Daily Devotional January 14 - Be Strong And Do It

"Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it."  1 Chronicles 28:10

Whatever you are called to do, in whatever capacity, be strong and do it. In our nation we have a lot of starters, but few finishers.

• People will start going to church and then wax back into their old ways.
• Millions will quit something on January 1 and by January 10 they are back in full swing.
• People promise the pastor they will help knock down the chairs and a week later act like it never happened.
• There are those that talk big about giving if God will bless them, then they are blessed and quickly become miserly.
• Maybe you have been called to go back to college and finish.
• Maybe you are called to move closer to your son, because he needs you.
• Maybe you have been called to venture into unknown territory and start something new.
• Maybe you were called to be a pastor, but those around you aren't very supportive.
• Maybe you were called to become a nurse, but you don't have the education.
• Maybe you were called to write a book.
• Maybe you were called to be a mechanic or a carpenter and to be the best and most honest in your town.
• Maybe you were called to stay home with your kids.
• Maybe you were called to stop taking long trips that keep you away from your family.

Yes, these are callings, one no more important than another.

Be strong and do it.

If you don't hear a call - Turn down the din. The call is continuous and you must get quiet without the cell phone on to hear it.
If you hear the call - answer the call yes or no. don't play games with God.
If you answer the call no, move on and live, but don't abandon God. God understands you more than people do. God will not abandon you.
If you answer the call yes, work hard to accomplish your goal, pray often and get all the help and resources you need to be successful.

In our society so many people want a quick fix for everything and a magic genie god to bring it to pass. God is not a magic genie god, but God is a miracle working God. Try doing things God's way for a season and see if you don't get better results. Try planning long term and getting God into your situation from the inception and see if you don't get better results. Get off the fence and make a decision. God will honor it. Be strong and do it.

Daily Devotional January 13 - Prophesy For Today

Today is special in that I am going to list five prophesies that pertain to you. Please read these verses and apply the lesson from the Word.

"Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, (mature) be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."  Philippians 3:15-16

Our response to what we already know to be true is why our faith is where it is right now.  If we have faith that can move mountains, this verse is true in us and if we cannot even get through one day without being overcome, this verse is true in us.  So many of us aren't living by the truths that we
know. Somewhere along the way, somebody told us it didn't matter much if we acted out our faith, so we tread through life:
without being inspired

• without being excited for God
• without growing in faith
• without enjoying worship
• without praising God
• without the kind of enthusiasm that comes with living out what we already know to be true.

There should be more conviction in the Christian community today to live by the truths that they have already learned.  We want God to take us into His confidence and reveal His magnificence and His secrets to us and we can't even abide in the simple truths that God taught to us ten years ago.  

Here this prophetic word: Christians aren't getting all they can out of life because they are not living out the truths that they already know.  Our response to what we already know to be true is why our faith is where it is right now.

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"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light...." John 12:35-36

There will be no new light revealed until you and I decide to live in the light that God has already revealed.  If God is His mercy has revealed truth in our heart and we have come to a knowledge of the truth and we have tasted to His goodness; we mock Him by wavering in our faith.

It is foolishness to think that God is going to keep trying new truths on you and shedding new light on you to see which truths meet your approval and which light you like the most.  It is time that we take God at His Word and stop toying with the Almighty. God did not send His Son to die for us and give us His Word so that we could continue to act like we don't know what's going on.

It is spoken in the Word and it has been my experience that most people have learned and relearned the truths of God hundreds of times and sometimes without so much as even an inclination to live them out.  The light of God within us, is to be set on an hill to shine so that the glory of God can be witnessed by the world, through us, and God gets the glory.  How does God get glory when His own people live like they don't even know Him. Some of us have enough light within us to light up a whole city and we squander it and hide it and keep it behind closed doors.  Some of us have enough light that we could be a torch for God, and we choose a lessor way. Oh, we like it when God is the light, but when God calls us to be the light....

There will be no new light revealed until you and I decide to live in the light that God has already revealed.

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"Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.@"  Matthew 9:29

You can.....   You can be......    You can do it.....

You can have peace in your life

You can have joy in your life
You can have fulfillment in your life
If you haven't given up and you are still breathing, you can.

Don't believe one more lie from the enemy. You can find and possess any and all that's on your heart. God didn't give you faith so you could go about acting like you don't have faith.

Faith moves mountains
Faith heals the sick
Faith fills dreams
Faith sets us free to get on with it.
With faith you can subdue nations.

