Archives for May 2016

Bible Reading: Matthew 22:37-40

“You can’t judge me…. Don’t tell me how to live my life… I’m an adult…”

So many Christians are rejecting correction. We only want to hear preaching about prosperity and blessings, but when we are confronted with teaching about our sin and the consequences, we reject it and yell, “only God can judge me.”

We have confused correction and accountability with judgement. The Bible is clear, as Christians, we are to be held accountable to one another so that we don’t fall into temptation. Galations 6:1-2

Matthew 22 tells us that the greatest commandment is to love. Love God and our neighbor. We freely welcome the love that says, “I will bless you.” Or, “I love you, you are so amazing.” However, another form of love is correction. Hebrews 12:6 teaches us that God chastened those He loves. This form of love will challenge our mindset and way of living.

The truth is our hearts are deceitfully wicked and sin feels good. This is why we will try to justify our sinful lifestyle choices when the bible is clear, and not up for interpretation, on how we should live. Jeremiah 17:9.

Each and everyone of us struggle and is tempted daily. But God didn’t intend for us to stay there. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Today, ask God to identify what part of your life needs to look more like Him.

If you attend a church where you are always hearing blessing and prosperity or you are never challenged to live according to the word of God, I would encourage you to pray and ask God to reveal to you any areas of your life that need changing so you can live better for Him. Pray that He blesses you with people that will love you enough to challenge your way of living. And then, love Him enough to accept what He shows you.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank You so much for Your unconditional love. I know that there are times that Your love won’t always feel good, and will be challenging to accept. But allow me to know it is love nonetheless. Father, place people in my life that won’t encourage my sin, but will love me enough to correct me and hold me accountable when I am not living for You. It is my desire to please You in every area of my life. I pray this prayer in the precious name of Jesus, Amen!

Good Morning Breakfast BFF!

Today’s devotional is a little bit different. Allow this skit to minister to you as it reminds you how much of a masterpiece you truly are to God. I pray it blessed you, and if so, please feel free to share.

Happy Friday and God Bless!

Tiffani

Bible Reading Joshua 1

I have been seeing this picture on social media a lot within the last few weeks. So many times as believers we will:

• drag our feet with doing what God called us to do,
• partially do what God called us to do.

Secretly hoping that God would change His mind. Sometimes even thinking that we can convince Him to do so with our logic and rational.

As I was reading Joshua 1, something stuck out to me, as soon as God stopped speaking in vs 9, Joshua started moving in vs 10. There was no pondering the directions, no questioning if what he heard was really from God, no trying to figure out when would be the best time for him to move. He didn’t try, like Moses, to convince God that He wasn’t the man for the job. God spoke, he moved.

Alternatively, in 1 Samuel 15, we learn about Saul and how he caused God to regret making him king, because he did not fully obey Him. Saul was given clear instructions in verse 3 to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belonged to them. He was not to spare anyone, all men, women, children, infants, cattle, sheep, camels and donkeys, everything was to be destroyed. We see later in verse 9, Saul spared Agag and all the best livestock, everything he judged to be good.

Have you, in the past, been more like Joshua or Saul? Think about the most recent instructions God gave you, where you fully obedient to them immediately? Have you ever given God a reason to regret His decision to use you?

Prayer: Most sovereign God, thank You for being my God. Thank You for the reminder that the only way to obey You is to do so immediately and fully and anything else is disobedience. God, I never want You to regret any decisions You make to use me. Allow me to have a heart like Joshua. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

Focus Scripture: if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Within these last few days, there has been so much going on in the lives of so many people. Everywhere we turn, people are requesting prayer for healing, guidance, restoration, provision and all around order in the Kingdom of God.

God is calling His people to a posture of prayer. The Word of God teaches us that although we walk as mortal men on this earth, we do not fight our battles as mortal men with physical weapons. But the weapons that we use have the divine power to demolish fortresses. They destroy arguments and anything that exalts itself higher than Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. One of these weapons is prayer.

As Christians, we are to:

Pray according to God’s Word, “No weapon formed against me and my family shall prosper and every evil tongue that rises against us in judgement shall be condemned.” Isaiah 54:17. Pray with power and authority. “I command complete and total healing, and all manner of sickness, disease and unclean spirits be cast out now, in the Name of Jesus.” Matthew 10:1. Pray with confidence. “These things I receive by faith, because Your word says if I ask anything according to Your will, I can have confidence that You hear me and because You hear me, You will answer my prayers.” 1 John 5:14-15.

We have to stop praying weak, lack luster, passive prayers. The enemy is wrecking havoc in our homes, on our jobs, in our communities and in our minds; and we are allowing him to, simply because we won’t use the weapons God gave us to fight back. Declare with me today, that you will pray with more passion, specificity, power, authority and confidence.

