YOU WIN

Following God you win. There is no way around that contributing life factor, when you follow God you WIN. Regardless of the current scene, making the decision to defy enemy’s gravity and stand with full assurance on the promises you received in Christ, guarantees you success. God is honored the more confident you become in Him , the more assured you are that He will not only save you but present you a better alternative emboldens Him to pour His blessing and provisions more lavishly upon you. To think that your plan is in some way greater that God’s plan is a deceptive trap that is sure to lure you into depression, helplessness, and further away from the victory that is already afforded you in Christ Jesus. Today choose to stand strong, stand firm, believe God, trust God, continue to be faithful to the promises you’ve made to Christ and trust this known fact…..YOU WIN!

It’s backed in The Word

James 1:12-14 Proverbs 24:16 2Timothy 2:1-15 

Patience Confirms Maturity

To be patient confirms maturity. In waiting there is so much God wants to show you. Instead of questioning everything that happens or doesn't, redirect energy to the vibrations of His voice.  Become determined to hear Him speak by gaining as much as you can from the waiting experience. Sometimes timing is just off. What you want and/or desire maybe yours for the taking but not immediately, there is work to be done and time is critical. Patience creates an opportunity for new perspectives. Being distracted by  our own point of view may call for time to challenge and implement  different viewpoints. Being patient uncovers deception, deceit, or ill intent from yourself or those around you. Last but not least being patient allows God to truly reveal his character and unending love for you. By waiting you see God’s hand in the process and learn to appreciate another dimension of the favor on your life and the grace that has been afforded you. God has so much in store for you, you just have to wait for it. 

Its Backed In The Word

Romans 12:12 Jeremiah 29:11 Psalms 37:7-9 Romans8:24-25

Just In The Nick Of Time

You’re sitting around thinking God has forgotten about you; 

~You’re a single woman: No husband in sight

~You & your spouse have been trying to have a baby for months…years: No luck

~ You have a bill due in the next few days: No money

~ You need an encouraging word: Nobody to talk to?!?! 

You feel Alone, Abandoned!

You sit and wonder, “where the heck is God” wondering how many tears do you have to cry, how many prayers do you have to pray. Let’s be transparent you feel like there are no more tears left and no more words left to pray. You are over it! You are tired!

Well God has not forgotten you. He has a plan for your life so grandiose that if He told you there is no way you could handle it’s magnitude. It all sounds cliché’ but that doesn’t stop it from being the truth. I want to encourage you, be transparent with you and let you know that on this journey I have quit several times. I have told God "look you can have it I’m tired of trying". I have had many sleepless night, several broken hearts (my heart’s been broken so many times I didn’t even know it was possible), I've been too broke, not even $5 to my name……….. seriously,  you name the struggle I have been there or severely close. Through it all I can attest there has always been one solid factor, one thing that has always stayed the same. God! God has always been there for me no matter what. Even when He didn’t speak I could feel his breath as the wind blowed. I promise you every prayer that I have ever prayed in my entire life, has been answered. I still have a few pending requests but I am overly confidently that He can and will handle those request as well.

This I have learned: rarely does He answer the way I would hope, after all He’s boss not me….but He answers; and I can also say that despite my disappointment at times, as a result of  his response. it has ALWAYS been for my best interest looking back.

Yeah, I can agree sitting around with no money does not seem profitable in the least bit, or not having a husband or wife to go home to and being tempted by boyfriends/girlfriends in no way seems beneficial, nor does the quest to procreate yielding no creation at all, seem like its helping the world expand. I get it, trust me! But know that God’s sure plan is working for your good despite your knowledge.  Just in the nick of time God is going to show up, just as the door is closing….**Would you look a there***…..God will pop up on the scene.  He’s able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above anything you could ask or think! 

HE loves you! Be Encouraged

Jesus Is Not Who You Think He Is

 

Ok this is a bold statement because I am unsure of how you view Jesus. I am however going to base this devotional off the world’s painted image of Christ and challenge that perception to a more dignified and loving reality. First and foremost, Jesus is the definition of love. Think about it, He gave his body up for you and I so that through His blood we can receive salvation. So, not only does He love, (rather He is love) He saves. Jesus was also a human, which makes me appreciate Him even more because He knows what we go through daily. He was tempted, hurt, disappointed, betrayed, and even lied to, but He never gave into any of those negative forces. He fought His emotions and feelings and lived true to His best interest. He was fully aware and confident of His life’s purpose and lived everyday to the fullest, maximizing His benefit as God’s son.

 A true Leader, this man had SWAG ( I mean who else can take a ball of clay and make a working eye ball, or reattach the ear to a person He knew was about the kill Him, after his friend cut it off as an humanized attempt to protect Him) and gathered a following by simply supplying truth & love, driven to be an example. There was no fault in Him! No matter how hard people tired to come against Him they failed because He was true, He is the Truth. His loving heart and compassionate soul had dinner with sinners, was in the presence of prostitutes, hung out with the least likely and yet He used His gifts, His purpose to show others the love He was afforded through God and the love made available to them….. to us. He made the choice not to judge, although He could. He always made it clear that judgment was His Father’s job, however He was never afraid to tell it like it is, friend or foe, truth was truth and still is. He knew truth because He is the Truth.

Today, I want you to know that Jesus is the truth. Truth is love and truth saves. I am so happy to be connected with the Truth and I encourage you to latch on as well. Being mature enough to appreciate its hurts and chastisement, it’s (His) lastly value of love and salvation triumphs it all because ultimately the Truth was designed to both protect  us and keep us in perfect peace. Know Jesus for yourself and accept Truth!

