By Faith

The phrase by faith appears 15 times in Hebrews chapter 11. We read in Hebrews 11:38…the just shall live by faith. But what is faith? The Oxford Dictionary describes faith as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Complete trust or confidence. I love this definition. It so aligns with our belief in Our God. We have complete trust and confidence in Him. We also read in Hebrews 11:3 that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. In essence, what we see is made from what we do not see. Faith is invisible. It is the hope that we have for what we expect to manifest.



Have you ever hoped for something, or had faith for something that manifested? How did it make you feel when the thing you were hoping for was manifested? You probably praised God. Those around you who may not have had faith, or may not have known your journey, may have thought what you saw as a blessing as just something that happened. They may not have known the prayers, the sleepless nights (although God tells us we should not stay up late worrying Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.) and sometimes even the tears that you shed while you awaited the manifestation.



Well if God does not want us to worry while we wait, what should we do? We should thank Him for what we are seeking and act as though we have already received it. Mark 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.



Paul summarizes the behavior we should exhibit in Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. He tells us to be content where we are, never losing site and expectation of where we want to be.



Hebrews 11:8 by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.



Imagine if you will, being told to leave your home, a place where you are comfortable. A place where you are familiar with the land and your surroundings. What would you do? Would you have faith like Abraham, or would you lean unto your own understanding as we so often do?



Genesis 12:1 -5 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.



The promises God made to Abraham are simply amazing. They are exceeding abundantly above all Abraham could ask or think, Ephesians 3:30. The second portion of the scripture reads according to the power that worketh in us. What power is the scripture referring to? It is referring to the power of God, His Holy Spirit and His Faith, the faith that He has given each of us. Romans 12:3…God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.



God has given us the measure of faith. You cannot say you do not have faith. Recognizing and acknowledging that you have faith is key. You must also use your faith.



Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.




God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. What is diligence? According to the Oxford Dictionary, diligence is careful and persistent work or effort. Careful, done with thought and persistent. Continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Yes! Let us diligently seek The Lord.




When I think about persistence, I am reminded of Luke 18:1-8.  Talk about persistent. The widow in this parable was nothing if not persistent.





And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?





Where is your faith? Do you have faith like Abraham to venture out when God gives you direction without knowing where you may land? Are you diligently seeking what you desire, like the widow woman?



Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 



By faith you shall receive.

DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD HEARS YOU?

How many times have you sought the Lord? I mean really sought the Lord. Perhaps you were on your knees praying. You may have been in the midst of worshipping Him or praising Him and felt an insatiable desire to cry out to God, to be in his presence. Maybe you were studying His Word. Or, you may have been sitting silently, listening for that still small voice. Regardless of the method you use to seek God, we read in 1John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Is it Gods will for us to seek Him? Of course, it is His will. As a matter of fact, He says in Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. We are to seek Him first. We’ve established that He wants us to seek Him, and because seeking Him is His will, when we seek Him we can be confident that He hears us.  Not only can we be confident, and know that He hears us, whatever we ask, and again, this is according to His will, we will have the petitions, those things that we desire, or ask of Him.


Do you know that He hears you? This is a rhetorical question. I am telling you God does hear you. He hears you when you ask according to His will. I don’t want to simplify this, but I want you to think about a time you placed an . You found an item you wanted to purchase, you placed your order and you received it. Let's delve into this a little deeper. After you placed the order you expected to receive it. If you had tracking information you may have checked to see when the item would arrive. Depending on the item that you ordered, you may have made plans for how you would use the item. Barring there was not a problem with shipping, you had no doubt your item would be received. 


Again, I’m not trying to simplify, nor am I trying to equate seeking God to placing an online order. What I am telling you is that you can take God at His word. We read in   Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  His word will not return void, but will accomplish what He sends it forth to accomplish. If Gods word is true and will not return void, I dare say it is our unbelief that prevents us from receiving what we seek. Gods timing may not always align with our timing. But His timing is always perfect.


