God's promotion

Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.
—1 Peter 5:6

We are not to promote ourselves. True promotion comes from God. (Psalm 75:6,7)

I can promote myself but from experience I have discovered that if I put myself somewhere, I have to struggle to keep myself there. If I wait for God to put me in a position, He also keeps me.

It takes patience to wait on God's promotion, but waiting on Him honors Him—and the person who honors God will be honored by God. (1 Samuel 2:30.) It is yet to be seen what the Lord can do through a man or woman who will give Him all the glory.

We must learn to allow God to take the lead role in our daily life and future. How much we are depending upon Him is clearly seen by how willing we are to wait on Him for what we want.

Trusting God does not mean that we do nothing. It does, however, mean that we do only what God leads us to do.

God can use only the humble. The degree of humility in which we walk determines how much God is able to use us.

Wait on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14.) His way is better. His timing is perfect.

Do This:

Allow God to take the lead role in your life. Wait on Him, and everything will turn out better in the end.


Have a Magnificent Monday

Manage my Emotions

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise [sensible, intelligent people].
—Ephesians 5:15


Emotions, feelings, are a part of the soul, given to us by God. A life without feelings would be extremely dry and boring...and yet, if we allow feelings to control us, they can become dangerous and actually make us quite miserable.

Whatever God gives for our enjoyment, Satan will try to use against us. God gave us feelings to be a blessing to others and the Kingdom, but Satan tries to use them to cause us torment. He wants us to make all our decisions based on feelings, to allow our feelings to rule us.

Feelings become dangerous and tormenting when we do not understand that we have a choice of whether to allow them to rule us. How often do we feel that someone has hurt our feelings? We can make the choice whether to be hurt or not. To walk according to our emotions is to do whatever we want now, whatever feels good to us at the moment. Our future is being affected by the choices we make today. Make your emotions serve you don't spend your life serving them. Make a decision today to manage your emotions rather than allowing them to manage you.

Say This:

"I determine to manage my emotions. I will make my emotions serve me. I will not spend my life serving them."



Have a Faithful Friday

God never loses a battle

..Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
—2 Chronicles 20:15


Are you struggling with issues in your life, and frustrated because you never get a breakthrough no matter what you do? You will never win if you are fighting your own battles.

God never loses a battle. He has a definite battle plan—and when we follow it, we always win.

Perhaps you are in a circumstance right now and you need to hear God say, "The battle is not yours, but Mine!"

Worship is a battle position! As we worship God for Who He is and for His attributes, those attributes are released in our lives.

Worship God for His ability and might, and you will see them released on your behalf.

Try bowing down a few times a day and giving thanks. Just be sure your heart is in what you are doing. Working formulas or entering into "dead works" never produces anything of value.

I am sure your heart frequently fills up with love and worship for God. If you are not already doing so, take an extra step and add some outward action to your heart attitude.

Follow God's battle plan. It is enjoyable, unique, and effective. Praise and worship confuse the enemy. Take your position, and you will see the enemy's defeat.

Do This:

Bow before God and thank Him for His goodness and mercy. Worship Him for Who He is, not just for what you need from Him.


Have a Thoughtful Thursday

I will never give up! I will finish the race!

I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith.
—2 Timothy 4:7


I believe that the Spirit of God fills us with holy determination. It is something that God has in Him and imparts to us through His Spirit. We are not to be quitters or the type of people who are easily defeated.

We must be determined to overcome the past; to go forward and not be stagnant.

We must not be afraid of difficulty. Things worth having never come easy. The definition of determination is: "The act of making or arriving at a decision.... The quality of being resolute or firm in purpose." We must be decisive and stick to our decisions.

If you find yourself being double-minded about something, I encourage you to ask yourself what you believe God placed in your heart in the beginning; then stick with that. Don't head in another direction now due to weariness.

I believe you have what it takes to live in victory. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, His determination lives in you because He lives in you.

Fight the good fight of faith. Run the race to win. Be determined to take the prize. Don't give up and don't give in.

You can make it!

