4GIVEN

Life can become severely complicated and dreams can break into pieces right within our own hands. Therefore, whenever circumstances become too heavy to handle remember that you are not defined by bad choices, challenges don’t come to stay, God is able, God is with you, and your story ends in victory! Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world we will face problems but, be of good cheer, He overcame the world.” Paul reminds us in Romans 8:37 that, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Fact is, God causes everything in our life to work together! He omnisciently takes the bad and good and he creates something beautiful in us; a masterpiece! So, don’t beat yourself up nor be discouraged. Allow God to do the heavy lifting as you take each day one step at a time!

The road we’ve traveled hasn’t been easy but, we are still here! The only reason we haven’t lost our minds is because God has been walking this road with us, every step of the way. And for that, I am extremely grateful! Thank you Jesus for your indispensable peace, unyielding grace/mercy, irrevocable promises, and for keeping us even when we couldn’t keep ourselves! To you O’God be power, glory, and dominion both now and for eternity!!

If God is making you wait, there’s a reason. More than likely, He wants to protect you from getting your heartbroken. God uses these waiting periods to increase your trust in him and loosen your perceived control. Waiting reminds us we’re at the mercy (literally) of God’s timing, and we have no power to change that. As humans, we crave control, yet waiting pulls that from our grasp. I get it, waiting on God is like being strapped in a seat belt. Leaving us no other choice; we have to be patient. We can either ungratefully fight/resist it or contentedly embrace it. Patience says we will faithfully and solely trust in God alone!! Psalm 27:4 reminds us to, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let our hearts take courage; wait for the Lord!” At the end of the day, God knows what we need, and if he wants us to wait, it’s always for his glory and our good. Our calling is simply to walk in faithfulness, humility, and patience!

The byproduct of obedient faith produces open doors. In fact, God is the only one that can open a door that no man, no hater, and no devil can shut! In Revelation 3:8 Jesus said, “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.” Therefore, be steadfast in your obedient faith, live out loud for Jesus, and continue moving forward on purpose!

For every emergency we encounter God has a name that represents His ability to deliver us out of any emerging circumstance. To name a few for example; if you need healing, call out to Jehovah Rapha, if you lack strength, call out to El Shaddai/Elohim, if you need a friend, call out to Jehovah Shammah, if you lack provision, call out to Jehovah Jireh, if you need peace, call out to Jehovah Shalom, if you need spiritual cleansing, call out to Jehovah M’Kaddesh, and if you need God to see you through an impasse, call out to El Roi. When we call out the names of God in our prayers we will experience a deeper connection with God. There are, of course, many more names of God that can be profitably used in prayer. But the ones listed above represents a good start, especially if they help you remember as you pray that God is so great, so powerful, and so good that our feeble words can only begin to describe Him. 

In Christ, we went from being broken to being chosen. Colossians 3:12 confirms, “We are God’s chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved….” In Christ we went from being downgraded to being treasured. I Peter 2:9 reminds us, “But we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Lastly, in Christ we went from being rejected to be being protected. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 also reminds us, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” I don’t know what your specific, ”I went from being(_______),to being,(________)” is, but you do.!!Think about what that is today and remember that we all went from being condemned to being redeemed because of the blood of Jesus Christ!

Toxic people are unhealthy and they can infect families, teams, and organizations. These individuals are like toxins that adversely attack the human body. Eventually, these toxins will diminish a leader’s effectiveness to lead and it will take everyone’s focus off the vision and mission. Toxic individuals are experts in creating confusion/contention (Job 15:35), they can manipulate people with flattering words (Titus 1:10), they crave control (Rom 2:8), they have no conscience, and no remorse (Rom 1:30). Lord knows this is not what he desires for the body of Christ. God wants to rid the body of these negative toxins. Therefore, like David, we too should long for transformation. David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart” (Psalm 51:10). In Ezekiel 36:26, the Lord promised His people, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” It is this new, changed heart and the work of God’s Spirit that enables The body of Christ to walk in newness of life. Only God can heal a toxic heart, but it’s certainly a believer’s responsibility to yield to the Holy Spirit, keep a close watch, and make wise choices to guard the new heart the Lord created.

Drink a cup of contentment and watch your entire perspective about your life change! The secret to life has been found so feel free to live it and share it with others! Don’t waste a season of your live in the now because you’re too focus on the next. When Paul wrote “godliness with contentment is great gain” he wasn’t just speaking philosophically (1 Tim. 6:6). He had learned the secret to contentment in every circumstance of life (Phil 4:11-2). Like Paul, for those who are willing to learn, here are 5 steps to a contented life from the life and teaching of Paul. 1)Give thanks in all circumstances (I Thess 5:8). 2)Learn to be satisfied with less (see above). 3)Live above your circumstances ( 2 Cor 12:9-10). 4)Rest in God’s promise, plan, and providence (Rom 8:28). 5) Think less of your self and more of others (Phil 2:3-4). Look at it this way, a self-centered man is a discontented man. But the soul of the generous man, the man who lives for the interests and benefit of others, will find blessing upon blessing in his life (see Prov. 11:24-5; 19:17; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6).

God is your refuge and strength! He loves you and wants nothing but best for you today! So, trust him and let him order your steps!

There’s no doubt that you are loved by God! He loves you so much that he died selflessly and rose powerfully so that you and I can spend eternity with him! Who can measure the depths of God’s love? Well, the only thing we have to compare for the sake of juvenile human articulation and comprehension is eternity! At the end of the day, we can’t earn his love because he pours out his love for each of us without reproach, equally, and impartially. There’s absolutely nothing you or I could ever do to make him love us any more or any less. His love for us is not contingent on who we are nor what we do because love is just who He is (I John 4:8, Romans 8:32-39)!!