What are you seeking? Is what you are seeking according to Gods will? If your answer to these questions is yes, then my next question is do you know that He hears you? If you have again answered yes, as simple as it may sound, place your confidence in Him and expect God to fulfil his promise. Expect to receive the petitions, or the desires that you ask of Him.

Don’t Allow Your Circumstances to Steal Your Joy

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Every now and then, I find myself in not so ideal circumstances. Sometimes by my own creation and sometimes not. Either way, I always look to God to bail me out. What I’ve learned from this last circumstance is to look at the big picture. As I began to critique my own actions pondering the steps that landed me where I was, I thought about my old standby. One of my favorite scriptures, Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. All things means just that, all things. It doesn’t mean just the good things. It doesn’t mean the things that are so, so, where no one profits, and no one gets hurt. It means all things.

But let’s take a step back. Before my epiphany, I felt the pity party trying to start. All the usual guests started showing up. Guilt, sorrow, disgust, anger, and oh yes, regret. What kind of pity party would it be without regret? Would’ve, should’ve and could’ve showed up. You know they always travel together. But then someone else showed up just as I was closing the door getting ready to start the party. It was Mercy. Mercy quickly walked in and evicted the other guests, saying there’s no pity party here. Not while I’m here. I immediately grabbed Mercy by the hand, thankful for the reminder. Instead of playing songs of sorrow I began to play songs of worship to the God that already knew I would be right where I was at that time. And just as Mercy reminded me, God began to give me that peace that surpasses all understanding.

When I look at the big picture, the reason for the circumstance was also coupled with many blessings that I could never have imagined. I was right where I believe God wanted me to be for the blessings to occur, and I will even go as far as to say for miracles to occur.

Things don’t always go as planned even when there is a blessing tied to them, but what I don’t think we always consider is that God is always in control. The best example I can think of is Jacob. Jacob connived his way into getting his brothers blessing. He was duped by his future father-in-law. He feared retaliation from his brother. What Jacob did not know, was that it was Gods will all along for him to receive His blessing.

When we fall into those not so ideal circumstances, the thief is standing right there to pounce. His job, that he does oh so well, is to steal, to kill and destroy. He robs us of our peace, our sleep, our health. He can, when he is working his hardest, and we do not have the strength to put on our armor, even rob us of our life. His tactics may cause us to lose relationships; material things such as houses and cars. How does he do this? It’s simple. When you go into a battle you must be prepared. You can’t start preparing after the battle. You are sure to lose. Have you ever watched how a prize fighter prepares for a fight?  The fighter will change their diet; their exercise routine, they prepare their weapons, their body and their mind. We must do the same. We must prepare.

What are our weapons? We read in 2Corinthians 10:4 -5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

We are also admonished in Ephesians 6:11put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and in verse 17, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Take the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. In other words, the way to prepare for battle is to arm yourself. Read the word of God. Study the word, meditate on it day and night. When you read, study; meditate on the word it becomes a part of you. It becomes the helmet of salvation enabling you to cast down imaginations.

Let’s pause right here. How many of you know when those not so ideal circumstances come, your mind begins to imagine the worst-case scenario? You begin to have those thoughts that are contrary to the word of God. You forget about Gods promises. Fear enters in. The enemy has his foot in the door. All he wants is your mind.

Think about it.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, Ephesians 6:12. Our battle is against an enemy we can’t even see. But guess what? The battle was won over 2000 years ago on Calvary’s cross. It’s up to us to maintain our stance. It’s up to us to stand our ground. Isaiah 59:19(b) When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Your word filled mind coupled with the Holy Spirit reminding you of what God has told you, as well as what Jesus did on the cross is all you need to conquer the enemy.

It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. Too often we wait until those not so ideal circumstances arrive before we put on our armor. Imagine those fiery darts coming at your head and your helmet of salvation along with your sword of the spirit are on your beside table, or in your car. You’re defenseless.

One of the great things about our God is that He is always there. He always hears our cries. Even when we haven’t prepared for the battle and the enemy is trying his best to topple us over. When we cry out to God, as I stated previously our God will lift up a standard against the enemy. We may suffer a couple of bumps and bruises since we entered the battle without our armor, but we will survive.

