SET, SETTLED, STRENGTHENED!

12-30-2016. . . .SET, SETTLED, STRENGTHENED!

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." (Heb 10:38-39 KJV)  As we embark upon this new year, we the just, do so with an unwavering determination to carry out the mandate to live by faith!   We have SET ourselves, (made a decision to stand no matter what); We have SETTLED ourselves, (placed ourselves in firm position for something greater); STRENGTHENED ourselves, (empowered ourselves by and through the word of God).  We enter this new year with EXPECTATION (20 the number of expectation) knowing that God by His divine authority is going to change the rules!  What once worked against us, will now work for us! (17 the number of overcoming enemies and complete victory). With confidence, we proceed knowing that we will succeed.  We will go against what comes against us because victory is assured!    Advancement, promotion, change and establishment is coming to the SET, SETTLED and STRENGTHENED!  I decree and declare, You are ready, You are set, now go in faith and go in God!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for a brand new year!  You have always been in control and we acknowledge that you are sovereign.  By faith we will now walk through this year and every year you bless us to see.  Thy will be done in us, through us, and for us!  Amen.

 Heb 10:35-39. . . . Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.  KJV

DIVINE PURPOSE WILL PREVAIL!

12-29-2016. . . .DIVINE PURPOSE WILL PREVAIL!

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men." (Matt 2:166 KJV)  Divine purpose will always draw demonic opposition!  The good news is, no matter what the enemy does, or how many attempts he makes to try and stop or kill us, all his efforts will fail and Divine purpose will prevail!

Prayer: Lord, thank you that your divine purpose concerning us will always prevail! Thy will be done. Amen!

Isa 54:17. . . .No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. KJV

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW!

12-28-2016. . . .OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW!

"When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!" (2 Cor 5:17 TLB)  The process of sanctification is continual. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly we should see more and more of our old sinful nature leave and more and more of the divine nature of Christ manifested.  The more willing we are to release the old, the more willing He is to manifest the new!  So, as this year comes to a close, its a good time to say and mean, OUT WITH OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!   Happy New Year!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for another year.  Lord as we enter a brand new year, one we've never seen before and will never see again, help us to be more yielded to your Spirit!  Let the old be gone and the new come.  Amen!

2 Peter 1:2-4. . . .Do you want more and more of God's kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better.  For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us!  And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character.  TLB

THE BEST HANDS!

12-22-2016. . . .THE BEST HANDS!

"My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. (Ps 31:15KJV)  "You're in good hands with Allstate," is the slogan of this well-known insurance company.  The implication is, that there is no need to worry about anything because with Allstate, you're protected.  To an even greater degree, the same can be said of being in God's hands.  We have no need to worry about anything or fear anyone because we are not only in good hands, we are in the best hands.

PRAYER:  Lord, your hands are the best hands and we are thankful to be in them!  Amen.

Job 23:10. . . .But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

KJV

WE ARE WHO WE ARE!

12-21-2016. . . .WE ARE WHO WE ARE!

"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.   But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."  (Matt 4:3-4 KJV)  We are who God says we are!  What the tempter says or what our haters say about us is of little or no importance.  We don't have to prove who we are, (Jesus didn't fall for it) just be who we are!  Never feed off what the world has to offer, (bread alone) but by the proceeding and prevailing word of God!  It will constantly and consistently lead us and affirm to the world that we are who we are!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for declaring even before we were formed in the womb, who we are!  Living by your proceeding and prevailing word verifies to the world that we are who we are!  Amen.

Heb 11:3. . . . Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. KJV

WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT!

12-20-2016. . . . .WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT!

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.   For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." ( Luke 2:10-11KJV)   The joy of Christmas is Jesus and the joy of Jesus is our strength! Therefore, the greatest gift we can receive besides Jesus himself is strength.  With his strength, we can accomplish anything.  With his strength, we become strong in times of weakness.  With his strength, we can continue to smile even in the midst of sorrow.  Jesus, Joy, Stength!  What a great combination!  What a wonderful gift!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for giving us your joy and thereby, great strength.  As we with great anticipation look toward our future, we are confident that all things are possible because your joy will forever be our source of strength.  Amen!

Neh 8:10. . . . Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. KJV

A POWERFUL KEY!

12-15-2016. . . .A POWERFUL KEY!

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24 KJV) One should not deduct that whatever is desired no matter what it is, can be received. That's simply not true. Our desires must be in line with God's will. The key point here is that one 'Believes' in association with what one prays. Why pray if you don't believe what you say you will see? We have a powerful key. . . .just, Believe!

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you hear and answer our prayers. We believe you through faith and stand in expectation of receiving those things we desire. Amen!

Mark 11:22-24 24. . . .Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it; it's yours! TLB

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS!

12-14-2016. . . .GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS!

"Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.  My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." (Ps 89:33-34 KJV)  A clear picture of God's great faithfulness can be seen in the life of King David. Although he had some great victories and accomplishments, he also had some great transgressions and failures.  While David certainly incurred punishment for his transgressions, God remained committed (faithful) to His promise to David.  We too, like King David have had some transgressions and failures for which we receive chastisement.  Nevertheless, God remains committed (faithful) to His promises to us!  Therefore, our song of praise remains, GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your faithfulness to us.  Truly your mercies are new every morning and wonderful to experience every day.  Great is thy faithfulness!  Amen.

Ps 89:30-35. . . . If his children forsake my laws and don't obey them, then I will punish them,  but I will never completely take away my loving-kindness from them, nor let my promise fail.  No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said.  For I have sworn to David (and a holy God can never lie) that his dynasty will go on forever, and his throne will continue to the end of time.  TLB

NO NEED TO FEAR!

12-13-2016. . . .NO NEED TO FEAR!

Ps 46:1-3. . . . God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble.  And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. TLB  In a time of need, what good is it to have someone present with you that proves to be unable or more often then not, unwilling to help!   God is not only present with us, but He is both willing and able to help us.  Therefore, we have no need to fear when God is near!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for always be present with us!  You are willing and well able to help us in our times of need!  Thank you for your inexhaustible capability.  Amen!

Ps 48:14. . . . For this great God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide until we die.  TLB

IT'S ESSENTIAL!

12-9-2016. . . .IT'S ESSENTIAL!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Ps 119:105 KJV)  As headlights are essential to an automobile, so the word of God is essential to and in the life of believers! During the daytime the illuminated headlights of an automobile make it possible for everyone to see it coming.  During the nighttime, they enable drivers to see where they are going! God's word illuminated in the life of a believer, enables others to see Christ through them, while at the same time, making the believer's path clear as they continue walking with Christ! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your word that illuminates our lives and directs our paths. Amen!

Ps 119:101. . . .I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. (NIV)

ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT!

12-8-2016. . . .IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Gal 5:22-23 NIV) Where the Holy Spirit is present, there is evidence of His presence!  No evidence, no presence.  It's as simple as that!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit that lives within us.  Let the evidence of your presence be evident in us and in the world.  Amen!

John 14:15-17. . . . If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  KJV

ABILITY AND AVAILABILITY!

12-7-2016. . .ABILITY AND AVAILABILITY!

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"  (Luke 1:31-34 KJV)  With the Holy Spirit's involvement, our natural ability coupled with our availability can produce supernatural results!  

PRAYER: Lord, we are available to you.  Be it unto us according to your word!  Amen!

Luke 1:36-37 . . . .And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.  For with God, nothing shall be impossible. KJV

WORD IN WORD OUT!

12-6-2016. . . .WORD IN WORD OUT!

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Ps 119:11 KJV)  Whatever is in the heart will come out of the heart.  Jeremiah says of the heart, "it is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer 17:9)  The only buffer against deceitfulness and wickedness is the WORD!  There are those I'm sure, who would deny that these undesirable characteristics are present in their heart.  For you, I'd recommend a review of Matthew 15 & Mark 7.  For the rest of us its simple, replace the undesirable characteristics with the WORD!  Word in...Word out! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Word!  Increase our hunger and thirst for it until, we are full of it, and it, full of us.  Amen!

Mark 7:20-23. . . . For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God." TLB

MAINTAIN A GOOD BALANCE!

12-2-2016. . . .MAINTAIN A GOOD BALANCE!

“The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.” (Matt 27:21-23 KJV) Never be overly inflated by commendation nor deflated by criticism. Maintain a good balance. The same people that sing your praise and commend you one day, may be the very same people that call for your crucifixion the next!

PRAYER: Lord, help us to maintain a good balance when it comes to people.  Help us so that we are never swayed from our focus whether we are commended or criticized. Amen!

Matt 27:24-26. . . . When Pilate saw that he wasn't getting anywhere and that a riot was developing, he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this good man. The responsibility is yours!" And the mob yelled back, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after he had whipped Jesus, he gave him to the Roman soldiers to take away and crucify. TLB

LEARN QUICKLY!

12-1-2016. . . .LEARN QUICKLY!

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV)  No man is an island and no man stands alone.  Don't allow pride to stand in the way of promotion!  Humility before God is demonstrated through our humility and submission to those He has placed in authority over us.  This teaching process places us on a fast track to promotion.  The quicker we learn, the shorter the length of the lesson!  Learn quickly then and don't be a candidate for remedial training!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for our process to promotion.  Although at times we may become impatient, help us to humbly submit to the process and to those you are using to perfect us through it.  Amen!

 Prov 16:18. . . . Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. TLB