Start The New Year Right

We all want to start the new year right. While there are many ways to start the new year, there's only one way to start and end the new year with God's favor. Will you start the new year right? 

2017 has been one of the best years of my life.

But it didn't start until around the end of the year. It was around October when I started to see God move mightily in my life.

Living Revelations' reach started to expand around the world, and I started receiving more testimonies than ever before. God opened more doors for me to speak and share the gospel, and I was invited to be one of the leaders in the Single's Ministry at my church (even though I had only attended the ministry for a couple of months).

While all that was a blessing, God overwhelmed me with more favor.

I was asked to speak at the Single's Ministry service and saw so many lives touched that day. I also had the opportunity to lead worship for their Christmas event. I started to see God use me in the prophetic gifts and words of knowledge. God started to reveal things to me of other's lives that allowed me to pray for them on a deeper level and encourage them in their walk with God.

I've never felt more free and whole than today.

How did this all start? Through my obedience to God.

God had asked me to let go of a past relationship for a while, but it was this past summer that I finally had the courage to let it go.

I put my faith into action through obeying what God had been asking me to do. Because I obeyed, I was able to see God's favor in my life. God exceeded my expectations in just a few months. Never did I expect that God would move through my life and use me as he has from my obedience.

Starting the new year right starts with obeying God. 

When we surrender our lives to God, he takes our lives and uses it in ways we could never do on our own. Our faithfulness to God will lead us to his favor. It's through God's grace and favor that we will see him do so much more in our lives than we could ever imagine. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

While there are 12 months in the year, it wasn't until July that I finally decided to start the year right and walk in obedience to God.

You have the chance to start the new year right today. 

What have you put off that you know God has been asking you to do? How can you start the new year right with God? 

Ruth from the Bible is a great example of a faithful and honorable woman who experienced God's favor in her life.

Ruth had lost her husband. Instead of staying in her hometown to start a new life, she was faithful to her mother-in-law Naomi and followed her wherever she went. She knew following Naomi would lower her chances to find a new husband, yet she still stayed faithful to Naomi.

Ruth said to Naomi, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.." (Ruth 1:16). Ruth followed Naomi to a foreign land where Moabites (Ruth's people) were not welcomed.

Because of Ruth's faithfulness, God's favor was upon her. Ruth found favor among a wealthy and high-standing man name Boaz. Ruth asked Boaz, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” (Ruth 2:10). Boaz replies and says, "I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law..how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.  May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord.."(Ruth 2:11-12).

Not only was Ruth able to glean in Boaz's field, she ended up marrying Boaz which led her to be part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Ruth was known as a woman of noble character (Ruth 3:11). Because of her faithfulness, she found God's favor in her life. God restored to her what she lost and did the impossible by allowing her, a Moabite, to be a part of the lineage of Christ.

Just as God was able to do immeasurably more than what Ruth could ever ask for, he wants to do the same in your life.

Will you go wherever God asks you to go and do whatever he asks you to do? Will you start the new year with being faithful to God?

Your obedience to God gives him access to use your life mightily.

Psalm 84:11 says, "..the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." So remember, start the new year right with God.

Prayer: Lord, help me to start this new year right with you.

The Best Gift Of All

We all know Christmas as the time to receive and give gifts. It's the time of year when we are filled with the most joy spent with loved ones. While this season can grab so much of our attention compared to any other time in the year, we must not forget to adore the best gift of all which is Jesus.

What I love about the Christmas season are the Christmas songs that I get to listen to every day on the radio. Songs like Joy to the world, O Holy Night, Silent night, and so much more. These songs are perfect for bringing me in the mood for the season.

But as I was preparing myself to lead worship for my Church's Christmas celebration, I realized that all these songs had one thing in common: they were all to adore the best gift of all - Jesus.

It's easy to get distracted by the beauty of this season. But we must remember that Christmas is more than the gifts, parties, caroling music, and decorations. Christmas is the time to remember the gift of our savior Jesus Christ. 

Christmas is all about remembering the gracious love of God who sent his son Jesus to die on the cross on our behalf so that we could be saved and spend eternity with him.

Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;...And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

There is no better gift than the gift of Jesus.

It's easy to get caught up with adoring the season but forgetting the reason for the season. We must not forget the true blessing we have in our lives. We may receive amazing gifts for Christmas, but all these gifts would mean nothing if Jesus never came and offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins to save us. We would be left with amazing gifts but hopeless without Jesus.

Philippians 3:8 says, "...I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." 

Paul reminds us in this verse that everything in this world is worthless compared to Christ. No gift is worth comparing to the gift of Christ. Only through Jesus do we have real love, joy, peace, hope and eternal life.

Our constant adoration of Jesus should not only happen during Christmas but every day of our lives. It's time that we take our eyes away from worthless things and focus our gaze on the beauty and hope that Jesus gives.

Jesus is a gift we can open up every day and not only on Christmas day. 

Will you focus your adoration on Jesus each and every day? Stay in a posture of adoring Jesus above all. The struggles of life will bring you down when your eyes are fixed on the things of this world and not your true savior Jesus Christ. Your adoration is due to Jesus.

Has the business or joy of the season taken your focus and adoration off of Jesus? Will you put aside everything else and set your mind and heart to Jesus? Will you give the adoration that is due unto him?

Whether this season has brought you joy or sadness, know that Jesus is all you need to get through. Jesus is God's best gift for you. So remember, the best gift of all is Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I want to adore you above all else this Christmas and every other day.

Are You Waiting Or Rushing?

Who loves waiting? Why wait if we could have it now? While rushing may seem like the better option, it's in the waiting that we receive the wisdom to make the best decision. Are you waiting or rushing?

I don't like waiting for anything. And it was clear that I didn't because I started to do things my way and taking God out of the equation.

My desire to be in a relationship made me want to rush God.

Instead of waiting for God's direction, I started doing things that I felt God would approve. I translated God's answer of "wait" to permission to do what I felt was right in the midst of my uncertainty.

But God soon showed me that I was not waiting for him - I was rushing him.

When we are unsure of God's will for our lives, it's tempting to rush and make our own moves. But it's in the waiting that we gain the best direction for our lives.

We are to wait on God and not rush God. 

Isaiah 26:8 says, "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."

Will you say yes to God, even if it requires being still and waiting for him to show you where to go? 

Waiting on God means not getting ahead of him, but allowing him to go before us. And when God stops, we stop too and wait for his direction.

When we get ahead of God, it clearly shows that our desires are more important than his desires. Isaiah 26:8 reminds us that God's glory should always be the desire of our hearts. God only has the best intentions for us. When we wait on God, we are waiting for the best answer.

We know we're rushing God when we start doing things without first waiting to hear from God.  

The enemy wants us to rush things and see the waiting period as unimportant, but it's in the waiting that we receive God's wisdom to make the best decisions for our lives.

Abraham and Sarah from the Bible are a perfect example of why we shouldn't rush doing things our own way. God had promised Abraham that he would give him a son and he would have descendants as much as the stars (Genesis 15:4-5).

Abraham and Sarah had the desire to have children, but instead of waiting on God, they rushed with their own ways. Sarah told Abraham to sleep with their servant Hagar so that they could build a family and Abraham agreed.

We see later that they had to suffer the consequences of not waiting on God's wisdom but rushing into doing things their own way. Genesis 16:4-5 says, "..When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering..."

Abraham and Sarah tried rushing God's promise by doing things their own way. They took their desires into their own hands and it left them suffering.

What desires in your heart are you trying to take into your own hands?

We have to be careful to not make the same mistake that Abraham and Sarah did. We must always be in a posture to wait on God's direction in every part of our lives, even in things that God has promised he would give us.

In Genesis 18:3 God finally reveals his plan and says, "Sarah your wife will have a son." If only Sarah and Abraham had waited on God, they would have seen God's promise come to pass in the perfect way and timing.

What do you most desire in your life? Do you trust that God knows the desires of your heart? Will you keep your delight in God and wait on him? Will you trust that in his time and in his way he will give you the desires of your hearts? 

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

God himself will give you the desires of your heart. You don't need to take things into your own hands. God only asks us to commit to his ways and to trust that he will provide all of our desires at the right time.

Perfect peace enters our hearts when we are still and wait on God. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  

You will find perfect peace in the midst of your fears and uncertainties when you put your trust in God's goodness. Keep your mind steadfast in him and don't think ahead of God. We only invite fear into our hearts when we try to get ahead of God.

God knows the best for your life - trust him and don't rush him. So remember, are you waiting or rushing?

Prayer: Lord, remind me to not get ahead of you but to be still and wait on you. 

Turn Messy Conflicts Around

Conflict is never a fun experience; it always involves pain and hurt that becomes hard to get over. But there is a way to turn messy conflicts around.

I've been hurt many times by people who were dear and close to me. The actions that they took completely showed that my interests were not in their mind.

The pain felt real and tears became unstoppable.

I started to say things like, "How could they do that? Were they really that heartless to even think of that? Do they not care about my feelings?"

I was ready to express my feelings and speak words that I felt they deserved to hear.

I asked God, "Am I wrong to feel this way?"

God's response to me was, you're not in the wrong to feel the pain and that person did do wrong. But despite the pain and hurt, God reminded me that he still had a greater calling for me: to be like Jesus.

To be like Jesus is to humble myself, put others' interests before my own, and to love as he loved. 

We have a greater calling to be like Jesus in every situation. 

Philippians 2:1-4 says, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

When we humble ourselves and put the interests of others before our own, we will have no reason to be in pain or hurt. 

Messy conflicts turn beautiful when we put the interests of others before our own. 

If we have truly been united with Christ and share in his spirit of love and compassion, then we are to live it out by putting others first. 

Jesus himself always put others before himself. He took the nature of a servant to those who beat and mistreated him. Philippians 2:8-9 says, "he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name."

Just as God exalted Jesus for his sacrifice and service, God too will lift us up as we humble ourselves and put others first. 1 Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."

When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up and we no longer need to lift ourselves up to feel better. When we try to lift ourselves up, we will end up hurting ourselves, the other person, and the image of Christ in us. But if we humble ourselves and pursue to be like Jesus, we will find joy and shine Jesus's love onto others. 

You're going to experience conflict in all aspects of your life; your work colleagues, family, friends, and significant other. But it's in those moments of conflict that we have the choice to turn it around by putting them first.

It's in moments of conflict that you have a greatest opportunity to shine the love of Jesus to turn the situation around. Imagine how much conflict you would avoid by putting others' needs above your own. When life becomes less about us and more about others, it positions us to love others. 

How would living a selfless life look in your life? How would it impact your life and the life of others? Will you put other's interests before your own and trust that God will take care of you? Will you pursue to be like Jesus in any situation you face?

