It takes more time, engineering, and energy to hold on to things than it does to surrender it “ALL” to God! Sometimes I ask myself, why am I trying to do God’s job when I know that I can’t?? The other thing I have to remind myself is that I am not the boss of me! I surrender that card when I said “YES” to JESUS and made Him Lord of my life!

In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus Christ gives us very clear instructions on how to surrender to his loving authority: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

In the above passage of text there are four challenging but necessary steps to take if we want to lead a fully surrendered life following Christ our Lord:

1. Be open to surrender
2. Deny yourself (This is hard one)
3. Take up his cross
4. Follow him

I get it…it’s easier said than done but it’s doable!! Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds and encourages to daily, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

Brothers and Sisters, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7). With that said stand with me in this prayer, turn it “ALL” over to Jesus or lay it at His feet and have a bless and safe weekend!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#Surrender

I Corinthians 16:13-14 says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”

The Greek word for “stand firm” in 1 Corinthians 16:13 is stékó which means to persist, persevere, and stand fast. The Greek word for faith is pistis which means belief, trust, faith, and confidence. As believers in Christ, in addition to being watchful, we are to stand firm in the faith – that is, stand firm in our belief, trust, and confidence in Christ and in the word of God. Did you notice that I didn’t say stand firm in people?

My brothers and sisters, we are able to stand firm NOT because of ourselves or other people, but because of who we trust — Jesus Christ.

You and I both know that humans are extremely temperamental and consistently moody. Our emotions shifts like the wind and the waters in the sea. Unfortunately, when our emotions change or shift we tend to change how we behave and what we believe as well. God knew that we’d be fickle and ambiguous when he gave us emotions and hormones; Yes, He truly does understand the strengths and weaknesses we face. In fact, Jesus experienced the same emotional battles that you and I are going through right now: “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.” Hebrews 4:15

At the end of the day, I pray this message helps someone today who is buckling under pressure. If that’s you, as I close this message, I want you to know to “stand firm” also means following God despite your emotions or the obstacles before you (I John 4:4, Joshua 1:9). The issues of life and the enemy’s attack will try to knock you down, so it’s imperative that you stand firm in your faith. Be encouraged today and know that God is moving powerfully in your situation right now, so don’t give into doubt and remember God uses the crises of life to expose your true faith and who He is! As it stands, a faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#StandFirm

I know life can be hard (unfair/brutal) and at times giving up feels like the only viable option. But, I stopped by to tell you that quitting is not an option. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good,for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

You see, the opposite of giving up is perseverance or endurance—two qualities encouraged for believers (2 Thessalonians 1:4; Romans 5:3; James 1:3). When we choose to persevere through difficulties or weariness, we are refusing to give up on what God has called us to do.

Nehemiah never gave up the construction of Jerusalem’s walls, despite the fierce opposition he faced. Caleb never gave up on the promise of God, and he conquered a giant-infested, fortified hill country when he was 85 years old. Joshua didn’t throw in the towel at Jericho despite the seemingly impenetrable walls and Jesus persevered all the way to the cross. “Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). When we give up too soon, we lose out on all God planned to do through and for us. Therefore, if your sitting on the bench or if you’ve left the arena, it’s time for you to get back in the game! The seeds that were planted have been water, germinated, and it’s nearly harvest time!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#StayInTheGame

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18

Just so you know, the phrase “praying in the Spirit” is mentioned two other times in the NT scripture: (I Corinthians 14:15 and Jude 1:20)

So the real question is how do we pray in the spirit?

Before we answer the question let’s first define the phrase “pray in”. The Greek word translated “pray in” can have several different meanings. It can mean “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to.” Praying in the Spirit does not refer to the words we are saying. Rather, it refers to how we are praying. Praying in the Spirit is praying according to the Spirit’s leading. It is praying for things the Spirit leads us to pray for. Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

That being said, God’s throne is always open. I can’t stress enough how critically important your prayer life is, especially in a world riddled with sin. Consistently connecting with God is like putting on a daily shield that insulates you from the enemy’s fiery arrows and blows. We are helpless in a world that we can’t control. Turn to God: pray, pray, and pray. This is your strongest defensive weapon!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#PrayInTheSpirit

Faith is reality, hope and evidence that God is moving behind the scenes. Therefore, even though you can’t see every move God makes, you can trust in believe by faith that God is always moving in your favor and for His glory!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#FaithRealityHopeEvidence

I need a few saints who sees what I am seeing and hear what I am hearing to boldly commit to praying for those presently in or have recently completed their battle with this disease. Also, don’t forget to lift up the families. Thank you in advance for your support and commitment to prayer.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#InTheEndJesusWins

This year was filled with mixed emotions to say the least. Mom and Dad slayed in the kitchen, Kim came with her delicious homemade seafood casserole and Cajun rice, Vanessa furnished her tasty cakes, and I brought the smoked ribs (for the first time since NoNo’s rebirth). That being said, this year wasn’t really about glorifying what we cooked or ate…it was truly about remembering one of the five reasons who was called home to glory. There was a lot tears, a few laughs, and moments of self-reflection. Some of our family wasn’t present but they were definitely kept in our thoughts and prayers. The holidays will never be the same for me, but because I know that JESUS lives, I have a blessed assurance in CHRIST that my beloved embryonic twin brother (son, brother, husband, nephew, father, grandfather, and friend) reigns with Him in eternity’s eternity. Not to mention, I also find joy in recognizing the same JESUS that was raised from the dead, who left a borrowed tomb empty, and ascended to sit at the right hand of the FATHER is coming back sooner than we think. On that day…..all I can say is, “If it had not been for the Lord, who was on my side……”

NoNo, you were not only remembered—-you were honored and I unequivocally know that your spirit was with us!

Though you may be gone from this world, your story is not over yet. You are forever loved and remembered forever young! We love you baby!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP- we will see you soon!

#ForeverGratefulThankfulBlessed

Happy Thanksgiving Prayer 2022:

Adonai Shalom, we are thankful for all Your blessings, goodness, and kindness towards us. We are thankful for all the people in our lives who make our life meaningful, accountable, and beautiful. Thank You for watching over us every single day. Let Your blessings be upon everyone today and the days ahead. Father God, continue to lead/guide us with Your limitless grace and sustain us with Your immeasurable mercy. And for our every precious loved one who is celebrating this day in Your presence–though our hearts yearn for their presence to be with us, I humbly asked that You keep our hearts, minds, spirits, and souls at peace, strengthened, and comforted. As it stand there is coming a time when we all will be reunited back to one another very soon! Holy Spirit have Your way today. In Jesus’, the only reason we can be forever grateful name, Amen and Amen!