No Matter What!

At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: “No matter what you do, God is on your side."
– Genesis 21: 22

Do you know that people are watching you? They observe how even though you face the same day that they face, you always seem to get through your day with a smile and things just seem to work out for you. They see it, and they know it, and they wish they had what you have – they want to know your secret.

When we build a Love Relationship with Jesus, our light shines brightly even while those around us are dimming and fading. It's not by accident and it isn't a fluke ...it's because of the Light and the Love that shines within us. It's because we live in the F.O.G. (Favor of God), and that means that no matter what we do, no matter what we face each day ...God surrounds us with His Favor.

The deeper the Love-Relationship you have with Jesus, the greater the F.O.G. in your life. The greater the F.O.G., the more the world around you notices and marvels, and the greater the witness you are ...simply by living your life.

Dive deep into God's Word today and build that Love-Relationship that will establish your Favor of God. His Grace for your life will never fail ...because God is on your side.

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters!

He Knows Your Ways

8  Abram said, “Master God, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?”
9  God said, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon.”

– Genesis 15: 8-9

Our God sure is a patient, Loving, and Understanding Father!

I would have answered with something like ..."WHAT?! How DARE you question me!?"
It's a good thing I'm not God!

God knows exactly what we need from Him to bolster our faith. He knows our customs and our understanding of how the world works (even if it isn't accurate). He know, He knows, He knows.

He knew Abram as well, and He knew that Abram had a deep need to serve Him (God) in the tradition of his people – with the offering of sacrifices, so He answered Abram in a way that would speak to Abram's spirit and give him the confidence he needed to Believe.

Each one of us hears from God in our own special way, because each of our walks is different – our lives are different, our experiences are different, and our knowledge of God is different depending on the relationship we've built with Him.

So don't expect God to answer your prayers the same way He answers your neighbor's. His answer for you will be Lovingly and exclusively yours, and it will be delivered in a way that speaks to your special relationship and unique to your walk and present circumstances.

God LOVES you!
He KNOWS you!
He HEARS you!
And He WILL answer you – yes YOU – in a way that will strengthen your faith in Him.

God  doesn't mind when you question Him ...especially when you are trying to develop the deep Love Relationship that He desires.

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters!

Believing God

And he believed!
Believed God!
God declared him "Set-Right-With-God."
– Genesis 15:6

We Believe a lot of things – some things we shouldn't ...but we do.

Really, there is only One important Truth in our lives that we need to believe in and if we do, the Truth will set-us-right-with-God!

What do you Believe in?
I mean REALLY Believe in – with your whole heart, your whole mind, and ALL of your heart? The easy answer would be to say, "I Believe in God!" But if you take an honest look at your beliefs, is there evidence to prove your statement?

• What about when the mortgage is due and you're running negative in your bank account?
• What about when you, or one of your loved ones is seriously sick?
• What about when everything around you seems to be falling apart?
• What about when you are worrying about something that hasn't, or might not even ever happen, but you're worried about it anyway?

We all experience times when God seems far away. But it's how we respond to those times that proves whether we truly Believe or not. Whether we Trust in God's Word and His Promises. Whether we trust in chariots, or whether we trust in the Name of the Lord our God.

Yes, it's easy to say, "I Believe in God!" But if so, then it's time to STOP worrying, and fretting, and questioning, and whining about every circumstance of your life, and it's time to START Standing, and Praying Faith Prayers, and denouncing the enemy, and Declaring God's Word in EVERY situation.

God doesn't want or need our lip service ...He wants our Heart ...ALL of our Heart, and ALL of our mind, and ALL of our love. He wants us to acknowledge Him as Lord of ALL of our lives – not just in the good times, but in the crazy, hectic, uncertain times that make up the majority of our existence here on earth.

He wants us to Know Him!
God wants us to Trust Him!
He wants us to Believe Him!

God Believes in You ...it's time to return the favor!

Dive into God's Word today and start Believing like you've never believed before. Let God declare you ..."Set-Right-With-God."

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters!

Get Behind God's Shield

After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid Abram. I'm your Shield. Your Reward will be grand!"
– Genesis 15: 1

Are you living with fear?

Does the unknown consume your thoughts and cause you to lay awake at night?

Are "what-if's" paralyzing your walk and preventing you from stepping out in Faith?

Well ...God has a Word for you!

"I Am Your Shield!" says the Lord. 

And if you will let Him go before you, there is nothing that can stop the Vision and the Plan and the Promise (Reward), He has for your life. If you can picture yourself firmly planted behind God's Force-Field and moving freely and without fear through every step of your life, you will quickly realize that those "what-if's" can turn into "What's Next!?"

Let God lead you through your life. Release your fears and allow Him to Guide you and to Direct your path as you step into a Victorious Life. Live like you've never lived before and thrive in the Love, and Joy, and Peace, and Strength of our Lord!

Y.B.H. (Yes But How?)
It's so easy ...
...Go to your shelf ...pick up your Bible ...open It ...Read! ...Read! ...Read!

