What material item(s) are you chasing after in this season?

Materialism is defined as “the preoccupation with material things rather than intellectual or spiritual things.” If a Christian is preoccupied with material things, it is definitely wrong. That is not to say we cannot have material things, but the obsession with acquiring and caring for “stuff” is a dangerous and slippery slope!

It is in fact sinful and displeasing to God when we fix our main focus on ascertaining material and/or ‘worldly things’. Our focus should be on what we are created, not to mention commanded to do and that is to “love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). According to Jesus, this is first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).

That being said, God is the only thing we can (and should) occupy ourselves with habitually. He alone is worthy of our complete attention, love and service. To offer these things to anything, or anyone, else is idolatry (sin).

You see, when we become consumed with the gaining of worldly possessions, we are easily drawn in by the “deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19), thinking that we will be happy, fulfilled, or content if only we had more of whatever it is we’re chasing. My brothers and sisters, this is a lie from the father of lies. The enemy wants us to be chasing after something he knows will never satisfy us so we will be kept from pursuing that which is the only thing that can satisfy—God Himself. Luke 16:13 tells us we “cannot serve both God and money.” We must seek to be content with what we have, and materialism is the exact opposite of that contentment. It causes us to strive for more and more and more, all the while telling us that this will be the answer to all our needs and dreams. The Bible tells us that a person’s “life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15) and that we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

So, if this message is knocking on your door today, know that you’re not alone. We have all dibbled and dabbled in pursuing world possessions. However, it’s not too late to shift your focus and attention. Think about this for a moment; if we chase after Jesus the way we chase after the things of this world, we would find the peace and fulfillment we so desperately need in our lives!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#SeekTheKingdomOfGod

Is fear really the opposite of faith? Most would say yes, however I respectfully disagree. The way I see it, fear actually feeds on our faith. In other words, fear is nothing more then placing your faith in fear. Additionally, fear is placing faith in fleshy “what-if” rather than in God’s “it is”.

When we succumb to living in fear we allow our imaginations to wander down a long dark alley of possibilities while getting mugged every couple of steps. Almost everyone who allows themselves to be taken hostage by what-ifs discovers that the only thing binding them is their own imagination

So what does the Bible say about this F.alse E.motion A.ppearing R.eal? In 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul reminds us that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV). Simple put, a spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God.

Futhermore, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” according to 1 John 4:18. No one is perfect, and God knows this. That is why He has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. Beginning in the book of Genesis and continuing throughout the book of Revelation, God reminds us to “Fear not.”

Unequivocally, what we fear the most often reveals where we trust God the least! Therefore my brothers and sisters, we don’t have to allow fear to cripple or disable our trust in our God. You see, trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear. It is a turning to God even in the darkest times and trusting Him to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good. As Job said when he was experiencing some of the most difficult trials recorded in the Bible, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15 NKJV).

At the end of the day, when the Bible tells us, “Do not fear,” it literally means we are not to allow anxiety or fretfulness to rule our lives or take root in our hearts. We are not to be people of panic, we are to be people of faith, and we are called to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#FreedomFromFear

Bright light….bright light! If you remember the 1984 movie Gremlins then you know what I am referring to in the above phrase.

However, in today’s message I’m not showcasing the little cute fictional creature named Gizmo who was resistant to light rather, I am highlighting a very important command that Jesus introduced in Matthew 5:16.

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” He explained that no one lights a lamp just to hide it under a basket. A lamp is meant to be placed on a stand to give light to everything around it. Whether you’re timid (introverted) or outgoing (extroverted), you’re called to be a light to the people around you.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called “the true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). Throughout the New Testament, the followers of Jesus are called to be lights in the darkness. So, what does it mean to shine? In short, it means to be counter-cultural (Romans 13:12), to put yourself out there (Matt 5:16a), and to always point back to the source (Matt 5:16b)

Think about it for a second; light is one of the most prevalent themes throughout the entire Bible. It starts with God hovering over the unformed earth when He speaks light into existence, and when we can run straight through Revelation we are told our new heaven and earth with be illuminated with God’s glory that no sun or moon will be needed to shine its light.

Most of us, if not all of us have all hummed this catchy little tune a time or two: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” You see my brothers and sisters, we weren’t made to shine in the light. God created each of us to let our little lights shine in the dark. There is so much darkness surrounding us, there is so much darkness in our world today, God is calling all believers to leave their lights on! That said, let’s be clear; Jesus isnt talking about leaving our porch lights on at night. He is talking about letting the Holy Spirit shine brightly within us so that others may see our good works and in return glorify our God in heaven!

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#NAP

#thislittlelightofmine

Whatever your going through today know that God has a plan for your life. David reminds us of this fact in Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

I get it, sometimes it’s hard to understand more less accept what God authors and what He allows, but we have to trust Him. Ecclesiastes 11:5 confirms, “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

So today, my point of information is to encourage you to always remember you are where God wants you to be at this very moment. Every experience is part of His divine plan.

That being said, let’s recite the same scripture in its original Hebrew language:

ê·ne·ḵā (Your eyes) rā·’ū (saw) gā·lə·mî (my unformed body); kul·lām (all) yā·mîm (my days) yik·kā·ṯê·ḇū (we’re written) wə·‘al-(in) sip̄·rə·ḵā (Your book) yuṣ·ṣā·rū (and ordained for me) ’e·ḥāḏ (before one day came to be).

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#GodKnowsSeesCares

When God is about to do some thing new what exactly is He referring to?

Well, that’s a loaded question, so I will defer my response at this time, but feel free to leave your response in the comment section. Now then, if there is one thing we can count on with God, it is that we can never predict when He will change the course of our lives and lead us down a path of blessings we couldn’t imagine.

The Bible gives countless examples of the amazing changes God made in people’s lives centuries before, and what He continues to do in our lives today.

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed in Isaiah 43:19 that “God would do a new thing” in our lives, something we couldn’t do ourselves. This thing would be impossible for man, but possible to God.

As the verse states, God was planning on doing something new for the people of Israel – something that would not be expected. He listed examples such as a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, both scenarios that would seem impossible to people at that time.

What God wanted Israel – and us – to realize is that He is the one responsible for bringing this new thing forward, springing it forth where you can’t miss it, unless you don’t understand it is His doing and no one else’s. The new thing God is doing is bringing blessings and a new path ahead for His people where the world said there is no way forward.

If you missed it my answer to my initial question was just stated in the above paragraph.

God reminds us through Isaiah’s words that we are witnesses to His redemption of Israel from all its enemies, providing a path ahead when it was believed there was none. So whatever circumstance that your facing in your life today, I want you to remember that what God does for one, He will also do for another. Deuteronomy 10:17 confirms, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.”

My brothers and sisters, God sought to remind Israel that He was the Redeemer of Israel and was with them through whatever obstacle or heartbreak they had….He is also reminding us of the same today.

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#NAP

#GODISDOINGANEWTHING

When you feel like giving up, be reminded that God loves you and wants to live life to the full! God’s plan is to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11). If you’re struggling in life, don’t give up – there are better things yet to come!

Paul loved using sports analogies. In parallel with the above paragraph, he said this in I Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

My brothers and sisters, you have have to want that prize and while there are many things that demand our time and attention that we should leave behind such as unhealthy relationships, jobs, and habits, it’s also important to keep fighting for what is good and right. Fight for your success, fight for your marriage, fight for your kids, fight for your health – don’t give up! Know that you are not alone, and know that we are in the hands of God – He will provide us with strength, resources, and resilience when we need it. Stumbling blocks, obstacles, and setbacks are part of the process but they are never the end of your story! Giving up is never an option and with God on your side you will always find renewed strength and hope to keep going!

Look at this way, if the SEA didn’t stop MOSES, the WALL didn’t stop JOSHUA, the GIANT didn’t stop DAVID, the GRAVE didn’t stop JESUS, then in CHRIST NOTHING will stop YOU!

Jesus said this in Matthew 17:20. “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

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#UnstoppableInChrist

The Lord is always walking beside you. He is going through every situation with you. He loves and cares for you and will always stand by your side. Walking with Him will give you the comfort of knowing that He is always there for you. He is always with you when you need someone to lean on and a shoulder to cry on; He is always there with open arms.

David reminds us in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

No matter what you are going through, God will help you. You can always cry out to him for help. When you are frustrated and angry, cry out to him. When you are upset and feel like you cannot go on any longer, cry out to him. He will always be there to pick you up and move you forward.

The author of Hebrews 4:15-16 wrote, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has 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, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Undoubtedly, God is the light to our path. He will show us the way, but without him, we have to find our way through the darkness. Why struggle, when you can have God to guide you?

Jesus encouraged us in John 8:12 when He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

If you have been traveling on a difficult road like me, remember what God said in Leviticus 26:12, “I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people.” God is with us!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodIsWithUs