We are more inclined to thank God for the ‘good things’ He allows but, how often do we thank God for the ‘evil things’ He blocks?! Most businesses install computer firewall software to defend against electronic attacks (aka) hacks. The firewall serves as a gatekeeper between a company’s servers and the outside world. A properly maintained firewall will not only keep external threats out, but it will also send an alert for subtle threats by intercepting outgoing data as well. As it is in the natural, so is it in the supernatural. Scripture confirms that we are covered and protected by God’s supernatural firewall. In Isaiah 54:17, we learn, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” Satan’s bluntly obvious and discreetly subtle weapons are formed, but God stops them from infiltrating and succeeding to accomplish the enemy’s plan. We should never forget the life of Joseph. He was the beloved son of Jacob but hated by his envious brothers. He was sold into slavery to the Midianites, falsely accused of rape, and thrown in prison. You might be thinking where’s the evil things God blocked?!! Well, his story didn’t end in a prison cell. Jospeh used the gifts God gave him and he went from being a prisoner to a prince! Talk about a promotion and change of circumstance!! Jospeh became the 2nd highest authoritative figure in Egypt and when he was reunited with his trifling brothers, he said to them in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant ‘evil’ against me, but God meant it for ‘good’, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Did you catch that?! God’s firewall not only preserved Jospeh’s life but, the same people that betrayed him! Beloved of God, we may not always see it, or feel it, we might even forget it’s there at times, or even wonder if God left us to fend for ourselves in this evil, perverse, and wicked world. But, the reality of His supernatural firewall protection is very real and constant. He sees what we can’t see. He knows what we do not know. And if we belong to Him, we can trust He is with us every step, going before us, and blocking the enemy’s attacks!! Psalm 91:1-2 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” This is why I choose to thank God not only for the good things but also for the evil attacks He blocks! God will always block the evil created to destroy you and will only allow what will develop you for your good and His glory!

4GIVEN

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We’ve all heard it said, “When God closes a door, praise Him in the hallway” and “When God shuts a door, He’ll open a window.” Both of these statements are encouraging but, our response to closed doors are often less encouraging. Think back to high school for a moment; how well did you respond when your parents said, “No, you can’t …..?” Perhaps the harshest word we ever hear growing up is also one of the shortest: “No.” “No” is a small word that packs an enormous punch. It has the ability to both prevent and protect. However, we often appreciate the protection more than prevention because we ‘think’ we know what’s best for our lives especially when we were teenagers. Revelation 3:7 teaches us, “No one can open a door God shuts nor can one shut a door God opens.” I have learned that God never closes a door unless He opens another! ( Acts 5:17–25 ) It’s important to remember that God uses closed doors to teach us something. Closed doors refine us, shape us, mold us, and chisel away more of what doesn’t look like Christ in our lives. It sometimes appears like the doors to m my plans close quickly and loudly ((BANG))!! However, I’m learning that’s not necessarily true! It’s all about my perspective. If our perspective is right, if our trust is in the One who both opens and closes doors, and if we focus more on our relationship with Him and less on the door, we will see every closed door as an opportunity to learn something about ourselves and our God. At the end of the day, when we’re faced with our next closed door, we will realize that in this Christian walk, closed doors are just as important as open doors. God is more interested in our relationship with Him.Whether we’re walking through an open door or pausing to regroup at a closed one, doors drive us to seek God’s guidance and His will and God is more interested in strengthening our relationship with Him than He is about us getting the doors right.

This may come as a shock to the owl (analytical personalities) population of the world but, you don’t need have all the details when God calls you to step out by faith. Hebrews 11:8-10 describes how Abraham left his homeland, assured by only a by promise: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Proverbs 3:5 encouraged us to, “Trust in the LORD with all our heart; and not to lean on our own understanding.” The Hebrew word for “trust” in this text of scripture is” batach” (pronounced baw-takh), meaning to trust, be confident or sure, be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless, put confidence, (make to) hope. I get it—I know some of you are saying, “That’s easier said than done!” Well, I will testify—God has not once ever failed me! Now it’s your turn to think back for a moment….When was the last time God allowed his word and/or his promise to return void in your life? Yes, we can to trust God without having all the details because his track record is flawless! Look at it this way, the intricate details of our lives belong to God (Psalm 139:16) and we are called to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) in full assurance that He knows what the heck He is doing! Whenever we try to figure out naturally what God does supernaturally, we create self-inflicted frustration because our natural minds cannot conceive spiritual possibilities. There is no algorithm pattern that could ever reveal the dynamics of God’s mind! We just have to come to terms that God is not required to reveal every detail as to why He is calling us to do what He is calling us to do! Like Abraham, God is challenging all of us to step out in obedient faith and trust Him to fill in the details! Psalms 37:5 says, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

