MOVE AHEAD OF THE STORM!

3-28-2019. . . .MOVE AHEAD OF THE STORM!

"Finally, the seventh time, his servant told him, "I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea."  Then Elijah shouted, "Hurry to Ahab and tell him to get into his chariot and get down the mountain, or he'll be stopped by the rain!"  And sure enough, the sky was soon black with clouds, and a heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm. Ahab left hastily for Jezreel, and the Lord gave special strength to Elijah so that he was able to run ahead of Ahab's chariot to the entrance of the city! (1 Kings 18:44-46 TLB)  

What starts out small could develop into a raging storm.  Don't get caught gazing at the clouds.  Be proactive and move ahead of the storm!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for insight and foresight.  Help us to always be prepared and in position before the storms of life come.  Amen!

 Ps 55:8. . . . I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm."  NIV

DON'T BE DECEIVED!

3-26-2019. . . .DON'T BE DECEIVED!

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."  (Rev 20:10 KJV) 

Contrary to popular belief, the devil is not and will not be the supervisor of hell!   It will be his place of eternal punishment.  He'd love to deceive as many as he can so he won't have to be alone as he burns.  DON'T BE DECEIVED!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that hell was not created for any person but reserved the devil and his angels. We pray that you use us daily to compel everyone we can to accept your invitation and secure their future with you.  Amen!

2 Peter 3:9. . . .The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

KJV

GROWING AND FLOURISHING!

3-14-2019. . . .GROWING AND FLOURISHING! 

“But the godly shall flourish like palm trees and grow tall as the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the Lord's own garden and are under his personal care.” (Ps 92:11-14 TLB)  

Have you seen it….can you feel it? It’s happening! You are growing and flourishing because of where you are planted. The brief moments of uneasiness we sometimes experience in life are simply God pruning and caring for those planted in His garden!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being our caretaker. We are growing and flourishing daily because we are planted in your very own garden. Thank you! Amen.

Isa 61:3. . . .To all who mourn in Israel he will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness. For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory. TLB

THE SOLUTION NOT THE PROBLEM!

3-13-19. . . .THE SOLUTION NOT THE PROBLEM!

"In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of people who are crooked and stubborn." (Phil 2:14-15 TLB) 

Complaining and arguing accomplishes nothing so why waste time doing it?  We are to be known as Sons and Daughters of God; not those who argue and complain!  Remember, be a part of the solution and not part of the problem!

Prayer: Lord, although it is challenging at times not to complain and even argue with crooked and stubborn people, thank you for giving us grace to get pass it and keep our tongues so as not to bring shame and blame upon ourselves and more importantly, the Kingdom.  Amen!

Matt 5:14-15. . . .You are the world's light-a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don't hide your light!  Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.  TLB

YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVERMORE!

3-12-2019. . . .YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVERMORE!

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6 KJV) 

Prior to Christopher Columbus' discovery of the new world in 1492, it was thought and held to be true that the known world was flat.  New facts, however, rendered that truth invalid.  The truth of Jesus, the truth about Jesus, and the truth that is Jesus are not relative truths; they will not change!   He is our direction (the Way); He is our complete instruction (the Truth); He is our revelation (the Life).  Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forevermore! 

PRAYER: Lord, in you we have everything we need!  You are our way, truth, and life!  Thank you that you never change!  Amen.

Heb 13:8-9. . . .Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God, not from ceremonial rules about eating certain foods-a method which, by the way, hasn't helped those who have tried it! TLB

DEFER AND SUCCEED!

3-8-2019. . . .DEFER AND SUCCEED!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  (Phil 4:13 KJV) 

What we may lack in our own ability and power, we can fully accomplish through Christ and His enabling power in us.  Simply defer to Him and succeed.  

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for your enabling power!  There is nothing we cannot accomplish for the kingdom when we defer to you.  Amen.

Eph 1:19-21. . . . I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power  that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader.  TLB

TIME AND TIME AGAIN!

3-7-2019. . . .TIME AND TIME AGAIN!

“Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.” (Ps 94:17-18 KJV)

Death certainly would have been our dwelling place if God had not helped us! Time and time again He has come through for us. Even when we did not deserve it, His mercy sustained us. Can I acknowledge it again. . . . . Time and Time again He helped us!

Prayer: Lord, there has never been a time you have not helped us. Where would we be without You? Thank You for always helping us time and time again. Amen.

Ps 109:26-28 . . . . Help me, O Lord my God! Save me because you are loving and kind.  Do it publicly so all will see that you yourself have done it. TLB

DON'T MISS HIS MESSAGE!

3-6-2019. . . .DON'T MISS HIS MESSAGE!

"Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." (2 Chron 7:15 KJV) 

Let us daily lift our voices unto the Lord!  He is always watching and listening with great anticipation of hearing from us.  He not only wants to hear from us, but He also wants to say something to us!  Don't miss His message!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for always being available to us.  Help us to seek you daily with open hearts, minds and ears to hear what you have to say to us.  Amen!

Jer 33:3. . . .Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. KJV

I AM ALL YOU NEED!

3-5-2019. . .  .I AM ALL YOU NEED!

"Each time he said, "No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people." Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ's power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities." (2 Cor 12:9-10 TLB)  

When God tells us no, it is not simply a demonstration or exercise of divine prerogative. (Although if He so chose, He would be well within His rights to do so)  More often than not, however, His greater purpose is to illuminate our greater need!  We think we know what we need, but God really knows what we need and is well able to supply that need.  His answer to us today is the same as His answer was to the Apostle Paul; "I AM ALL YOU NEED!"

PRAYER: Lord, you are our El Shaddai; our sufficiency!  You are all we need and more than we deserve.  All praise, honor, and glory be yours forever and ever.  Amen!

Phil 4:18-20. . . .You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. 

WE ARE WHO WE ARE!

3-1-2019. . . .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." (Matt 4:3 KJV) 

Although, the enemy tempts us to do things out of character to prove who we are, like Jesus, we never deviate from God's word which is His expressed will. We never have to prove to the enemy or anyone else who we are, we simply just be who we are!

Prayer: Lord, thank you that through your Son Jesus, you have made us your children.  We have nothing to prove to the enemy or anyone else.  Amen!

1 John 3:1-2. . . . See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children-think of it-and we really are! But since most people don't know God, naturally they don't understand that we are his children. TLB