Happy New Year

This will be the last message I send out this year. I pray that you have enjoyed 2010 and that the messages you have received have been a blessing to you. I also pray that the Father would continue to give me fresh revelation and insight concerning what to write every day, so that both you and I could have a fresh Word every morning to help get our day started off right.

Last Sunday the Father told me that: if you can look back and understand why you were born (that's your God-given purpose) and also be able to look forward and see, through your spiritual eyes, where you are going (that's your God-given vision), then your why and your where will inform the what of 2011. The following is a portion of my notes; I hope this blesses you as you prepare for 2011:

This is a time when we should:

1. Take self-inventory for the past year.
a. Have I made any progress?
b. Am I where I thought I would be?
c. Am I where God's expects me to be?
d. What did I do right?
e. What did I do wrong?

2. Prepare for the New Year.
a. What does the Father want me to do in 2011?
b. What portions of my destiny will be fulfilled in 2011?
c. Do I have the faith to see it?
d. Do I have the faith to see myself doing it?
e. Do I have the faith to partner with God to make it happen?

(Jer 1:5 MSG) "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations-that's what I had in mind for you."
• God told Jeremiah that he had a specific assignment! - the WHY!
• This assignment was determined BEFORE he was ever born.
• Jeremiah's job, and all of ours for that matter, is to find this purpose, because if we don't we will aimlessly wander our way through life.
• God's provision is tied to his purpose. In verses 6-12 we see that God provided Jeremiah everything he needed to fulfill his Godly assignment.
• If Jeremiah would have pursued something else, that provision would not have been there.

Dr. Myles Munroe explains it this way:
"If you pursue the wrong assignment, you're going to need things you can't get, because the provision isn't there unless the vision is yours. It's someone else's assignment, and he has his own warehouse. Sometimes, people make demands on God that He can't supply because He can't give us what doesn't belong to us. Again, knowing God's will for your life is the key to your prosperity."

What do we learn from this?

1. If it's God's will, then it's God's bill!
• God is obligated to provide what you need to fulfill His assignment.
2. His instruction is equal to His Injection!
• God will never instruct you to do something that He has not already injected you with
3. Understanding Your Purpose frees you to Celebrate others without jealousy.
• Don't hate, celebrate!

(Prov 29:18 AMP) Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.

Let's break down Proverbs 29:18:
The word translated vision literally means revelation.
The word translated perish means to loosely stumble.
The word translated keepth means to guard, protect, and take heed to.
The word translated law means the instruction, direction, and teachings of God.
The word translated happy literally means blessed or empowered to prosper.
Read in this light, our texts tells us that, "Those who do not hear from God and receive His revelation, loosely stumble through life, but those who take heed to and protect His instructions, direction and teachings are be blessed and empowered to prosper." (Piña Version)

A Vision helps you focus your efforts. You can't do everything!

(1st Cor 6:12 MSG) Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims.

Just because you CAN do something, it does not mean that you should. People with vision know what they should do and they focus their efforts therein. People without vision are people that fail to operate in discipline, because they lack the direction to make the right decisions.

Example: Let's say a woman wanted to lose 20 lbs. this year. How does she establish her base for motivation? She gets a picture - a vision - of herself 20 lbs. lighter. She then keeps that vision before her whenever she is about to eat.

I define discipline as the ability to make the proper decisions that will take you towards a desired end. So, while she is eating, if she keeps the vision before her and she allows the vision to become the ruler by which she makes the decisions on what to and what not to eat, then she would be operating in discipline and she would someday arrive at her expected end.

Now, if she went into Home Town Buffet and paid $8.95, she would have legal right to ALL the items on the buffet. But just because she CAN eat all the items on the buffet, it does not mean that she should. If she keeps her vision before her and she operates in discipline, she will avoid the wrong foods, eat the right foods, and still remain on course to arrive at her expected end.

In this case, where there is no vision, the FOOD will perishJ!

What does Vision provide?
A ruler by which to judge your decisions.
A guide for the overall direction of your life.
A basis for prayer.
1. A vision enables you to be focused in your prayer life.
2. A vision enables you to be focused in your study life.
3. A vision enables you to know what to pray, to put faith pressure on God to open doors, to bring to pass what you are believing Him for!

Dr. Munroe says, "The primary value of purpose is the translation of vision derived from purpose into a plan of action. Purpose maximizes energy and gives time meaning. Purpose protects you from being busy, but not effective... Purpose that is translated into a vision causes things to happen and people to act. This is true because purpose creates vision, vision produces goals, goals permit the development of a plan and a plan allows for an orderly journey."

In Closing:

1. Once you understand the WHY and the WHERE of your life, you can start to lay out the WHAT (what you will do) of 2011.

2. You are not going to arrive at your final destination in 2011, but there are some things the Father wants you to do in 2011 that will take you incrementally closer to His expected end for your life.

3. Spend time in prayer between now and the end of January.

4. Write down whatever the Father gives you in prayer.

5. STEP OUT in Faith to bring those things to pass!

6. Revisit the Vision periodically to make sure you are staying on course!

(2nd Timothy 4:7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
• Paul never could have said that he finished HIS course if he did not know what it was!

My prayer for you is that you:
1. Find it!
2. Follow it!
3. Finish it -BEFORE YOU DIE!

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Get Sweet Sleep

(Psalm 127:2 KJV) 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.

This morning we continue with Help! I'm getting STRESSED Out" where we are looking at Biblical ways to handle and deal with negative stress. I believe that one of the greatest things you can do to combat negative stress is to get a good night's rest. The negative effects of sleeplessness are so detrimental that sleep depravation is recognized as one of the worst torture mechanisms that can be levied on a captive. Going without sleep can adversely affect you physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually; and the sad reality is that most Americans don't get enough sleep because of their busy schedules and when they finally lay down their sleep is not 'sweet'. With that in mind, let's look at five things that can help us, as believers, get better sleep:

1. Establish the Trust Factor and resist worry: We talked about trust yesterday and trust is a key factor in getting good sleep. Why? Because what keeps most people up at night is worry, but you can't worry and trust at the same time. Either you are going to trust God or you are going to worry, but you can't do both. Solomon said, "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" (Psalm 127:2). Don't allow worry to feed you a steady diet of sorrowful bread. Trust God and allow Him to give you, as His beloved, sweet sleep. Before you go to sleep, remind the Father of this scripture, tell Him that you trust Him, and ask Him to GIVE you sweet sleep.

2. Get rooted and grounded in Love: When we are completely convinced that the Father loves us, it truly helps us to trust Him, to resist the incapacitating power of fear, and to enter into God's rest. John said, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" (1st John 4:18). When you are rooted and grounded in God's love fear has no power over you. Allow the Father's love to flood your heart and your mind, and as you do fear will be flushed out.

3. Rest in the fact that God is your protector: If God is IN you, ON you, WITH you, and FOR you, what do you have to be afraid of? David said, "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8). David's son Solomon said, "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet" (Prov 3:24)
Trust that God will protect you and sleep in peace and your sleep with be SWEET.

4. Remember that God is still up: The psalmist said, "Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps" (Psalm 121:4). We know that God never goes to sleep. Now this might sound funny, but there have been times when I, just before going to sleep, would say this to God, "Father, you are up, so there is no need in both of us being up. I am going to sleep." He is up so that you don't have to be. GO TO SLEEP!

5. Have fun: If you are miserable all day, then you will more-than-likely be the same at night. Don't live a miserable life. Enjoy your life in Christ and have FUN! Solomon said, "A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Prov 17:22). If you have fun during the day, you will also have fun while you sleep and your sleep will be sweet!

Father, I establish the trust factor in my life. My unwavering trust in You enables me to resist worry at all costs. I refuse to stay up worrying. I am also rooted and grounded in Your love. Your love enables me to resist every inkling to fear. Your love floods my heart and my mind and as it does, it flushes out all fear. Fear has no power over me and I am convinced that You Father are my protector. You are on me, in me, with me, and for me; I have nothing to be afraid of. You are always up; therefore I don't need to be. I have fun in You all day and then I go to sleep with a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and Your rest in my spirit. When I sleep my sleep is sweet. I get sleep and rest daily! In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Unwavering Trust

Isa 26:3 NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

This morning we continue with : "Help! I'm getting STRESSED Out" Trust me when I say that in writing this I am so being attacked in this area myself. We are looking at Biblical ways to handle and deal with negative stress. I hope you enjoyed Christmas and that you have found a way to take a break from the normal hustle and bustle of life. I have and the break has been awesome. I have slept in a few days and have just enjoyed my time away from work even though it was only one day.

I have found that if I am not careful, stress can surely find a way into my life and once it gets in, it can negatively affect every area of my life. Another Biblical way to conquer the negative effects of stress is to take control of your thought life. At the end of the day, you are who you THINK you are. If you see yourself as blessed, you will subconsciously find ways to walk in the blessing. If you see yourself as stressed, you will subconsciously find ways to get stressed out. With that in mind, let's look at something the prophet Isaiah said about a peace that is available to those who fix and focus their minds on God, because of their underlying trust in Him!

Before we get into it I want you to read this verse from a couple of other translations as well. This will help you get a better understanding of what Isaiah is teaching us. God's Word translation reads: "With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you." The Bible in Basic English reads: "The man whose heart is unmoved you will keep in peace, because his hope is in you."

The Hebrew word translated "mind" in this text can refer to the mind itself or to anything that is formed by the mind - its thoughts, imaginations, plans, schemes, etc. Whether Isaiah is referring to the mind or what the mind produces, either way, the message is clear that when our mind (thoughts, plans, ideas, imaginations, etc.) is fixed and focused on God, there is an awesome peace that is made available to us.

Now, let's talk about this peace. While the English translations say "perfect peace," in Hebrew what is written is actually 'shalom shalom.' Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and Isaiah repeats it as he writes this verse. Repeating a word was a Hebrew way of emphasizing a point. This perfect peace, or peace-peace, is a complete sense of wholeness, contentment, and rest that cannot be disturbed or agitated by pressures of life. Why? Because this person completely trusts in His God.

The trust factor is truly the key to this verse and it can easily be overlooked when reading it. Most people focus on the words "mind" and "peace" but only reason why our mind can be fixed and focused on God, undisturbed by the distressing anxieties of life, is because we trust Him. Listen, if you have read my messages for any length of time you know that I teach faith. The just shall live by faith and we cannot please God without it. Faith is absolutely essential to our walk with the Father. We are to express confidence (faith) in God and in His Word. But trust really takes us to another level. We stand in faith when we believe we know what God is going to do, in accordance with what He promised. But there are times when we have no clue what is going on or what God is going to do. On those occasions we better have our trust intact. Without trust we can easily cross over into doubt and once doubt grips our heart it is only a matter of time before we cross over into fear and unbelief.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you must be able to trust God even when you cannot trace Him (know what He is going to do). Unwavering trust is what opens the door to peace-peace, this perfect peace that cannot be shaken, stirred, or disturbed! Do you trust God today?

Father, I thank You for this Word. I want that peace-peace that is available to me and I declare that I will receive it today, because I trust You. I live by faith and I stand on every promise You give me. But when I don't have a promise to stand on, and I am not at the faith stage, I still trust You. I trust You with my whole heart and my unwavering trust in You is what helps me keep my mind fixed and focused on Your goodness. I close the door to fear, doubt, and unbelief, I walk in faith and trust every day of my life, and I experience the life You desire for me to have! In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

A Christmas Message

(John 3:16 KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ok, I could not resist, I had to send out something about Christmas, especially with it being just a couple of days away. This message came from the most familiar verse in the Bible, John 3:16. It is a message that is still pertinent today. I pray it is a blessing:

The Giver: For God. We all enjoy receiving gifts from others. If we would be honest, some gifts mean more to us because they come from "that" special person in our lives. The gift I speak of this morning, this special gift, comes from the greatest giver - Jehovah Himself. I pray you will receive gifts from others this Christmas and I truly hope that you enjoy them and the precious people who gave them to you, but no gift could ever come from anyone more precious than God!

The Grace: so loved. I call this grace because grace could be defined as receiving something you do not deserve. We did not deserve Jesus: His birth, His life, or His death. God was motivated by love. While we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8), God demonstrated His love for us by sending His only begotten son to suffer, bleed, die, and then rise from the dead for our sin. Love caused the greatest giver to give the greatest gift.

The Gift: His only begotten Son. Soon the media will announce what the #1 gift of this Christmas season was (in their eyes). I want to remind you this morning that the greatest gift that has ever been given was given on Calvary's cross. The words "only begotten" in our text come from the Greek word (monogenes). This word is a compound word: mono, which means single or singular and genes, which is where we get our gene structure (DNA). In other words, Jesus was only person ever born with God's DNA. I jokingly say that He had blood type "G." He was born like no other. He came directly from God, through Mary (not Joseph).

The Recipients: the world. God gave His gift for the entire world. Unlike many of us, God is not prejudice. We will gladly tell someone about Jesus if they look like we look or act like we act, but we oftentimes shun from unfamiliar or uncommon people. God gave His gift for everyone; regardless of race, color, creed, or gender. He gave His gift for the person you cannot get along with and the family member that you have never forgiven. He gave, period! It is our responsibility to perpetuate this gift throughout a dying and decaying world. Salvation is for everyone!

The Requirement: whosoever believeth. You should know by now what it means to believe in Jesus. The text says "whosoever;" meaning that any person who opens up themselves to the possibility of believing that Jesus was God's Son and that He died for the sin of humanity is in a position to release the faith required to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. This is a free gift, but you cannot receive it if you don't believe.

The Reward: should not perish, but have everlasting life. The reward is two fold. First, the recipients of this gift have been exonerated from the condemnation of hell. They will never taste eternal death; they will not perish. Second, the recipients of this gift - in addition to escaping hell - receive God's abundant and overflowing life; a life that will last forever. Everlasting life is the second greatest gift and it comes by receiving Jesus - the Greatest Gift of all.

The giver is God, the grace is love, the gift is Jesus, the recipients are the world, the requirement is belief and faith, the rewards are not perishing and everlasting life; the choice is yours!
Merry Christmas from The Fraticelli Family!!

"Help! I'm getting STRESSED Out"

(Gal 6:9 NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

This morning we continue our new series: "Help! I'm STRESSED Out" where we are looking at Biblical ways to handle and deal with negative stress

I would love to be able to tell you that after giving your life to Christ that you would NEVER face another challenge again. But if I did I would be lying. The truth is that life in Christ is not without opposition, believers do face challenges, and we also have to deal with the repercussions of our mistakes (everything is not satan's fault).

