If you’ve lived long enough then you should know that trusting God’s timing requires a lot of patience, patience, and more patience.

However, knowing this biblical truth doesn’t stop nor impede us from desiring to have certain things we’re not quite ready to receive.

Undoubtedly, we think more about the benefits of what we may receive but we don’t think about what that certain thing will require from us.

I know in the very beginning of starting something new or wanting something new, we expect to see results immediately.

We start to rush the process and began to become frustrated with what we are doing simply because we are not getting the results we expected.

As I mentioned above, trusting the process takes times. God sometimes allow things to happen and/or not happen simply to build our faith in Him.

Real talk, as tempting as it may be, as believers we can’t rush the process of what God is doing in our lives because when we rush things up, we mess things up. When we rush to get to the future, we miss out on all of the great things that God is allowing to happen in our present.

Every single thing that happens in our lives, is according to God’s will for our lives and are all vital parts of the process. So, in order to get to it, we have to go through it! Hebrews 6:15 is a great scripture that tells us that after Abraham patiently endured, he obtained the promise. God will fulfill His promise to us and it behooves us not to rush what God has intricately and intentionally took time to prepare.

In closing my beloved brothers and sisters, don’t try to rush God’s plans for your life. Everything happens at the appointed time and whatever is meant to be in your life will be at its appointed time. Therefore, you must fervently endure prayfully, patiently, faithfully and commit to go through the process! God not only knows our destiny but He knows all of the details that will purposely direct us there. When the time is right, it’ll happen. It’s not a rush order but know that God’s will, plan, and purpose for your life will be fulfilled at the appointed time!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodKnowsWhatHeIsDoing

Somebody needs to hear these words of encouragement today:

✅Don’t give up, God is faithful!
✅God is going to restore you!
✅God will heal you!
✅God will make a way for you!

If that’s you, please make every effort never forget that God is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13), He is a restorer (Jeremiah 30:17), He is a healer (Malachi 4:2), and He is a way-maker (Isaiah 43:19).

I pray that that God redeems every second, minute, and hour of your waking day!

Have a blessed, victorious, and triumphant week in the Lord everyone!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#staythecourse

The word Church is a translation of biblical words found in both the OT and the NT: the Hebrew (OT) word ‘qahal’, and the Greek (NT) word ‘ekklesia’, both of which mean “gathering of people or community” for worship. It was first applied to the people of Israel whom God called into existence. The contemporary church is also called into existence by God (Acts 2).

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) until Christ’s return.

Contrary to what some might believe, I seriously doubt that heaven will have special reserved denominational sections. We are all one church body and that’s applies to everyone, everywhere, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. All those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ make up the church……without walls!

In short, the church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). That being said, we are not only called to gather in a building to learn, praise, pray, worship, and fellowship; we are equally called to be the hands and feet outside of the building where we gather. We are called to be the church in our homes, jobs, and communities. In 1 Timothy 5, Paul describes the church as people dedicated to doing whatever it takes to reach out and help others. We have a responsibility to serve and help others in need as the church. Caring for each other as well as those outside of the church is the quickest way to see Jesus change lives.

My brothers and sisters, I am in no way trying to step on anyone’s spiritual toes but I am hoping to call some of you into action. In Matthew 9:38-39 Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

At the end of the day, the church isn’t a building, it’s people. It’s made up of people that authentically love God and love others. It’s made up of people that openly pray, praise, worship, cry, and celebrate together. And most of all it’s made up of people that are wiling to be the hands (bless) and feet (serve) for God’s glory in Christ Jesus!

If you have been spectating in the church pews or online, this is your official call to get in the game! Somebody who is lost is waiting on you to shine your light in their dark world!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#PeopleAreTheChurch

Unfortunately, at some point in life we’ve all been touched, overwhelmed, and deeply changed by adversity. When I feel overwhelmed, challenged, and waist deep in a difficult season, I cling to the things I know to be true; God’s word!

One of my many ‘go-to’ passages of text comes out of Isaiah 40:29-31 and it reads, “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Undoubtedly and sometimes reluctantly, during difficult seasons (aka life in general) I found this to be true; our hearts have been fashioned to face and fight even the hardest of situations or circumstances. I also found this to be equally true; we are never alone in the battle. We have an all powerful and loving God on our side, and our strength comes from knowing He is right there with us. Hence my case in point, you can’t break a person who gets their strength from God.