The Word of the Lord came to Abram in a Vision. You have to SEE the Word in order to Read the Word, and once you start reading and seeking wisdom for understanding, God removes the fear and replaces it with Fearlessness! He sets His Shield around you and He puts you on the Path that He designed for your life ...a life full of Grand Rewards!

God is your Shield!
God is your Strength!
God is your Promise!
And God is your Reward!

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters!

Get Up and Go!

After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I’ll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I’m giving it all to you.”
– Genesis 13: 13-14

I love how God always waits for just the right time – for our lives to be clear of "anchors" and bad influences – to position us for His next Promise. It usually comes after we have gone through a difficult struggle or when we get to a point in our walk where we are free from familiar distractions, or when we remove bad influences from our lives, or when we are willing to let go of the past. That's when God says "Now!" and He gives us our marching orders.

It means separating ourselves from old "friends" or from toxic relationships so that Peace can enter our lives. It's never easy severing the ties that took years to establish, but when those ties turn into tourniquets and start choking the life out of us, the difficult choice needs to be made.

That's when God says "Hey! I've got your back! I have plans that'r gonna knock your socks off! I'm gonna bless you and as a result, your blessings are gonna overflow to everyone you know."

"But ..."

God always requires a move from us. In order for us to realize His Promise, we need to Get Up, Dust Off, and Get Moving. We need to have Faith – to BELIEVE – and then "Go" without knowing the details or the outcome. We need to Trust – no matter how uncertain or how scared we are – because it's in the Moving that miracles happen. It's when we Act, in complete faith and confidence, that God moves mountains and orchestrates the symphony of Blessings on our behalf.

Are you being weighed down by a bad relationship? Are there toxic  "friendships" that you really need to put behind you? If so, it's time to give them up (graciously). Bless them and then send them on their way. Then ...when God whispers His instructions for the next season of your life ...Get Up ...Dust Off ...and Get Moving!

God has your back and He holds your future in the palm of His hand. He'll clear the path for you to succeed and to thrive in your life.

God's Blessing and Promise is waiting for you ...are you ready to get your socks knocked off?

Blessings my Brothers and Sisters!

The Vision for Victory

Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
– Acts 26: 19-20

Paul saw Christ on the road to Damascus – this vision gave him the vision and the power to change his life forever. In turn, he changed the lives of millions – in fact, that vision is still changing lives to this day.

How has your encounter, collision, and vision of Christ changed your life? Have you taken that vision and used it to change lives, or are you a hoarder of Christ's Blessings?

It's time to "SEE" the world around you and start sharing the Vision that Christ gave you.

What's that, You say? He didn't give you a vision?

I submit that He did. He gave you a Vision for Hope, and Promise, and Love, and Peace, and Righteousness, and Grace.  He gave you a Vision that is meant to be shared and not hoarded.

Yes, but how? How am I supposed to share this Vision of Christ?

1. Stop. Christ's Vision allows you to stop and consider the lives around you.
2. See. He sees you, which allows you to have confidence that Jesus has your back.
3. Stand. Be proud of your call and your relationship with Christ – don't hide it.
4. Step. Step out of your comfort zone and Go and Do all you can to help others.
5. Satisfy. Your soul thirsts for the changed heart. It cries out for the helpless. Satisfy that thirst by sharing the Love of Christ with those Jesus puts on your heart. Yes ...He puts people on your heart as long as breath is in your lungs.

God's Vision for you is for you to share that Vision with others.

BE the Vision.
LOVE the Vision.
LIVE the Vision.

That Vision is the key to Victory in your life ...SEE the Victory and Go for it!

Blessings my Brothers and Sisters!

Your Present is HIS Purpose

 I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.
– Philippians 1:12-14

Are you thriving while you're thirsting? Are you representing Jesus in your present circumstance – in a way that will cause others to want what you have – even while you may be struggling? Or are you one of those "woe is me" kind of people, always moaning and complaining about how bad things are in your life? If the last description is you, then you might want to consider that your present circumstance has a purpose – and that purpose is to honor God and to let others see Christ in you while you move forward through the trial.

Are you sick? Call on Jesus with Love in your heart.
Are you broke? Help others who are broker.
Are you in mourning? Serve your community with Love and Compassion.
Are you suffering the consequences of a bad decision? Proclaim the Grace and Love of Jesus for giving you the opportunity to turn your life around.
Are you being treated unfairly? Smile and pray for those who mistreat you. Show them that you are carrying your cross with dignity and with the strength of Christ's Love.

I'm not saying any of this is easy to do. I'm not saying things will get better right away. What I am saying is that "you are where you are" and THAT, for the moment, IS your purpose.

So Live your life on purpose!

BE all that God created you to be on purpose!

Live like you know that ALL of this is temporary and Heaven is your destination.

Love others like Jesus Loves you ...and then watch as those very people who are expecting you to fail turn their hearts towards Jesus.

SEE the transformation of those who would pity you as they gather around to hear your story.

KNOW the Joy of a heart Saved and a life transformed ...all because you understood your present purpose ...to LOVE Jesus and to Live your life – no matter what ...on purpose ...for HIS purpose!

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters!