Rich or Poor - SAME LORD!

Prov 22:2 NLT) The rich and poor have this in common: The LORD made them both.

NOTE: Yesterday I made the mistake of actually teaching from 22:3, so I inadvertently skipped over this verse. This morning we go back to it.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Solomon was a rich man, actually the richest man in the world at the time of his writings, so it's pleasantly refreshing for a man of so much wealth to acknowledge the fact that God does not discriminate based on the size of our bank accounts.

Jesus Himself acknowledged the fact that there will always be some contingent of the poor in the world (Mat 26:11). For a myriad of reasons (self-inflicted or otherwise) there will always be poor among us. And the same can be said for the rich. Whether some like it or not, there will always be a portion of the human race who are exceptionally rich in earthly resources. God has actually used both for His glory.

Solomon was rich and God used him, Gideon was the weakest man from the weakest clan (this includes his financial statement) and God used him. We serve a God that looks past the outward façade in order to peer down into our hearts (1 Sam 16:7). If our divine assignment in life requires lots of money for the accomplishment of it, then the Father has ways of getting that money to us, I am living proof of this, but make no mistake, the money is NOT is determining factor for whether or not He will use us for His glory.

Let me say it another way. If the Lord is looking for someone to accomplish something that will take $50 million dollars to complete, He CAN move upon the heart of someone who already has the money, but He won't if that person's heart is not right. The Father can just as easily move upon the heart of a man who has $50 dollars in his bank account, but whose heart is right, and give that person the favor and ingenuity to generate the resources. The money will come, but the most important thing to God is the heart.

So don't allow money, or the lack thereof, to cause you to despise the poor or envy the rich. The bottom line is that you should treat people based upon the quality of their character, not the size of their bank accounts.

Job, for example, was a rich man and he had plenty of servants. However, he did not allow his money to lead him to think that he was better than his servants. He said the following when discussing his servants and the poor: "Didn't the same God who made me, make them? Aren't we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?" (Job 31:15). Yes Job, you are right!

So what does this mean? Two things:
1. There is ONE LORD and He is the LORD of all. Now, this does not mean that every person is going to heaven (only those who accept Jesus as Lord will do that), but it does mean that our Lord rules over the just and the unjust.
2. The size of your bank account neither qualifies nor disqualifies you from being used of God. So if you have lots of money, don't allow the money to cause you to operate in pride; and if you don't have lots of money, then don't allow your lack of money to make you feel inferior. The Lord can, and will, use both!

Father, I thank You for blessing me according the quality and content of my heart, not the size of my bank accounts. I know You have called me for greatness and I know that where You have given vision, You will also release provision. So I am not overly concerned about money. You give me the favor and the ingenuity required to generate and gather the resources necessary to accomplish Your divine purpose for my life. I am purpose driven, vision focused, and above reproach in every way concerning money. Money is my servant, not my master. You are my Lord and You are the Lord of all! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Keep God Involved!

Prov 21:31 GNB) You can get horses ready for battle, but it is the LORD who gives victory.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon continues to flow in the same vein as yesterday's message where he said: "There is no one wise enough to make a plan that can succeed if the LORD is against it." The title of yesterday's message was, "Get God Involved." I told you that we need to Get Him involved because "there is a dual aspect-God and man, man and God-to our lives... God has a part and we have a part... God's sovereignty does not alleviate us of the weight of our decisions, but rather adds on us the additional task of seeking God's will and of aligning our decisions with it." Now that we know we need to get God involved, this morning Solomon is teaching us that we need to keep Him involved, because we will not experience true victory outside of His grace.

Solomon references a horse and in his day the horse was used for battle. As Soldiers prepared for war they also prepared their horses, because the horse was just as much a part of the battle as they were. A mounted cavalryman had to rely heavily on his stallion, but Solomon reminds all of us that the greatest reliance should be on God Almighty. Without God all the preparation in the world can still lead to utter failure. Now, this does not mean that we should not prepare - because our preparation WILL show up in our performance - but ultimately, our trust must be in God, not our preparation.

The psalmist said it best, saying: "Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the LORD watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. Let Your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in You alone" (Psalm 22:17-22).

So what does this mean? A few things:
1. Nothing avails against and nothing avails without God.
2. Frustration sets in when you are making a demand on God for something that is not yours to have. That's why He must be part of the planning process.
3. When you petition the Lord for something that lines up with His will for your life, then not only will you get it, but you will enjoy it, because you will be flowing in your purpose.
4. Remember to give God the glory. Jehovah is a jealous God, He wants ALL the glory due His name. We must give God the glory, for without God he would not have experienced the 'sweatless victory' he did.
5. While it is true that Jehovah gets the glory, remember that you get the benefits. The Father wants you to enjoy the benefits of walking in accordance with his will and purpose for your life.