Now it’s your turn. You know your needs and those of the people you are connected to. Go before your Father and make your request known. If My people who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray…

Guest Writer: Leonard Smith

Focus Scripture: Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalm 55:22 (NLT)

Today was leg day for me at the gym. Just like any other leg day, my first stop was at the front desk to get a belt to support my back as I went through all of my exercises. However, the belt that I received today was not like any other belt I’ve received in the past. This belt was special. As you see, someone who had the belt before me, had written several scriptures inside, to encourage himself and others who used the belt after him.

What’s the point? Just as this belt was designed to give support to your back when you lift heavy weights, the Word of God is also designed to give support as you lift the heavy weights of life!

Often, we are tempted to go straight to lifting the heavy weights of life without proper support of the Word of God. Then we wonder why we get hurt and keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

Today, I challenge you. Before you step out the door, before your first meeting, phone call or difficult conversation, take some time to read and meditate on God’s word, then watch in amazement at how He helps you with the heavy lifting you will encounter today!

Prayer: Thank You God, for reminding me to let You lift the heavy weights in my life. So many times I set out to accomplish things You never intended for me to do alone. Please forgive me for putting my faith in my own strength and abilities. Allow me to remember that when I give my cares to You, You will not permit me to slip and fall. I pray this prayer in Your son Jesus’ name, Amen!

Connect with Leonard @leonardwsmith

Focus Scripture: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

“I’m showing you just how mighty and powerful I really am.” -God

After looking in DC for about a month, I decided to go ahead and expand my house search to Maryland. One morning my realtor and I set out to see four homes. We got to the first home and I loved it! I had the normal first time home-buyer jitters, but that was the first house that I actually liked. After trying to look at the other three properties and being unsuccessful, I decided to make an offer. I was so excited!

After submitting my offer and refusing their counter offer, the sellers went with one of the other two offers. I was disappointed. But I knew if I loved this house as much as I did, the home that God had planned for me I would love 10x better, because He gives good gifts to those who ask Him. See Matthew 7:11.

About three weeks later, I came across two houses that I was willing to go look at, one of them was in the same community of the home that I originally put a contract on. As I was parking in the neighborhood, I got a phone call. It was from the seller of the original property inquiring if I was willing to submit another offer. The previous buyer was getting cold feet and didn’t want to go through with the purchase!

God was up to something mighty and powerful! I now had two amazing houses that I was considering, one of which the seller was directly asking me to purchase. This meant that they had to accept my offer including the closing cost assisted I originally requested that they rejected. Surly goodness and mercy was following me (Psalm 23:).

I’ve been in my home for almost two years now. The house that initially looked as if I wasn’t going to get.

What often times looks like a setback is a set up for God to show Himself strong on your behalf. See 2 Corinthians 16:9. One of the biggest things I learned in that season of my life is not to put parameters on God. Being an analytical person, I often times find myself thinking that I have God figured out or I know how He is going to work something out not realizing that my brain, in itself, has parameters and it can only comprehend but so much in comparison to God’s infinite wisdom.

There are times when I have looked at how He preformed in the life of someone else and I thought, “Oh, He did it like that for them, so He will probably do it like this for me.” or, “It took her 3 years, so it’s probably going to happen like that for me too.”

God’s thoughts are far from ours. If you can think of a way He can solve your problem or fix what’s going wrong in your life, let me help you – He’s not going to do it that way.

Rest in the reality that you serve a mighty and powerful God that can and will show Himself strong on your behalf!

Prayer: God, thank You for being so mighty and powerful! There are times that I have tried to box You in or out think You, please forgive me. Help me to rest in the reality that our thoughts and ways differ, but You have the power to do exceedingly, abundantly above all I could ever ask or think. Thank You for continually showing me just how mighty and powerful You really are. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

 

We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go. Proverbs 16:9

“I’m showing you just how mighty and powerful I really am.” –God

Back in 2013, I started the process to purchase my first home and I was so excited! I was going to live in Washington DC. The District was starting to go through gentrification and provided a lot of financial assistance for first-time homebuyers. Specifically, assistance that did not have income requirements. In the past, every program that I had found, that offered first-time homebuyer’s financial assistance, had an income cap. A month prior to beginning my search, I had received a promotion on my job, Praise God! I had more money to help with all my home buying expenses I would accrue. However, this raise disqualified me for a lot of the assistance programs offered.

Washington DC was an exception. I was going to be able to purchase the home of my dreams and get the financial assistance I needed. Although my income reflected that I made enough money to support the purchase of a new home, I had just received the increase, so my saving didn’t reflect what most lenders require for financing.

I started my search in The District. Most of the programs available required you to purchase in a certain zip code. Although some of those areas had started to diversify/ shift/ gentrify, in my opinion, there were still some aspects that needed improving. I have never been a fearful person, but I did have to operate in wisdom, knowing that I am a female who would be living alone. My active lifestyle and some of the things that I participate in, would sometimes require me to get home at a later than normal time. As I was considering different properties, I had to ask myself, “Is this an area I would feel comfortable walking into my house after getting home late at night?”

After searching for a while and my efforts turning out unsuccessful, I started to question if what I was looking for was attainable. I spoke with my realtor and he suggested we open the search up to include Maryland. I wasn’t too happy with this. If I purchased in Maryland, I wasn’t going to be able to get the assistance I needed and this would alter my entire vision for living in DC. However, after much consideration, I obliged and agreed to start looking for homes in Maryland.

What do you do when your plans and vision for your life begins to shift? Do you oblige or do you rebel? Are you trying to force the hand of God to get what you want?

Prayer: Thank You Lord that You order my steps. There are so many things that I want to accomplish while on this earth, but if You aren’t in it, I don’t want it. Help me to remember; although I may make plans, it is You that decides where I will go. As You are leading me, give me a heart to be obedient immediately. It is in Your son Jesus’ name I pray and give You thanks, Amen!

Focus Scripture: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21

Often times, we as Christians can are way too hard on ourselves. We focus on “did I do this or that right?”; trying to dot every “i” and cross every “t”. Subconsciously, we tend to get, “I just want to please the Father” confused with, “I just want to be perfect.” I have been guilty of this on a number of occasions.

God never intended for any of us to live perfect lives. That purpose was only intended for and fulfilled by Jesus.

When we have a “perfect” mindset, we set aside the grace of God and begin to operate under the Law of God. The problem with that is when Jesus died, His death signified a New Covenant; we are no longer under the Covenant of the Law, but now we are free to operate under the covenant of His Grace.

Perfection says, “Jesus, Your death was in vain because my righteousness is contingent upon my ability to obey the law.”

Grace says, “God, I desire to please You. I know that in striving to do so, I will miss the mark. But your grace is sufficient for every mark I miss. My righteousness is found in You alone.”

Don’t allow your pursuit of perfection minimize your opportunity to walk in His grace.

Prayer: Thank You Lord for Your amazing grace. There are so many times that I operate in a law mentality and I don’t even realize it, please forgive me. I never want to take for granted Your sacrificial death, that awards me the opportunity to walk in Your grace. Your Word proclaims, Your grace is sufficient for me and I declare, I will let Your grace do it’s work in my life on today. It is in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Numbers 23:19(NLT)

Often times, we put our faith in man without even realizing it, with our jobs, in relationships, etc. We look at what the current situation looks like. Not realizing, God’s promises aren’t based on our current circumstances.

Consider the life of Sarah in Genesis. God had given her a promise. “Sarah, you will have a child.” Her current condition, at the time the promise was given, she was past childbearing age. Because the promise wasn’t coming fast enough, she decided to take matters into her own hands and put her faith in man’s ability to bring the promise to past. She went to her husband and suggested that he sleep with her maidservant, Hagar, in order for Hagar to have a child for him. Because of that, we see a lot of conflict and confusion in their household. Read Genesis 15-21 for the entire encounter.

God’s promises trump anything man can say or perceive. God specifically gave a promise and continually confirmed it in Genesis. See Genesis 18:10. God doesn’t speak, just to speak. Everything He says is with a purpose and a plan.

The promise of an heir was given initially in Genesis 15. The actual promise wasn’t delivered until Genesis 21. It was 6 chapters later! So many other things took place within those 6 chapters, but the promise was delivered nonetheless.

Has God made a promise to you, but it doesn’t look like what He said? Continue to stand on HIS promise until He tells you something different. FYI: You are not foolish for believing what God said even if you can’t see it yet!

Prayer: My God, thank You for Your promises. Father, sometimes I struggle with believing Your Word over what I see. I ask You to forgive me, Lord. Help me to trust You regardless of what the situation looks like. I declare, I will stand on the promises You have already given me until You bring it to past or tell me something different. I give You all the glory and honor. It is in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

Whenever God gives us a promise, there is always an action required on our part. God said to Joshua, “Moses, My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I HAVE given you, as I said to Moses.” Joshua 1:2-3 (NKJV)

God had already given the promise to Joshua and the children of Israel but their possession was contingent upon their obedience. We will always be required to do something. In this case, Joshua had to walk. Every place he walked, he would possess. Are you forfeiting things God has for you because you simply won’t walk? Your blessing is in your obedience.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this revelation. I desire everything that You have already prepared for me. I understand that my possession is contingent upon my obedience. Help me to adopt the spirit of Joshua, and be obedient immediately. I want to do my part, so your promise can prevail. It is in Your son, Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!