Paul is a great example of what can happen when a believer is submitted to God. Through Paul's cooperation the Father was able to take Paul on four missionary journeys, take the gospel to the Gentiles, preach the gospel when it was unpopular, continue to preach at the risk of imprisonment and punishment, help start churches everywhere he went, and then mentor the pastors he left behind. And if that were not enough, he wrote half the New Testament, so he is still blessing us today as we read what he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

By all accounts Paul had an amazing and fulfilling life. However, what we don't like to point out is the challenges he faced. Paul received 39 lashes, like Jesus did, but Paul received that punishment five times. Three times he was beaten with rods, three times he was shipwrecked, once he was stoned, once he was even bitten by a venomous snake.

I am convinced that Paul faced so many challenges because satan was trying to get him to quit preaching, to throw in the towel, to give up on his assignment. Why? Because satan knows that he cannot stop God or what God wants to do in our lives when we are cooperating with the process. In other words, he can't beat us when we live by faith. However, if he can get us frustrated, irritated, and stressed-out (which is what this series is about), then we will quit and we basically beat ourselves. So with that in mind, let me give you five things to do when you are at the brink of giving up:

1. Brace Yourself: Snap out of it... come to yourself and realize that challenges are part of the process. If you taking the fight to the enemy, he will fight back.
2. Face Yourself: There is a difference between persecution and reaping what you have down. We all make mistakes that cause SETBACKS! If you made a mistake, repent, as God to forgive you, FORGIVE YOURSELF, and move on!

3. Trace Yourself: The same God that saw you through YESTERDAY will see you through TODAY and TOMORROW! Think about ALL the times He has seen you through before!

4. Pace Yourself: Your destiny will not be fulfilled today, this week, this month, or this year. But you can do things today and tomorrow that will take you INCREMENTALLY closer to God's expected end for your life!
5. Grace Yourself: With two things: (1) God's Love, (2) God's vision for your life!

Father, I thank You for this reminder this morning. I realize that satan will do all that he can to get me to give up and quit. But I declare, by faith, that I will not. I refuse to allow distressing anxiety to overtake me. I deal with negative stress Biblically and I am able to walk as You would have me to walk in the earth daily. When facing challenges I realize that there is a blessing waiting for me on the other side of the challenge, and I declare that I will get there by faith. And when I do, the enemy will be sorry that he challenged me in the first place. What the enemy meant for evil, You Father will turn in around for my good! I declare this by faith, in Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Rich Through Jesus’ Poverty

2 Corinthians 8:9

9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.


When we think of God, we think of the most powerful and richest being in the whole universe. But do you know that our Lord Jesus was actually born into a poor family? We know this from the offering His mother Mary brought to the temple after Jesus was born, according to the Law for purification. (Luke 2:22–24) She brought a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons, which was the only type of offering the poor could afford. (Leviticus 12:2, 8)


But with Jesus in their lives, Mary and her husband Joseph didn’t remain poor. Wise men came to Jesus with treasures — “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)


Jesus’ presence brought gold, frankincense and myrrh — two of the most expensive spices — to His family. The wise men must have come with quite an entourage for the Bible records how all Jerusalem was fearful when the wise men came to the city. (Matthew 2:3) Can you imagine the amount of gold, frankincense and myrrh which accompanied that entourage, and which was given to Jesus’ parents?

The moment you are born again, you have Jesus in your life. And when you have Him in your life, get ready to prosper for gold will come to you! But don’t look for the gold, look to Jesus — He is the power to get wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:18) The presence of the Son of the living God in your life attracts prosperity. Because of His grace toward us, Jesus, though He was rich, was made poor at the cross for your sake so that “you through His poverty might become rich”.


When you have Jesus in your life and when you know that He has paid the price for your prosperity, you can boldly declare, “Jesus was made poor at the cross for my sake so that through His poverty, I am made rich in all things!”

Amen Have a blessed day!!

Stress II

(Phil 4:6,7 NLT) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

This morning we continue in our new series we are looking at Biblical ways to handle and deal with negative stress. Yesterday I introduced you to this passage in Paul's letter to the church in Philippi and I started off with emphasizing the importance of prayer. The benefit of having direct access to the King of kings and the Lord of lords cannot be overstated. Jesus' death, burial and resurrection surely paid the penalty for sin and gave us access to eternal life, but it also restored us back to the position Adam originally had in the Garden of Eden, where He was able to literally walk with God and have direct fellowship with him. When Adam had this relationship with the Father there was no inkling of stress, struggle or strain in his world. Adam only knew peace, power, protection, provision, and purpose.

Adam's life, before the fall, was a perfect picture of everything we could ever hope for. But guess what? Jesus' death gave us access to that type of life. The sad reality is, however, that most of us don't understand that, so we don't pursue that type of life - by faith.

The Father wants His children to be settled in the fact that they will make it heaven - once we are covered by the Blood of Jesus, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and called according to His purpose - but He also wants us to enjoy our life in the earth BEFORE we make it there. The Father does not want us to be saved and miserably saved. No, He wants us to have and enjoy life in Him (see John 10:10).

So here we are, just days away from Christmas, and many believers all over the world, are living way beneath the picture I just painted for you in the Garden of Eden, because they have allowed the "cares of this world" to nullify (or choke) the power of the Word of God from operating in their lives (see Mark 4:19). Instead of casting the care over to the Father (see 1st Peter 5:7), they carry that care with them everywhere they go and the weight of the care burdens them down to the point where they can't enjoy God, themselves, or anyone/anything else.

Don't be a care-carrier, be a care-caster and allow the Father to free you from the overwhelming weight of the cares of this world, through the vehicle of prayer. If you do, then Paul tells us in our text that there is actually a supernatural peace available to us that will baffle any psychologist, psychiatrist, or any other mental health professional.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that once you have 'peace with God,' which comes only through accepting Jesus as Lord, then you must subsequently pursue the 'peace of God,' which comes only through the vehicle of prayer. Wouldn't it be a shame to have made peace with God decades ago, only to make it to heaven and realize that you spent most of your life without the peace of God? Without the peace of God you will invariably live your life way below the quality of life the Father desires for you to have. If you don't have the peace of God today, take a moment to pray and ask the Father for it; and after you do, make the following declaration over your life, out loud, in faith:

Closing prayer: Father, I thank You for hearing me in prayer. I have made peace with You by accepting Your Son Jesus as my Lord. And now, I have asked You for Your peace to manifest in my life, because I realize that I need it. Your peace will keep me internally stable, even when everything externally is going haywire. Your peace will enable me to sleep soundly in the midst of the storms of life. Your peace passes anything the world can study or understand. Your peace is supernatural and I declare, by faith, that it operates in my life NOW and it will continue to operate in my life every day I am in the land of the living. Your peace floods my heart and my mind and I am more than ready to face this day! In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Stress

(Phil 4:6,7 NLT) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Around this time every year I normally teach on Christmas and then on receiving a vision for the New Year. I am still praying about teaching on vision, but this year, instead of teaching on Christmas, I feel led to teach on handling stress. Christmas time can be a very stressful time, even for believers. Another thing historically our suicide rates go up during the holiday season. And to add fuel to the proverbial fire, the economic situation in the United States has caused many to dread the Christmas season, because of what they may or may not be able to purchase for their families. With that in mind, I have been praying about this for a couple of weeks and I feel led to start this series this morning. I normally start new series' on Monday's, but I felt strongly that I could not delay this.

