4GIVEN

Here are few facts to rememebr about the God we serve: He is Omniscience- all knowing, He is Omnipresent-everywhere at the same time, He is Omnipotent- all powerful, He is Immutable-unchanging, He is Holy-sinless, He is Righteous-perfect, He is Sovereign-rules all creation known and unknown, and He is Love-encapsulating grace and mercy!
I don’t know about you but that’s enough for me to rise and give Him praise not only on Sonday but everyday!
#WhatAnAwesomeGodweServe

Three things to remember today: When your need is greater than your resources, God KNOWS, When you fervently pray, God LISTENS, When your faith is greater than your problem, God WORKS.
#HeKnows

#HeListens

#HeWorks

Three things to remember today comes out of Isaiah 46:4, “God will carry you, God will sustain you, and God will rescue you.”
#GloryToGod

Jairus’ 12 year old daughter and the unnamed women with a 12 year issue of blood both were miraculously healed as mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. One pursued healing for another and the other pursued healing for self. One was at the point of death and the other was not too far from death. In both scenarios it took humility, conviction, and supernatural faith to reverse their conditions. Both Jarius and the woman believed that Jesus was the only one that could save them from their life threatening dilemmas. They knew that Jesus understood their pain and He was able to do something about it. As sons and daughters of Christ we should never be afraid to bring our needs to Jesus no matter the severity. He longs to help us. Notice that in both scenarios Jesus didn’t say, “Aaaah, let me get back to you on that.” Always remember Jesus has the power to help when no one else can – and the perfect wisdom to always do exactly what is best for us! 

Our season of exerting blood, sweat, and tears is getting ready to usher in a reaping harvest of provision, promise, and abundance. The biblical truth about sowing and reaping is that we reap what we sow, we reap more than we sow, and we reap later than we sow. Hence my point! ‘Right now’ seeds will never produce an immediate crop however, in due season as stated Galatians 6:9 we will reap a harvest if we faint not! “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

It cost athletes, pop stars, business typhoons and other success individuals their time, talent, and treasures to follow and pursue their dreams. So why should it not cost us nothing to follow and pursue Christ? As it stands, it cost God the life of His Son to save us from the grip of eternal death. It cost Christ, his blood, sweat, and tears. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Jesus said to the religious teacher who wanted to first bury his father before he followed him, “Let the dead bury the dead” (Matt 8:22). In Jesus’ parable of the sower, it was only the soil that allowed the seed to put down roots and bear fruit that was called “good.” If we are going to be disciples of Christ, we must first understand the cost of following Him. Salvation is a free gift but true discipleship is not cheap!

We are better than good; we are blessed. God has been good to us despite the bad in us! We fall short in many ways everyday but God has never once left us in the hole we often dig ourselves in. He has and will always be consistent in delivering us from our own flesh, the world, and the hands of the enemy. When times get tough, He hears every shout and even the slightest whisper. And when it gets so bad that we become speechless, it is the Holy Spirit that intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. So today, in your weakness, sickness, loss, and hardship remember, the Spirit of God is praying for you and not against you. That’s’ right we are better than good because we serve a good, good Father that loves us more than we could ever comprehend!
#ClingingToJesus

Paul said in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.” According to the Oxford Universal Dictionary, diligence is “careful attention, industry, assiduity; unremitting application, persistent endeavour.” A diligent person is described as “assiduous, industrious, conscientious, thorough; not idle, not negligent, not lazy.” Jesus tells us, “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing”—and not caught in idleness (Matthew 24:46). Yes, Jesus expects responsibility and conscientiousness from us. John Wooden said, “A champion athlete must work with controlled frenzy.” And the heart of a true champion knows this spiritual power is the divine energy God expresses in and through us and this divine energy is often required to carry out the work God has called us to do. One thing is certain, God will not place us into a position or ask us to accomplish a task for which He will not fully equip and enable us to do.

After the greatest Preacher that ever lived preached the greatest sermon ever spoken, a man riddled with leprosy came and worshipped Him say, “Lord if You are willing, You can make me clean (Matt 8:2). In v3 Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying, ” I am wiling; be cleansed” and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Here are a few observation points.
• The leper was infected with disfiguring skin sores, lumps, bumps, and nerve damaging disease that at the time was incurable by man.
• The leper believed that Jesus could heal him.
•The leper didn’t allow his condition nor the multitudes impede him from seeking out his only solution.
• The leper praise Him in advance of the healing.
•The leper was immediately cleansed.
Now, let’s run on parallel tracks for a moment; replace the leper with sinner. We too were riddled with a disease called sin and when the Holy Spirit interrupted our fleshy soiree with God’s kingdom agenda, we too needed to seek Him for cleansing. In I John 1:9 Paul said, “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 
Again, we are no different than the leper mentioned in today’s passage of text. Therefore, we too can confidently approach Jesus in all our need, with all our sin and defilement. And when we plead for cleansing and forgiveness, thankfully He will not turn us away (Hebrews 4:16; Psalm 103:12).

God never said money is the root of all evil but He did say, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (I Tim 6:10). Simply put, Paul was steering Timothy away from the trap many other false teachers fell victim to in their pursuit fame and notoriety. Paul defines what true gain is….godliness with true contentment! Now replace the word ‘love’ with the phrase ‘Lack of contentment’. You see contentment is Not fulfillment of what you want rather it’s the realization of what you already have! Get my point? A simple reflection on this principle or proverb will confirm that it is true! At the end of the day, love will always out last money and according 1 Cor 13:8, “Love never ends.” So today remember that a harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment!