4GIVEN

When reflecting back on your life don’t think only of the negatives rather think about the positives. Sometimes it’s hard to do but know that it can be done. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls but that’s ok; I guarantee you that if you were to play back every single last day of your past up to now; the good days will out weigh the bad. The late Rev. Paul Jones hit the nail on the head when he sung these lyrics, “I’ve had some good days. I’ve had some hills to climb. I’ve had some weary days. And some sleepless nights. But when I look around. And I think things over. All of my good days outweigh my bad days and I won’t complain.” You know why? He said, “The Lord has been so good to me.
He’s been good to me. More than this old world or you could ever be. He’s been so good to me!” That’s right, despite our difficulties God has been good to us. So today be encouraged and give God what He deserves; glory, honor, and praise!!

IBIS World, an industry world research Journalist firm, reported this year’s Black Friday shopping frenzy was projected to generated 13.1 billion dollars in revenue💰 . Well Houston, the reports are in. 🚧(Drum roll plz |-X-|!) In 2014 “Black Friday” shoppers spent a whopping 12.1 billions dollars 💰👐! What if “Black Friday” changed to “Bless Friday”🙌?! Perhaps under privilege people and families across our great nation wouldn’t have to operate at a spiritual, financial, relational, mental and emotional loss (“in the red”) from January through November. In lieu of “Black Friday” indicating the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit, “Bless Friday” would indicate the point at which under privilege people and families begin to turn a profit in all areas of their lives. How much stuff do we really need??? When we focus on the needs of others instead of self, and serve in Christ’s Name, we will not only turn a profit; we will turn a Kingdom’s profit. Don’t let this Holiday season be the only reason you choose to serve God’s people!

#24/7
#BLESSFRIDAY

Giving thanks is not reserved strictly for Thanksgiving day. Fact is when we choose to grumble i/l/o being
humble we sin against God. Make note, giving thanks is a COMMAND not a REQUEST. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is God’s will that we give thanks always and in all circumstances. Ok, what happens when we don’t choose the latter? Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” A darkened heart simple means to be alienated from God. If our God is good ‘all of the time’ than He deserves our thanks ‘all the time’. An ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE flows from a heart of THANKSGIVING! So today, shout out Psalm 107:1 and “Praise the Lord! “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever!”

#happythanksgiving

At the end of the day, top of the morning God is in control. As I continue to grow in Christ, I am learning to stop asking ,”Why God?” In most cases the answer is often, “Because, I said so!” So in lieu of asking why, I now ask, “What’s next?” The morale of the story; if it’s still bad God ain’t done yet! God never ends on a negative and all things work together for His glory and our good!

So far He has been consistent all throughout Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuels, Kings,Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians.

Now then; in Ephesians, He is our glorious Treasure. In Philippians, He is the Servants heart. In Colossians, He’s the Godhead Trinity. In Thessalonians, He is our coming King. In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He’s our Mediator and our faithful Pastor. POW; after several generations and thousands of years, His track record is impeccably consistent!

In I John 4:20 we learned that If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? Hate, “Whatcha talking about Willis?” Most will say, I don’t hate people, I just don’t like them. Well, I hate to burst your bubble. In context of this scripture John is really saying that hating people is not a Godly. Yes, God despises and dislikes sin but He loves the sinner. IOW, He doesn’t postpone His love for us because of our sin nature so why do we postpone our love for others? Hating is not always despises or disliking others rather it is when we delay or postpone expressing our love for others. So today, I encourage you to reach out and share your love with everyone. Don’t allow stupid stuff to prevent you from partaking on one of the greatest gift giving to man….LOVE! Deus caritas est (God is love) I John 4:8

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, and Messiah. In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven,
In Romans, He is the grace of God.
In Corinthians, like Celine Dion sang in 1993, He is the power of love. In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin and today that freedom is available to you today, as it was yesterday, and will be forevermore! Ibi est libertas in Christo! (There is freedom in Christ!)

REPEAT AFTER ME: JESUS!!!

That’s all we need: Philippians 2:10 says, “so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth!” You see when we call on His name and we are in sync with His will, plan, and purpose demons, sickness, worry, anxiety, disappointment, and chaos must flee!! Et non est alia potestas ! (There is no other authority! )

Since you said it once let’s say it again; JESUS!!! Bless the LORD and give HIM GLORY!!

I LOVE me some JESUS!! So much that, I am not ashamed to tell the world everyday about my SWEET JESUS!! Every sin is pardon, every transgression exonerated, and every iniquity acquitted. It’s not because I am a good person, it’s not because I feed the homeless, it’s not because I serve at a church, it’s not because I earned theological accreditation, and it’s not because I give tithes!! It’s because of HIM and HIM alone!! It’s because He was spat on, it’s because He was slapped on, it’s because He was beaten beyond recognition, it’s because He was falsely accused; sentenced to death, it’s because He carried a heavy beam up a hill, it is because of three nails, the tip of a piercing spear, vinegar wine, and it is because even after all that HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE; ALL BECAUSE OF A SINNER LIKE ME!!! WORSHIP HIM, GIVE HIM PRAISE AND EXALT HIS HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, LIFE GIVING AND PRESERVING NAME!!

Christ loved us all so much that He gave up His life so that we may have life and life more abundantly and although we are not completely UNTOUCHABLE from everyday trials, dilemmas, circumstances, and unexpectedness we are however, ‘UNSNATCHABLE’! Jesus said in John 10:29, “For my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can SNATCH them from the Father’s hand.” That’s right we are UNSNATCHABLE because we are in the hands of Christ Jesus, we are preserved in Christ Jesus and our salvation is in the keeping of Christ Jesus. So today remember to give God a shout of praise for what He has done, what He is doing, and for what He is getting ready to do in your life!

💪#UNSNATCHABLE 💪