You can’t see what’s going on in the supernatural with natural lens (eyes). Hebrews 11:1-3 tells us that, “Faith is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things unseen. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

Faith (big or small) removes the scales from our natural lens so that we are able to see and discern what God is doing behind the supernatural veil.

We’ve all heard it said, “Faith sees the invisible, believes the impossible, and receives the incredible.” You might be saying, “Lowell, what little faith I had is now shattered and broken, what now?!!” Well, if that’s you, I want you to now that faith in pieces is still big enough for God to move that mountain obscuring your supernatural vision. Jesus said this in Matthew 17:20-21, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you [to see].”

Habakkuk 2:4 includes the well-known statement “the righteous will live by faith.” Additionally, Paul quotes it in Romans 1:17, emphasizing the idea that righteousness by faith is for both Jews and Gentiles: “For in the gospel a righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.”

That being said, I invite you to substitute the word ‘live’ with ‘see’ and re-read the above two passages of text. I guarantee your measure of faith would agree that just because you don’t see anything happening, doesn’t mean God isn’t working on your behalf.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#FaithSeeGreatThings

Philippians 1:6 declares, “That He who began the good work within us, will continue His work until it’s finished in the day when Christ returns.”

This is a powerful and season-changer reminder that should be a perennial source of encouragement for every born again believer.

That being said, we can confidently believe and boldly declare the following over our lives:

God is not done with our dreams.

God is not done with our ministries.

God is not done with our children.

God is not done with our careers.

God is not done with our marriages.

God is not done with our physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, and financial well-being.

God is not done with us!

My brothers and sisters, no matter where we’ve fallen or cracked, our Maker has a grand design and intention for us that is not yet complete. Therfore, you and I can give all praise to God, rest in hope, and turn our focus upward (vertically) and outward (horizontally) because God isn’t done with us yet!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodIsNotDoneWithMeYet

Undoubtedly, our plans don’t always line up with God’s plan and when that happens God will make an audible play. In those ‘hail mary pass’ moments, God is protecting us from things we didn’t factor or simply just failed to see!

My brothers and sisters here’s the proverbial spoiler alert: God will ruin your plans so that your plans don’t ruin you. I love the NLT ‘make it plain’ translation of Proverbs 19:21 and it reads, “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.”

In a very nurturing and loving way, when God augments, alters, revises, and/or completely changes our plans He is simply telling us that He is omniscient and we’re not!

His Sovereignty is embedded in His omniscience. Therefore, sovereignty is His authority to rule over everything consequential and infinitesimal. There are no limits nor boundaries to God’s rule. Nothing is outside His control: not your life circumstances, your relationships, your family, nor your job.

It’s encumbent upon us to remember that because God is good, everything He does is good. If everything He does is good, then everything He does is for our good. When He changes your plans, it’s because He knows what you do not know and it’s good for you. God loves you. He doesn’t have ulterior motives or a hidden agendas. He is making us more and more like Jesus, His perfect Son. What could be better for you? Everything He does is preparing you for eternity with Him. Everything he does is bringing glory to Him, which is always good for you. It might not always feel good, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. Your feelings are not truth. God’s word is.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#itsokforGodtochangeyourplans

I want to encourage you today by reminding you that nothing that has happened to you is a surprise to God!

Proverbs 15:13 confirms, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good”, Job 18:24 adds, “For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens”, and I Peter 3:12 corroborates, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

I don’t know who I am preaching to today, but I want you to know that God sees you, God knows your name, God sees your situation, and God sees your need!

God sees you: He knows the very number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30). Consider that your worth is more than the many sparrows in the sky (Luke 12:7). And, consider that He took an intimate interest in forming you, that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made; that all of His “works [that being you!] are wonderful” (Psalm 139:13-14).

God knows your name: As His precious child, He knows each and every “sheep” by name (John 10:3). And, not only is your name known, it is “engraved” on the palm of his hand (Isaiah 49:16). Being engraved carries a deeper implication than being written. Being engraved means it is “cut, carved” into God’s palm, implying permanence, something that cannot be erased.

God sees your situation: Jehovah El Roi is not blind to your plight. Your situation has not taken Him by surprise, although it may have taken you by surprise. Being omniscient (all knowing), God sees exactly what is happening to you every second of the day—good and bad. Your situation—your very life—is always before his eyes. Nothing escapes His divine notice or attention.

God sees your need: Hebrews 4:14-16 says, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

My beloved brothers and sisters, if God did it once, He will do it again! God cares for you, and He makes plans for your provision, even before you know you will need it. That being said, start declaring with me: “GOD, I PRAISE YOU IN ADVANCE FOR DELIVERING ME FROM____________BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR EYES SAW IT BEFORE IT HAPPENED!”

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodSeesEverything

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!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#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).

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodKnowsSeesCares