Exalted in due time...

Today, the verse about the devil walking about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour has been on my mind. We have been walking through neighborhoods, passing out flyers for our upcoming Block Party. I kept thinking about how the devil is seeking to trip us up and keep us from sowing seeds of kindness, that we may reap no harvest. I want to take a look at the passage that contains the verse afore mentioned: 1 Peter 5:6-10..."Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (10) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."

We start off being reminded to keep things in perspective...humble yourselves under the hand of God and HE will exalt you in due time...not when we deem it, but rather in His perfect time!!! Also, be mindful, that may not occur here as in earthly treasure...would you rather receive crowns above, that you can place at His feet, giving Him glory...which is definitely against our human nature to even think that!

Continuing on, we are to cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us. This is one of those hard-to-grasp statements...He cares for me...kinda like He calls me friend...how is that possible??? The Maker of heaven and earth wants to hear from me and likes my story...Say that last sentence out loud...made you smile, didn't it? Well, it's true!!!

Verse 8 reminds us to be careful and don't lose sight of our adversary, the devil. He is always looking for a way to make us fall...slow us down...ruin our testimony...get any victory in our life that he can. That is another reason why our time in prayer and the Word (daily) is such a must!!! Any opening we allow, he is ready to jump on...

Verse 9 continues to tell us to resist the temptations of the devil and be stedfast in your faith...knowing that the same tests occur to our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is another place to point back to verse 7...cast all your cares upon him (the Lord)

Then in the final verse of our passage today, notice that through our suffering (for a while), God will strengthen, settle, establish, and in the end perfect us...Be of good cheer, the trials only last for a short season...If you're going through a trial and the night seems as dark as it can possibly be, remember...the darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.

Please let me know if there is a special prayer I can word on your behalf today...

Move mountains...

Mark 11:22-26..."And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (25) And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (26) But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

This is a bold passage...Jesus states at the beginning to have faith in God. He continues on that with faith, not doubt, in your heart you can literally move mountains. If we believe what we ask for, it shall come. It states that what we desire when we pray, if we believe we shall receive. Would you ever try to get one over on God in prayer? I mean, would you actually ask for something you know that He wouldn't have for you? Just to clarify, God's interests in our lives must be best suited for Him to give what we ask for...once again, the heart is brought up in this context.

Another point is that to be forgiven, we must forgive. If we are holding off on forgiveness of others, how can the Lord forgive us. Is there someone who has done wrong to you? Have they asked your forgiveness, but you turned them away? Was it just too bad??? too hurtful??? too wrong??? What could be so wrong as to send God's Son to die on the cross??? To whom much is forgiven, much forgiveness is required. Just remember that our sins being forgiven cost God His only begotten Son. That makes the petty hurts and even the big ones seem much smaller.

So, from the passage today...forgive others...pray in faith, believing...and you can move a mountain TODAY!!!

Please let me know if there is a special prayer I can word on your behalf...

Have mercy upon us...

Psalm 123..."Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. (2) Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. (3) Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. (4) Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud."

This is a cry of a humble, broken man who has been broken by the world and his own sinful nature. Are you acknowledging to God how sinful and willfully disobedient you are? Do we look to God as if we have wronged Him and are waiting for His mercy on us? If we lift our eyes to heaven and confess our sin and cry out for mercy, He is willing and able to give it. As we shared yesterday, your heart tells you how vain, corrupt, and sinful you are. When we sin as Christians, there is guilt that we will feel. If you have no feeling of guilt, either you have become callous by sin or you never have truly believed.

Are you broken by the hurt this world dishes out? I like how the Amplified Bible states the final verse (4)..."Our life is exceedingly filled with the scorning and scoffing of those who are at ease and with the contempt of the proud (irresponsible tyrants who disregard God's law)." If you are not feeling the scorn and scoffing from this world, maybe that's a sign you are walking too closely with them. When we walk in the paths of the wicked, they have no reason to bother us.

If you are being worn down by your sin and the scorning of this world, lift your eyes and cry out to the Lord for His mercy and strength...if you feel no guilt in sin, pray for the Lord to break your will...if you've never put your faith in Jesus, don't wait another minute...

Let me know if there is a special prayer I can word on your behalf today...

That's My King!!!

If you want to know why I feel so passionately about Jesus, click on the play button and sit back...That's my king! This video was created by Igniter Media and can be purchased here.

Confidence toward God...

1 John 3:21-24..."Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. (22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. (24) And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."

I find this passage quite self-explanatory...if our hearts don't condemn us, we are confident toward God. Simply put, we have a confidence to ask anything we will, because we are asking with pure motives. Our heart lets us know where we truly are spiritually. You can put on a good front for friends, loved ones, church members...but you can't lie to your heart. As it continues in verse 22, we receive what we ask for because we keep His commandments. Once again, if we're not keeping His commandments, our heart will know, we won't be confident to ask...and so on.

In verse 23, we find commandments that have been given to us...believe on the name of Jesus Christ...and love one another. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Seems to be a theme God is using...yesterday, today...maybe tomorrow, who knows? Love one another...

Finally, in verse 24 if we keep His commandments, we dwell in Him and He in us. And we will know that He dwells in us by the Spirit which has been given to us. Walk in that Spirit today...keep his commandments, ask with confidence, and you will receive what you ask...

I ask you to say a prayer for an 8-year-old girl in our church having open heart surgery today...please lift Sammy to the Lord in your prayers. Also, let me know if there is a special prayer I can word on your behalf today...be blessed!