Stop Going Back!

Jeremiah 2:18-19
18Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Shihor?
And why go to Assyria
to drink water from the River?
19Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding will rebuke you.

The prophet Jeremiah rebuked the people of Israel for their constant desire to go back to enemy. To the Lord, it was backsliding. Who would willing go back to the enemy? In the case of the people of Israel, they didn't trust God enough so they went back to what and who they were used to though they knew the Lord wanted better for them. The result was not only that Israel went backward, but they went to the very countries that would enslave them again. Hmmm. Does this sound familiar? Sure it does. We, like the people of Israel, go backwards. We go right back to the enemy though the Lord has said no. We go back because like the people of Israel, we want the familiar. We want what we know because it's easier than trusting God for the unknown. If the Lord has said leave it alone, then leave it. We become a slave to whatever it is that we trust more than God. We become the prey willingly. The enemy makes it look real good too, especially when we are thirsty for something. What have you become enslaved by? Why have you gone back to the enemy? Do you know that if the enemy offers you something it's for a price greater than what you can pay? Does it not hurt enough?

P.S. View my interview with personal development blogger Sharman J. Monroe at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkjVWLWHEQ  

There is Life in Christ

Amos 5:4-5
4This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:
"Seek me and live;
5do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba,
For Gilgal will surely go into exile and Bethel will be reduced to nothing."

The people of Israel were caught up in idolatry and had abused places that were considered sacred to the Lord. The Lord wanted so much to spare the people of Israel from punishment. He wanted to give them one last chance to repent before he issued judgement. And so it is today. The Lord does not delight in punishing just as any natural parent does not delight in punishing yet it's necessary for teaching and bringing one to maturity. Our God has not changed. He still wants to be first in our lives and he delights in our smiles and laughter like a natural parent. But we often make the Lord last on our list though we claim He is first. How many times has the Lord asked each of us to seek Him first? How many times has the Lord asked that we go to him before moving on anything? How many times has the Lord said through the Holy Spirit, "this isn't for you"? Like the people of Israel, many of us do not listen and continue to seek others instead of seeking Him. When we are too caught up, the Lord will snatch the security blankets that we use for comfort instead of seeking Him. What have you been using for comfort? What has been your security blanket? Is it really working or do you feel worse when it's all over?

There is life in Jesus Christ! Seek Him first!!

P.S. Thank you to Sharman J. Monroe, personal development and women's ministry blogger for the awesome video interview on My Journey To Me-The Discovery!!

Under Your Goliath's Feet

1Samuel 17:42
He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him.

When David faced Goliath, no one thought he could win. The Philistine himself looked at David and assumed that based on his size and age he could beat him. One of the most wonderful things about our loving father is when he works miracles he can use anyone or thing as his backdrop. He used David to display the miracle of His strength because David displayed faith. Not so much of faith in himself but faith in the Lord and that he would see him through the fight. Yes, David had an incentive. His incentive was to marry the king's daughter. Sometimes in life our Goliaths assume they will take us down. Whether the Goliath is an illness, situation, etc. But we have to determine what is our incentive? Is our incentive peace of mind, growth, health, fill in the blank___. Like David, we must know that the Lord will see us through the fight. The Lord never leaves us on the battleground alone. It may look like it's just us but the Lord is with us for protection through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, which knows all truth can tell us which way to turn, when to duck, when and where to strike and when to stand still. The Word of God will always be our resource and faith requires trusting in God and His word. He provides the Holy Spirit to direct our movement but if we are not willing to be OBEDIENT we lose. The Lord gave David the strength to defeat Goliath. Will you be obedient and allow the Lord to direct you into victory or will you be under your Goliath's feet?

Lost Steps

Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The Lord promised Joshua that he would be with him just as he was with Moses in leading the people of Israel. Even during the time of Moses when the Israelites first entered the desert, the people moved when the pillar cloud moved during the day and stopped wherever God's fire was lit at night. This was to show the Israelites that the Lord was with them. We have access to the Holy Spirit as our pillar cloud. But what about when we go ahead of Him or ignore Him? What happens to our lives? What happens to our peace of mind? What happens to our spirit? We all want the joy of having many blessings but when we walk away from the Lord or refuse to listen when he speaks, we stunt our blessings and our lives.
The Lord is always in the same place where we left Him. If we recount our steps and go back we can often find where we took the wrong the turn. So if we go back to that point, we will find the Lord waiting for us patiently.
We don't always cherish the Lord and His direction until we no longer have it. Where are you? Have you left the Lord? He's waiting for you so He can make things right.

AMEN PRAISE HIM!!!



P.S. A historical event is taking place on Sunday, August 28th!!! Be present for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication!!! www.dedicatethedream.org. It's free and open to the public!!!

Please Note: Get Your JOY In The Morning is available at www.tatepublishing.com, www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.cokesbury.com, www.booksamillioninc.com, www.familychristian.com and also at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore!

Father Knows Best

Isaiah 40:13
Who has understood the mind of the Lord,
or instructed him as his counselor?

Have you ever attempted to give the Lord "advice" on how to bring you out of your situation? The Lord used the prophet Isaiah to bring comfort to his people. But its difficult to be comforted by one that the people didn't trust fully. Unfortunately, many of us are like the people of Israel. We are looking for comfort but because we don't fully trust the Lord, we either begin to dictate to the Lord what we believe will bring us comfort or even turn to idols that cannot measure up to the Lord. As the prophet Isaiah asked a relevant rhetorical question, we must ask the same question of ourselves. Since the Lord created heaven and earth, knew exactly how the body should be built and created the most magnificent scenery within the earth, do you really think he needs your guidance on how to handle a situation? Now we can submit our requests but we ought to remember that everything must be according to his will or it will always be second best. Maybe you wanted that motorcycle you've passed by everyday but the Lord said no. Do you know there's a reason for it? Maybe the kick stand is loose or the reserve tank has a hole in it. Or could simply be that there's an emergency about to come up and you're going to need that money for something else. Whatever the reason, trust God enough to know best. Let him be the guide as our power is limited only to what he determines we ought to have.

P.S. Remember, if you live in the DC/MD area you can obtain a copy of Get Your JOY In The Morning from John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, MD otherwise it can be ordered at any online bookstore or special ordered via Borders, Books-A-Million, Family Christian, Cokesbury and Barnes and Noble.

Resurrected Life

John 14:20
On that day you will realize that I am in my father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Jesus had just promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would be with them. He promised this after relaying the news once again that they wouldn't see him for some time. Jesus was coming to the end of his physical ministry and time with the disciples. But it's in this statement that he reveals the resurrection and it would be at that they understood why Jesus came. Quite frankly, there are many in the pews but some need to witness a resurrection in their own lives before they believe that Jesus is present. How much more does Jesus have to show you before you believe? Is that some must feel the wounds of Jesus before they believe the presence of the Holy Spirit and how he operates in truth? What will it take before one starts listening and viewing with new eyes? What will it take before one allows the Holy Spirit to be the guide? Jesus promised the presence of the Holy Spirit. He's there alright but we've been turning a deaf ear. Let us know longer have a deaf ear and blind eye and let us accept his presence in our lives.

P.S. Remember, if you live in the DC/MD area you can obtain a copy of Get Your JOY In The Morning from John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, MD otherwise it can be ordered at any online bookstore or special ordered via Borders, Books-A-Million, Family Christian, Cokesbury and Barnes and Noble.

House of Cards or Brick

Proverbs 12:3
A man cannot be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

How did you get what you have? King Solomon said it so plainly. It doesn't matter how much the wicked may seem to have at the moment, eventually, they will lose it all. A wicked man is one who does not follow God. If a wicked man obtains what they have in an incorrect manner, it will be the same way in which they lose it. One who obtains anything based on God's will it cannot be snatched. Put in the easiest of terms, this is the law of reaping and sowing. Whether one believes in God or not, God set this law in motion and it's universal. Whatever one puts out, one will get in return. What God has for you is for you but if God didn't intend for someone to have something and it's obtained through means that are not of him, it won't be long before it's gone. It may not happen this year, next year or even the year after that, but it will happen. And when it's gone it cannot be obtained again if it wasn't of God. Anyone who builds a house with a deck of cards knows it's unstable and will eventually fall. So it is with anything one attempts to build through ways that are not of God. But a righteous man, one who loves God and desires to follow him, who obtains anything the correct way and in accordance to God's will cannot be uprooted. It's the house made of brick that cannot be easily toppled. Which would you rather have, the house of cards or house of brick?