Its backed in the Word

John 8: 13-17, John 14:6, John 9:6, Luke 22:47-53, Matthew 8:1-4, Luke 7:36-50, Matthew 11:19. Also in your leisure read the whole book of Matthew. I am always amazed by Jesus’ authority, swag, and confidence as He lived out his purpose. 

There is a Place For You Too

Ministry is given in stages, all one gospel but broken down into stages. There is a word, the Word, that can only be understood by a certain sector, in a certain way, in a certain season. Some ministries are tailored for the newbies in Christ. Their message is rather foundational, to the point, and very strict. This message has its place and given the chaos that newbies have recently transitioned from, better known as the world; a strict, easy, and no nonsense message may be applicable to help shift this new believer from their old destructive lifestyle into the abundant life afforded to them in Christ. This stage is necessary!

Deuteronomy Chapter 4 &5

Then there are ministries intended to help believers mature in Christ. These words, derived from the Word, reveals God in a more inclusive realm, presenting to the believer options on how to live out their faith, in Jesus Christ, totally empowered by Christ, so that they are able to filter the difference between God’s plan for their life individually and God’s plan for their teacher/minister's life individually or the direction of the ministries life of which they sit underneath.  There is an intended difference however this difference can only be recognized and put into effect properly by a mature believer.

Romans 7:7-24 Romans 8:1-14 1Peter 2:11-25

Then, well figuratively speaking first, there is a ministry for those who feel that all of these words, the Word, in their eyes is a bunch on nonsense. There is a Word for them too, a word, the Word which has a stage for them, complete with teachers who are equipped to go into the world & make Christ attractive to the non-believer. This ministry may not be valued by the other ministries,(most easily recognized as religion) despite the fact that it should , nor will the target audience for this ministry value the other stages of ministry, because spiritually speaking they can’t at this stage. 

  1 Corinthians 3 1Peter 2:1-9  

This dynamic of stages in ministries shows how versatile God’s Word is and how many believers misunderstand it and resort to segregating God’s most holy and valuable gift, His Word.  Stages build upon each other to reach an appointed end; segregation separates the whole, promoting competition, with hopes to make it to the end. God’s Word should be understood and valued in stages instead of promoted and enforced as segregation. 

We are all in this together!

WANTED: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

The enemy does not want to see you win. That is why he fills your head up with what you perceive as logical reasoning as to why you can’t give your life over to Christ. Some of his major hitters are:

1)      “You need to be right before you come to Christ”. – That’s a lie. The only way you can get right is through Christ; you were not equipped with the ability to get yourself “together” alone. Case and point, consider your fluctuating moods and emotions? If everything were up to you, you would never fully make up your mind to surrender to Christ 100%, its impossible. Those fluid feelings and emotions would overrule that decision the moment something, in your eyes, didn't go as you'd "expected". So don't allow your actions to dictate your decisions......  give yourself to Him ASAP and trust Him with the rest. John 14:6

2)      “You have plenty of time”- That’s a lie. We all know how unpredictable death can be—to US that is. God knew when you’d be born and He knows where you are going to check out of here. Why not surrender to The One who holds all the cards, why wait until you die to take a gamble whether or not you will get a chance to live the good life. Accepting Christ now guarantees you the good life on earth and after you die! Ecclesiastes 3

 

3)      “God is too restrictive”- Whoop another LIE! I can tell you this: God has your best interest at heart, that’s what He does!! Once again God knows everything; so has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps the things He doesn’t want you to do is for legitimate reasons? Perhaps because He is actually privy to the FINAL AFFECT it will have on you! God wants us to have life and have it abundantly…..that doesn’t seem restrictive to me! John 10:10

4)      “All church people are hypocrites”- So what if they are!?!? Their relationship with God should not color the way you see Him. Thank goodness He gave you your own set of eyes to see and your own   ability to filter mess when you hear it….. so why not use the resources He gave you?? Understanding that people are people and everyone does things in a way that makes sense to them, will carry you far in life! Read the Word for yourself and know what God wants you to do. Mark 7:6-13

Do not allow the enemy to hold you back any longer with his lies. God is ready and waiting for you, He wants you to WIN….Come to HIM......Trust HIM!

Now That's Life

Fact: The notion that life is this wonderful experience where everything goes our way, everyone agrees with one another, and everyday problems are nonexistent is a fairy tale that should only be looked forward to by kingdom builders(a placed called Heaven).

 God in no way promised us a stress-free, problem-free life on earth but take heart He did promise each of a life full of abundance. This abundance includes everything you need to stand against the tactics of the enemy, make the best decisions for your life, be successful, and accomplish anything you put you mind to in Him. Everyday will not be Sunday and thank God because the fulfillment of your desires may lie on a Monday afternoon or Thursday morning, and the repetition of Sundays only impairs your likelihood of reaching fulfillment. 

With that practice thanking God for everything, praise Him for every single day, worship Him for the good and the bad, and lastly respect His faultless decisions. He truly has the best for you; a plan so awesome, your human mind could never process a viable explanation for the places He will take you, or the plans He has already established for you. Be it a trail of peace and harmony designed to encourage you as you continue living, or a bout of hardships and challenges that will forcefully develop your strength and character........ it all works together, ultimately for His good and your benefit!

Be Encouraged

Its backed in the Word

2 Peter 1:3-10 Romans 8:28-39 Hebrews 12: 1-6