Do This:

Depend on God's strength not your own. Say aloud several times every day, "I will never give up! I will finish the race!"


Have a Wantful Wednesday!

Judgement Day

After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth came to the end.

The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house.

The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor."

He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.

He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.

The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes.

He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."

The prosecutor rose and said,

"My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this woman belongs in hell."

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and In the past when I cheated others Satan told of other horrible Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.

I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This woman belongs in hell, she is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.

The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan , and beckoned Him to come forward.

As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty.

I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hello, Father,"
and then He turned to address the court.

" Satan was correct in saying that this woman had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations.

And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this woman deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and she has accepted Me as her Savior, so she is Mine."

My Lord continued with, "Her name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch her from Me.

Satan still does not understand yet.
This woman is not to be given justice, but rather mercy."

As Jesus sat down,

He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done."

"I've done it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.
The following words bellowed from His lips..

"This woman is free."

The penalty for her has already been paid in full.

"Case dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up, I will win the next one." I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?"

Christ lovingly smiled and said,

"Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you,

~Paid In Full~

If you do not pass this along to 15 people immediately, absolutely nothing will happen.

Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend, (as I have done here), will bless you both.

"Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!"

What is mercy?

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
—Matthew 5:7

Mercy appears to be somewhat a matter of sowing and reaping, and I am sure we all want to reap mercy. Therefore, we should learn how to sow it toward a plentiful harvest available when we need it.

What is mercy? It is an attribute of God's character that is seen in how He deals with His people. Mercy is good to us when we deserve punishment. Mercy accepts and blesses us when we deserve to be totally rejected. Mercy understands our weaknesses and infirmities and does not judge and criticize us.

We may go through a period in our walk with God in which He was trying to teach us the importance of mercy and being merciful. He teaches us that we are unable to give mercy to others because we do not know how to receive mercy from Him.

The love of God works the same way. Many are unable to walk in love; one of the reasons is that they have never received the love of God for themselves, so they have none to give away.

Receive God's mercy and love; you cannot give away something you do not have.

Do This:

Begin receiving mercy on a regular basis. As you do, you will find that you have mercy to give to others.




Have a Magnificant Monday
________________________________

Imperfections of Others

Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but....I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.
—Philippians 3:12,14

"If there is one mark of perfection, it is simply that it can tolerate the imperfections of others." This statement was made by François Fénelon in the seventeenth century. When I read that statement in a book recently, it gripped my heart, and I knew it was something I needed to meditate on.

The apostle Paul stated that he pressed on toward the mark of perfection. I believe all those who truly love the Lord are compelled to do that. He is perfect, and our journey into Him compels us to be like Him. We want to do things the right way—the way that would be pleasing to Him.

Perhaps a good measuring stick of our perfection is how patient we are with the imperfections of others. When I am impatient with others because of their imperfections, if I take a moment and consider my own imperfections, I usually get patient again very quickly.

If you have an imperfection, don't be down on yourself. God will help you. If you are impatient with the imperfections of others, remember that only imperfection is intolerant of imperfection.

Say This:

"I determine to be tolerant of the imperfection of others, because I realize that I also have imperfections which God is perfecting in me."

Have a Thankful Thursday

Come to the Father

Today's Scripture

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your soul.” (Matthew 11:28 AMP).

Does your soul need refreshing today? Then come to the Father. Are you overburdened by the cares of this world? Are you facing challenges in your relationships? Finances? Career? The Father wants to refresh you. He wants to cause you to rest. Think about that for a moment. What would cause you to rest? If you knew everything was going to work out for your good, you would stop worrying. You would rest! Even if things don’t work out the way you planned, or on your timetable, you can trust that God will turn things around in your favor. When you submit your life to Him, by the blood of Jesus, and truly make Him Lord and Ruler of every area of your life, you will find rest for your soul! Come to the Father today in prayer and with thanksgiving. Thank Him right now for taking your burdens and giving you peace. Thank Him for loving you today and giving you new life. Thank Him for His faithfulness. Go out today with an attitude of faith and expectancy because God is working behind the scenes on your behalf—and you can come to Him!

A Prayer for Today

Father in Heaven, I come to You now. I give You my cares and burdens. I thank You for working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank You for loving me and setting me free. Thank You for giving me rest for my soul and peace in my heart today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Blessing of Unity

Today's Scripture
“How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity...for there the Lord has commanded the blessing…” (Psalm 133:1-3).

Today's Word
Did you know the Lord has commanded that blessing come upon you when you are at peace with your brothers and sisters in the Lord? As believers, we are called to work together in unity in order to fulfill God’s purposes. We are called to serve one another in love and serve together in the house of the Lord. Is there someone that you don’t quite get along with? Pray for that person. Go out of your way to be a blessing to them. Do your best to walk in peace and unity. As we serve one another in love, the Bible says the world will know that we are Christians. The world will recognize that we are true followers of Christ by our actions, not by our words. Make the decision today to live in peace and unity with your brothers and sisters in the Lord. If the only thing you can agree on is that Jesus is Lord, focus on that. Focus on the love you have for God and for seeing people come to know Him. As you focus on walking in peace and unity, you will walk into the place of blessing the Lord has commanded for you!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, search my heart today and see if there is anything that is keeping me from walking in unity with other believers. I choose love today. I choose peace today. I choose unity today. Help me to be an example of love to those around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My times are in Your hands....

My times are in Your hands....
—Psalm 31:15


If we could understand God's timing, we could better cooperate with His plan for our lives. However, we may never completely understand. When we don't know, we must be satisfied to know the One Who knows. If we are going to walk with Him and enjoy His blessings, we must learn to let God be God.

Most of us attempt to take the lead role in our relationship with the Lord. He has a position, and He will not change it. We must change. He has the lead role. He gives the instructions, and we follow—even though we don't always like the way He chooses to take us.

Timing is an important issue in our walk with God. Why does it take God so long to do what we ask Him to do? Trust always requires unanswered questions which keep us growing in faith.

God has a plan and a timing. While we are in God's waiting room, He is getting us ready for what He already has prepared for us. We must grow up and mature. It takes time. As we reach new levels of maturity, God releases new levels of blessings.

You may be in the habit of taking care of yourself. Retire from self-care. God wants to take care of you. He is faithful, and you can depend on Him.

Pray This:

"Father, thank You for strengthening me in my weaknesses. I believe Your grace is sufficient for every situation I face. In Jesus' name, amen."


Have a Terrific Tuesday

CLOSED DOORS

We need to learn to thank the Lord for closed doors just as much as we do for open doors. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared
anything over there for us.

If He didn't close the wrong door we would never find our way to the right
door. Even when we don't realize it, God directs our paths through the
closing and opening of doors. When one door closes, it forces us to change
our course. Another door closes; it forces us to change our course yet again.

Then finally, we find the open door and walk right into our blessing.

But instead of praising God for the closed door (which kept us out of
trouble), we get upset because we "judge by the appearances." And in our own
arrogance, or ignorance, we insist that we know what is right.
We have a very present help in the time of need who is always standing guard.
Because He walks ahead of us, He can see trouble down the road and HE sets up
road blocks and detours accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom we try to
tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour signs. Then the minute we
get into trouble, we start crying, "Lord how could this happen to me?"

We have got to realize that the closed door was a blessing. Didn't He say
that "No good thing will He withhold from them that love Him?" If you get
terminated from your job - don't be down, instead thank God for the new
opportunities that will manifest themselves it might be a better job, or an
opportunity to go to school. If that man or woman won't return your call -
it might not be them, it might be the Lord setting up a roadblock (just let
it go).

One time a person had a bank he had been doing business with for many years
tell him "NO" for a $10,000 loan. The Lord led him to call another bank.
That bank approved a $40,000 loan for him at a lower interest rate than his own
bank had advertised. I'm so grateful, for the many times God has closed doors
to me, just to open them in the most unexpected places. "The steps of a good
man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way."