Father, I thank You for blessing me to find, follow, and finish my purpose in life. I find it, as You progressively reveal Your purposes for my life to me, in ways that I can understand. You purpose gives my effort meaning and vision clarity. After finding it, I am committed to following it. Not only will I get you involved, but I will keep you involved, all the days of my life. My trust, reliance, and faith is in You. Without You I am convinced that I would fail, but with You I am convinced that I am more than a conqueror and I will experience supernatural success time after time after time! And lastly, I will am committed to finishing it! I want to die empty - having gotten out of me all that You have placed IN me. I am blessed to BE a blessing and I shall pour out all that has been poured into me before I die, while am still in the land of the living! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Get God Involved

(Prov 21:30 ERV) There is no one wise enough to make a plan that can succeed if the LORD is against it.

This morning we continue in Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. If you have been following series for any length of time you know that Solomon was an advocate of planning, but he also drove home the importance of understanding God's sovereignty.

In chapter 16 Solomon said, "We humans make plans, but the LORD has the final word" (v.1) and "In your heart you plan your life. But the LORD decides where your steps will take you" (v.9). In chapter 19 he said, "A man may have many plans in his heart. But the LORD's purpose wins out in the end" (v.21). And in the last chapter Solomon said, "A person's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?" (20:24).

These verses (and there are many others) speak to the sovereignty of God, but there are no shortage of scriptures that remind us of our responsibility to plan and to follow through with those plans. There is definitely a balance because when you focus on God's sovereignty alone it sounds like the Bible is teaching us that we are simply puppets and God Almighty is the grand puppeteer. However, you and I know that that would not be congruent with the rest of scripture. So what we are left with is this dual aspect-God and man, man and God-to our lives. If we didn't have a say in the matter, then why pray? Why plan? Why petition anything of the Lord or bring anything before the Lord is He is simply going to do what He wants to do anyway? You and I both know-from the Word, life, and experience-that God has a part and we have a part. Yes, God is sovereign, but He has also given us the ability to make our own decisions and the right to reap the harvest of them. In other words, God's sovereignty does not alleviate us of the weight of our decisions, but rather adds on us the additional task of seeking God's will and of aligning our decisions with it.

One of the dangers of getting a great education or of being exceptionally bright is relying too heavily on that intelligence or education and leaving God OUT of the planning process. The Good News Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Human wisdom, brilliance, insight-they are of no help if the LORD is against you."

Here is another danger - thinking that so called "faith" can actually force God to do something. Many misunderstand faith, especially in today's society, and they think that they can make a confession, or repeat a scripture, or write a check to force God's hand. NO! Faith is about agreeing with God, not forcing God. To agree with God you must first know His will. When you know what He wants to do in your life, you can then agree with God, in faith, that the thing (whatever it is) will come to pass, no matter the opposition. But if you don't seek Him first, then He is not obligated to bless whatever you come up with!

So what does this mean to you? It means that instead of asking God to bless what you are doing, you should first find out what He is blessing and then DO THAT - there is a big difference between the two. Once you have what you believe is His direction, then yes, step out in faith knowing that no one, regardless of their earthly position or power, can stand against the LORD!

Father, You sit on the circle of the earth. You are infinite, eternal, and completely sovereign. It is Your sovereign wisdom that I seek. I know that You will allow me to reap whatever I sow, so therefore I want to make sound decisions; decisions that line up with Your Word and will for my life. As You reveal to me Your purposes for my life, I declare by faith, that I will line up my plans with them. Life is much easier, and more enjoyable, when I cooperate with You and Your plans for my life. With that in mind, I will make sure that my plans support Your plans! I am excited about today, this year, and the rest of my life, because I know I will be walking with You and You will be walking with me! Together, we shall make a difference, because no one can stand against me when You are on my side! In Jesus' name, Amen!

A BOLD-Faced Liar!

(Prov 21:29 NLT) The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright give thought to their ways.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Solomon often compared the actions of the righteous with those of the wicked in his writings In this verse Solomon describes the level of effort the liar is willing to put into his lying. The Bible in Basic English translation of this verse reads: "The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way." This hardening of the face is so that he may not expose the fact that what he is doing is wrong. The wicked man hardens his face - brazens it, that he may not blush or crack - steels it, that he may not tremble when he is checked by others or his own conscience. In his arrogance and hypocrisy the wicked person puts up a bold front. He tries to persuade people to believe him, even though he knows outright that was he is saying is full of deceit and lies. On the other hand a righteous man has to make no such effort. This man thinks before he speaks and he always speaks the truth. The righteous man is consistent in all he does and his consistency gives him a level of peace and confidence. The peaceful and confident disposition of the righteous is a stark contrast to the bullheaded bravado of the wicked.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads make it very clear, it reads: "Unscrupulous people fake it a lot; honest people are sure of their steps." Have you ever met someone like the wicked man described here? Have you ever met someone who faked it a lot and who overreacted - raising their voice and pumping their fists - when they were caught in a lie? These people vehemently declare their innocence only to be found out later.

