4GIVEN

Let’s be honest, it’s easy to be a critic. When the Israelites arrived at Kadesh Barnea, which bordered the Promise Land of Canaan, they sent 12 spies to survey the land and the people (Numbers 13:18-25). The 12 spies spent 40 days checking things out and upon their return, 10 of the 12 spies reported nothing but bad things. Numbers 13:31-33 records them saying, “We can’t attack these people; they are stronger than we are….all the people we saw were of giants….we seem like grasshoppers in our own eyes.” Talk about fake news!! Joshua and Caleb’s assessment of the land was quite different (Numbers 14:6-7). However, believing the reports from the 10 critics, the people lost heart and rebelled against God. Essentially, they flat out ignore the fact that just 40 days prior to hearing these reports from the 10 spies God delivered them from over 400 years of slavery!!! Talk about a slap in the face! So, what did they do? Of course, out of fear and disbelief they took the path of least resistance; they elected to reject God’s promise (Numbers 14:1-2). You already know God was hot! But, once again Moses interceded and turned away God’s wrath (Numbers 14:13-20). Yes, God forgave them and He decided the folks that griped, belly-ached, and complained wouldn’t see the promise land and they would wander in the wilderness an additional year for each day the 12 spies spent exploring the land He promised they would inherit. Go figure, what was only an 11 day journey expanded to 40 years all because the people chose to criticize and reject God’s promise based on sensationalized fake news! All we hear in the news today is COVID this and COVID that…but have you considered listening to what God is saying? God promised us victory over all kinds of illnesses. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God will never lead us where His grace can’t provide for us or His power can’t protect us! Indeed, the Israelites witness the power of God move through the plagues and miracles of the Exodus but unfortunately (like many people today) they chose to walked by sight and not by faith. Let this not be so for you; don’t allow fear and disbelief to keep you from experiencing all of God’s promises in your life’s journey! “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory” (2 Cor 1:20).

What would your world look like if you woke up tomorrow morning and all you had is what you THANKED God for today? Turn your bibles to I Thessalonians 5:16-18. The commands in these passages of text says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We are commanded to give thanks, pray, and show gratitude in all circumstances. This literally should be a way of life for us as both of these beatitudes should naturally flow from our hearts and mouths. There are several biblical commands cited throughout scripture that instructs us to give thanks to God and most verses go on to list reasons why we should thank Him, such as “His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:3), “He is good” (Psalm 118:29), and “His mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:5). Thanksgiving and praise should be found at the core of our spiritual beings and they should always go hand-to-hand 🙌🏾!! We cannot adequately and fully live a purpose driven life without praising and worshipping God. Ok, some of you reading this message still can’t find at least one reason to thank and praise God. So what I want you to do is hold your breath as long as you can…..now exhale and then inhale….that breath you just inhaled was a gift and that is your reason to give God what He rightfully deserves. Y’all better stop living like your tomorrow is promised! Proverbs 27:1 admonition is clear, “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.” Case and point, we should be thankful because God is worthy of our thanksgiving. It is only right to credit Him for “every good and perfect gift” He gives (James 1:17). When we are thankful and grateful, our focus shifts from our selfish desires and off the pain of our current circumstances. Expressing thankfulness and gratefulness helps us remember that God is in control and when we foster this mindset it helps us to see the bigger picture, that we belong to God, and that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Truly, we have an abundant life (John 10:10), and gratefulness is only fitting. So let me ask you again; “What would your world look like if you woke up tomorrow morning and all you had is what you THANKED God for today?”

If God is all-powerful and God is all-loving why do suffering and evil exist? This is one difficult question to fully comprehend. The real dilemma in comprehending this paradoxical question is how to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God. In short, my response is, the evil that exist does NOT eliminate God! In “The Problem of Pain,” C.S. Lewis explains his view point on suffering. “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The painful truth is that God is more interested in our holiness than in our happiness. He is more interested in our character than in our comfort. Romans 5:3-5 reminds us that, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” The reality is God doesn’t conquer inspite of the dark mystery of evil rather, His love conquers through the cruelest evil, pain, and suffering!” Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” God is the source of love and His love is not weak nor feeble. It is backed up by His limitless power and might. Look at it this way; when we said ‘yes’ to Jesus we were freed from the penalty of sin (instant salvation). As our relationship continues to flourish and we become more like Christ, we are freed from the power of sin (deliverance) and the really good news is that upon Jesus second coming (Hallelujah) we will be freed from the presence of sin (the evil we see)! Yes, God is all-powerful and He is all-loving! His very nature as an omnipotent, omni-benevolent, and omniscient being demands that evil will be eternally conquered in the time in which He decides! Until then remember that God has already addressed the evil around us! He sent His only Son into the world to die for the world and to defeat evil. Evil was defeated officially at Christ’s first coming through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:14, Hebrews 2:14, Ephesians 4:7-12). Therefore, despite the evil around us we have victory over evil and sufferings through our love, faith, and hope in Christ Jesus!

I don’t believe in scare tactics but the reality is Jesus’ second coming is rapidly approaching and many are going to be left regrettably awe-stricken. Salvation isn’t rocket science and Romans 10:9 unlocks its mystery; “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The Message Bible paraphrase of John 3:18 hits the nail on the spiritual head, “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” The good news is that if you are reading this message and you have not open your heart to receive this free gift it’s not too late. Romans 10:13 declares for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Therefore, if Holy Spirit has been tugging on your heart and your ready to receive Christ you don’t have to wait for the church to reopen, you can receive salvation right now by simply asking God to come into your heart and asking him to be your Lord and Savior. God’s church is always open so there is no greater time than the present! If this call-to-action message is speaking to you pray with me:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Amen”

If you prayed this prayer believing welcome to the family of God and let others know you received gift of eternal life by simply typing ‘yes’ in the comment section below and click the link below to discover your next steps into becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ!

https://www.takethejourney.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/12-steps-booklet-psgp-.pdf

If you have experienced any kind of personality change, agitation, apathy, and hopelessness over the past few months you might be suffering from emotional pain syndrome (EPS). Let’s face it, in times like this it’s easy to experience all the symptoms listed above! Psychotherapy, counseling programs, treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, antidepressant drugs, recovery support groups, and self-help books are often the go to solutions to help mitigate some of the pain. However, my Rx prescription for you and myself today is a simple reminder that God can heal any damaged emotion we carry in our lives. Psalm 34:18 declares, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Let’s be clear: I absolutely believe some people suffering from damaged emotions need to get professional help. Oftentimes, though, they try to deal with the symptoms listed above, but fall short of facing the source of their pain. Fact is, God goes straight to the heart of the problem with a one dose prescription but you have to make an intentional and cognitive decision to ignore your feeling and take the medicine He prescribed for you!! My suggestion; SURRENDER IT ALL AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS!! Proverbs 3:4-5 reminds us to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Now, before I close this short devotional, I want to be clear that some emotional scars need the attention of professionals. But never forget, God created your emotions, your personality, your heart, and your story (Psalm 139:16). So, choose to trust God today and never forget He is closer than you realize, and He is wiling and able to heal you from any form of emotional pain!

When we choose to live in God’s love, His love shines in and through our lives. We become a beacon of hope, a light in a dark, perverse, and cold-hearted world! You see, when we let God’s love in, it enables us to forgive like Christ, love like Christ, live at peace like Christ, and to share the joy of God, like Christ! I have heard some people say, “I wanna be like Mike!” However, if that’s what you want to do, cool! But like Joshua said in chapter 24 verse 15,” As for me and my house, we will [unwaveringly/unequivocally] serve the Lord.” Simply put, I want to be like Christ! 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” To move from glory to glory – to be ever-increasing in glory – is to continually be ‘transformed’ into what you were created to be. It is to be conformed to the very likeness of Jesus Christ. So join me and establish this truth in your heart today: If the stage of life you are in right now is not glorious, you will be stuck in the current mess until you become willing to take off the veil, look honestly at your situation, and begin to make the changes that are required to make your present status more glorious! Once you’ve done that, God will be ready to move you upward and onward to the next more glorious place you are longing to experience! #4Given #TGBTG #PinnockLJ

It seems like the buzz words of today are COVID19, social distancing, unemployment, quarantine, death, testing, vaccination, divorce, bills, etc. When will it all end? This has been a very challenging year for us all but for me it has been a wild rollercoaster for sure and what’s worse is that it sometimes made me feel alone. From enduring a near fatal vehicular accident to calibrating career opportunities, it has been incredibly trying, yet I have found peace in the Gospel of God. Seeking God’s voice in all the noise has giving me the strength and peace to keep pressing forward no matter the blows I have sustained. In the words of Rocky Balboa:

“You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’sabout how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

When the walls of life and uncertainty caves in, we discover what it means to say the name of Jesus and be filled with His peace. It’s that peace and presence that is getting me through these days because I certainly could NOT get through on my own.