We will start our journey towards understanding how to Biblically handle stress with one of our greatest stress-relieving tools: PRAYER! In Paul's letter to the church in Philippi he teaches them about receiving and walking in the mind of Christ (2:5), about understanding the power we have in Christ (4:13), and the overwhelming joy that we can tap into by the power of the Holy Spirit (3:1 and 4:4). Sandwiched in all of this is Paul's admonition against worry and for prayer. If we don't control our impulses to worry, then stress (and getting 'stressed-out') is inevitable. Paul's answer to worry is prayer.

I remember when I first came to Christ one of the senior ladies in the church, one who I lovingly called "Mamma her name is Maria," used to say: "if you are going to pray, then don't worry. But if you are going to worry, then don't pray." Her advice sounds simple, but it is also profound. Why? Because you can't worry and trust at the same time. Simply put, if you worry it is because you don't trust God.

Paul's counsel was that we should take advantage of the direct access we have to the Father, in the name of Jesus, and take our issues to the Father in prayer. After we pray, then if we truly believe the Father has heard us and that He is going to manifest His glory, then we have no other option but to trust Him and walk in His peace. If we worry, after we have prayed, then it is an indictment against our faith. We will talk more about this tomorrow.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should take advantage of the direct access you have to the Father, in the name of His Son Jesus, through the vehicle of prayer; and once you do you must then make a decision between trust and worry. If you believe the Father heard you in prayer and you believe He will respond to your faith, then trust is your only answer and you must resist every temptation to worry. But if you do worry, then it means you are not trusting God and if you don't get into trust quick, you might allow that worry to overtake your mind and heart. Once that happens you will find yourself stressed!

Father, I thank You for giving me direct access to You in prayer. I allow my prayer to order my day, instead of allowing my day to order my prayer. I pray, in Jesus' name, in accordance with Your Word, in faith, not doubting, and You hear and respond to my prayers. I thank You for always hearing me and for manifesting Your glory in my life in mighty ways. I am a believer and not a doubter, so when I pray I leave my prayer session with the confidence that You will respond to my faith. I resist every temptation to worry and I never allow negative stress to get a hold of my mind or my heart. I walk in Your grace, peace, and favor every day of my life. I live in a STRESS-FREE zone! In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

David and Goliath (Part II)

(1 Sam 17:50 NIV) So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

This morning we continue our on the “The Greatest Stories Ever Told” and continue with the story of David and Goliath. David was scolded by his brother for even showing interest in Goliath, but he did not let that stop him. He ignored his brother’s comments and had the courage to stand before the King. He told King Saul that no one should lose heart on account of the Philistine and that he would go and fight him. Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."
Once again, he ignored the discouragement.

David explained to the King how he killed a lion and a bear with his bare hands while tending to and protecting his sheep. He declared that he would kill this uncircumcised Philistine in like manner, because he has defied the armies of the living God. He said that the same God who delivered him from the paw of the lion and the bear, would deliver him from Goliath. King Saul was convinced and said, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic and put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David put on all the gear and could barely move around. He told Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them." He took them all off. He decided to go with what he knew. He picked up five smooth stones from a nearby stream, put his shepherd’s staff in his hand, and grabbed his sling. Once equipped with what he knew, he approached the giant. The Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, started towards David and was ready to fight, after having taunted them for forty days. He was angry when he realized that David was a boy and cursed David by his gods, but he did not know that David was anointed by the only one true God.

Goliath said, "Come here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" David replied, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty… I'll strike you down and cut off your head… the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel… the battle is the Lord’s." Goliath was furious and charged David. David ran quickly towards him as well. David reached into his bag, pulled out a stone, launched it with the sling, and knocked the giant square in the head. The stone sank into his forehead and he fell facedown on the ground. David then stood over him, took his sword, and cut his head off.

So what does this mean to you ? A lot, but let’s look at a few things:

1. Discouragement does not derail destiny – David had to ignore the discouragement of his brother and King Saul. You will have to get beyond the comments of others, if you want to be used of God for greatness.

2. Look at things spiritually – David wanted to fight Goliath, but only because He defied the armies of the living God. This was a spiritual fight for David. His motives were pure and so should ours be.

3. Establish some altars in your life – reminders of what God did in the past. David reminded himself of how God used him to kill the lion and the bear with his bare hands and that was the encouragement he needed for this fight. What has God already done for you?

4. Don’t allow your past victories to keep you from future successes – Although David was reminded of his past, he did not limit himself to past methods. He killed the lion and the bear with his hands, but used a sling shot and a stone for the giant. Thank God for your past victories, but always be open to new strategies from God!

5. With God, all things are possible – The entire army of Israel was afraid of this man. King Saul was terrified. But a little shepherd boy, anointed by God, did the seemingly impossible. What giant is torturing you this morning? If God gave you a stone, would you be ready to fight?

Lord God. I do not allow discouragement to stifle my destiny. I walk by faith and not by sight. I look at life through the lens of the Holy Spirit and am led of Him in all things. I rejoice in my past victories and thank You in advance for future successes. My heart is open to new techniques and I receive them by faith. I can do all things through Christ. With You God, all things are possible. I face with day with supernatural confidence. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper! Have a blessed day!!

David and Goliath (Part I)

(1 Sam 17:26 CEV) David asked some soldiers standing nearby, "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He's making fun of the army of the living God!"

This morning we continue our on the “The Greatest Stories Ever Told.” No doubt you have heard about this story of overcoming insurmountable odds. I am sure that every young man who was born without the blessing of a “large” stature has imagined himself as David against the Goliaths of life. We saw yesterday how David was anointed by the prophet and we will now see how he operates in that anointing. This story spans the entire chapter so I will not be able to finish it in one day.

The chapter opens with the Philistines having gathered their forces for war against Israel. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with a valley between them. The Philistines had a champion in their camp named Goliath. This man was a beast. He was over nine feet tall, wore a bronze helmet, 125 lbs. of bronze armor, bronze greaves around his legs, and carried a bronze javelin on his back. The head of the spear itself weighed 15 lbs. His shield was so big that he had a shield bearer to carry it for him. This monster of a man stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." King Saul and all the Israelites were terrified by this man, his stature, and his words.

Now remember that David was the eighth son of Jesse. His three oldest brothers had followed Saul to war and were hearing the claims of this giant for 40 days. Meanwhile, David was doing what he always did – tending sheep. Jesse prepared some food for his three oldest sons and their comrades and asked David to take the food to them and to see how they were doing. David loaded up and set out early in the morning. He reached the camp as the army was going out to their battle positions. David left his things with the supply sergeant and ran to the battle lines to greet his brothers. As he was talking with them, Goliath stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual insolence and David heard it. When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. They began to say between them, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel." David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" They repeated to him what Saul would do for that man that kills him. David’s oldest brother got very upset when he heard him speaking with the men, called him conceited, and told him to go back to tending sheep.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. Look at things spiritually: David was not upset because Goliath was disgracing Saul, he was upset because Goliath was disgracing God and His people (Israel). David looked at the situation through Godly eyes and so should we. Don’t allow your flesh to rise up without being led of the Spirit.
2. Do not operate in fear: Fear moves satan, faith moves God. Fear will stifle faith. Everyone else was afraid, but David had confidence and peace. No matter how big, nor how bad your situation may look this morning, do not allow fear to overtake you. Stand in the Word and walk in confidence against your Goliath.
3. Expect ‘haters’: I use this modern term ‘haters’ for those people who will dislike you because God’s hand is upon you. David’s brother got upset and called him conceited. Why? Because the oil was not poured on his head in the previous chapter. There will always be people that will ‘hate’ you because of God’s hand on your life. Don’t allow them to discourage you.
Lord God. I walk in the Spirit and I do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. I know that You have not given me the spirit of fear and I therefore choose not to operate in it. I operate in love, power, and a sound mind. I do not allow the comments of others to derail me from my destiny. I walk in peace, power, protection, and prosperity this day and everyday. No evil shall befall me and I am able to conquer every giant. I walk in abundant blessings and Your favor. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper! Have a very Blessed day all!!

