Focusing our every day on God's presence within our lives, enables us to experience a true sense of joy. It prevails in spite of the daily circumstances we face; we understand the truth of His words which call on us to "rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven...". We are reminded to focus on today when his word tells us, "this is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it". Yes, true joy is recognizing that each and every day is God's gift to us, a gift worthy of joy come what may. True joy sustains us even in those moments when happiness may escape us, we simply have to remember to stay rooted in our creator's words to experience it. Just a little advice to go!
Sunday, November 29, 2015
True Joy-God's Persepective
There is a distinct difference between true joy and happiness. Happiness is experiential, often based on external circumstances and fleeting. Circumstances can shift us away from a sense of happiness, but a true joy is indicative of God's presence within us.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Let the Blessings of the Past Prepare You for Today's Challenges!
If I have learned anything from my walk with Christ, it is to hold on to the many blessings He has provided. I was blessed to meet Christ at the age of 14, a time when I wanted my life to end and even contemplated ending it. The storms in my life at that time led me to a church where I answered Christ's call to surrender my life to Him. That was the beginning of a new me and the first of many blessings to come.
Christ has since helped me through mental, physical, emotional, familial, marital, educational and financial challenges. Looking back to each of these past challenges, I can recall an answer to prayer and the blessings that followed. Those answers serve as reminders that Christ will never leave or forsake me. When we see challenges in our lives as opportunities for Christ to move, we learn to trust Him and to rejoice in spite of our circumstances. Let the blessings of the past prepare you for today’s challenges! Just a little advice to go!
Sunday, October 25, 2015
A2G: When Second Place Beats First!
Imagine yourself ready to run a race for the gold medal. You know you are the fastest person on the track and that the next fastest runner will have a tough time beating you. The race is already won in your mind, but then the next fastest runner comes to you and asks you to let him win. Imagine your reaction; perhaps you might respond with no way, are you nuts, what drugs are you on, or why in the world would I let you win? It seems irrational to have someone ask you to be second when you know you can be first, but that is precisely what Christ is asking each of us to do.
When we surrender ourselves to Christ, we take a step of faith conceding He needs to be first and we need to be second. His word teaches us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, that it is not by our will but by his will, that we are to surrender to the Lord and wait patiently on him, and that we can trust his purpose without understanding the circumstances. When we put him in the first place we confidently believe that regardless of what may come, we will be victorious. The trick is to step out of first place and into second, recognizing that in Christ second place is first! Just a little advice to go!
When we surrender ourselves to Christ, we take a step of faith conceding He needs to be first and we need to be second. His word teaches us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, that it is not by our will but by his will, that we are to surrender to the Lord and wait patiently on him, and that we can trust his purpose without understanding the circumstances. When we put him in the first place we confidently believe that regardless of what may come, we will be victorious. The trick is to step out of first place and into second, recognizing that in Christ second place is first! Just a little advice to go!
Sunday, October 18, 2015
How Much Is Too Much?
How much is too much? How much can any one person bear? When trouble comes your way do you find yourself asking the question, how much more can I take? If you do, let me provide a synopsis of the troubles Job faced. Job was a blessed man with all that one could desire. He had wealth, a healthy family, and a wonderful relationship with the Lord. Life was good. Satan took particular note of this and declared to God that Job's faithfulness was due to the many blessings God bestowed on him. God took the opportunity to honor Job and his faithfulness by allowing Satan to take away all the blessing so long as he did not take his life.
Satan, proceeded to cause Job to lose his wealth, his workers, his loved ones, and all he possessed. Job's world was turned upside down for no apparent reason and he struggled to understand why God would allow this. He battled the same as much of us; through self doubt, self pity, the "why me" syndrome, and the fear that can overcome us when bad news comes. He quickly learned his friends were more interested in blaming him for his misfortune than supporting him, finding himself challenged to dismiss their input and not allow them to cause him to turn away from God.
In the end, Job learned trusting God was all he had to do. His willingness to stand up for God and to remain faithful enabled him to exit from his misfortunes into God's renewed blessings. He learned what we all all need to learn; there is never too much for us to bear so long as we remain stedfast in our faith and love for God. He will never leave us or forsake us, all we need to do is stay the course and he will multiply our blessing beyond what we can imagine much as he did for Job. Just a little advice to go!
Satan, proceeded to cause Job to lose his wealth, his workers, his loved ones, and all he possessed. Job's world was turned upside down for no apparent reason and he struggled to understand why God would allow this. He battled the same as much of us; through self doubt, self pity, the "why me" syndrome, and the fear that can overcome us when bad news comes. He quickly learned his friends were more interested in blaming him for his misfortune than supporting him, finding himself challenged to dismiss their input and not allow them to cause him to turn away from God.