The English Revised Version of this verse reads: "Good people know they are right, but the wicked have to pretend." When you walk with God and you do things His way, then you know when you are right and you don't have to raise your voice, pump your first, or make a front about it. When you are right you are simply right and the Lord will see to it that justice is done. However, those who speak satan's language (by speaking lies daily) are people who are simply faking their way through life. That's no way to live.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should be honest with God, yourself, and others. This way you can KNOW that you have given careful and honest thought to your actions, you can EXPECT the blessing of God to be on everything you do, and you can REST in the fact that you don't have to attempt to remember a series of lies. When you live your life as an upright man or woman you get to enjoy God's best internally and externally, but when you live like the kingdom of darkness you rob yourself and others of all that you could be - all that God actually wants you to be and the impact that He wants to make in and through your life!

Father, I shall be a bold witness, not a bold-faced liar. I speak the truth in love and because truth continually flows from my heart, through my lips, I am able to enjoy inner peace, quiet confidence, and supernatural faith. The liar has no such confidence, because he knows his ways are wicked, twisted, and wrong. I walk upright before You and man daily, and in-so-doing I am able to expect You blessing to flow on everything I put my hands to do. I rest in You! In Jesus' name. Amen.

God don't want your Stuff, He wants YOU!

Prov 21:27 ERV) God hates sacrifices from the wicked, especially when their reason for offering them is evil.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs.
In Solomon's time offering sacrifices to God was often a very public event. For example, under king Hezekiah, during a celebration of PASSOVER, the Bible says, "King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats" (2 Chron 30:24). Just think about the logistics involved in killing and offering 2,000 bulls and 17,000 sheep and goats. This was no private matter. And notice that most of the offerings came from people other than the king. These were people that wanted to publically be involved in the worship of their Lord. Under Solomon himself, during the dedication of the temple, the Bible says, "Solomon offered to the LORD a peace offering of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats" (1st Kings 8:63). Once again, this was a HUGE ordeal. Now, the public nature of this type of giving was not a bad thing in and of itself, but your heart needed to be pure. God doesn't want your stuff, He wants YOU!

I believe the Lord Himself, through the psalmist, said it best in the 50th psalm, saying: "Bring My faithful people to Me-those who made a covenant with Me by giving sacrifices... I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are Mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is Mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on Me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give Me glory." But God says to the wicked: "Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant? For you refuse My discipline and treat My words like trash. When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother-your own mother's son... Repent, all of you who forget Me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me. If you keep to My path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God."

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Religious performance by the wicked stinks; it's even worse when they use it to get ahead." Many today give for different reasons. Some give for tax purposes, others to be seen, others to be recognized by the community, others to promote or even repair their public-image, and then there are many of us who simply give because we love the Lord.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that the Father willingly and openly accepts your offering when you give it with pure hands and a clean heart, but if you are giving to be seen, for public recognition, simply for tax purposes, or to promote some wicked agenda, then you are better off promoting your business some other way. The Lord detests the offerings of the wicked and they become a stench in his nostrils. So if you are not going to give for the right reasons, keep your money, the Lord doesn't need it, He wants YOU, not your stuff!

Father, I sincerely and eternally thank You for sending Jesus to die in my stead. I will never cease to praise Your name for saving me from eternal damnation. The life that I now live is Yours. All that I have is Yours. All that I want to be is wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in You. All the earthly possessions I have are simply resources that You have blessed me to oversee. I don't have anything that is bigger than You, so I freely give as You lead me to give, and I do so with clean hands and pure heart. Because my heart is in my giving I know that my offerings will always be pleasing to You! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Watch What You Say

Prov 21:23 Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. The Bible is chock-full of instruction concerning the importance of our words. I have taught several series on this topic (see www.todaysword.org) and have addressed it time and time again via this forum, because this topic is all throughout the Bible. I don't have enough time this morning to share with you what others said about it, so I will just simply share some of what Solomon said, just in Proverbs, about our words.

In chapter four Solomon said, "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips" (v.24). In chapter 10: "The mouths of those who do right are a fountain of life. But the trouble caused by what sinners say destroys them" (v.11). In chapter 12: "The wicked are trapped by their own words, but honest people get themselves out of trouble" (v.13). In chapter 13: "Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything" (v.3). In chapter 18: "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit-you choose" (v.21). And of course, we have what he said in chapter 21 that we are looking at this morning.

The bottom line is that we can be ensnared by our own words. Just like a bear trap ensnares a huge bear and keeps him entangled and restricted, so it is with our words, especially the words of the wicked. Since the heart of the wicked is not pure, they routinely speak words that do not line up with God's word. Speaking lies are commonplace for the wicked, but the problem is that the liar inevitably contradicts himself, thus getting himself in trouble with his own lips. Not only that, but the wicked are programmed to speak fear, doubt and unbelief. Without even knowing it, the wicked entrap themselves with their own words. But what is true in the negative is also true in the positive. If we choose to speak life, faith, victory, grace, and peace, instead of getting us into trouble, our words actually keep us from it.

The power of the spoken word is one of life's greatest mysteries. All that you will ever be or accomplish hinges on what you choose to come out of your mouth. By what you allow to occupy your mind and mouth you can either bless your life to great heights of success or send it orbiting into realms of failure, sadness, and discontent. Consciously choosing your words is like putting together the right combination of brick and mortar. Just as the great architects have taken raw materials to build skyscrapers and timeless monuments, your words are the raw materials that can form the life you are meant to live.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that your words can either entrap you or keep you from the trap, so choose them wisely. Never speak words of fear, doubt or unbelief. Command your morning with words of prayer and then reinforce your prayer with words of faith all day long. You can't speak faith in the morning and fear all day and expect to see results. Speak faith, speak life, speak victory, speak God's best over your life and over the lives of your family daily! Careful (Faith-filled) words put you in the position to receive all that God desires for you to have and become all that God desires for you to be.

Father, I thank You for giving me the ability to think, believe, speak and act. I choose to fill my heart with good things. I read, believe and apply Your Word daily. Your Word fills my heart and out of the abundance of my heart my mouth speaks faith-filled words. I speak life and never death, blessing and never cursing, victory and never defeat! I refuse to ensnare myself with my own words. Conversely, I use my words to keep me from the traps of the enemy, by watching what I say. Like a mason carefully thinks through how he is going to lay bricks, I carefully consider the words that are becoming the building blocks for my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!

With God's Wisdom

With God’s Wisdom you CAN DO the Impossible!

(Prov 21:22 TNIV) One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.

Happy Monday!! In Solomon's time ruling kings often lived behind the protection of fortified walls. Not only did walls surround their palaces, but walls surrounded their cities. Understandably, many put their confidence in the seemingly impenetrable defense of the city walls, along with the Soldiers who patrolled them. What Solomon is teaching us here is that just one man, equipped with the wisdom of God, can figure out a way to infiltrate even the most protected city and to destroy the stronghold [of defense] the king and his citizens so confidently trusted in.

The English Revised Version translation of this verse reads: "A wise person can defeat a city full of warriors and tear down the defenses they trust in." In other words, never underestimate the power of a man who is equipped with the wisdom of God. In Ecclesiastes Solomon said, "Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city" (7:19) and " "Wisdom is better than strength" (9:16). The wisdom of God can enable you to win the seemingly unwinnable, to succeed against seemingly impossible odds, and to baffle all those who were completely confident in their earthly strength along the way.

Wisdom is superior to brute force. A man may be able to build a seemingly impregnable fortress, but there will come along a man who is smart enough to figure out how to invade it. The ancient city of Babylon is a classic example. Belshazzar sat inside the walls of Babylon thinking he was perfectly safe. In fact, there was an inner wall around his palace. He was certain the walls of Babylon could never be penetrated, and, of course, guards were stationed all along the walls. But the general in the camp of the enemy used his wisdom and figured a way to get into Babylon. A branch of the Euphrates River went through the city, more or less like a canal. He diverted the water back into the mainstream of the river, then he was able to march his army on the riverbed under the wall where the river had flowed. The Medo-Persian army spread into the city, and the city was taken before the Babylonians knew what was happening."

So what does this mean to you? Two things:
1. Those who have earthly power are apt to rely on it: This is understandable. Those who are in positions of authority and who have established earthly means by which to protect their position will naturally rely on the protection they have established. However, no matter how much they have invested in their security, earthly wisdom can never truly provide complete security.

2. Those who have supernatural wisdom can accomplish the seemingly impossible: There is nothing that you cannot do when God is working in and through you. When God's super is applied to your natural, it enables you to operate in the supernatural! The Father can equip, enable, and empower you to accomplish the seemingly unachievable and in so doing, baffle the world in the process. Just remember to give Him the glory when He uses you this way.

Father, some trust in chariots, and some trust in horses, but I trust in the name of the Lord my God. In other words, some trust in earthly protection, but I trust in divine protection and I rely on divine wisdom daily. I know that You can give me the wisdom to accomplish the seemingly impossible and to achieve the seemingly unachievable. I declare, by faith, that Your wisdom is on me and in me, and that I operate in it daily. With Your super on my natural I am able to operate in the supernatural and to accomplish all that You desire to accomplish through me, in the earth; baffling the world in the process. As You use me Father, I will be ever-mindful to give You all the praise, all the glory, and all the honor! In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Total Package

The Total Package

(Prov 21:21 NLT) Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.

In life we all seemingly pursue different things and there is no doubt that many have veered off their God-ordained paths for life in the pursuit of worldly desires. Here Solomon teaches us that if we do it right, if we pursue the things of God, then not only can we obtain it, but we can actually receive what I call the TOTAL PACKAGE. Let's break down this verse:

Whoever pursues righteousness: The word "righteousness" basically means a right-standing with God. This is a laudable pursuit. If you are going to pursue anything, pursue righteousness, because this pursuit is recognized and rewarded by God pursuit-worthy. In Matthew Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The Amplified Translation of this verse reads: "Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied! [Isa. 55:1, 2.]"