Destiny’s Child

(1 Sam 16:13 MSG) Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of GOD entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life. Samuel left and went home to Ramah.

This morning I wanted to teach on “The Greatest Stories Ever Told we will investigate some of the great stories of the Bible and how they apply to our lives. Now, I call them stories for the sake of understanding, but these are not fictional accounts, but rather actual events. I was going to start with David and Goliath, but the Lord had me to back up one chapter, to allow me to show you the selection of this child of destiny, before we see what he did. There is a lot to deal with here, but I will attempt to summarize the story and my comments.

The Lord rejected Saul (1 Sam 15) as king and sent Samuel the prophet to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem because He had chosen one of his sons to be the next king. Samuel had to make up a story of why he was going to Bethlehem, because he knew that Saul would want to kill him if he knew what he was doing. So he said he was going to make a sacrifice and invited Jesse to come to the sacrifice with his sons. Jesse showed up with his sons and Samuel thought his mission almost complete when he saw Eliab. Eliab was Jesse’s eldest son and he was handsome, tall, and strong, but the Lord told Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." So then Jesse called Abinadab, his second eldest, and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The Lord has not chosen this one either." And this went on with five other boys. Seeing that the Lord had not chosen any of them, Samuel asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" Reluctantly, Jesse admitted that he had one more son, but he was out tending the sheep. Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." So here comes David. He walked in with his healthy complexion and a sparkle in his eyes. He was a good looking young man, but more importantly, God told Samuel that he was the one. This is where we pick up our text.

Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of GOD entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life.

What bothered me about this story was that it seemed that David did not have one friend in the camp. While he was out tending the sheep and fighting off lions, bears, and wolves; his brothers were with his Dad and he seemed to be the outsider. When it came time for Jesse to line up his sons before the prophet, the thought never passed his mind that David might be the one. Even if his father failed to mention David, at least one of his brothers could have brought his name up. At least one of them must have been his friend. Someone could have said, “Daddy, I know David is not going to get picked, but shouldn’t he at least be in the line up?”
David was omitted and overlooked, even overworked; but he was Destined! He was Destiny’s Child!

So what does this mean to you? A lot, but let me just share a few things:
1. God is always looking and He honors faithfulness.
2. Your Father knows what is done is secret and will reward you openly (Mat 6:4).
3. God will make your oppressors stand by while you get promoted.
4. What God has for you is for you and no one can stop it.
5. You may be denied, derailed, and dismissed by others, but you are still destined by God!
6. You are Destiny’s Child!

Lord God. I thank You for seeing me when no one else would. Also Lord, thank you for Gloria and Margaret who something in me and mentored me. Father God You know me and are acquainted with all my ways. You know my thoughts before I think them, You know my desires before I have them, and You know my dreams before I dream them; because You have initiated them all and will bring them to pass in my life. I am not controlled by others, I am controlled by You. I may be overlooked and omitted by others, but I am destined my You. I am a child of purpose. I am a child of promise. I am a child of power. I am a child of God. I am a child of Destiny! I am Destiny’s Child and I enter this day with my Destiny in mind! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Premature Death

(Prov 21:16 NIV) A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.

I may not be able to send out Today's Word for the rest of the week. I am If you do not receive Today's Word will know why. I solicit your prayers. It is my sincere desire that God would be glorified in this situation.


This morning we continue our series entitled, "Unlocking the Power of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." Here Solomon warns us about making the foolish decision of intentionally straying away from God's desired path for our lives. In this series we have learned about the many benefits of making decisions that line up with God's counsel. Think about it, God Himself - the King of kings, Lord of lords, and 'all wise one' - lovingly and willingly made His wisdom available to us in His Word. He inspired men to write His Words so that they would be available to us.

Furthermore, for the New Testament believer, He provided us Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. So in addition to having His will documented in His Word, we have His Spirit so that we could be led and directed on a personal level, on a daily basis. The Father has gone to great lengths to ensure that we have everything we need to live the life that He intends for us to live. But at the end of the day, our life is a grand-sum-total of our decisions. Even though God has gone to these lengths, the sad reality is that many stray from God's desired path for their lives because of their own lusts, wayward desires, pride, stubbornness, and foolishness.

The Hebrew words used for "path of understanding" in this text are also translated "being prudent" in other places. This is what it comes down to: the Father expects us, as His children, to be prudent in our decision-making process because He knows that we will definitely reap (good or bad) whatever we sow and in this text Solomon points out that if we are not careful, our foolishness could lead to premature death. This is not the first time Solomon has taught on this. Way back in the first chapter Solomon said, "Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" (1:30-33).

In chapter 10 he said, "If you respect the LORD, you will live longer; if you keep doing wrong, your life will be cut short" (v.27). In chapter 19 he said, "Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die" (v.16). These are just a few references, and in addition to these I could provide a litany of references that tell us that it is God's desire that we will long and strong lives.

The point is, however, that if we willingly choose to ignore God's counsel and do the things that He clearly instructs us NOT to do, then we will wind up prematurely dead and it will not be His fault. And before I close I want to point out God's counsel is not just all spiritual. If you read His Word you will find out that God does promote a healthy and active lifestyle that includes a proper diet, exercise, and sufficient rest.

So what does this mean to you? It means you ought to heed God's counsel so you can make good decisions and take care of yourself (physically, spiritually, mentally, psychologically). This way you will be able to live the life the Father desires for you to live and maximize your purpose and potential before you die.

Father, I want to maximize the potential and purpose You have placed down inside of me. Therefore, I shall make Godly decisions daily; decisions that line up with Your Word. Your Word gives me insight for living and Your Spirit leads me in the way that I should go. I declare, by faith, that I listen and obey. I choose to keep Your commandments. I receive Your counsel concerning what to eat. I get sufficient rest and sleep. I am quick to forgive and I do not harbor bitterness or hatred in my heart. I pray, walk in love, and commune with You daily. I seek to be a blessing to others, I commit my ways to You, and I trust in You to bring to pass Your best in my life. I shall live long strong! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Justice

(Prov 21:15 NLT) Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.
This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Solomon's was a sitting king at the time of this writing, so he clearly understood the importance of justice and judgment. The word judgment causes the unrighteous to shirk, whereas it causes the righteous to get excited about receiving their impending reward. No one understood this better than Solomon. As Israel's national leader he knew the nation's history. If you read 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings you will see how the nation of Israel experienced their share of ups and downs. Whenever they had a righteous leader (a King or a Judge), the nation would prosper. Whenever they had an unrighteous leader, the nation would suffer. It all hinged upon the time of judgment. It's not that Jehovah did not judge the nation of Israel during the times of righteous leaders; it was quite the contrary. The Lord judged the nation during the time of every leader, it's just that when He placed the nation on the scales of justice during the reign of unrighteous leaders, the results were unpleasant for the nation. However, when the Lord placed the nation on the scales of justice during the time of righteous leaders, the results were welcomed and pleasant for the people. In both cases the Lord submitted the nation to the same process. So we can see why Solomon said: "Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers."