We can find perfect peace in a perfect storm! The story of the perfect storm found in the Gospel of Mark picks up right after Jesus had given a series of sermons. He preached to a crowd of people so large that he had to speak from a boat pushed a short distance into the water. Then in Mark 4:35-41, we read about a perfect storm blowing through on the same waters Jesus preached on. The wind picked up its strength and tsunami type waves began to break over into the boat so that the boat was filling with water. The disciples, some of whom were fishermen and had been on this body of water many times, were terrified. In the middle of all this, Jesus was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat. After all that laborious preaching some will think Jesus sleeping in the boat represented his humanity and others say, his divinity. Well, I say both! This perfect storm presented Jesus another opportunity to demonstrate to his then disciples and his today believers that he was more than a teacher; he was and still is a miracle-worker! So today remember there is no perfect storm the God of perfect peace can’t calm!! God is more powerful than even the biggest obstacle, He sees things (in us and in life’s circumstances) that we cannot, and He loves to use seemingly hopeless situations for HIS glory and our good!

On April 8, 2020 the CDC reported that the suicide rate is up 35% since 1999 and to add insult to injury, depression, alcohol/drug abuse, and domestic violence are also on the rise! I don’t know about you but in the natural it appears like the enemy is winning but then God reminded me of the victory won on Calvary’s Hill! Sin, death, and the devil are defeated! We are not fighting for victory-we are fighting from victory. I believe this is what Elisha explained to his servant Gehazi. In 2 Kings 6:8-23 we find King Aram at war with Israel. When God prophetically revealed Aram’s plan to Elisha, he then sent word to the king of Israel. Aram found out his ‘gig’ was up and he became enraged with fury thinking he had a ‘snitch’ in his own camp but that’s a story for another lesson. Later, Aram sent men on horses and chariots to surround the city in an attempt to capture Elisha. Now when Gehazi woke up early the next morning he saw the battalion and became very frighten and he timidly asked Elisha “what should they do”?? In v16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then in v17 Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” I invite you to read the full story because there is a lot of meat to chew on! However, the point of my encouragement starts and ends with asking God to open our eyes. Gehazi was petrified until he saw that the army of God was greater than the enemy’s army. Yes, it may appear like we’re loosing this battle but trust and believe we are not!! If you have been adversely hit economically, socially, mentally, physically, emotionally, and relationally due to COVID-19 remember, the battle isn’t over! So don’t throw in the towel rather surrender your towel to God so that He can wipe the sweat and tears from your forehead and eyes! It’s going to be alright and we will get through this together!

Trust me, the other side of this pandemic is grace, favor, strength, comfort, healing, wisdom, blessings, and an abundant measure of love! Suicide, alcohol, drugs, and violence are not the solutions!! Jesus is the only cure and all encompassing remedy! My prayer is for the Lord to open our eyes, so that we may see and embrace that “greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4).

Pride must die in you, in order for God’s love to shine through you! C.S. Lewis said, “Pride is a spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense!” There are 2 types of pride, one good and one bad! The one stemming or branching from self-righteousness or conceit is sin and God hates it because it hinders and stifles our relationship with God! Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Throughout Scripture we are told about the consequences of pride. Proverbs 16:18-19 tells us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior because they refuse to admit their sin and acknowledge that in their own strength they can do nothing to inherit eternal life. This is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. So, is there really a debate as to why pride is such a big deal to God? Look at it this way, prideful people steal God’s credit, His glory, and His worship! Whatever you have or will accomplish in your lifetime would not be possible if God didn’t pen it before your life began (Psalm 139: 16). Hence, the reason God is the Author and Finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). We should all embrace the benefits of spiritual humility and remember that we don’t know the end from the beginning nor the beginning from the end! Tarot readings and horror-scopes are frivolous at best! If we want to truly allow God’s love to shine in our lives, He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30)!! So today, put down the Starbucks coffee and try drinking a cup of humility because blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their utter spiritual bankruptcy and their inability to come to God aside from His divine grace.