We have the power to turn messy conflicts around by our own choice to respond like Jesus. We don't have to wait for the other person to be right for us to heal and be filled with joy. God's love is all we need. His love positions us to love others despite what has been done to us. So remember, turn messy conflicts around by putting others first.

Prayer: Lord, help me to put others' needs before my own so that I can always walk in your love. 

Realizing God's Goodness

We all have probably said "thank God" or "God is good" many times in our lives. But do our choices and way of living truly reflect the fact that we believe God is good? Realizing God's goodness is the start of an amazing journey to see God real in our lives.

I grew up as a Christian so I've been taught that God is good and have also seen him do good things in my life.

But even though I've witnessed God's miraculous hand upon my life, I still had moments of doubt and fear in what God was asking me to do.

For a while, God had put in my heart to let go of a relationship. I've seen God's faithfulness and goodness in previous things he's asked me to let go, but my desire for this relationship blinded me from seeing God's way as good.

I pressed on to my own will and decided that God's way wasn't good enough.

I soon found myself in the wrong.

This relationship had pulled me away from God rather than bring me closer to him. I finally had the courage to believe that God was good and will always for my good, so I obeyed and let go of the relationship.

I can testify today that ever since walking 100% into God's will, I have never seen him move more in my life than ever before.

He became more real. He opened more doors for my ministry. And He is moving more in my life.

Realizing God's goodness positions us to walk in obedience to enter into our destiny. 

Psalm 18:30 reminds us, "As for God, his way is perfect.."

I can't help but wonder the many times we have missed out on Gods blessing by refusing to obey him because we refused to believe that his way is perfect. It's time we realize that God is good and he only asks us to do what is the best for us. God's way may not feel like the best way, but his way is always the best.  

Simon Peter's first encounter with Jesus is a perfect example to remind us not to rely on our feelings but to trust in what Jesus is calling us to do. In Luke 5 we see Jesus asking Simon Peter to set sail to deep waters to fish again. Simon Peter had just spent the whole night trying to catch fish but caught nothing.

His response to Jesus was, "Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5).

Simon was exhausted, and the way he responded certainly showed that he did not feel Jesus's idea was a good idea.

But despite the doubts and hesitant feelings, Simon Peter did it anyway.

What was the outcome of Simon's Peter obedience? Overwhelming blessing.

They caught so much fish that the net began to break (Luke 5:6). Luke 5:8-9 says, "When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus... For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught.."

Simon Peter came to the realization of God's goodness.

If he had followed his feelings and not listened to Jesus, he would never have been in the position he was in - at the feet of Jesus in complete awe of his power.

Maybe you're like Simon Peter, who thought Jesus's idea was not a good idea. But just because God's way doesn't feel good doesn't mean it's not good. Believe that God is always for your good.

God wants to overwhelm you with his goodness and blessing, but it starts with your obedience.

Will you respond to Jesus like Simon Peter, and say, "because you say so, I will do it"?

If you haven't seen the hand of God move in your life yet, now is your chance to see God's goodness pour out in your life. And if you have seen God move in your life, believe that you will see him do it again.

Will you follow what Jesus is asking you to do, despite the feelings and doubts? Will you come to the realization of this simple truth that God is always for your good? 

You don't have to be afraid of what is to come. As long as you are walking with God and allow him to go before you, his goodness will always follow your life. Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.."

There is nothing better than living in the will of God. So remember, realize God's goodness. 

Prayer: Lord, I have come to the realization that you are always for my good. 

Don't Limit Your Potential

We all have dreams and passions that we desire to see come to life, but what's stopping us from pursuing them now? Many times we wait until we think we're ready, but what if we were ready all along? Don't limit your potential.

I had the opportunity to serve at a conference this weekend with many students and working adults from Florida. I was amazed at the passions and gifts that God had placed in everyone's hearts. There were many who wanted to pursue music and songwriting, but when I asked if they had tried making their own music, the answer was no.

I asked why, and the number one response I received was, "I don't feel ready or I still have a lot to learn."

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about learning, but the best way to learn and grow is by doing.

Many people asked me in the conference how I started Living Revelations.

My response shocked them.

"I actually hated writing back in High School and never considered myself a writer. But during college, God called me to step out in faith and to share his word through writing."

I never majored in writing nor did I have any professional experience in writing. But I trusted that God's grace was enough to get me through. I believed if God had called me to writing, he would equip me for it.

God's grace is enough to get you where you need to be. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.." You don't have to wait until you're good enough because God is already good enough. 

Many times we wait until we think we're ready to do what God has put in our heart to do. But if we wait until we think we're ready, we will never feel ready. The key is to follow what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. If God has put in your heart to make music, then start making music. If God has put in your heart to write, then start writing. God will equip you for success.

Sure you won't be perfect the first time, but as you walk faithfully with God, he will help you grow. Trust that God will mold you into who he wants you to be.

I would never have started Living Revelations if I had first looked back to see if I had the "credentials" to be a writer. I took the step of faith trusting that God would equip me for my calling. As I look back at my work with Living Revelations, I can see growth in my writing and graphic designing. This growth could only have happened because I didn't limit myself to what I knew I could do.

Despite my imperfections and insecurities, I trusted that God was enough.

Whatever insecurities you may be facing today, know that God is greater than it all. His power is made perfect in your weaknesses. Don't let your shortcomings limit the potential you have in God's kingdom. God put those dreams and desires in your heart for a purpose.