Don't wait another day to take hold of this prophetic truth. It is for you. Take what God offers. Put your hands out, your hearts out and receive an infilling of faith.
There's nothing wrong with living by faith and living a life that shows the love of God.
There's nothing wrong with having faith that can move mountains.
There's nothing wrong with exercising your faith and making a fool of yourself for Christ.
There's nothing wrong with believing differently that you used to. God has been trying to get through to some of us for decades and we still act like we don't even know Him.

Of course you are going to be trampled on.
Of course you are going to be put down by our family.
Of course you are going to become vulnerable.
Of course your friends will think you have gone off the deep end. Is that such a big price to pay?
Of course we are going to have to face the naysayers.
But what is the alternative? - A life of mediocrity, always questioning God, wondering if God really knows what He is doing.  Year after year, succumbing to the flesh, having no power to overcome even the smallest barrier.  What is the alternative? - telling our kids or grand-kids by our actions that we don't have a clue.

Here me. If you do not instill every Word of faith that you possess in Almighty God, to your children and grandchildren, they will not win in the days to come.  God created a way to live above what this world offers and it's called God's faith. The highway of life takes on a whole new look when we are on God's 'faithway'.
You can..... You can be...... You can do it.....

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"...Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from (let go of) these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:"  Acts 14:15

Let it go

If God has spoken to you and said, "let it go", for God's sake let it go before it consumes you, whatever it is.

It could be something damaging to your body, like: substance abuse, or habitual smoking, of over-eating, drugs, or excessive use of alcohol.

It could be something personal, like: hatred, or bitterness, envy or jealously, lying or cheating, living outside of God's will concerning marriage and intimate relationships.

It could be something spiritual, like: Toying with spirits or divination, testing God or dabbling in forbidden territory.

It could be something simple, like: Apathy toward the things of God, unforgiveness in our heart or an unwillingness to receive wise council.

Whatever it is that is keeping you from moving forward and accepting your rightful place as an Ambassador of Christ. Let it go.

Whatever it is that you know that God disapproves of but its had a hold on you so long its starting to take on a life of its own. Let it go.

Whatever it is that keeps you trapped in your circumstances - whatever constrains you from doing what is right, let it go.  God will replace it with something far better, but there's only room for one God in your life and God will not share His place with anything or anyone.

Whatever is stealing or draining from the time that you sense should be spent with God, it has got to go.

Whatever it is that rends you powerless in prayer needs to be abandoned.  Most of us don't need to post on the refrigerator what it is that is hampering our prayer life.  We know what it is, we just haven't wanted to deal with it.  But I say with authority and by permission, it's time to let it go.

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"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD."  Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord

If God has spoken to you and said, "Wait," please let me encourage you to hold on, and prepare; don't let go, but don't jump ahead of God's timing. When we do jump ahead of God's timing, we annul His will for us, because we move our self onto His throne. Wait until you get release from God.  Wait is a powerful and profound word, when it comes from God. It can protect you from immeasurable pain and heartache. When God issues the wait command:

• it's not to keep you from some beautiful experience
• it's not to hold you back from what is rightfully yours
• it's not to slow down your progress or to discourage you.
• It's to protect you and me from making horrific and sometimes irreversible mistakes.

God says wait to protect you, and those who wait on the LORD are never disappointed.

These are the five prophesies for today
Our response to what we already know to be true is why our faith is where it is right now.
There will be no new light revealed until you and I decide to live in the light that God has already revealed.
You can..... You can be...... You can do it.....
Let it go
Wait on the Lord

Daily Devotional January 12 - Good theology Is Not Me-ology

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. I believe the Word." John 1:1-3

The Apostle Paul said it like this:
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. I believe the Word."  Colossians 1:16-17

The writer of Hebrews puts it like this.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"  Hebrews 1:1-2

Because we are the handiwork of God, the solutions to all of our problems, situations and circumstances are theological in nature.  Theo coming from the Greek word Theos, which means of God or from God or by God, and logical from the Greek word Logos, which means to speak, or spoken - Theological: That which is spoken of, from or by God. Theology is the study of that which is of God or from God or spoken by God.

The root of all ology's are from God:

• Biology - The study of living organisms.
• Cosmology - The study of the cosmos - the dynamics of the universe.
• Sociology - The study of social structures.
• Anthropology - The study of the origins of culture, and the development of man.
• Physiology - The study of the biological science of life processes.
• Psychology - The study of the mind.

There's a battle going on for the minds of men, women, teens and children.  This battle was waged in order to convince the world that you can study the world and everything in it without acknowledging a creator.  By doing this, secular society, (those without Christ), attempt to educate and council, without the aid of the indwelling Holy Spirit - without the theology of God.