It’s easy to trust God when things are going well! But what happens when trusting God becomes uncomfortable during times of grave uncertainty?! Life as we used to know it back in January of 2020 has obviously changed dramatically! The first two weeks of the ‘stay home-work safe’ order was like a ‘staycation’ for some, but as time progressed, it’s become more like a ‘house-arrest’ sentence!! Paul spent most of his latter life spreading the Gospel under controlled supervision (a/k/a) house arrest, but he didn’t allow his present circumstances to impede in fulfilling God’s purpose! He said in Philippians 4:11-13, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty… I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” After Paul’s encounter with Jesus his focus shifted and he learned how to pursue Godly contentment and true satisfaction no matter the cost of his present situation. Most of us remember when Peter jump out the boat to meet Jesus on the water but later began to sink in the same waters, he starting walking on. Yes, Peter took his eyes off Jesus but that’s not the only lesson we glean from this historical event. Peter shifted his focus on the stormy waters and everything else that was going on around him. What would happen if we shifted our focus on what God is doing to destroy this invisible enemy; COVID-19 in lieu of what COVID-19 is doing to destroy God’s people?!! Yes, Peter initially sank but Jesus lifted him out of those troubled waters and guess what, Peter walked 8’ back to the boat with Jesus by his side. Now, I’m not suggesting to ignore taking the necessary precautions to prevent self-contamination or the spread. However, I am saying to pursue contentment no matter the cost or circumstances. God never promised that life would be easy but He did promise never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We will find true contentment when we shift our focus on who God is and what God is able to do in and through our lives! Yes, we can and will do all things through Christ who gives us strength!!

Go Get It!

God has given each of us over 5,000 promises in Scripture. But He’s not going to force anyone to live in the victory of His fulfilled promises. You have to go get them. Like Joshua who had been promised that He would be given any piece of land where his foot walked (Joshua 1:3), he had to go get it. He couldn’t stand where he was and simply claim victory over all of his enemies. There are four key principles to going and getting the promises God has made. Let’s look at them briefly here.

1. Leave the Past Behind. Learn from yesterday; don’t live in it. As Joshua set out to take the Israelites on a military conquest across enormous geographical areas, he had to let go of Moses as the leader and commander. As we see in Joshua 1:1-2, Moses had died. The miracles Moses had performed for the Israelite people existed now in the past. God would use a new man and a new plan to secure their victories moving forward. Embracing that truth was critical for their progress.

2. Seize Your Spiritual Inheritance. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Joshua had to take steps of faith in order to secure the promises made by God. God gave a condition to the receiving of his victories. He had to place the sole of his foot where he may normally be afraid to do so. He had to do that in faith. Sitting around and waiting for God to simply dump your spiritual promise on you is not how God operates. You have to go get it!

3. Focus on God and Not People. Joshua 1:5 says, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” No doubt Joshua faced oversized, overpowering enemies as he sought to gain military victories and conquer the land. But God assured him of his victory. Had Joshua focused on the people in his way, he might have cowered in fear. Likewise, when you direct your focus to God and His assuring Word, you can reduce fear and doubt in your own life. Keep your eyes on your Source, and only your Source. 

4. Stay Tethered to God’s Word. Lastly, a critical element to Joshua’s conquests was his consistency in staying tied to God’s Word. We read in Joshua 1:7, “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.” God’s Word gives wisdom about what to do, when to do it and how to gain spiritual victories in the midst of physical limitations or obstacles. As you move forward in life, meditate on and apply the truth of Scripture, you will gain insight into how to accomplish all God has in store for you.

Contributor: T. Evans

God says, “The pain will end, the tears will stop, the door will open, and a miracle is approaching.” Now that I have your attention, let’s turn our attention to I Chronicles 4:9-10: “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.” Little is known about Jabez, but what we do know is that his prayer overcame his name. Jabez refused to allow the beginning of his story to dictate the end of his story. He earnestly desired and faithfully believed that God would bless him, God would enlarge his territory, God’s hand would guide him, and God would protect him! Jabez’s purpose in his prayer was to live free from sorrow, and the last thing we read about him in this cameo insertion is that God heard and answered his prayer. I don’t know who this message is for but somebody is waiting on God to answer, but God is waiting on your prayer! Yes, God answers unspoken prayers, but the word of God says in James 5:16, “The effectual prayers of righteous man availeth much!” As Believers, we should always look to God for our help in time of need, and we should faithfully and regularly take our requests (Phil 4:6-7) directly to the throne room of grace (Hebrews 4:16). If God answered Jabez’s prayer, I guarantee you that He will answer your prayers. God shows no favoritism and He is absolutely impartial (Romans 2:11). What He does for one, He’ll do for another. So speak up and let God know what’s going on and what areas of your life you need Him to move in and I promise you that He will answer! It may not be the answer you want to hear but it will be the answer you need to hear!!

#TGBTG

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