When the enemy tries to steal your joy, it’s up to you to stop him. God inhabits the praises of His people. Change your song. Instead of singing woe is me. Begin to worship the Lord. Sing praises to His name. When you are worshipping God, your mind cannot think about your circumstances. You will be consumed with the love of God. Don’t allow the enemy is any form to steal what is rightfully yours. Proclaim your victory.

Just Say Yes

I was texting my cousin the other day and said in my text that I was declaring 2018 as the year of yes. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to procrastinate when it comes to what I believe is Gods will for my life. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have also allowed “real life” to stand in my way. What do I mean by “real life?”  For me, “real life” refers to my day to day living. Like many of you that are pursuing your passion or what you believe is God’s will for your life, I work a full-time job. My full-time job often spills over into late night and even weekend hours. The time, my time, which should be reserved for doing what I want to do, or in my case, what I believe God wants me to do as of late has been dedicated to my 9-5. Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful for my job, but I can’t help but to ask myself where I would be if I committed the same amount of time to my passion that I commit to my 9-5.

As I look towards 2018 I’m looking for a new beginning, a new opportunity to say yes. We automatically say yes to those things that we feel we don’t have any control over or those things that are expected of us. I’m employed. It’s expected of me to not only give 100%, but to give my all. I have a family. It’s expected of me to commit myself and go over and above for my family. But what about Gods purpose for my life? Are my job and my family part of God’s purpose for my life? Of course, they are but so is the passion that God has placed in me.

I’m one of those all or none people. I don’t like to start something I can’t complete. I don’t want to commit to something that I cannot see through to the end. This is a challenge for me because life happens. Obstacles appear out of nowhere. I become frustrated with myself when things get in my way that prevent me from moving forward. Those of you that follow my blog probably noticed I was blogging less frequently, then I finally stopped. Well it was the ole 9-5 that was taking up my time. I have been working nights and weekends. Because of my personal work ethic, I don’t see things in my 9-5 changing in the immediate future. I have however decided to make changes. My commitment to my 9-5 ensures I excel in the work place, but what about the souls that are being neglected because I don’t have time to pursue my passion?

In 2018 I’m saying yes. Yes, Lord to your way and yes Lord to Your will. I believe when I rest in the Lord, acknowledging Him in ALL that I do, that He will direct my path. I’m going to seek God. I’m going to listen. I’m going to be still long enough to hear from God. I’m going to accept that He knows my heart and the desires of my heart because He has given me those desires. In doing so, I am going to understand God will also bring my desires to pass because He is the only One that can. I am going to recognize that a little bit is better than none. Whatever the Lord gives me to share in whatever format I can share it is better than not sharing it at all.

I can’t expect everyone to understand nor support my dreams but I can have faith that the God that has given me those dreams will bring them to pass in His time.

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9

I invite you to join me in making 2018 your year of yes. The year of moving forward in all that God has prepared for a people that will move themselves out of His way, removing all barriers so that He can move mightily through them as He gets all the glory.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WHY

Sometimes we get so caught up in why things are happening that it immobilizes us and prevents us from moving forward. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to ask God why, but He may not always answer. If He doesn’t answer, or doesn’t provide the answer we are seeking we must still move forward. When you get caught up in why something has happened you may feel sorry for yourself, have a pity party, walk around with a woe is me mentality. A woe is me mentality can be described as a feeling of distress, sadness, or grief, all of which we know God does not want us to wallow in. As a matter of fact, He wants just the opposite for us. He gives us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. We don’t always see our way clear while in the midst of a storm, but once we get through the storm we always recognize and acknowledge it is God that has brought us through the storm. It’s my opinion, that when we start thinking we could have done something to prevent something from happening, or we try to fix something that has happened we are being prideful. I’m not saying we shouldn’t take responsibility for our actions. What I am saying is that when we think we could have changed something that was beyond our control we shift our confidence from being in God to being in ourselves. We know we cannot change what has already occurred, so instead we seek God for wisdom. We ask Him to give us guidance and instruction, while at the same time giving us the peace and strength that we need to get through whatever we encounter. We can’t allow others to blame us for things that are not our fault. If you train up your child up in the way in which they should go, and they commit a crime it’s not your fault. If you do everything you can in a situation and things do not go as planned it’s not your fault. Don’t let people goad you into thinking something is your fault when it is not your fault. Once again you are getting caught up in the why. We can either get caught up in “the why” and literally make ourselves sick, with headaches, high blood pressure, knots in our stomachs and restless nights, or we can decide to seek God and His peace, recognizing that what’s done is done and worrying about what has already occurred will not change it. Change the way you think. Instead of thinking about why, think about who. Think about who can bring you comfort, who can bring you strength and who can bring you peace regardless of why. Think about Jesus.

