Sunday, April 17, 2016

Waiting and Receiving Your Miracle, What to do!

This week’s devotional is based on a sermon by Dr. Samuel Chand, author of the book Leadership Pain: The Classroom for Growth.  His message was derived from the book of Mark, Chapter 5, Verses 21-43; the account of the synagogue leader Jairus and his 12 year old daughter.  Please read the scriptures first as they give meaning to his message and his six principles for waiting and receiving your miracle.  Here they are:

1. Be Not Afraid-Verse 36
Regardless of the storm you are enduring Jesus tells us, like he told Jairus, be not afraid.  Do not live in a spirit of fear, but in a spirit of courage.  Courage comes through the grace of God and the fortification of the Holy Spirit.

2. Just Believe-Verse 36
When things go drastically wrong as it did in Jairus' case, his daughter having died before Jesus' arrival, you need to Just Believe.  Believe and know that Jesus is a God of miracles and that his is the  same yesterday, today and forever more.  He can make the impossible, possible!

3. Surround Yourself With Positive People-Verse 37
When the challenges come, you need believers, prayers, overcomers, testifiers, witnesses, fortifiers, uplifters, and victors.   Surround yourself with people who know that God is capable of making the miracle happen.

4. Kick Out the Negative People From Your Life-Verses 39-40
Surrounding yourself with positive people is not enough, you also need to kick out the negative naysayers who have nothing good to say.  They will weigh you down and take away from the blessing and miracles God has for your life.  Kick Them Out, in the name of Jesus!

5. Speak Life to Your Situation-Verse 41
Anyone can speak death to a situation, as believers we need to speak life into the situation, remembering that in Christ all things are possible.  Speak it into existence knowing that your heavenly Father hears you and responds.

6. Feed Your Miracle-Verses 42-43
The way to feed your miracle is not just to talk about it or celebrate it, but to make sure that you help someone else with their miracle.  Be the person God uses to make the miracle happen for someone else.  If God blessed you with a job, help them find a job or give them a job.  If you overcame a sickness, help someone else overcome their sickness through prayer, transportation, and any other necessary means.  If you are blessed with extra cash, then use a portion of the cash to bless another person and help them receive their miracle.  Thank God for the miracle he delivered to you and let Him lead you as he works to make other miracles happen!

Just a little advice to go!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Don't Dream Alone!

We all have dreams and aspirations for the future, dreams of blessings and successes we imagine will be part of our future lives.  When we dream alone, those dreams often change or fail to come to fruition for one reason or another.  Dreaming alone without Gods insights presents an unnecessary challenge towards the fulfillment of those dreams.  Stop dreaming alone, and incorporate God into your dreams as you plan for your future.  Take the time to speak to him about your dreams and how they align with the dreams and hopes God has for your life.

Time has taught me to align my dreams with his and to not move forward blindly in pursuit of what I believe is best without first seeking direction from my Heavenly Father.  When I am patient, pray, listen, and wait for certain indicators on which direction to move, I find myself aligned with his will; moving forward in the right direction.  Don't dream alone, dream with the Lord!  Just a little advice to go!

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Stepup From That Setback!

Sometimes we encounter setbacks and become discouraged wondering why, despite our efforts to serve the Lord, we have encountered this difficult situation.  We get caught up in the turmoil of the situation and lose sight of the reality of God's plan for our lives.  His plan does not preclude setbacks, but ensures the setbacks we encounter can turn into opportunities to step up to his blessings.

The enemy creates the obstacles that lead to the setbacks we experience; all we need to do is trust God and recognize that today's setback is just an opportunity to for us to step up to his blessings! Just a little advice to go!