In the end, Job learned trusting God was all he had to do. His willingness to stand up for God and to remain faithful enabled him to exit from his misfortunes into God's renewed blessings. He learned what we all all need to learn; there is never too much for us to bear so long as we remain stedfast in our faith and love for God. He will never leave us or forsake us, all we need to do is stay the course and he will multiply our blessing beyond what we can imagine much as he did for Job. Just a little advice to go!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Faith Always Trumps Works!
This morning as I read and caught up on some of my devotional readings, God reminded me that it is not how hard I work at applying His teachings to my daily living practices that matters most. It is my commitment to simply believe, without evidence of his existence that He is truly God! Wow!
How often do we pray for God to reveal himself to us in some way and often He does. But the reality is this request is without merit as he does not have to reveal Himself, we simply need to practice faith. The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 the following: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. It goes on in the same chapeter, verse 6 to say: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
In the end, it is our commitment to believe in God's existence regardless of any evidence of it, that truly defines us as believers. If you are like me, someone who has always been taught to find the evidence and proof of the truth; to get the facts (my law enforcement training), then you need to remember this does not apply to our faith in God. When it comes to Him, we simply believe! Just a little advice to go!
How often do we pray for God to reveal himself to us in some way and often He does. But the reality is this request is without merit as he does not have to reveal Himself, we simply need to practice faith. The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 the following: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. It goes on in the same chapeter, verse 6 to say: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
In the end, it is our commitment to believe in God's existence regardless of any evidence of it, that truly defines us as believers. If you are like me, someone who has always been taught to find the evidence and proof of the truth; to get the facts (my law enforcement training), then you need to remember this does not apply to our faith in God. When it comes to Him, we simply believe! Just a little advice to go!
Sunday, September 13, 2015
God is Love: What Does That Mean?
1 Corinthians 13:4
The bible teaches me that God is love; it goes on to explain what this means in 1 Corinthians 13. We cannot love God, be of God's love and forget how the word defines His love.
Love is patient, yes it means:
1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous
4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a : able or willing to bear — used with of
b : susceptible, admitting
(Webster's Definition of Patience)
How many of us actually bear the pain of another person's ill will towards us with calm or without complaint? When bad things happen to us do we react without haste or impetuousness? Do we remain steadfast in God's direction despite opposition, difficulty or adversity? Are we willing to bear all for His name's sake? Are we forbearing under provocation or strain?
Love is also defined as kindness, without boasting, humble and not proud, never dishonoring of others, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, rejoicing in truth, always protecting, always trusting, always hopeful, always persevering, and NEVER FAILING. God's love is amazing and provides overwhelming blessings and gifts; all we simply have to do is integrate his love into our being. His love in us makes us capable of being a person who truly knows how to practice real love; God's love. I do not know about you, but I am far from being the lover God called me to be and today I am re-committing to being the type of lover defined in God's word. Each day, I commit to practice loving others according to how God calls me to love, will you make the same commitment? Join me! Just a little advice to go.
Love is patient, yes it means:
1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous
4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a : able or willing to bear — used with of
b : susceptible, admitting
(Webster's Definition of Patience)
How many of us actually bear the pain of another person's ill will towards us with calm or without complaint? When bad things happen to us do we react without haste or impetuousness? Do we remain steadfast in God's direction despite opposition, difficulty or adversity? Are we willing to bear all for His name's sake? Are we forbearing under provocation or strain?
Love is also defined as kindness, without boasting, humble and not proud, never dishonoring of others, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, rejoicing in truth, always protecting, always trusting, always hopeful, always persevering, and NEVER FAILING. God's love is amazing and provides overwhelming blessings and gifts; all we simply have to do is integrate his love into our being. His love in us makes us capable of being a person who truly knows how to practice real love; God's love. I do not know about you, but I am far from being the lover God called me to be and today I am re-committing to being the type of lover defined in God's word. Each day, I commit to practice loving others according to how God calls me to love, will you make the same commitment? Join me! Just a little advice to go.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
From First Class to Coach
In some of my travels abroad, I have been blessed to have my seating upgraded to first class. Cannot tell you how many times I've been called to the ticket counter and told my ticket has been upgreaded without any real explanation other than God was looking out for me. First class provides a number of services to include a full meal and much more. It is a pretty amazing experience which everyone should have the opportunity to experience. Can you imagine receiving such a blessing only to turn around and give it up to someone else. Would you do it? Christ did it for us, he was in a first class place called heaven but he gave it up for you and me. He came to earth, the coach section and endured a great deal of pain so that by his grace, you and I could be blessed. Is that amazing or what? Perhaps the next time you or I have an upgrade, we will find someone on that plane to tap on the shoulder and bless as Christ blessed us. Just a little advice to go!
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