That's why our society is so sick.
That's why, even the Church sin and indiscretion is taken lightly.
Anyone, believer or non-believer who believes what the world says, over what God says - will have constant turmoil, impending trouble, unresolved conflict and seemingly impossible situations.  We need to be as up on God's theology as we are new music, new video games, new fashion, new anything.
Even though secular society has attempted to eliminate God, even though everything has its roots from God.

For example to study biology without tracing the first organism back to the time of creation is futile. No true study of biology can be made without, "And God said."

To study cosmology without tracing the universe back to its creator is guessing, not science. Good science must account for the origin of a thing before it can build a preponderance of evidence to make legitimate conclusions about that thing.

Sociology: Men study society and its origins as professors without giving the scriptures their rightful due. In the scriptures, every generation of man is traced back from Jesus to Adam.  The rise and fall of civilizations were recorded with pin-point accuracy, but ignored by secular humanist.  The classrooms of America are filled with material designed and provided by secular humanist that don't believe a word of the bible.

Anthropologist have the hardest time ignoring the Word of God, because time after time, discovery after discovery, the archaeologist keep on discovering what God said did exist, that the anthropologist said didn't exist.

Physiology - The study of the biological science of life processes. Over and over again the Bible reveals the truth about the species and how each kind procreates its own. The origin of man, the origin of the races, the origin of the languages, are clearly spelled out.  To seek out knowledge about the origin of man without the Word of God is fruitless and inconclusive. Only the scriptures tell the whole story.

The study is psychology. A man or a woman that trains in the science of understanding the complexities of the mind and stops short of finding their way back to the cause, the maker of the mind - has little to offer the unregenerate man, and nothing to offer the regenerated man.  When the secular psychologist looks into the mind of man without the aid of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes from above - it's like their standing on the outside of a building that has no windows and guessing what is inside.

The origins for life are found in the scriptures.
The history of man is found in the scriptures.
The history of the universe is found in the scriptures.
And, the solutions for every problem, every circumstance, every trouble, every situation in this life, are found in the scriptures.  You don't have anything going on in your life that God is not fully acquainted with - and besides that, God knows how we got in it and God knows how to get us out. There are no exceptions.

If you are not going through the fire right now and you are experiencing the joy and the peace that comes with a yielding relationship with God - then God will simply use this time in your life to draw you closer and impart to you His wisdom - because God understands the good times:

• The times when things seem to come together:
• The times when all your bills are all paid
• The times when your spouse thinks you are the greatest person on earth
• The times when your children do everything you tell them to do, because they believe that you really do know best.
• The times when you are secure
• The times when you have no fear
• The times when you get a raise without asking

God simply wants us thanking Him and utilizing what we are stewards of during these seasons of bliss.
But for all the other times:

• Like when nothing comes together, no matter what you do.
• The times when the stress that comes with trying to pay all the bills is so great you want to throw in the towel.
• The times when your spouse seems like your enemy.
• The times when your children don't listen, and actually they believe you are more stupid than a telephone pole.
• The times when you are very insecure and lonely and empty and wanting and depressed.
• The times when you fear everything, you fear tomorrow, you fear death, you fear loss of financial security, you fear singleness.
• The times when you couldn't get a raise or maybe even a job.

God knows all about these times too, because God made you and me and everything that was made.
It is times like these when God calls us to trust Him, believe in Him and rest on our faith.
A time to pray and plead with God - a time to draw closer than ever before.

• When things are tough, it's not the time to throw in the towel.
• When things are tough, it's not the time to go back to the world's vises.
• When things are tough, it's not the time to reject God's truth.
• When things are tough, it's not the time to go to the world for security.
• It's not the time to seek advise from those who don't have good theology - those who do not know God

God made us and the sciences we cherish and therefore God's plan for our life is theological.  Because God's plan is theological in nature, every problem's answer rest's in scripture.

If you want a quiet and peaceful life, you need good theology.

If you want comfort in adversity, you need good theology.
If you want a blessed marriage, both you and your spouse will need to practice good theology.
If you are single and want to be happy while being alone and you need good theology.

If you want to be financially secure, you need to practice biblical theology concerning your money. I'm not talking about having taken Larry Burkette's money management course in 1996, I'm talking about living it - today, tomorrow and 10 years from now.

If you want your business to succeed, you need good theology, because everything you need to know about a prosperous business is found in scripture. Again, I'm not talking about some pop-culture, thrown together get rich scheme. Good theology is developed through:

Study of the scripture
Fervent prayer
Wise council
Hard work
Doing it God's way

Hear me on this. Knowing what God says about something doesn't make us an expert. It's the doers of God's Word not the hearers that enjoy the blessing from God.