We no longer have Old Testament kings, (Praise The Lord) but judgment still takes place. There is the common judgment that takes place all the time, where the Lord judges our actions and ensures that we reap whatever we sow. If we have been sowing good seed, we reap a good harvest. If not, we don't. There is no way around it. But ultimately there will be one great Judgment Day.

Two major judgments will take place on that day. The first one will be to check whether or not our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (see Rev 20). Only the names of the righteous are written there and the only way to become righteous - by God's standard - is to accept Jesus the Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10,13).

Paul said, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2nd Cor 5:21). When we accept Jesus as our Lord we become righteous in Him. It's not that we are righteous in and of ourselves. No! He makes us righteous. The Father declares us righteous through the Blood of Jesus. The second judgment will be for our works. The Father will judge what we did with the life that He gave us. Paul tells us that our works will basically fall into one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. Our works will be judged by fire and all those in the wood, hay, and straw categories will burn up. Only the ones in the gold, silver, and precious stones categories will endure the fire. Those are the works that we did that had eternal significance (see 1st Cor 3:9-15).

So what does this mean to you? Two things:

1. You are constantly being judged now: God will see to it that you reap whatever you sow. So if you don't like the harvest you are reaping, check the seed you are sowing. This sowing and reaping process brings joy to the Godly (because we can get excited about the good seed we are sowing), but it surely terrifies evildoers (because they know all the bad things they have done).

2. We will all experience Judgment day: So in addition to making sure that Jesus is your Lord, you must also make the most of your limited time in the earth. Only those things you do that fall into the gold, silver, and precious stones categories (those things that have eternal significance) will endure the fire.

Father, I thank You for blessing me to hear, understand, and respond to the gospel message of Jesus the Christ. I have been made righteous in Him. I am the righteousness of God in Christ and I know my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. What I seek to do now is to BE a blessing and to maximize my purpose and potential before I die. I enter this day determined to do things that are of eternal significance. Lead me Father to works that will endure the fire of Your judgment. Use me to make a difference in someone else' life today! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Passion for God, Compassion for man

(Prov 21:13 NLT) Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. In yesterday's lesson I started out by teaching on the principle of sowing and reaping and I then transitioned the message over to teaching on love. With this text I will do the same thing.

Sowing and reaping is taught all throughout the Bible. For example, in Jesus' model prayer He said, "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." What is the insinuation? Well, if we fail to forgive others, He will fail to forgive us. Why? Because if we sow unforgiveness we will reap just that.

If we sow mercy, people will be merciful to us; if we sow love, people will love on us; if we sow discord, we will reap an unpleasant harvest, and etc. But there is something else in this text that begs to be highlighted and that is God's compassion for the poor. If you know anything about the Word you know that God has a special place in His heart for the poor and He expects His followers (not the government) who are financially blessed to use their overflow TO BE a blessing to others.

So if the Father has blessed you to the point where you are able to BE a blessing and He gives you opportunity to do just that, but you ignore the opportunity, you resist the urging of the Holy Spirit, and you refuse to BE a blessing, then you should not be surprised when you experience the same if you ever find yourself in that situation. Further, your refusal to use your abundance TO BE a blessing may cause the favor of God to be removed from your life. If that happens, it will only be a matter of time before your abundance turns into lack.

This boils down to the love factor. God is love and if we are His children, then we are commanded and expected to operate in love. John wrote: "If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both" (1st John 4:20,21). That is about as plain as it can be. We ought not say that we love God if we refuse love others. Our passion for God is exemplified in our compassion for man.

Jesus is so serious about us showing compassion to the poor that He said: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory... All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats... The King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!" (Mat 25:31-40).

So what does this mean to you? It means that you cannot separate passion for God from compassion for man. As a believer we are called to walk, operate, live in, and exemplify the love of God every day. You can't properly serve God without serving man!

I thank You for this revelation and I declare, by faith, that I will walk in love every day of my life. I thank You for blessing me TO BE a blessing. You give me the wisdom, grace, and favor to be able to walk in abundance, having more than enough to meet the needs of my household. So when You present me with situations to BE a blessing to others I willingly and lovingly do just that. My passion for You is exemplified in my compassion for others. You send people my way and You then use me as a conduit of Your love, grace, peace, and kindness. Thank You for using me for Your glory! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Do you learn by Words or Wounds?

(Prov 21:11 ) An ignorant fool learns by seeing others punished; a sensible person learns by being instructed.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Solomon has already driven home the fact none of us know everything. Flowing in that same vein, he now compares and contrasts how fools learn with how the sensible (or wise) learn. Since we all need to learn and since our lives should be a continual learning process, it would serve us well to understand the best ways to learn. Understanding that, before we get into today's lesson, I want to provide a quick recap of some of the lessons we have learned thus far in this series that prepare us for this lesson:

1. None of us is as smart as 'all of us.' The faster we recognize the fact that we can, and should, learn from others, the better off we will be.
2. We all make mistakes and get off course from time to time. Without course corrections we would stay off course and arrive at a place, at the end of our lives, that we don't want to be.
3. God instructs us and corrects us because He loves us. He loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.
4. The faster we hear, receive, and apply the instruction/correction, the faster we will be developed into the persons the Father desires for us to be.

Now let's get into our lesson. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening." Do you want to be the simpleton or the wise?

1. Simpletons wait until they see others experience harsh punishment, or until they experience it themselves, to learn: Have you observed a group of misbehaving kids or childish adults? You can talk to them until you are blue in the face, but once they have gone down the path of foolish activity it seems like they need to see someone get punished before they snap out of it. As soon as one child or childish adult gets punished the others quickly calm down. As soon as one teenager gets arrested the others 'wake up' and see the error of their ways. But why should it have taken that? Why can't the fool simply receive and respond to the counsel of the wise? I guess the answer is, because they are a fool!

2. The wise respond to a simple word of instruction/correction: Unlike the childish simpleton the wise are willing to hear and accept instruction and correction, because they know that without it they will never truly mature and develop into the person God desires for them to be. The truly wise actually welcome instruction and correction, because they have a sincere desire to learn, grow, and develop. Their wisdom teaches them to learn from as many people as possible and to welcome (not fight against) the instruction.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you need to decide which type of person you want to be. Are you going to be the childish fool who has to see someone get into serious trouble before he makes a change or will you be the wise man who accepts and applies a simple word of instruction/correction? I have been both and I can tell you that the latter is much better! If you learn by words you won't have to experience the pain of wounds!

Father, I thank You for loving me enough to instruct me and correct me. You speak to me directly by Your Spirit and Your Word and also indirectly by sending others to me. Whether directly or indirectly, I declare, by faith, that I receive the instruction and correction You provide me, with WORDS, so that I don't have to experience or see others experience the pain associated with WOUNDS. Thank You for caring enough about me to see to it that I hear what I need to hear. And I also declare that as I hear it, I won't fight against it, but instead I will receive it, apply it, and be changed by it. I welcome instruction and correction! In Jesus' name. Amen!

A Thankful Heart

(1st Thes 5:16-18 NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.


