.

Sometimes, despite how noble your cause or hard your efforts, there is opposition. There might be naysayers – those negative people in your life who speak nothing but impossibilities or there might be a lack of finances right now for you to see exactly how things will come together….

What ever the circumstances are, don’t let them be roadblocks to your destiny but rather, let them serve as stepping stones for your faith!

You need to to first get moving as a sign of your faith that God is able to carry you through. I was reading this morning about Nehemiah who was passionate about rebuilding Jerusalem. All along the way there was opposition. Both things that Nehemiah could see and things that he did not see. I was floored when I read this scripture in particular :

Nehemiah 13(1-2) (NLT)

On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God.^[a] 2 For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing. 

The Holy Spirit ministered into my heart that despite the efforts of opposition, nothing could stop the work! God even used what was meant to be a curse and turned it into a blessing!

Some of you may be wanting to go back to school. Some may be thinking about applying for another job, perhaps a promotion even. There are some out there who have been longing to start a business… Take it from me, the longer you stay in-active about your dream, you will never realize the potential that God as given you. Furthermore, you will never really grow in your relationship with God because much of that experience is demonstrated in the trust you place in Him to fulfill His purpose in you life.

I believe what I am saying because I almost gave up on my dreams. I doubted in my abilities and spent the majority of my life living with the fear of failing. Now, I am pursuing my education at a post secondary institution, I am ministering in writing, singing, and i’m doing other things I never thought possible some time ago.

By the grace of God, things have changed.  None of it has been easy but I have never been more fulfilled in my life than at this moment.

Today, I want to set some time aside to pray about the gifts He has given you. Spend time in His promises because they will sustain you when the fight is on. Lastly, trust Him to take care of the things are beyond your control – remember, He IS in control! Walk out your faith and know that nothing is too hard for him.

Stay connected to God  because He will always come through for you.

Under Pressure: Don’t Break!

I’m nearing the end of another semester and as final assignments approach I tend to feel pressure. Especially if I have procrastinated with any assignments; boy, there is an intensity that I can’t explain. Despite knowing that the work is necessary to obtain my degree, my emotions tend to feel overwhelmed when there is so much going on.

So what do I do?

I call on the Lord. I look to my help in the Word. I give thanks and I keep working. I move on knowing that graduation is just around the corner.

I believe that this is preparation for the responsibilities I will hold someday career-wise. Learning to work under pressure is going to be vital. I need to be able to stay calm, think objectively and make good decisions.

When I was a younger, I used to get really down about those moments when things just seemed like they were too much to handle.  I would respond emotionally and more often then naught, give up on very important tasks. Now that I have mature, my perspective has changed. Now that I know the Spirit of God is alive and well in me, I can endure.

Now, let’s put this little example to work…

In Matthew 24: 5-13, Jesus teaches about the end time.  He gives very clear description of what believers should expect to see when the end of the world as we know it comes. Many of what we should expect is already taking place in various parts of the world: famine, wars, earthquakes, some being persecuted for their faith and etc…

Now its a far cry from university exams and surely, living in the west, my definition of pressure is very different than the people who are already experiencing these things.

Who knows how long it will be before some of us will begin to feel the pains before Christ’s return?

All I do know is that now is the time to prepare. Just like studying for my exams and researching for my papers, we should be getting deep in the scripture and be alert for that great day.

The tough times we have now are only a prelude to what will come.

How ready are you?

Will you be able to identify the Savior’s voice differently than the false prophets to stand up can say they are lord? Will you give in a break down in the face of famine? What will happen when war if war strips us from our loved ones? Who will be the ones that turn away for Christ? Who will betray and hate their brothers and sisters?

While I cannot know exactly how I will act then, I do know that I have gained some important weapons now: prayer, scripture and faith.

God has already given us everything we need to overcome those days. Take the time now to prepare.

In the midst of what we face now: don’t break under pressure. Don’t let today’s circumstances determine your disposition but rather stand firm. Be resolute. Deal will every circumstance in prayer, praise and actively living out God’s Word.  Let it Him your guide today, because He will lead you all the way to His Kingdom. If Jesus has promised that the one who stands will make it all the way, then we can trust Him to fulfill this Word.

Matthew 24:13 (NIV)

 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.