Have you ever heard that expression?—that ‘the tables have turned’? I tried to find out just exactly where it came from; and I found all kinds of different explanations. Some have said that it came from the world of chess—that, when one player gains a sudden victory over another player, the side of victory has shifted; and it’s said that the chess table had ‘turned’. Others have said that it came from the playing of cards—that one player is dealt a hand that puts him at an advantage; and that the situation at the table has ‘turned’. Some folks (who, if you ask me, had probably seen too many old movies) say that it came from those occasions when there was deceit and treachery at the dinner table—that when someone poisons the drink of an enemy, and when their back is turned and the enemy switches drinks, it is said that he had turned the tables on his would be assassin.

With all that said, I think we would all agree this expression simply implies that a favorable shift took place and we find this to be true for God’s people in the story we find in the book of Esther (7-9). In a nut shell, God’s people was literally headed to the slaughter, but God used a young beautiful and courageous woman name Esther to deliver His people from Haman’s diabolical plot!

In my opinion, the tables turned for Mordecai and the Jews when Esther made a conscious decision to step-out and step-up by faith. This is what she said, “After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish” (Esth 4:16). With this declaration, the pliant and obedient Esther became a woman of action.

The purpose of the Book of Esther is to demonstrate to Jews living in exile that it is possible to achieve success in the country of one’s exile without giving up one’s identity as a Jew.

Similarly, in the wake of the melting pot we as Christians face in our nation today, the Book of Esther solidifies that we don’t have to succumb to the perils that we know are lurking; in fact, Christians can thrive as Christians because we serve a God who is able to turn some tables (although the danger we may live in is also clearly acknowledged)!!

As we see the sun setting on 2020 and the sun rising on 2021 it behooves us not to forget that we serve a God that has no limits. He is not bound by time nor space! He works in the past, present and future. He is the only One that can go to our past to correct something that is affecting our today and can also go to our future to prepare something for us and then come back to our present to get us ready for that thing.

The power of God is amazing and unlimited whether spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, political, social, mental or any other power. He can use any power He chooses. As children of God, we should not worry about the power that we don’t have because God will supply all of our needs according to what He do have (Philippians 4:19)!

There is no limitation in our past, present and future that can stop what God has decided to make of us. In Acts 17:24-28 we learn that, “He is the God who made the world and everything in it…. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need…..”

Let’s be honest with ourselves! In 2021 there will be obstacles, doubters and there will be mistakes. However, everything that comes against us has to stand before our God first and we know that anything that opposes God will fall!

Still not convinced? Well, Elihu had to remind Job of God’s limitless power in chapter 36 verses 22-24 and
He said, “Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise.”

God is the Almighty One, the Lord God, El-Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One. He is everything. He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and as we magnify and exalt Him, we will understand that anything is possible! He is unlimited. He is not handicapped by our limitations. He can do anything! Therefore, He can and He will bring His perfect will to pass in our lives.

Being more than conquerors doesn’t mean that we can pick up the planet with our bare hands, nor does it mean that we can defeat an entire army by ourselves! However, to be more than conquerors simply means that we face the trials of life with the certainty that we are not alone (Hebrews 13:5). We have a mighty Father who fights for us and with us. We can approach the darkest valleys fearlessly and with confidence, knowing that nothing can happen to us that is not permitted by our loving Father for our good and His glory (Psalm 23:4; Romans 8:28). We have His promise of eternal life (John 3:16; Titus 1:2; 1 John 5:11) and the presence of Almighty God every moment of every day until we see Him face to face (Psalm 139:7–12; Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20). No sin of ours and no attempt of the world or the enemy can steal the loving care of God from our lives, and that makes us more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.

Look at this way, Christ communicates to us all although our sorrows and distractions seek to drag us away from Him. But because He holds us (Hallelujah!), we shall not be dragged away, by anything outside of our own weak and wavering spirits. Though weapons form and calamity comes against us in an attempt to take everything from us (Isaiah 55:17), the one thing they cannot do is separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39), unless we ourselves throw Him away. In this and this alone, we shall conquer as it says in Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,…”

Now that Christmas 2020 has come and gone until next year. Many people are coming down from the celebratory Christmas high and are now starring down the barrel of their broken reality! If I am speaking to you, I got some good news for you… you’re not alone!