It isn't a coincidence that you happen to desire the very things that are hidden in your heart. God has given each of us gifts to touch lives for his glory. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

The gifts that we each have from God were meant to bless and serve others. To be a steward of the gifts that God has given us means to use those gifts when needed for others. If God has opened the door for you to use your gifts, use it now. Don't wait until you finish school or make an excuse for not pursuing your God-given dreams. Take the step of faith and trust that God will help you to do what he is calling you to do.

Will you step out in faith and pursue the passions that God has placed in your heart? Will you believe that your dreams were put in your heart for a purpose?

Don't let your lack of experience stop you from pursuing your purpose today. It's outside your comfort zone where you will find God's amazing plan for your life. Your past experience doesn't define your potential - God defines your potential.

When we open ourselves up to following where the Holy Spirit leads us, we will find our potential to be limitless. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippines 4:13). So remember, don't limit your potential.

Life Without Unnecessary Worry

We all have worries in life that seem hard to escape from. But what if we could live life without having to worry about what the future or how we will get there? The good news is there is a way to live life without unnecessary worry.

Do you have moments when you dream of your future? Huge dreams just hidden in your heart that you would love to see come to pass?

I sure do.

I have goals that I want to see happen in my ministry and many other desires that I would love to have in my life.

But the more I focused on my future and the things that had to get done, the more I started to worry.

I started asking God, "How will I get there? Are you sure I'll be ok? How can I speed this process up?"

The more I thought about my future, the more I wanted to get there faster and the more I started to take things into my own hands which only led me to worry.

It was during my quiet time with God that he showed me the cause of my worries: I was fixing my eyes on my future and not on Jesus. 

We invite worry into our lives when we lose our focus on Jesus. 

Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Rest comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus and not in our tomorrows. God will reveal to us his provision and destination for our lives, but we are not to focus on the destination but on the God who will take us to our destination.

God only asks us to focus on following him and to trust that he will lead us the way to our destiny.

The life of Joshua in the Bible is a great example of one who followed God and received God's promised victory in his life. God said to Joshua "...get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses" (Joshua 1:2-3).

Joshua didn't worry about how he would obtain the victories and blessings that God had promised him because he knew he was with a God who would lead him those very victories.

Just as God promised to lead Joshua to his promised land, God also promises he will lead us into our promised land.

The secret formula for achieving our God-given dreams is to simply obey God in everything. Deuteronomy 30:16 says, "For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess."

We don't have to worry about how we will reach our destiny because it is God who will lead us to our destiny. It's when we try to get to our destiny in our own strength that fears and worries start to overwhelm us. We must realize that all our worries are unnecessary.

God has already promised each of us that he has great plans to bless us, so why are we worrying that he won't follow through? God has always been faithful to fulfill his good promises to those who obey him so we can be sure that God will also be faithful to us as we obey him.

We may not have arrived to our promise land yet, but we are entering to possess it. Our waiting season is the time for us to get ready to receive God's promises. God knows the steps we need to take to reach our destiny.

Will you let go of your way and obey God's way? Will you put your trust in a faithful God and believe that he knows the best for you?

When we focus on following Jesus and allow him to carry our burdens, we will find rest and peace in our journey. We have no reason to worry because through Jesus, we have become children of God and inherit all of his good promises. Galatians 3:29 says, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

God has a special plan for your life and his only agenda is to bless you and take you there. So remember, you can live life without unnecessary worry.

Prayer: Lord, only you know the way to my destiny. Help me to fix my eyes on you.

Are You Too Busy?

Being busy may seem productive, but being too busy can pull us away from doing things that actually matter.  Busyness can be a distraction from us receiving all that God has for us. Are you too busy? 

I love staying busy because it makes me feel productive. But this busy lifestyle soon led me to the category of too busy.

I started saying yes to people before I could say yes to having God time. Whenever my calendar had a day that was empty, I would be quick to fill it up without leaving room for God to interrupt my day.

While being busy is a good thing, it becomes bad when we start to lose our priorities.

I knew I was too busy when I started to "fit" God into my schedule before I slept. I couldn't enjoy my alone time with God because of my busy schedule.

But God reminded me that time alone with him was better than crossing something off my to-do list.

Time with Jesus is better than anything else. 

The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 is a great example of how being busy isn't always a good thing. Martha opened her home to Jesus, but while Jesus was there, Martha was too busy doing preparations instead of spending time listening to Jesus. On the other hand, Mary sat at Jesus's feet listening to what he said (Luke 10:39).

Martha got upset and said to Jesus, "Don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40). Jesus responds with, "...Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42).

How many times have we been like Martha, choosing work, school, or ministry over time with Jesus? We must remember that time with Jesus is better spent than doing anything else.

While Martha was doing good deeds for Jesus, Jesus wanted her to realize that listening to what he had to say was better than doing things for him. 

Martha got distracted.

Are you being distracted as well? What's distracting you from spending time with Jesus? Has the busyness of life pulled you away from what is better? 

Many times we sacrifice God time with social media, school, or even ministry. But God cares about our relationship with him more than anything.

Before we go out and say yes to doing things for Jesus, we must first say yes to spending time with Jesus. Jesus wants to speak life into us, but we must set the time to listen to him.

Luke 11:28 says, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

We need to come to the realization that we need to hear God's word. How can we know what we should do if we don't hear Jesus? If we want to live life to the fullest, we must allow Jesus to speak to us every day. Jesus will give us the wisdom, joy, truth, and guidance that we need to live out God's purpose in our lives.

If we want to live productive lives, we must abide with Jesus. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

If we want to see fruit in our lives and be used mightily by God, we must be connected to him.

Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

When we try to do things for Jesus and without Jesus, our work becomes fruitless. But when we do things for Jesus and with Jesus, everything we do will prosper and bless others. That's how important spending time with Jesus is. 

We should never have an excuse to say we don't have time for God. God should always be our priority. Here are some signs that you're too busy:

• When God time gets moved out of your to-do list.
• When you constantly feel like you're racing against time.
• When you have no time for God to interrupt your day. 

Have you sacrificed your time with God for other things? God has amazing plans for your life but you must take the time listen to what he has to say so that he can prepare you for what is to come. So remember, are you too busy?

Prayer: Lord, help me to leave room every day for time alone with you. 

You're Not Alone

Doing life is scary. The bills that need to get paid, the successes we so desire to obtain, the future we want to build; all of it becomes daunting especially when we're alone. But the good news is, you're not alone.

For a while, I had been fearful of my future. Just the thought of being single scared me. 

I have no one to fall back on when things get bad. No one to help me when I need help. No one to comfort me in my hardest moments. 

I'm all alone. 

But it was in that moment when God told me "You're not alone and you were never alone. I am with you."

I've heard many people tell me "don't worry God is with you." But it never clicked with me until God himself told me that He was with me. 

It was then that I realized that the God who split the Red Sea and made a way for the Israelites was with me. The God who led Gideon and 300 men to defeat a whole army of Midianites was with me. The God who helped David defeat the unbeatable Goliath was with me. The God who gave his beloved son Jesus to save us was with me. 

The same God who did the impossible back then is the same God who wants to do the impossible with your life today. 

You're not alone. You were never alone. God is with you. 

We don't have to be afraid of doing life alone because we have the most powerful and mighty God with us at all times. 

When I look back at my life, God was always with me. It was God who opened the door for Living Revelations to grow and touch lives all around the world. It was God who provided me a job to provide all my needs and more to bless others. It was God who brought me an amazing community and church that I now serve. And I believe it will be God who will continue to build my ministry and use my life to point others to Jesus. 

Whatever season you may be in, know that God is with you. 

Isaiah 41:10 says, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." We don't need to be afraid of doing life alone because we're not alone. We have a mighty God who is with us and for us. God is here to help us because he wants the best for us. 

In Judges 7 we see God telling Gideon to take his men to defeat the Midianites who were very powerful at the time. However, Gideon's army was weak. Gideon's response to God was, "Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 7:15). 

God responds with, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." (Judges 7:16). 

God didn't need Gideon to have a strong army because God was strong enough to defeat the Midianites. In fact, God told Gideon to strip down his army to only 300 men to fight against the thousands of Midianites. 

Why did God ask Gideon to only bring 300 men? 

Because God wanted Gideon to know that He was enough. God too wants you to know that He is with you and He is enough. 

You may be weak, but God is strong enough. You may be incapable, but God is more than capable. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

Will you surrender your life to a mighty God and trust that your life is in good hands? Will you step out in faith and do what God has called you to do, knowing that he goes with you?

It's tempting to take things into your own hands when you're afraid of what life holds. But you don't need to settle for less than God's best. You can live life boldly because God is with you. So remember, you're not alone.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that I don't need to live in fear because you are always with me and I am never alone. 

How To Wipe Anxiety Away

We've all struggled with anxiety. The feeling of unease and pressure in our hearts can be overwhelming. There are many ways to temporarily get our minds off of our anxiety, but how do we permanently wipe anxiety away?

Anxiety starts with fear and worry. Negative thoughts start speaking loudly in our minds that bring unease. We then start losing hope and that's when anxiety comes in.

We become desperate to do anything to get ourselves from this anxious state and turn to anything that we believe will fix our anxiety.

I've been there before and maybe you have too.

I've tried to do many things that I thought would fix my fears but at the end, I was left where I started. Hopeless and horrible. 

There's only one solution I found that could wipe away my anxiety and that is to run to Jesus.

Jesus has the power to quiet our souls. 

If voices of fear and doubt torment your soul, run to Jesus. Jesus has the power to quiet your soul and fill you with his peace.

Anxiety happens when our trust is no longer on God but on the things of this world. This world is unreliable so when we try to rely on an unreliable world, we invite anxiety into our lives. It's no wonder that many of us struggle with anxiety. But if we put our hope in a mighty God who is always for our good, we will find rest.

Psalm 62:5 says, "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him."

If you have any bit fear in your mind, run to Jesus before it gets worse. And if it's already worse, know that Jesus can heal anyone no matter the condition.

In Luke 4 we see Jesus encounter a man who was demon possessed with an impure spirit. Jesus simply told the impure spirit to be quiet and go away and instantly the demon left the man. Luke 4:35 says, “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him."

Just as Jesus was able to silence the demonic spirit in that man, he too can silence our anxious thoughts.

When we turn to the things of this world to cure our anxiety, we will find ourselves temporarily cured but even more hurt down the road. But when we turn to Jesus, we will find ourselves cured without injuring ourselves just as it happened with the demon-possessed man in Luke 4.

Jesus has the power to drive out the spirit of fear within us and leave us unharmed.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

We were made to enjoy life with power, love, and a sound mind, but the enemy tries to take this away from us by tempting us to run to the things of this world as a temporary solution to our anxiety.  It's tempting to run to relationships, people, or entertainment to get our mind off things, but these things were never made to bring us a sound soul.

Jesus is the key to a sound soul.

