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

#4GIVEN

When we seek God our hearts should open and our hands empty so that we are able to humbly cleave to the foot of the cross. Conversely, something amazing occurs when we’ve reached our wits-end or have hit rock bottom; the cross reminds us that God understands, He cares, and He is already turning things around for our good. As you know, God is omniscient, knowing all things, and He joins us as the Rock, the Chief Cornerstone, at the depths and in the center of our despondency. God knows first hand what pain is. David said in Psalm 56:8, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” While being pursued by his enemies, David had the wisdom to write these words. Jesus also empathizes with our pain as Hebrews 4:15-16 reminds us that, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses [pain], but we have One who was been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence [humility], so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Humility precedes honors much like His crucifixion preceded His resurrection. In Isaiah 43:26, the Prophet reminded us ‘to keep God in remembrance of His promises. That we are not to keep silent and to keep on asking until whatever we are asking from God comes to fruition’. Beloved of God, please hear me: if you are experiencing pain today please know that you have a God that cares for you and Jesus knows your pain. Your situation may seem impossible, but God makes the impossible, possible. No word from God will ever fail nor return empty (Luke 1:37). There will be a day when pain, mourning, and crying will be permanently defeated (Revelation 21:4). Let us then, brothers and sisters, operate in hope and complete faith in anticipation of that day.

Pray with me:

Father God, I surrender to Your plans, purposes, and will for my life. As I cleave to the foot of the cross and praise You despite the pain, I am reminded that Your grace and mercy, are afresh and anew daily. I refuse to stay in the depth of despair and I choose to walk in the light of Your victory!! In Jesus’ name, we pray and grip we stay…Amen!

Magical, breathtaking and jaw dropping things happens whenever we commit our plans to God. Recently, I review the concept and technique of ‘putting first things first’ authored by Stephen Covey and I began to ponder on the big rock illustration. I’m sure most of you reading this message have seen it: the big rocks represented the urgent important priorities whereas the smaller rocks, granulated sand, and water non-urgent priories. What do you think would happen if you applied this concept to your spiritual walk and not just your vocational endeavors?! Well, re-read the opening sentence! Above all things, your spiritual walk is by far the most urgent priority in the life of a Christ follower. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” In this verse, the word “commit” (gol) comes from the Hebrew root galal, which could be rendered as “roll away” or “heap” (gal means a heap or pile of stones). Are you catching on? Great, now let’s paraphrase Proverbs 16:3; “Give all your big rocks, small rocks, granulated sand, and water to the Lord and He will establish your plans.” Talk about supernatural prioritization, rest, and fulfillment!! When you trust in God’s love, when you “roll away” the burden of your life to His care, your thoughts will be “established” and you can truly enjoy the confidence that God Himself is directing your way (Psalm 37:23; Psalm 90:17; Proverbs 16:9). When you commit your ways and your work to the Lord, He will bless your efforts according to His perfect will in ways beyond our understanding (magical, breathtaking and jaw dropping)! You should serve the Lord faithfully and then leave the consequences to Him. Inevitably, you will still face times of difficulty, but you can trust that God is working for His ultimate good—and yours—through your efforts to please Him in your daily vocation and walk with Him!

James 4:6 says, “ God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Other translations say it like this: God gives grace to the humble, God favors the humble, and God blesses all who are humble! Simply put, bible-based humility is being comfortable with who you are in the Lord and therefore putting others first. One example of biblical humility is found in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” With that said, bible-based humility doesn’t in any way suggest that as a Christ follower you’re to be weak or passive! That’s not God’s message to us!! However, God does want us to die to self, devote ourselves to helping others, delight when others win, depend on Him in every circumstance (good or bad), and to incessantly direct our thoughts on His unwavering grace every day! Colossians 3:12-14 structural cements these concepts nicely and it reads, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” True bible-based humility demolishes pride, builds healthy relationships, and brings out the best in people despite negative or adverse circumstances!

Steve Jobs dies a billionaire, with a fortune of $7 billion, at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer, and here are some of his last words… 👇👇👇

“In other eyes, my life is the essence of success, but aside from work, I have a little joy. And in the end, wealth is just a fact of life to which I am accustomed.”

“At this moment, lying on the bed, sick and remembering all my life, I realize that all my recognition and wealth that I have is meaningless in the face of imminent death. You can hire someone to drive a car for you, make money for you – but you can not rent someone to carry the disease for you. One can find material things, but there is one thing that can not be found when it is lost – “LIFE”. ❤️

Treat yourself well, and cherish others. As we get older we are smarter, and we slowly realize that the watch is worth $30 or $300 – both of which show the same time. Whether we carry a purse worth $30 or $300 – the amount of money in the wallets are the same. Whether we drive a car worth $150,000, or a car worth $30,000 – the road and distance are the same, we reach the same destination. If we drink a bottle worth $300 or wine worth $10 – the “stroller” will be the same. If the house we live in is 300 square meters, or 3000 square meters – the loneliness is the same.”

“Your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. 🌍 Whether you’re flying first class, or economy class – if the plane crashes, you crash with it.”

So, I hope you understand that when you have friends or someone to talk to – this is true happiness! ✅

💥 Five Undeniable Facts 💥

1️⃣ Do not educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be happy. – So when they grow up they will know the value of things, not price.

2️⃣ Eat your food as medicine, otherwise you will need to eat your medicine as food.

3️⃣ Whoever loves you will never leave you, even if he has 100 reasons to give up. He will always find one reason to hold on.

4️⃣ There is a big difference between being human and human being.

5️⃣ If you want to go fast – go alone! But if you want to go far – go together.

And in conclusion… 👇

👨‍⚕️ The six best doctors in the world 👩‍⚕️

1️⃣ Sunlight

2️⃣ Rest

3️⃣ Exercise

4️⃣ Diet

5️⃣ Self-confidence

6️⃣ Friends

Keep them in all stages of life and enjoy a healthy life. 😊

Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.

Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends…

Treat yourself well. Cherish others. 🎉

“Love the people God sent you, one day He’ll need them back.”

🙏🙏 🙏 Something worth sharing!!! 💯‼️