How Quickly We Forget

When things are going well we may not think about how we are faring. It’s almost as though we take our state of being for granted. Sure, we have our occasional aches and pains. We may overcook a meal, arrive late for an appointment, or get angry when we get stuck in traffic. We have those aw man moments, but we quickly get over them. Life is good. We are walking by faith. But when things in our lives are not going the way we have planned, the way we expect them to go or the way we would like for them to go we can become discouraged. When our brief aw man moments linger we may sink into despair. We may have doubt, or even question whether we are in Gods will. We may even say to ourselves this is too much. Don’t allow your emotions to keep you from your destiny. The enemy will try to convince you that you are not qualified for what God has told you that you are qualified. He will use whomever, or whatever he can, including your own thoughts to persuade you into thinking that you are not going to make it, that you are incapable of reaching your goal or achieving your destiny. The enemy wants you to forget that your life is predestined. He wants you to forget that God created your destiny before you were born. He wants you to forget that what God has purposed no man can stop. Today may be bright and sunny, we are out and about, enjoying life. But when the storm comes we run for cover. We pull our heads into our shell like a tortoise. We may even shut down. Instead of praising God like we were when it was sunny, depending on the severity of our storm, we may barely open our mouth to pray. Where’s our faith? We read in James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Are you forgetting who you are? If we are walking by faith only when things are going well, are we really walking by faith? I believe we are as the man James has described. When things are going well we are standing on Gods promises, proclaiming them to the world. But when things go awry rather than Gods promises being in the forefront of our mind we allow our situation, the cares of the world or whatever the enemy is using to distract us to take precedence. We forget whose we are, children of the most high God, and we forget who we are, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, the righteousness of God. God is saying to you this day “I have given you my promise, and unlike man I cannot lie.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Whatever God has promised you will come to pass. Don’t give up on the you God created you to be. Stand firm on His promises. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You are more than a conqueror. Overcoming is your destiny.

Today is Your Day

When people around you seem to be content where they are, you may need to move away from them to get to where you need to be. You can’t allow people, places, or things to stunt your growth. God has a plan for your life which you will only achieve by being in motion; pressing towards His destiny for your life. Every one of us has been placed on this earth for a purpose. It is your right and your responsibility to fulfill your purpose. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. We must make a conscious effort to pursue our purpose. Nothing happens when you do nothing. Everything takes effort. It takes effort for you to listen to or read these words. It takes effort to decide to change where you are and what you are doing. It takes effort to create a plan to move forward. It takes effort to make steps in a new direction, or continue in the right direction. And it all starts with you. No one can do it for you. Words can motivate, people can encourage and inspire, but you must make the effort. Don’t depend on someone else to join you or pull you along the way. It’s great to have someone in your corner to cheer you on with each step, but you must keep moving. Even when there isn’t anyone physically there, God is always there. Oftentimes we depend on validation from man to know we are moving in the right direction. What more do we need than the encouragement of The One who placed us on this journey in the first place. Just as the Lord God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:8, He is saying the same thing to you and me. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Now is the time to move forward. Now is the time to make a decision to follow the path that has already been laid out for you. Now is the time to put the past behind, gird up your loins, move forward and not look back. What are you going to do today to make a change in your life?