Where have you been running to for help? Will you run to Jesus and place your hope in him? Will you surrender your life to Jesus and believe that only he knows what is best for you? 

When we are feeling anxious, we must learn to run to Jesus. Nothing can shake us when our hope is placed on a loving and faithful God. Accepting Jesus allows us to step into a life where anxiety is wiped away. So remember, only Jesus can wipe anxiety away.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that I can always go to you to find rest for my soul. 

What Are You Delaying In?

What have you been putting off to do? We all have things we know we need to do, but many times we chose to delay in doing them. Our goals and promises stay on our to-do list that never gets touched. We must realize that the detours we take will hurt our future. What are you delaying in?

"It can wait...I'll get on it once I'm not busy...Just one last time... It won't hurt me.."

Have you caught yourself saying these things?

I know I have.

These are statements of delay. We say these things to excuse ourselves from doing what we know is right to do. Our delays have allowed us to put things that are long-due back to our to-do list.

When we delay in doing things, it makes us feel better because we're not saying no, but later. But doing things later is just as bad as not doing them because God has a time and season for everything.  God's will was meant to be done in his time and not our time.

Delaying is just as bad as not doing. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens."

God has a time for everything, and when we chose to put off what God is asking us to do, we miss out on God's beautiful plan for our lives.

God will not delay in doing his part, but we must not delay in doing our part. 

Many times we excuse ourselves from doing what God wants us to do now by saying, "God can wait." But God makes it clear in his word that we are not to delay. Ecclesiastes 5:4 says, "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow."

In Luke 9 we see Jesus asking a man to follow him. But the man's response was, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family” (Luke 9:61). Jesus replied to the man in Luke 9:62 saying, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

This man didn't say no to Jesus, but said: "I will, but first.." Because the man delayed in doing what Jesus had asked of him, Jesus no longer saw him fit for his kingdom. Even though the man's answer was not a "no" but "later", it still wasn't a good answer for Jesus. Jesus needed him that day, not later.

How many times have we said "I will, but later" to God? Have we responded to God like this man in Luke 9? God sees our delays as disobedience. He can't bless those who are not willing to surrender their lives to him.

God will not delay in bringing his promise to us, but we must not delay in obeying what God has asked us to do. 

What have you been putting off to do that you know you need to do? What promise have you made to God that you have not yet done? Is it spending time reading God's word? Is it letting go of the things God has asked you to let go? Is it forgiving someone that you know you need to forgive?

Whatever your delay may be, know that it is blocking you from receiving God's perfect blessing upon your life. God wants to bring you victory, but it starts with your surrender. Our victory for tomorrow starts with our surrender today.

The enemy will tempt us to delay in doing what God has asked us to do because he wants to delay our victory. The enemy will do anything he can to prevent us from walking into our destiny. But if you could walk into your destiny today, why wouldn't you take that step? If you could be set free today, why would you delay?

God's promises will be revealed later, but he's already starting his work in you today. Isaiah 43:19 says, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up..I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." God wants to move in your life now, but you must let him.

What you do today matters to God. Your daily obedience to God will craft your path to victory. If you've been wanting to surrender your life to Jesus, now is the time to do it. So remember, what are you delaying in?

Don't Look Back

Moving on is hard, especially when it requires us to leave our place of comfort. It's easier to hold on to the good than to let go for the better. But if we keep looking back, we will never reach our destiny. We must keep moving forward and not look back.

There have been many times in my life when God has asked me to let go of good things for better things. You might ask, well why is it hard to let go of something good if God has something better?

The problem is  I couldn't see what the better thing was at the time. 

And it's always going to be like that for you and me. Maybe you're at a point in your life where God is asking you to move on, but your scared because you don't know what's ahead of you.

That's how God works; he will always ask us to let go and move on without us knowing where or how we will be. 

But it's in those moments of doubt when God challenges me and says, "Why do you need to know beyond what I'm asking you to do? Don't you trust me? Have you forgotten that I have always been faithful and never once failed you?"

Moving on becomes easy when we realize God is moving us to a better place. 

Hebrews 10:35-36 says, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

This verse reminds us to now throw away our confidence in God. He is good and will only ask us to do things that are for our good. Only through doing God's will can we reach our destiny. 

The story of Lot's wife in the Bible reminds us to not look back when God is trying to move us to a better place. 

Lot and his family lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, the city that God was about to destroy due to the sin and evil that was going on in that place. But God was merciful to Lot and his family and sent 2 angels to rescue them out of the city.

As they were leaving the city, the angel warned Lot and his family and said, "don't look back, and don't stop.." (Genesis 19:17).

But Lot's wife looked back.

Genesis 19:26 says, "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." Because Lot's wife looked back, she missed out on the blessings that God had planned for her.

I wonder why Lot's wife looked back. Maybe she looked back for the same reasons we look back on things that God has asked us to let go.

If only Lot's wife knew that God was taking her to a better place. Instead of leaving her city with a dreadful heart, she should have left with a grateful heart to see that God was merciful and had plans to bless her and the family.

Many times we dread letting go of the good things in our lives because we fail to see God's merciful heart in asking us to let go of those things. God wants to bless us and take us to our destiny, but we must have the confidence to follow God wherever he will lead us.

What is God asking you to let go? What's holding you back from moving on? Will you trust that God is good and only has the best in store for you?

We can't reach our destiny if we keep looking back. The enemy will use our past to keep us from moving on to the good plans that God has for us. Looking backward will never help us move forward. 

Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up..I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

When we hold on to the past, we miss the new thing that God is trying to do in our lives. Often the new things that God is trying to bring in our lives will come through our struggles. But God promises in this verse that he will make a way in our wilderness. This may be a season of suffering, but it is also a season where we will see God move like never before.

Let go of the past because God has a new future for you. God will ask you to let go of good things for better things. So remember, don't look back.

Prayer: Lord, help me to not look back but to move forward into your beautiful plans for me. 

God Knows Your Needs

We all have fears and worries. Your worries may be different than mine, but we all stress about going thorugh life with unmet needs. The only way to take away the worries of this life is to entrust them to a God who knows your needs.

I sat in my bedroom filled with worries and fears running in my mind.

"What if I end up miserable and unhappy God? What if this won't work out well? My ultimate question to God was, "Are you sure?"

How many of you have worried about your circumstances and asked God, are you sure? 

When things don't look good, it's easy to doubt God. Instead of proclaiming his goodness, we start questioning God's goodness. Instead of proclaming his power, we start professing our weaknesses. But it was in my moment of telling God my worries when he took me to Matthew 6:31-32 which says, "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’..your heavenly father knows that you need them."

Here I was spending my time telling God my needs when he already knew my needs. 

God tells us in Matthew 6 to not worry because he knows our needs. We don't need to spend time dwelling in our worries and asking God "are you sure", because he already has in mind what our needs are from the very beginning. 

God knows our needs and will meet above our needs. 

Trust God in whatever he may be asking you to do, because he knows your needs and will always tell you to do what is best to meet your needs. God will never ask you to do something that will harm you or leave you with a miserable life. The enemy wants us to take things into our own hands and away from God's hands, but we must remember that only God can give us what we need. 

Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his rightesouness, and all these things will be given to you." This verse reminds us that our needs will be given to us. God never asks us to worry about our needs, but to simply put him first and to seek his will and he will provide all our needs. 

How beautiful is that? We have a God who loves us so much to tell us to not worry but that he will take care of us. When we have truly grasp how much God loves us, we should have no more room to worry. 

Matthew 7:11 says, "If you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" God is a good father, and just like any good father, he will take care of us.  

Because God is almighty and above all, he can provide us more than what we need. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," 

God doesn't just give us what is good enough, but he gives us the best. That's how great God's love is for us. He gives us more than what we ask and could ever get ourselves. 

If you're in a season of waiting for God to answer your prayer, hold on to his love and goodness. God knows what you need and intends to give you more than what you need. 

Will you let go of your worries to God and trust that he will take care of you? Will you surrender your life to God and obey what he's asking you to do?

God wants to bless you, but you must be in the position for God to bless you. You must be in a position of surrender so God can give you your needs and desires. God cannot bless those who are trying to take things into their own hands. He can only bless those whose arms are stretched out to receive his blessings. So remember, God knows your needs.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are a loving God who knows my needs and will give me more than what I need. 

A Life Of Security

We're all drawn to things that say 100% guarantee. It gives us a sense of security with no risks involved. As much as we desire security in our jobs, school, relationships, and life, there is no 100% guarantee in life. So how can we have a life of security?

A friend of mine recently got a speeding ticket and was looking into using an online legal service that helps people refute their tickets. The first question she asked was, "Is this service 100% guaranteed that I'll get my ticket refuted?"

Of course, she didn't want to pay their service fee without knowing for sure her ticket would be refuted. Luckily for her, their service did include 100% guarantee or your money back.

If only life was like that. 

If only we could have 100% guarantee that we'll always be financially stable, or that we will graduate with a good job lined up, or that our partner will always be faithful to us.

I'm sure there are more if only's that can be added to this list.

For me, I was struggling with trusting in God's plan for my life. He was calling me into singleness, but fears started running in my life. "What if I become single my whole life? What if I never meet the one?"

I felt like I was walking into a life of insecurity as I did what God asked. I wanted 100% guarantee that if I followed and obeyed God, I would have a blessed and joyful life.

But it was in that moment when God reminded me that I do have 100% guarantee that his ways are always good. God has a track record of never failing and always staying faithful.

Deuteronomy 7:9 says, "...He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." We can be sure that we will have a prosperous life when we obey God.

God has never failed and will never fail.

The Bible contains thousands of promises that are guaranteed to be true to those who love him. To love God means to put him first before our feelings and desires. It means to follow God despite what we see and feel.

The great thing about following God is that we have 100% assurance that his ways are always the best for us. Psalm 18:32 says, "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure." God's ways will always lead us to a secure future. 

Don't let the enemy lie to you and make you believe that God's ways are insecure. God's ways may feel insecure, but we must hold on to his promises as truth. John 10:10 reminds us, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." 

God promises to give us a life to the fullest, but it is the enemy who wants to pull us away from God's blessings. The enemy will use fear to stop us from pursuing God's will, but we must remember that only God's way brings us security.

Will you put your trust in God's faithfulness and follow him? Will you believe that God's ways are always good and secure no matter what you see or feel?

No job, person, or circumstance can guarantee you anything in this life. You can only hold on to God's promises as truth and know he is faithful.

Be confident that all your needs will be met when you surrender your life to God. God loves you and wants to take care of you, but you must let him by surrendering your ways. Nothing in this world can give you security except for God. So remember, a life of security comes from God.

Prayer: Lord, I will follow you and trust in your ways no matter what I see or feel.

What's Missing In Your Life?

What's missing in your life? We all have our own perceptions of "if I had this then I'll be happy." But why do we still feel incomplete even after obtaining our desires? There's only one missing piece in our lives that will complete us and that is God.