I love the Message paraphrase of Psalm 121:1-5, “No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep. God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you….”

My brothers and sisters, as we cleave and cling to these biblical truths, we must trust that God is calling us to walk more closely with Him, to trust Him more deeply, and to press into the future that He has set before us. Yes, we can face the adversity of today because we know that God has a future in mind for us, an abundant, glorious future.

At the end of th day, let us never forget that, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39). It’s only in and through God’s abiding love that we find our hope, strength, and future!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#OurStrengthComesFromGod

God is so great that He holds the entire world, and everything therein, in His Holy Hands!

David reminded us in Psalm 24:1-2, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…..”

My brothers and sisters, we cannot put our problems in the hands of God if we don’t let go of them first. We must be strong and courageous in order to release fears, anxieties, and worries to the Lord. We must start every day letting go of everything that is weighing us down and let El Shaddai carry those burdens.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

When we lift our problems up to Him, we must also be willing to offer ourselves to Him. This includes everything that we are and everything that we have as well as all of our plans, hopes, and dreams.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “Worry not about what tomorrow will bring….” There’s no use fretting about things that may or may not come. You don’t need that unnecessary stress. Instead, surrender your days to Him and let Him take charge of your tomorrow. Acknowledging that you are not in control of your destiny will help you accept His will more fully.

Last night, I went to bed with this heavy on my mind and I woke up with this on my heart and I pray this powerful reminder encourages someone today and if that’s you, I hope you find peace, strength, solace, and comfort knowing that you’re not alone and God is with you in your journey.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#InHisHands

God is not like humans who can be fickle, changeable, irresponsible, and unpredictable. There are no discrepancies or inconsistencies in God. His promises endure forever.

Hebrews 6:17-18 says, “In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope that is set before us.”

I don’t know about you, but it overjoys me to read the above passage of text because I am reminded that God’s nature is immutable. He embodies all truth and He cannot lie nor fail. For this reason, we can always be sure of His promises. He never waivers and He doesn’t change His mind. When we come to Him believing and asking He will do it! He promised He would reward the sincere and earnest seeker and He does.

Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that, “..it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”

Fact is, although people may disappoint us—even people whom we love and admire—He will never fail us. Never! What He said He would do, He will do. In God there is no variation or shadow due to change. There are no discrepancies or inconsistencies in God.

My brothers and sisters, as I mentioned above humans can be fickle, changeable, irresponsible, and unpredictable, but God is exactly the opposite. He never changes or takes back His offer of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. God does not—cannot—renege on His promises. Our salvation does not depend on a fickle, changeable, irresponsible, and unpredictable God but one whose promises endure forever.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#WeCanCountOnGod

God is always up to something good and everything and everyone He created has a divine purpose in life. Psalm 57:2 says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.” This is key in understanding God’s purpose for our lives.

Undoubtedly, God has numbered our days and will fulfill every purpose He has for us. However, the enemy wants nothing more than to breakdown, minimize, and impede the purpose God is working to fulfill in our lives.

Fortunately, God is our Protector in times of trouble (Psalm 18:3), our Shield in times of danger (Proverbs 30:5) and our Fortress in times of attack (Psalm 91:1-2). Not only that, God promises to “command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11, NIV).

Furthermore, God protects us not only in the physical realm that we can see, but also in the spiritual realm against forces we can’t see. The Bible says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

Unfortunately, a spiritual battle rages around our purpose as the devil attempts to kill, steal and destroy. (John 10:10) He would like nothing better than to destroy the good God is working to fulfill in our lives. The devil sets traps of danger and destruction in the path of God’s people in hopes of catching us unaware and ill-prepared. Be ready. Don’t let him win.

My brothers and sisters, only God can police, preserve, and protect our purpose in life. Therefore, God will never abandon the work of His hands. Psalm 138:8 confirms, ”The Lord will fulfill [His purpose] for me. Lord, Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.”

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

We are all under spiritual construction (aka works in progress) and the good news is God is not finished with us yet. God has a plan for every single child of faith and if you know anything about the God we serve, He always finishes what He starts.

Surprisingly, one of the first passages of text I committed to memory was Philippians 1:6 and it says, “He who began a good work will carry it to completion until the day of Christ.” God is still molding and shaping us into the likeness of our Savior!