When you pursue the things of God, and you pursue them the right (Godly) way, then you not only will you obtain what you are pursuing, but you will be completely satisfied during the process of pursuit and after obtaining it. We have all experienced the 'buyers remorse' of pursuing something we thought we really wanted and needed, only to obtain it and then realize that it was not all it was 'cracked up' to be. But when you pursue a right standing with God you enjoy the pursuit and the results!

And unfailing love: God is love. Remember that He does not merely possess love or operate in love. God literally is love (1 John 4:8). So pursuing love is actually pursuing God. Operating in love is the greatest requirement, the highest goal, and the ultimate achievement for the believer. The word Christian means "like Christ." If we are going to be "like" Him, then we must pursue, operate in, and share the love of God with the world.

Will find life, righteousness, and honor: When you pursue righteousness and you pursue love you actually wind up getting those things plus the added benefit experiencing the type of life the Father desires for us to have.

In Matthew 6 Jesus said, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (v.33).

When you pursue righteousness, instead of "things," then not only do you get the righteousness and you realize that the "things" that you could not pursued actually wind up pursuing you. In other words, what you give up in pursuit of God is never really lost. The Father has a way of ensuring you experience all that you could ever enjoy, because you chose to put Him first!

So what does this mean to you? Simply put, it means that if you pursue God you will find Him and along with Him you will get the TOTAL PACKAGE - the life He desires for you to have!

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I refuse to abort my destiny and to veer from the path You desire for me to take in life, because of the pursuit of worldly things. Instead of pursuing things, I pursue You. But since I have chosen to pursue You instead of things, I know that things will actually wind up pursuing me. My priorities are in order. You are first and foremost in my life. I have been declared righteous because of the Blood of Jesus and I seek to walk in that righteousness and also in Your love daily. As I do so You bless me with Your life - the type of life You desire for me to live - Your righteousness, and Your honor. You honor me, because I honor You and Your approval of my life enables me to experience the TOTAL PACKAGE! I am completely satisfied in You and I have no need or desire to leave my pursuit of You in pursuit of anything else. In Jesus' name. Amen!

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

Don’t Spend All That You Get

(Prov 21:20 NIV) In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs. Here Solomon returns to another of his reoccurring themes: money management. Many scholars believe Solomon was the richest man to ever live. As king he was able to observe the lives of the wealthy, as well as the poor. He knew (first hand) that wealth could buy a certain level of security, while poverty, in many ways, leaves the poor exposed. So he teaches us to be prudent in financial matters. Making poor financial decisions can have devastating results. The Contemporary English Version of this verse reads: "Be sensible and store up precious treasures-don't waste them like a fool." A wise person is sensible with their resources, ensuring they maintain a reserve, however the fool consumes everything that comes into their hands; Caring only for the pleasures of the present time.

In this series I have taught you about four categories of giving that we, as believers, should observe with our personal finances: tithes, offerings, supporting ministries (outside of the local church), and giving to the poor. The fool, however, can do none of these because he selfishly and thoughtlessly spends all he has as soon as he gets it.

This is timely counsel for today's credit laden society. This proverb is about saving for the future, but many today have mortgaged their future for the pleasures of the present. Easy credit has many living on the edge of bankruptcy; spending more than they can afford. Solomon is teaching us about foresight, restraint, and delayed gratification - concepts that seem foreign to today's society.

I am often surprised when I talk to people about money and specifically, what the Bible has to say about money. Most believers want nothing to do with the subject. Actually, and unfortunately, money is a 'taboo' subject I am convinced that the devil happy about it, because if more believers were taught what the Bible has to say about money management and how to honor God with their finances, I am convinced that they would be much better off. And it is extremely unfortunate because the Bible has more to say about money than about prayer and faith.

Sixteen out of [thirty-eight] of Christ's parables deal with money; more is said in the New Testament about money than [about] heaven and hell combined; five times more is said about money than [about] prayer; and while there are 500 plus verses on both prayer and faith, there are over 2,000 verses dealing with money and possessions.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. The wise spares, the fool squanders. Don't spend everything that comes into your hands.
2. As a financial steward, the father expects you to be faithful (1 Cor 4:2); to manage your finances in accordance with the counsel He has provided in His Word.
3. You will never leave and inheritance for your children and children's children (like the Word admonishes you to) if you foolishly and selfishly spend all that you earn.

Father, I thank You for this reminder and for this revelation. You expect me to be a good steward over my finances and I declare that I will. I will honor You financially and in turn I know You will bless the work of my hands. I will tithe, give offerings, support ministries that are making a difference, and give to the less fortunate as You lead me to. I will give, save, and spend - in that order - and by doing so I will please You and become the faithful steward You expect me to be. I am determined to walk in the blessing, to generate the wealth You desire for me to leave for my children and their children, and to finance ministry so that the gospel can be preached to all nations! Thank You Father for the wisdom to manage my finances in such a way that I will be able to live a strong, stable, and secure life. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Pray for Your Attackers

(Prov 21:18 GNB) The wicked bring on themselves the suffering they try to cause good people.

This morning we finally get back to our series Power of Proverbs It's been a while and I am excited about getting back to it. Proverbs is a power-packed book and I know the messages we will receive from its pages will be a blessing TO me, and then [prayerfully] THROUGH me.

Let's pickup where we left off.

Here Solomon teaches us something that I have reiterated many times, and that is the fact that we will all reap whatever we sow. More specifically, Solomon highlights the fact that those who attempt to come up against us will actually wind up reaping a negative harvest from the bad seeds they attempting to sow in our lives.

Isaiah said, "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper" (Isa 54:17). While we can find peace in knowing that the weapons formed against us will not prosper, it does not mean that they will not be formed. In other words, we do have an enemy and he will do whatever he can to come up against us. Satan and his demons work through people daily and I would venture to say that most of the people he uses are completely unaware that they are being influenced. But whether they know it or not, bad seeds always produce bad harvests and the attacks they bring against the righteous have a funny way of backfiring on them. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse is awesome, it reads: "What a bad person plots against the good, boomerangs; the plotter gets it in the end."

Paul said, "Don't be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant" (Gal 6:7)

A couple of examples of this 'boomerang efect' are the stories of Haman and Mordecai and Daniel and his accusers. Haman came up against Mordecai and he wanted to see Mordecai hang to death. Without getting into the entire story, let me just simply tell you that the Bible says: "So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai" (see Esther 7:9-10 RSV). Likewise, Daniel had his fare share of "haters" and his accusers wanted to see him thrown in the lion's den. Well, guess what? Daniel was thrown in the lion's den, but the Lord saw to it that the lion's did not eat Daniel and as soon as Daniel got out of the lion's den, the Bible says: "Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den" (see Daniel 6:24).

The point I want to highlight this morning is the fact that the enemy's poison can't stop your purpose. And if that is true (and it is), then why not be the bigger person and pray for them? Jesus said, "When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person" (Luke 6:28). If the other person knew any better they would leave you alone, but since they don't you should realize that they are deceived. Jesus interceded for his accusers and so should we. Because if we don't, we already know what is going to happen to them - they are GOING TO reap what they are sowing.

So what does this mean to you? It means that praying for those who give you a hard time is a symbol of Christian maturity. Are you there yet? Can you earnestly pray for those that curse you? Can you sincerely invoke blessings upon those that mistreat you? If you can, then you are operating in the love of God, a love that looks beyond the outward actions of people and sees the need in the person.

Closing Confession: Father, I declare, by faith, that Your love is operating in me so strong that I am able to pray for those who give me a hard time and pronounce blessings upon those who mistreat me. Your love in me empowers me to remain constant and consistent as light in the midst of darkness and as love in the midst of selfishness. I can do it! I can be the bigger person. I know their poison can't stop my purpose anyway, so why not pray for them? I look beyond the hatred they are operating in and I see a person that needs help. I stand in the gap for them and I earnestly ask You to manifest Your glory and Your goodness in their lives. By doing so I am walking in love and I am becoming more and more like You! In Jesus' name. Amen!!


May God Bless you all!!

Final Recap

That's it! This will be the last message in the series. We have covered so many golden nuggets in this series that we could actually continue 'recapping' for at least another week, but I am led to get us back to the Proverbs series. I pray this series has been a blessing to you.

Final review:

1. Surround yourself with the right people. Surrounding yourself with the right people can fuel your faith, because they will speak the language of faith around and agree with you in-faith when you need it. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people is dangerous, because many people are dream-killers; they are frustrated with their lives, so they will attempt to frustrate yours. So picking the right people to be with you, especially when the pressure is on, just might make the difference between overcoming and succumbing (see Mark 5:36,37).

2. The Father will meet you at your level of faith. Wherever level you are at today, weak or strong faith, He can meet you where you are. Ask Him to! (see Mark 5:41,42).

3. There is nothing too hard for God. Our heavenly Father is absolutely limitless and expanding our capacity to believe Him is the key to releasing Him to move I our lives. So remove whatever artificial limits you have placed on your limitless God and watch Him show up in your mightily! (see Mark 5:41,42).

4. Spend time at Jesus' feet. What's your issue? What you are dealing with? What is causing you stress, struggle, strain and strife? What is the thing that is keeping you up at night? This series is all about learning how to experience divine victory over negative stress and best place to start your journey towards victory is at the feet of Jesus! Powerful things happen at the Jesus' feet. Humble yourself, worship your Lord, fall at His feet, call on His name, acknowledge His power, reverence His throne, and you will find that He will meet you where you are. Whether you are up or down, at the end or your rope or on the top of the world, struggling or sailing, in faith or afraid, in hope or in despair, Jesus is available to you today and there is a great exchange that takes place at His feet. Spend some time at His feet today and He will impart into you all that you need to start experience His best life NOW! (see Mark 5:22 and 5:33).

5. God trusts you with it #1. Every human is tempted/tested so don't feel like you've been singled out. Everyone deals with internal temptations and external opposition (tests). But the key is realizing that the Father will not allow us to be overwhelmed. In other words, IF YOU ARE FACING IT, then GOD TRUSTS YOU WITH IT! Furthermore, the Word teaches us that resistance is possible and that there is always a way out. If you look for the way out you will find it and when you do you must have the fortitude to take the way out and choose not to continue in the path that leads to more bad harvests (see 1 Cor 10:13).

6. God trusts you with it #2. If we all have a breaking point (and I believe that we do) and the Father will ensure that we are not pushed beyond it (and I believe that He won't), then we must find comfort in knowing that if we are facing a challenge then it is evidence that we can handle it! In other words, if you are facing it, then the Father trusts you to be able to overcome it. If you couldn't take it, you would not be facing it, so if you are, then you can! So face it head-on, in faith, with full confidence in God and His Word, with an overcoming mentality, knowing that the Father trusts with it! (see 1 Cor 10:13).

Father, I acknowledge no other deity. I call on no other name. You alone sit on the circle of the earth. You alone have all things in and under control. You alone are the King of kings. You alone are the Lord of lords. I have only one Lord and His name is Jesus the Christ. Father, I have accepted Your Son as my Savior and Lord and I declare that I will spend time at His feet daily. At Jesus' feet I find peace. At Jesus' feet I experience Your power. At Jesus' feet I receive Your direction. At Jesus' feet I enjoy Your protection. At Jesus' feet I exchange my worries, cares and concerns for Your joy, love, and wisdom. I find victory over stress at Jesus' feet! I declare this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Recap III

That's it! No more scriptures to unpack, break down, or discuss. This morning we continue our recap of what we have learned over the last few months.

Let's review:

1. Don't dwell on the past. It would have been very easy for the woman with the issue of blood to wallow in pity, but she kept looking for a way out of her situation. She tried the doctors, she tried her religion, and then she tried Jesus. And that's the point, she kept on trying, she never gave up, and she kept moving forward! A 'forward-ever, backward-never' mentality goes a long way! (see Mark 5:25-29).

2. Expand your capacity to believe God. Do you truly believe? This woman did. She believed for a breakthrough when all human hope was gone and her belief opened the door to her faith. You will never get to the faith stage if you can't get past the belief stage! (see Mark 5:25-29).

3. Speak faith-filled words. The language of faith speaks its desired outcome. That's exactly what this woman did and her faith fueled the action required for her breakthrough. Nursing and rehearing the situation will never change it. Speak what you want, not what you have! (see Mark 5:25-29).

4. Watch your mouth! Do not underestimate the power of words. You release a message every time you open your mouth and you should be cognizant of what messages you are releasing. Your words can either release faith or fear and the enemy will turn up the heat on you every time you speak faith. His hope is that the heat will make you buckle under the pressure. But your God is bigger than the heat! Don't allow what you see to change what you say!

5. Remain IN-FAITH! When you have an issue it's not hard to fall on your knees and pray. It might take some humility, but praying is not the hard part. The hard part comes afterwards, in the space between your prayer and the performance, in the space between your confession and the completion, in the space between "I believe I receive, Amen" and "There it is!" That's the challenge, because in the space between the prayer and the performance, the devil will attempt to cause problems. In the space between the confession and the completion the devil will attempt to stir up confusion. It's in that space that we must remain in faith and patient (see Heb 6:12).

6. Choose your friends wisely. When you are dealing with a difficult situation you must surround yourself with people of 'like-precious-faith.' If you surround yourself with the wrong people you will hear the wrong things. You need an 'inner-circle;' a small group of people you can rely on when the going gets rough. These are people who will be there for you and you for them.

Father, I declare, by faith, that I will not settle for anything less than the manifestation of Your promises in my life. Once I receive a promise in my spirit, either from Your Word or Your voice, I resolve to operate in faith and patience until the promise is a reality in my life. I will not allow the enemy to cause me to change my confession and I will not allow what I see - even if it gets worse before it gets better - to change what I say. The devil has no place in me, no power over me, and no unsettled claims against me. So he can't stifle my faith with suggestions of condemnation. I have been forgiven, I am in faith, I have patience, and I will HOLD ON until I see You best in my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Recap II

Recap II

No more scriptures to unpack, break down, or discuss in the past series. Now we started our recap of what we have learned over the last few months and this morning we continue it.

Let's review:

1. The battle is in your mind. If you submit to the process of mind renewal, allowing yourself to be deprogrammed and then reprogrammed through the Word of God, you can actually get to the stage where you are SO conditioned to think God's way that it will be extremely difficult for the enemy to get a hold of your mind with his negative thoughts of fear, failure, and defeat. This is the stage I pray you desire to get to and I pray that you do. It won't happen overnight, but if you submit to the process, little-by-little, it WILL happen! (see 2 Cor 10:3-5).