This morning we take a pause, from the book of Proverbs, so that can slow down long enough to say, "Thank You" to God. Tomorrow is the day that is formally known as "Thanksgiving" in the United States. I will send out my 'Thanksgiving Message' today and I won't send out a message tomorrow. Tomorrow will be all about turkey, stuffing, pie, football, friends, and most of all... THANKS!

Many of us are so busy, our schedules are so packed, our email inboxes are so full, and our to-do lists are so long that we constantly feel like we have more task than time. The overwhelming pace of our society has caused many of us to run through days, weeks, months, and even years without slowing down long enough to realize how blessed we truly are. I was suppose to be going home to Maui to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my family, I was really looking forward to it however I have developed some medical challenges that has now allowed me to travel. It has been 14 years since I have spent Thanksgiving with my biological family.

However, I am still looking forward to tomorrow when our home will be full of food, my husband’s family, friends, and fellowship. And while I will enjoy the food - believe me, I am looking forward to it - I know that Thanksgiving, for the believers, should be bigger food. Thanksgiving is an attitude. Thanksgiving is a lifestyle. When you have a thankful heart every day becomes a day of Thanksgiving!

Let me give you a few quick from my own life. I will just use the last couple of weeks. A few weeks ago I was rear-ended and then I proceeded to thank God! Was I happy that it happened? Of course not. It was obvious that the person that hit me was not paying attention. Nor did he hade insurance but I was still thankful. I immediately thanked God for blessing us to have insurance with rental coverage so that I could continue to have transportation. A few months ago my daughter went through a very serious surgery and as a result she today is cancer free and recovering nicely. God really did a major work in her and I am very thankful that he spared her life. I could go on and on. What am I really saying? I am saying that the Father expects us to have a thankful heart. When we have a thankful heart it is hard for discouragement to get in, because thanksgiving is always flowing out!

In Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica he taught about living a life that is pleasing to God. In his closing remarks he said, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." What was Paul saying? What was He teaching us? I believe Paul was telling us that the secret to living a life that is pleasing to God is to maintain your joy, to keep an active prayer life, and to GIVE THANKS to God IN all circumstances. Notice that he said "IN" all circumstances and not "FOR" all circumstances. If we are honest we must acknowledge the fact that everything that happens to us is NOT good and we DON'T always like everything we face. But Paul's point is that we should trust God enough to believe that at the-end-of-the-day we will still come out on top. I may not always be able to Thank Him FOR IT, but I can still thank Him IN IT. This attitude of gratitude is what gives me a thankful heart and I pray you develop the same!

So what does this mean to you? It means that as you walk with God you will not always get what you expect and you may not always get what you want, but you should have enough confidence in Him to know that when it is all said and done you will not be disappointed. This reality, this confidence, this inner knowing, is what enables you to live a lifestyle of Thanksgiving! Look back and be thankful. Look forward and be excited. You serve a God that has blessed you, is blessing you, and will bless you. You have lots to be thankful for!

Father, I may not always like my circumstances. I may not even be able to thank You FOR them, but I declare that I will thank You IN them. I know that when it is all said and done, the situations I face will work out for my good, so instead of waiting until I see it to say it, I praise You now! I am excited NOW! I am expectant NOW! I am THANKFUL NOW! I look back and I am grateful. I look forward and I am excited. I live everyday as a day of Thanksgiving! From this day forward I have a THANKFUL HEART! In Jesus' name, amen!

Protect your Anointing

(Prov 21:10 CEV) Evil people want to do wrong, even to their friends.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Have you ever heard the saying, "If you play with fire you are going to get burned"? Fire only knows one way to be: HOT! It would be foolish to think that fire is going to be something else. It's actually similar with people. Some believers think they can hang out with evil people and not be affected by it, but that is simply not true. Whether we want to admit it or not, the people we hang out with DO wind up rubbing off on us.

We learned this back in chapter 13 where Solomon said, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces" (v.20). In other words, both wisdom and foolishness are transferred by association. And if that is the case, then why would you, as a Born-Again believer, willingly CHOOSE to associate with people who are programmed to do wrong? Later on in Proverbs Solomon says, "Don't envy evil people or desire their company" (24:1). He is warning us from hanging around them, because he does not want what's in them to get in us.

You know the type of people I am talking about. In chapter two Solomon says, "They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong" (verses 14,15). In chapter four he says, "Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; they can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice" (verses 16,17). These people are unhappy unless they are 'stirring the pot.' They find pleasure in making others miserable. They get excited when they have incriminating evidence so they can spread it as gossip. Solomon says that they can't get a good night's sleep unless they have negatively affected someone's life. In other words, when others are doing well it keeps them up at night. They find a preserve satisfaction in knowing that they have done their part in disrupting the peace of another.

We make hundreds of choices every day. If we think about it, our day is full of choice, after choice, after choice. Getting out of bed in the morning is a choice - one that I sometimes don't like to make. We choose to brush our teeth, take a shower, what we will eat, what we will wear, what path we will take to work, what we will do when we get there, and the list can go on and on. Obviously, some decisions are more important than others and therefore require more deliberation. You should take more time, for example, in choosing whom to marry and connect with for the rest of your life, over what to eat for lunch today. One of the decisions that we should place in the important category is the decision of whom we will call our friend. It's been said that "who you will be in five years will be influenced by the friends you choose and the books you read," so choose both wisely. My mother used to tell me daily, "Show me who you hang with and I will tell you who you are."

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Your friends matter: Show me your friends and I will show you your future. If you get to choose the people you call "friend," then shouldn't you choose wisely? Choose the right friends and they will help you live the right life.
2. Protect your anointing: If you value what God is doing in your life, then you will protect it by refusing to connect with those who may contaminate your anointing.
3. Select Godly mentors: Mentoring relationships are powerful. Mentors enable us to do much more than we can alone. Select your mentors wisely and grant them 'right of passage;' giving them access to speak into your life.

Father, I thank You for this reminder this morning. I know I am called by You. You are both light and love and I declare that I will be the same. I shine as light in the midst of darkness. I flow as love in the midst of hatred and selfishness. I seek to reach the lost daily, but I don't connect with the wicked on a level to where their wickedness can rub off on me. I protect what You have done and are doing in my life, but shielding myself from unrighteousness influences. I am determined to become the man/woman You have destined, designed, and desire for me to be! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Don’t be a Nagging Wife

(Prov 21:9 CEV) It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than to
live inside with a nagging wife.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. While Solomon's delivery sounds funny, there is a profound message here if we would take the time to understand it.

Back in chapter 18 Solomon said, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD" (18:22). There is a stark contrast between the favor magnet of chapter 18 and the nagging wife of chapter 21. Both are wives, but one is able to bring out the best in her husband, the other has a knack for bringing out the worst; resulting in her husband preferring the corner of the roof to her presence. I would hope that my husband doesn’t feel this way about me. To be perfectly honest I am sure he has felt this way about me a few times. So yes this is a scripture that I must keep close to my mind so that I never become the nagging wife.

It has been said that every man has both a king and a fool in him, and which ever one is spoken to more, which ever one is nurtured and developed, that will be the one he becomes. I can say, without a doubt that I have spoken to the king in my husband and call him my king. Not only that I believed in him when no one else did; and he knows that I am his biggest fan. Ladies, never underestimate the power of believing in your husband! When he knows that you believe in him it gives him wind beneath his wings. Even if the world is against him, he can feel unstoppable if he knows that you believe in him and that you support him.