(Psalms 37:23) The Mountain top is glorious, but it is in the Valley that I
will grow!

Always Remember God gives you...

Enough Happiness to keep you Sweet

Enough Trials to keep you Strong

Enough Sorrows to keep you Human

Enough Hope to keep you Happy

Enough Failure to keep you Humble

Enough Success to keep you Eager

Enough Friends to give you Comfort

Enough Wealth to meet your Needs

Enough Enthusiasm to make you look forward

Enough Faith to banish depression, and

Enough Determination to make each day a better day than the last.

Life must be lived forward but can only be understood backwards.

Commit to the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed.

(Proverbs 16:3)

If you love God share this blog with someone else and He will continue to open and close doors for you. May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect
you, and heaven accept you.

Have a Faithful Friday

Just Before Your Breakdown

How are you doing this morning? It's a wonderful day to be a child of God. Have you ever found yourself on the verge of giving up? Things have become more than you are willing to handle. Things have become more than you feel you can bear. You have tried everything and everyone but to no avail. Have you ever prayed for a better tomorrow but it seemed the same as yesterday? You hoped a good night sleep would cause the problems to disappear, but when you woke up the next morning, there was the same problem waiting on you. You found yourself reaching for the bottle of alcohol or the bag of drugs. Someone told you that was the answer. Do you realize alcohol and drugs only relieves you of the problem temporarily? God is not a temporary God. He desires to give you permanent relief.

My friend, Just Before Your Breakdown ... God will send a breakthrough. He knows when to step in and He knows how to step in. He knows how much you can handle and He knows when the load has become to much for you to bear. He knows everything about you. Have you ever found yourself saying, "if one more thing goes wrong I am going to scream?" The Lord knows how you feel. It is not a coincidence that God intervenes just when you needed Him the most. The Bible declares in Psalms 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. If you can ever hold on, you can and will see the manifestation of God's power. The Lord is not worried about the size of your circumstance. In the words of Bishop TD Jakes, "stop telling God about your problems, and start telling your problems about your God!"

My brother, my sister, what are you dealing with this morning? What matter kept you walking the floors last night? What dilemma causes you to toss and turn each day? Do you realize this is not the Lord's will for your life (Psalms 121:4)? God desires for His children to have peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Yes there will be challenges along the way, but God will not suffer your foot to be moved (Psalms 121:3). Beloved, Just Before Your Breakdown ... God will send a breakthrough. Just when the enemy tells you to curse God and die, the Lord will step in. Just when friends and family walk away in doubt, the Lord will step in. Just when the bank says no, the Lord will step in. Just when tuition is due but money is low, the Lord will step in. Just when everyone has forgotten about you, the Lord will step in. Do not breakdown ... breakthrough! Prayer For Today: Father, please give me the strength to hold on and hold out! In the name of Jesus ... Amen!



Scripture Reading for Today: Isaiah 40:31

Praise the Lord. Speak the Word of God

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against... the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
—Ephesians 6:12


The attacks of Satan against the Church are of a different nature than those in the past days different in that they are more intense than ever before. The enemy will not continuously use the same tactics over and over, because once his method of attack is discovered, it is no longer effective.

More people than ever are experiencing tremendous attacks against their minds. Many of God's people are being attacked with sickness. Some of them are experiencing great financial trauma. People are enduring great attacks of fear.

How can you fight the devil who is the source of these attacks?

1. Praise is one way. Praise is a garment that will protect you from defeat. Put on the garment of praise.

2. Abiding in Christ and fellow shipping with Him is one of the best ways of engaging in spiritual warfare. Hide yourself in God, and His presence will protect you.

3. The Word of God is a two-edged sword. Your mind is the battlefield. When Satan says something to you, speak the Word back.

4. Walking in love is another form of spiritual warfare. Love gives: it is impossible to defeat Satan while leading a selfish lifestyle.

Use your spiritual weapons!

Do This:

Praise the Lord. Speak the Word of God. Abide in Christ. Walk in love. Use these weapons and begin to fight in a new way.



Have a Marvelous Monday