2. What will you allow? Just like you can ALLOW your heart to be troubled, you have the power to refuse it. Faith is a choice, just like fear is a choice. You cannot trust and worry at the same time, and you get to CHOOSE which one YOU will do. God will allow whatever you allow; He will not override YOUR choice! (see John 14:27).

3. Rule your emotions. Don't let your feelings tell you how to feel. If you allow your emotions to rule you, you will live an unstable and possibly an unfruitful life. God has given you the power to rule over your emotions, but YOU must do so (see John 14:27).

4. You can have peace in the midst of storms. God is not always going to deliver you FROM challenges, but He will give you what you need to conquer them-delivering you IN it, rather than FROM it. The peace of God is not about the absence of conflict, but rather about the presence of God. When God is present you can have peace internally, even when everything externally seems to be going haywire (see John 14:27).

5. Stand firm! When we truly trust in the Lord we can be like Mount Zion, and one thing we know about Mount Zion is that it is not going anywhere! We too can get to the point where we CANNOT be moved! If we are fixed and focused in faith, and we also know that the Lord Himself is our protection, then we don't have anything to stress-out about. The devil can try all he wants, but he will never be successful against us, because we are determined to remain in faith and trust (see Ps 125:1,2).

6. One encounter with God can change your life forever! I am not a big advocate of teaching "one touch" or "one encounter" type messages, because it draws people that only want to get something from God and not have a true relationship with God. But whether I am an advocate or not, the truth is that one encounter with God can change your life forever. The woman with the issue of blood tried everything else and it got here nowhere, but she believed that one encounter with Jesus could stop her bleeding and restore her to health. She had the audacity to believe in a God she could not see, through a man (Jesus) she did not know, and she received her breakthrough. What are you able to believe? If you can believe it you become a candidate to receive it (see Mark 5:25-29).

Father, no matter how bad of a situation I find myself in, I know that one touch, one word, or one encounter with You can turn it around. There is nothing too hard for You! There is nothing that You cannot do! Your hands are not too short that You cannot reach me. You power is not too weak that You cannot provide a breakthrough and a breakout! I am never hopeless, because You have committed to be with me always... never to leave me or forsake me. Since You are always with me, I am never helpless. Since I am never helpless, I am never hopeless. My hope is in You and I believe You can meet me today, right where I am, and You can manifest Your glory in such a way that You will help me to get to where You want me to be! I know You can and I believe You will! In Jesus' name. Amen!

"Victory over Stress!"

Recap #1

That's it! No more scriptures to unpack, break down, or discuss in the series. For this rest of this week we will simply recap some of what we have learned over the past few months.

So what does this mean to you? Let's review:

1. Making peace with God comes as a result of accepting Jesus as Lord and receiving the forgiveness of sin. However, subsequent to that, we have the ability to receive the peace of God and this peace far surpasses human understanding, reasoning or explanation. The peace of God is amazing and it is available for every believer (see Phil 4:6,7).

2. We can choose what to do with our cares. We can carry them around, and allow them to burden us down, like we were accustomed to prior to coming to Christ, or we can CAST them over to God. The Father is ready, willing, and able to receive the cares we cast over to Him, because He cares for us. So be a care-caster, not a care-carrier! (see 1st Peter 5:7).

3. While it is possible to do so, the Father does not want us to become weary in doing what is right. If we become weary we will lose the grip we have on our faith and we will experience a faith-failure. However, if we hold on, if we remain steadfast, if we maintain our hope, if we remain confident, in due season (which means that there is a season when our breakthrough is DUE) we will reap our harvest (see Gal 6:9).

4. The Father offers us a Great Exchange. He is willing to exchange our weariness for His rest. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." What a great deal! We bring him our heavy burdens and He is willing to do a one-for-one exchange with them for His rest. You won't find a better deal anywhere (see Mat 11:38-30).

5. You can't be in-trust and in-worry at the same time. If you are worrying, it is an indication that you don't trust God. But if you fully trust Him there is a perfect peace - which is actually written in scripture as "peace peace" - that is available for you (see Isa 26:3).

6. Get good sleep! The Word says that it is vain to get up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows because you can't sleep, because the Lord gives His beloved sleep. Stop allowing worry to rob you of the sleep the Father wants you to have (see Ps 127:2).

7. 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." If you have fun during the day, you will also have fun while you sleep and your sleep will be sweet! (see Prov 17:22).

Father, I have heard from You this morning and I choose to take You up on Your offer. I release the pain, bitterness, resentment, and stress that harboring negative energy from my past has caused and I am ready to make the Great Exchange. I take off all the negatives yokes I have carried in the past and I decide to only put on one yoke, from this day forward, for the rest of my life, and that yoke is Your yoke. I yoke up with You and as I do You partner with me so that I don't have to attempt to live my life alone. You sharing the load of my life gives me complete confidence that I will be able to maximize my purpose and potential before I die! Let's go make a difference! In Jesus' name. Amen.