Y’all remember that Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies that can back with a good report (Joshua 2) about the promised land?! God blessed their faithfulness and obedience and these two were the only two that entered the land God promised. They literally watched an entire generation pass away after wandering the desert for a total of 42 years (counting the years from the time they left Egypt).

Unfortunately, sometimes we can get bogged down with what we see instead of what we know that God has spoken into our hearts. We can get like the ten spies and see all the things that can go wrong instead of seeing how God is faithful. We doubt ourselves because of our age, race, gender, finances, social status, and lack of education or career experience. Yet if we would only grasp the examples of Caleb and Joshua we too will also slay the giants of doubt, fear, unbelief, and lift up a shout of praise that is loud enough to tear down walls!

My brothers and sisters, God is NOT finished with me and He is not finished with you. He has a plan for every single child of faith, and His plans don’t change because of our circumstances. We have the choice to give up prematurely or to persevere in the faith that our God is able to do what we ask or expect. Not to mention that at the end of the day if our hearts are focused on Jesus we will see His servanthood and selflessness, we will see His agape love for the Church (Ephesians 5:25), we will see the image to which we’re being perfected and conformed into His likeness!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodFinishesWhatHeStarts

Satan knows that God created marriage as a beautiful, living picture of Christ and the Church. God designed both marriage and the family for our benefit. Satan knows the value of the family, how it is the fabric of a good solid society, the foundation of vibrant growing assemblies, and the future of God’s work on earth. If Satan can be successful in tearing down the structure and substance of the family unit, then he will be successful in damaging what is dear to God’s heart.

Let’s not forget about Satan’s initial attack on the family occurred in Eden where the old serpent worked his evil deception and destroyed the harmony of the first marriage/family (Gen 3). In listening to Satan and disobeying God, Eve and Adam plunged themselves, and all subsequent families, into slavery in the “kingdom of darkness.” Satan’s attack on the family has continued until today. There are signs of it all around us. With the increasing rate of divorce, the acceptance of common-law relationships, the barrage of Hollywood immorality, and the legalization of same gender marriages, we can see how successful Satan has been in twisting and perverting God’s best for us and depriving us of the blessings that God ordain marriages brings to the family.

It’s pretty obvious these malicious attacks is a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood”, but we need flesh and blood for the war against the devil. No family feud is only relational; there is always more going on than meets the eyes. Eve’s disobedience and Adam’s passivity may have appeared as just as a flesh-and-blood issue but as mentioned above we know who was deceptively working behind the scenes. The counsel of Job’s wife, as the waves of trials swept over them, may have seemed simply like the words of a troubled soul (Job 2:9). But the author of Job lifts the curtains and shows us that behind those words lay an evil force. Job’s battle was not against flesh and blood; it too was spiritual.

When the enemy goes hard after your family you’ll notice:

*Anger, resentment, and bitterness
*Unforgiveness
*A block against clear communication (misunderstandings, silent treatments, yelling, etc.)
*A lack of joy and peace in the home

Undoubtedly, the enemy hates those God has fearfully and wonderfully made, and he wants to see every image-bearer destroyed. So what’s the solution—how do we fight in this war? With the weapons God has given us: the armor of God (including prayer,
worship, praise, and God’s Word) and the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:13-18 says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

My brothers and sisters, I want to remind each of you to be strong in the Lord and take heart as you fight for your families—we know how the story ends! Christ is victorious, and those who have trusted in Him will dwell with Him for eternity. Hallelujah, thank You Jesus, and Praise be unto God!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#WeKnowHowTheStoryEnds

Hallelujah, for as this morning dawns, as with every morning, we can be sure that God’s mercies are new towards us.
This is true for you, for me, for your hurting loved one, and for your enemy, too.

Lamentations 3:22-23 confirms, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

No cap, God uses the infinitesimal ‘things’ in life to birth colossal size blessings, breakthroughs, and new beginnings.

My brothers and sisters, this should put a big ole smile on your faces today because God does this effortlessly everyday for free! All we have to do is trust that God will do what He says He will do! Look at it this way, if one droplet of rain can change the world, just imagine what one drop of God’s word (bblessings) can do inside the heart of a ready, able, and wiling vessel!

At the end of the day, I pray that God enables each of us to live faithfully submitted, committed, and grounded to the blessings God in Christ Jesus has to shower upon us at the dawn of every single day. Hallelujah and thank You, Jesus!!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#OneDrop