But peace only comes through choosing to align your heart, mind and actions under the rule of God in obedience to Him. Peace grows out of the choices we make based on faith. It is nurtured and cultivated in a spirit of total dependence upon God and surrender to His will. God gives us three principles in Proverbs 3:5-6 that will help us live in the favor of His peace.

1. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

What would happen if you only trusted in the chair or couch you are sitting on, or will sit on later, with a half heart? What if you really didn’t think it would hold you up? How would that change your behavior? Would you sit down gently and hold onto something else in case it were to give way and you were to fall? Or would you only sit for a short period of time? If you knew the chair or couch might collapse beneath you at any moment, you wouldn’t flop down on it with all of your weight. Nor would you sprawl out and read a book or take a nap. This is because trust affects our choices. God wants you to trust Him with your whole heart so that your choices are influenced by that trust.

2. Lean not on your own understanding.

I don’t cook much, but I have boiled an egg before. Once. I did it only once because I forgot about what I was doing, walked away, and then the pan boiled dry and nearly caught on fire after being left on for so long. But anyone who cooks, or even just boils eggs, knows that in order for a meal, dessert or snack to turn out, the cook needs to follow the instructions. Leaning on your own understanding, especially if you have limited understanding about ingredients like I do, can be disastrous at worst and tasteless at best. God made this world. He knows how it works. He knows what each of us must do in order to experience abundant life. To make choices based on our own finite understanding while neglecting the instructions of the Master Chef is disastrous at worst and empty at best.

3. In all your ways acknowledge Him.

To acknowledge God in all you do doesn’t mean to reference Him or give Him a holy “shout-out.” To acknowledge Him means to look to Him. Set your eyes on Christ and His way in order to know which way you are to move forward. It’s all about where you choose to focus. Are you making your choices based on an eternal, kingdom perspective or on a limited, worldly perspective? Where you look determines where you’ll wind up. Amen!

When you make the choice to trust in the Lord with all of your heart, to let go of your own way of understanding things and to look to God in everything you do, He will make your path straight. He will set you on the right road, headed in the right direction. He will give you peace. That peace that will blow your mind and reestablish you footing. Because when you have done all you can do to stand, then you must kneel and not yield! Remember, when you see only one set of footprints, God is carrying you through!

Adapted: T. Evans

I have great news for you! God is greater than your heavy heart and He knows more about you and than you know about yourself! (I John 3:20) Therefore, stop thinking your life is a total wreck, that no one loves, cares, or respects you, and that your not good enough for God to love you! These are all viscous lies the enemy use to steal, kill, and destroy your zeal, courage, faith, love, and hope!! I get it, life has a way of breaking us and when we feel broken, we often foster a false reality that God has forgotten about us or worst, He doesn’t love us!! This could not be farther from God’s truth!! Fact is our feelings do not have the final authority and they do not get the last word! So, in lieu of basking in satan’s lies today remember that God is greater than your heavy heart. You are who God says you are no matter what you feel. The final word belongs to God and what He says about who we are! Resiliently standing with Him in spite of adversity is a mirrored reflection of our faith in Him and His faith in us! God is acutely aware of why our feelings send us false messages. But more importantly, He knows that His love for us and faithfulness to us is not contingent on our feelings nor our heavy hearts!

No matter how difficult, painful, and frustrating life becomes, don’t give up on yourself and certainly don’t give on God! You’re never at wits end because we serve a God who sits in both the beginning and the end! The seeds you planted last season will bring forth a harvest in this season! Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds to, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Beloved of God, stay the course, be encouraged, be diligent, be resilient, and remember your greatest blessing is always in front of you and never in your rear view, so be blessed on purpose!