I don't want to get off a tangent, but this is how a great many people who call themselves Christians live:
They come to hear the Word of God preached.
They listen carefully.
They hear the Word of God.
They decide what portion of it will fit their current lifestyle.
They adhere to those truths and principles that fit into their current way of life, not moved at all by the theology of God, that changes their mind, convicts their hearts or converts their soul.
Only a few want good theology, because only a few are willing to yield there wants and desires for that of God.
Only a few care at all about what God has to say. Most people today are seeking to hear words that comfort them and make them feel good about their current condition.  That's not theology, that's Me-ology.  Good theology requires that we change the way we think every time God speaks into our being some new truth - (new to us).

Good theology requires that our heart be changed every time God speaks to us and convicts us of sin and indiscretion.  Good theology requires we are converted from our way/ways every time God speaks.  How many times do you need to be converted!!!?

Daily Devotional January 11 - Are You Consulting God Before Making Decisions

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."  Romans 8:5-7

The mind is a terrible thing to waste. And we need not waste ours.  God desires that we have a sound mind.  God doesn't tell us to do something or to be something and then leave us alone to try and ascend to it.  What God does, is tell us how to do something or how to be something and then shows us through example and confirms it by His own Word.  God doesn't expect that you and I will have a naturally tendency to use our minds for the glory of God. God knows that our natural tendency is of a lessor sort.  So when God speaks to us through His Word, not only does He speak to us, but God speaks into us, if we receive it.

As we seek after God's will, (our mind being influenced by the mind of God), when God speaks into us, what God speaks into us, becomes part of who we are. God speaks into our mind the things of God and then we seek after and thrive on the things of God more than ever.  Our natural or carnal mind changes into a spiritual mind every time we hear and abide in the Word of God. When God speaks into us, His Word is performed in us and through us, when it becomes true for us.

When God speaks to us, what God has said is not yet ours.  We cannot operate in or under its authority until it is ours, and it becomes ours by believing it and receiving it, by faith.  We need a generation of men and women that will believe what God says.

There is carnally minded and there is spiritually minded, and there is a war going on in the mind between these two poles. Spiritually minded is seeking life and everything associated with being a child of the living God.  Carnally minded, is seeking life and everything associated with satisfying our base desires, without including God in the equation.

God is interested in our minds and what we think, and that is evident in the way that God created us. Think about it, the written Word was developed for use by our mind and it is our mind that activates the truths within the Word of God.  The Word of God gives us insight into the mind of God.
God knows that only through communion with God in prayer, i. e., (your mind and the mind of Christ uniting in will and purpose) can we find solace and fulfillment in the pursuit of what ever it is.  Sure we can find pleasure, but for lasting and meaningful satisfaction, we had better bring God in on it.

God knows that only through communion with God in prayer, operating in a way that we allow our mind to be apprehended by God so that He can fill us with His will can we accomplish the tasks at hand with integrity. 

I'll tell you a truth you already know.  You make far too many decisions without consulting your Father in heaven.

Daily Devotional January 10 - What Is Possible For You?

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."  Mark 10:27  "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23

I just wonder, what are my possibilities?  Is there some way that I can have assurance that my dreams will come true?  Have I squandered my time and let multiple possibilities get by me?  Are there possibilities that I could be enjoying, but I do not recognize them?  And of course the question that all of us want to ask, but never do, 'why doesn't God just show us everything clearly?'  

I believe that God does show us everything clearly, but I have reservations about some of His servants/pastors/priests/ministers.  Men and women of the cloth should be saturated in the Word of God to the point of excess.  Their prayer life and their walk should be exemplary.  They should be walking with God and hearing from God and dispensing what they are hearing.  You should be too. 

The truth is that you have great possibilities and I believe Jesus.  Go get them.  Take from the plethora of the bounty that God has put in front of you.  It was all created for you and me and all those around us, the saved and the unsaved.  If the unsaved can take from this well of plenty and make use of it and build and create and benefit others, how much more should we, the children of God be accessing and utilizing God's provisions.  

Too much apathy is voiced and preached.  I'm tired of complainers complaining about things that happened ten years ago.  And there is entirely too much attention given to this world's advertisers.  You don't need what they are selling.  You need what God is giving out freely.  Many of our un-successes (I know that this is not a word but failure isn't accurate either,) are from under-using what God has already provided.  Even if we only used what was available already, we would have more than we need to increase our possibilities, if we were to believe God.  Jesus tells us that if we can believe God, all things are possible.  Here's the challenge.  Can you believe God, even if it goes against what you have been taught?  If not, it is not likely that all things will be possible to you.    

Daily Devotional January 9 - It Is Godly To Be Blessed

"Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged."  Deuteronomy 1:21

I believe that God would say this to you today.  Even though the whole Word of God is written, the intent was to provide messages that would hold up throughout all history, every dispensation, and for every person.  When you read a verse like this it should spark you to do something about your situation.  God has endowed you with your measure of wisdom and faith.  God squander it.  Don't keep putting off the inevitable.  Take the situation in hand and get on with it.  Do your part.  Give God something to work with.

Fear and discouragement can quell a fire and drown a dream.  These are tools of the devil.  God has set before you more than you can even use.  Grab on and take advantage of all that God has provided.  God has set it before you.  Posses it.  It has been this way for thousands of years and each person of each generation is exhorted to receive what God has provided.

Too many people leave too many blessings on the table.  Sometimes it is because they don't feel worthy.  Sometimes it is because they have been convinced there is nothing for them.  Sometimes they have just given up.  Stand up and take courage.  Quit fearing the invisible and quite often the non-existent.  What God puts in front of you is for you to take.  Reach out.  There will be no resistance.  Believe God.  Trust Him. 

God created the whole universe so that you could be blessed.  Be blessed.  Quit turning down the gifts of the Lord.  Use your talents and skills to co-create with God.  That's how you were designed.  You can do it.  Pray and do.  God will fill in the blanks.  You don't have to know everything or be the best or the biggest or the richest.  You have to be you.  Don't let another day go by where you don't push the envelope.  It is godly to be blessed.

Daily Devotional January 8 - Be Still

"My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?  Psalm 6:3

Vexed as used here is from the Hebrew word, (bahal), which means to worry, to worry inwardly hard, to be made afraid inside, deep internal fear.

Do you worry?  What is on your mind right now that makes you worry?  Are you worried deep down in your soul that things won't turn out the way you want them to?  Are your bills piled up so high that you can't see over them?  Is there another issue so troubling that you really don't want to talk about it? 
Are you troubled by a double-crossing friend?  Have you lost your job and you don't know how you are going to make it?  

• How long, O  Lord?  How long will you make us wait until you answer? 
• Why do you let things get so out of sync? 
• Why is there so much unfairness? 
• Can't you see that I am vexed inside? 
• Don't you care if I drown in my problems?

All of these questions are valid.  Please don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't feel this way and have these questions when things aren't going right in your life.  Don't fall for the rhetoric that all this is to make you stronger or that God brought it on to test you.

Problems, pain, suffering, vexation, worry is all from the fall.  God has the solutions.  God is the healer.  God answers prayers.  God provides deliverence.  God intervenes in the affairs of men, but God did not put you in peril to get you out of it so that He can be the hero.

Here's the best way out of your situation.
Go to God and talk about it.  Tell God what your role is/was in getting into your situation.  Be honest.  Say things like.  I did it.  I caused it, or, I started it, but I had no idea it would go this far.  Or, I really didn't know anything about it.  I was blindsided.  It doesn't matter to God who is the culprit.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  But it does matter that you are honest with God.  If you are not, don't expect help. But let's say you are honest with God about your situation.  Are you thinking that there is nothing that God can do about it?  Or since it was your own fault that there will be no reprieve?  Listen carefully.  God already knows every minute detail, whose fault it is/was, who is to blame, who caused the whole thing to blow up into something unnatural, every little detail.  But what has happened has happened.

Listen to God as God unravels your situation and tells you what to do next.  God will tell you what you need to know.  God has already told you what to do.  Reach into the inner man and get answers and results.  Be quiet before God and listen carefully.

Here are some of the things that God might speak into your soul:
I know your situation.  Trust Me to get you through.  The real outcome is that you finally seek Me, find Me and find rest in Me.  I gave you peace in your soul already.  I have laid out a plan to take you to the end of this.  I will go through it with you.  I am here.  I am available.  I am listening.  I am working this out on your behalf.  I have already put in motion all that is necessary.  Don't fret about it.  Your worry is not founded on truth.  Rest assured that I am with you, even until the end of time.  Yes, I know that your situation is big, terrifying and totally unfair, but I am bigger, working along side of you and I am just.

This is the most important part.  I am working this out because you are my son/daughter.  I see my Son when I see you.  Jesus already paid the price for your restoration.  You are being restored right now.  You are being loosed from your chains.  You are being filled with My provision.  You are precious to Me and I will see you through it.  And we still say, O Lord, how long?  And God still says, be still.  And we say, how long?  And God says, be still.