I Peter 5:9-10 offers some much needed hope by reminding us, “After [we]have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called [us] to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish [us]!

Let me ask you, what do real-estate investors and car collecters have in common? I know you might thinking these enthusiast get paid big money. Well, some do and others don’t, but one thing is for certain they each have eyes to see what most people don’t see because they possess a peculiar ability to see the treasure in the trash.

Guess what?? God is also an enthusiast, but He is not focused on homes nor cars. His eyes are laser focused on the sparrow and yes, He loves to mend, heal and restore broken sparrow’s wings like yours and mines.

Can I get a Hallelujah and an amen!! God can and will meticulously reverse the damage caused by this world, pain and sin (some of which is admittedly self-inflicted).

When God restores a broken sparrow, they are still marked in some way by that suffering. Those who have truly wrestled with God through pain, walk like Jacob with a limp. However, regardless of the limp or mark God is always there to comfort, strengthen and to give us peace.

I have heard it said, “Life happens, tears fall, and hearts get broken, but God restores!”

Now, if this message spoke to your situation and you can relate to the sparrow’s dilemma and Jacob’s plight, I want you to know that God is fixing every broken piece (big or small) in your life. So get ready for restoration, refreshment and renewal. God is preparing your for everything that you prayed for!

With only 5 days left in this calendar year, the Lord has rested and burdened my heart to let everyone that 2021 will be a year of the outpouring of God’s grace!

When I launched the #BeStrong campaign God said for us to be strong, He was with us and that we will get through this [pandemic, social injustice and civil unrest) together! Now, He is getting ready to pour out His irresistible and life transforming grace and I can’t wait! I am extremely excited about what God has in stored for us in 2+0+2+1=5!

God became flesh to save our souls, to bridge the gap, and to reconcile us back to Himself! In this unique divine conception and birth, the immaterial and the material merged. Nobility entered poverty. Divine holiness combined with dingy humanity and as a result of this celestial transaction, “to us a child [was] born, to us a son [was] given, and the government [was placed] on His shoulders. And He [is] called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Having said that, it’s no coincidence that regardless of religion or beliefs, Christmas is the time when the entire world recognizes Jesus as having the largest impact on human history of anyone that has ever lived. He is worthy of believers and non-believers alike to come together to say, “Happy Birthday, Jesus.”

So as you gather today for the traditional ‘gift exchange’ with family and friends while complying with CDC guidelines(wearing facial coverings and social distancing) just remember the greatest present gifted to all humanity was born some 2,000 years ago in a manger fit for a King! In approximately 33 years later, He was wrongly convicted and died nailed to a rugged cross fit for a criminal. He was buried in a borrowed tomb, BUT three days later, He walked out of that tomb with all power in His hands, salvation in His eyes, and reconciliation in His heart!

#MerryCHRISTmas!

#HappyBirthdayJesus

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

Please breathe, let it go and move forward! You are not bound to your past, but unfortunately your past tries to stay bound to you! Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “That anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” So remember in Christ your future is always brighter than your past. Therefore, don’t give your past authority to dim the lights shining in your future. If you don’t let your past die, then it won’t let you live!

As you and I both know, the world is a sinful place, and one of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is to convict the world of its sin. No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless the Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner’s heart. It is the Spirit’s job to convict and teach. And what is the most basic sin of which the world is guilty? Jesus specifies it as unbelief. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit is at work in the world “because they believe not in [CHRIST].” Once a person responds to the Spirit’s conviction and turns to faith in Christ, the other sins he or she practiced will evenly be taken care of. Ultimately, it is the sin of unbelief the Holy Spirit is primarily seeking after to change. Jesus said this in John 16:8-11, “And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

Earthly suffering don’t last long and Paul penned these
perennial words of encouragement in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”