Most of the time, whatever I teach to women applies to men as well and vice-versa, but in this case I believe that men, need the unyielding support of their wives. Now, of course as wives we also need the support of their husbands. I am not saying that we don't. But I am saying that what husbands receive from wives, by way of belief and support, far outweighs what husbands do for them in like manner. That's why it is so devastating to a man when he has a wife who does not believe in him. And to make matters worse, Solomon describes a wife who takes it a step further and constantly nags her husband. This is a dangerous situation for the marriage, because before long her husband will dread coming home. He will look for someone who speaks to the king in him and not he fool in him.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. For wives: Speak to the king in your husbands. The more you speak to the king in him, the more he will believe it and become it.
2. For husbands: Welcome the support of your wife and allow her to speak into your life. She is graced by God to minister to you in ways that NO ONE ELSE CAN, OR SHOULD!
3. For husbands and wives: Never make your spouse dread coming home. Do all you can to make your home a nurturing and loving environment where dreams are encouraged and believed!

Father, I thank You for this revelation. Your Word is awesome and it shows me how to live and enjoy life to the fullest. I thank You for my spouse and I declare, by faith, that I will be the blessing to them that You desire for me to be. I speak life and never death into my spouse daily. I build them up and I never tear them down. You grace me to minister to my spouse in ways that I only I can and only I should. My spouse welcomes my input because I always share it in a loving and caring way. I never make my spouse dread coming come. Our home is a sanctuary of peace where dreams are encouraged, believed, and supported! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Can People tell the difference?

(Prov 21:8 NASB) The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

This morning we continue "Unlocking the Power of the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." Here Solomon contrasts the crooked ways of the sinner with the pure ways of the believer; the point being that there should be a stark different between the two. The word "crooked" in this text means twisted or wicked (like whickered, e.g. whickered furniture).

People without God can live twisted lives without even recognizing it. The enemy can blind the eyes of the wicked to the point where they truly believe that wrong is right and right is wrong. Back in chapter two Solomon said that these people, "Take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong" (verses 14 & 15).

Have you ever met someone whose ways - their common way of doing things - was twisted? Satan is a master of deceiving people into believing that they are on the right path when they are clearly wrong and because many are deceived, they use their natural passion to live life in the wrong way; directing their energy and effort towards things are not promoting Godly good. Many of these people take pleasure in doing wrong because their moral compass is skewed; it is calibrated towards wickedness to the point that they enjoy twisted ways.

I know I keep using words like "right" and "wrong" and these words are almost taboo in today's society. I have gotten into many conversations with people who try to tell me that there is no right or wrong. They like to believe that we are just different. They want to find solace in thinking that living in sin is not wrong, but just their choice. They shun away from anyone who believes in an absolute right. Why? Because they realize that if the Bible is right, then they are wrong and they just don't want to come to grips with that.

Many living in sin take pleasure in it. I know I was a good sinner. When I was a sinner I did my best to live like one. So it would be foolish of me to expect a sinner to live like a believer. A person that is not redeemed, that has not been Born Again, that does not have God's Spirit living on the inside of them, and that does not ascribe the truth in God's Word is simply not equipped or positioned to live a life that is pleasing to God. That's why we must share the truth of the Gospel with the lost. But Solomon's point this morning is that if we can agree that sinners live twisted lives, then we must also agree that believers should not! There should be a clear difference between the sinner and the believer. We should not be twisted. Our compass should not be calibrated towards unrighteousness. Our perspective should not be perverted. Our desires should be pure. Our hunger and thirst should be towards righteousness. And our conduct and character should be representative of the God who claim we serve; the same God who lives in us and we in Him.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. There should be a clear difference between your conduct (as a believer) and the conduct of sinners.
2. There are only two things the Bible says God is: Light and Love. If you claim to be in God and Him in you, then you must walk in the light (not darkness) and walk in love (not selfishness), this way people will know who your God is.
3. There is no such thing as an undercover Christian. If you no one knows you are a Christian, then it is time to take self-inventory. You don't have to go around screaming "Jesus, Jesus;" your conduct and character should be enough. Your life (not just your words) is the best sermon!

Father, I thank You for the reminder this morning. I recognize the fact that I have been called out of darkness and into Your marvelous light. I know that I have been translated from the kingdom of dankness into the Kingdom of Your dear Son Jesus. I am in You and You are in me. I am born of God and I am not ashamed of it. I declare, by faith, that my conduct and character will represent You all the days of my life. People will know the God I serve. People will be able to see a clear difference between my life and the life of a sinner. You are light, therefore I am light and I abstain from darkness. You are love, therefore I am love and I abstain from selfishness. You flow through me today and every day! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Dishonest gain is NOT worth it!!!

(Prov 21:6 NLT) Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God.

The last couple of years have been difficult times for many and the financial struggles of the national economy have spilled over into the lives and personal economies of many Americans, believers and unbelievers alike. The Word of God is always good and this scripture would apply to us at any time, but in today's economy the lesson is even greater. Because of the current financial pressures some have succumb to the temptation to do wrong, to cut corners, to tell 'white' lies, and to violate their integrity to make ends meet. And then again, there are those who pursue wealth unscrupulously whether the economy is up or down.

Here Solomon warns us from falling into the trap of thinking that a quick buck, earned dishonestly, is the answer. The dishonest wealth may come, but just like it came it will surely go, because anything that you have to compromise your integrity and the integrity of God's Word to attain is going to be temporary at best and severely detrimental at worst.

The God's Word translation of this verse reads: "Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time. They are looking for death." If you know better, then you ought to do better, because if you consciously sow bad seed the Father, who is the Lord of the Harvest, is not going to sit by and allow you to reap a good harvest. Bad seed produces a bad harvest every time. Back in chapter 10 Solomon said, "Tainted wealth has no lasting value" (v.2).

In today's scripture Solomon describes tainted wealth as a vanishing mist or a vapor. It might be here today, but rest assured that it will be gone tomorrow. Why? Because it was not gained the right way. What good is it to seek progress the wrong way, when you know that ill-gotten progress is actually regress?

In chapter 13 Solomon said, "Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow" (v.11). Do you want to leave a legacy (spiritual and natural) for your children and your children's children? Then do thing right before God. You cannot violate His Word and then expect to walk in His blessing.

One of the major ways the enemy has gotten believers off of God's destined path for their lives is with the lure of a quick buck. In Paul's first letter to his spiritual son Timothy he spoke of this. Paul said, "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows" (1st Tim 6:9,10).

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Never violate your Godly integrity for a quick buck; it's not worth it.
2. Beware of the money's seduction. If you LOVE money it is only a matter of time before you do something you should not do to get it. The LOVE OF MONEY will get you in trouble.
3. Don't pursue things, pursue God. If you pursue God things will pursue you (Mat 6:33).

Father, I thank You for giving me Your Word, filling me with Your Spirit, and leading me into all truth. Your Spirit convicts me when I am going astray. I declare, by faith, that I listen to Your voice, I respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and I abstain from every kind of evil. I walk in integrity, I honor You with my words and deeds, I am a faithful steward over the finances You bless to come into my hands, and I prosper the right way. I don't pursue things, I pursue You, and because I do, things pursue me. I know You want me to be blessed physically, spiritually, and financially, but I also know that You don't want me to dishonor You in the process. I won't! I honor You and I know You will honor me! All my needs shall be met according to Your riches in glory, by Christ Jesus! In Jesus' name. Amen!