If I were to ask you what's missing in your life, I'm almost positive that you will have at least one thing in mind. 

Maybe for you, it's "If I had the perfect spouse then I'll be complete". Or "if I can just get a good job that pays well then I'll be good." Or "if I can reach my dream career then I'll be settled."

For me, my list could go on and on. 

But once I had checked mark one thing on my list, another thing would be added to the list. It's like an endless cycle of always feeling like I'm missing something. 

Can you relate? 

For the longest time, I thought these things on my list could complete me. But God showed me that only He can complete me. I kept feeling like I was missing something because I was filling my missing piece with the wrong thing.

God is our missing piece to complete us. 

Our problem isn't acknowledging that we are not complete, but knowing what will complete us. Lamentations 3:24 says, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." This verse reminds us that God is our portion - He is our missing piece to complete our soul. 

A portion is a part of a whole. God is that part we are missing to make us whole. Not a successful career. Not a spouse. Nothing but God who can make us whole. 

What have you been trying to fill your emptiness with? What's holding you back from experiencing God's fullness? Will you seek God and make him your portion? 

We can rest knowing when we put our hope in God, he will never fail us. He is good and will never leave us empty but filled. Lamentations 3:25 says, "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him."

Will you look to God and nowhere else to fill the emptiness in you? Don't let the enemy lie and tell you that anything else but God can fill you. Chasing anything other than God will leave you weary and wanting more. 

God is better than any other desire you have in your heart. It doesn't mean that God will not fulfill the desires of your heart, but he wants you to learn to delight in him first. 

Proverbs 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." We must understand that God is what we need, and everything else are desires. Once we have this truth down, everything else in our lives will fall into place. So remember, God is the missing piece to your life. 

Prayer: Lord, you are my portion, the missing piece to complete my soul. 

What's On Your Replay?

What's on your replay? I'm not talking about your playlist on Spotify, but about your thoughts that run through your mind. Just as music is able to affect our emotions, so are our thoughts able to affect our state of being. What are we replaying in our minds?

I was feeling weak, doubtful, and anxious.

Fear of loneliness started to creep in me again. I kept thinking of how I was missing out as I saw each of my friends get happily engaged.

"What about me God?" What if thoughts started to play through my mind. What if I end up all alone? What if I end up miserable?  

But it was in that moment when God told me, "You're not missing out, but you will be missing out if you choose to live like this." It was then that God opened my eyes to see that I was feeling miserable because of what I was replaying in my mind.

Fear was on my replay.

I needed to remind myself that God has never failed me yet and he will never fail me. We need to replace every fearful thought with God's truth. We can choose to either replay our fears or God's faithfulness in our minds.

God only has the best for us and he wouldn't give us anything less than the best. 

Don't expect the worse to come out from what God is asking you to do. The moment I started reminding myself of how God has never let me down, I found myself stronger, assured, and joyful.

Just as music has the power to affect our emotions, so do our thoughts. Our thoughts have the power to affect our emotion and soul. That is why Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8, "..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

When we choose to think about praiseworthy thoughts, things that are lovely and pure, we will find ourselves full of joy and peace. We can't change our circumstances, but we can choose to change our perspective.

If we let fear reign in our minds, we will be left with a fearful heart. If we choose to let God's truth reign in our minds, we will find our hearts strengthened and transformed into the image of God. Romans 12:2 says, "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

God's plans for your life are good, pleasing, and perfect - will you believe that? Will you replay this truth in your mind? Will you push pause and delete every negative thought that is consuming your mind? 

The first place the enemy will attack us is through our minds. If the enemy has a hold of our mind, he knows he can hold us back from pursuing God's will. Don't let the enemy take the best that God has for you. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Take hold of every negative thought in your mind and replace it with God's truth. Choose to believe that God is good and his ways are best. Nothing can strengthen us better than the word of God. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God's plans for your life are only to prosper you and to give you a good future. If you have any thought that speaks against this, that is the thought to throw away. Trust God and immerse yourself in his promises. So remember, what's on your replay?

Prayer: Lord, I want your promises to reign in my mind. I replace all my fears with your loving truth that you are always good. 

Live By Faith And Not By Sight

We're all moved by what we see. Our emotions, thoughts, and actions are processed through what our eyes tell us. However, the best decisions we will make are the ones made when we live by faith and not by sight.

I'm a very analytical person. I make decisions based on calculated risks and how my circumstances are based on what I see. While thinking through our decisions isn't wrong to do, we must ultimately put our faith above what we see.

There will be times in your life when God will ask you to step out in faith, and what I mean by that is he will ask you to do the very thing your eyes are telling you not to do.

So what do you do then? 

What do you do when God asks you to do what seems impossible to do? What do you do when God asks you to do something that sounds like a horrible plan?

The answer is, do it.

It's only through faith that we can see the impossible become possible. 

God has asked me to do many things that I thought was completely ridiculous. He has changed many of my life long plans and told me to do something else. But I can tell you that I have never regretted anything that God has asked me to do. The only regrets I have are the times I didn't step out in faith and trust in him. 

If I had chosen to make decisions based on what I saw, I wouldn't have a job that I enjoy today, I wouldn't be able to grow Living Revelations to what it is today, and I wouldn't have been set free as I am today. If I never chose to live by faith, I would never have seen God's mighty hand move upon my life. 

Faith leads us to see God's mighty hand move upon our lives. We see this happen throughout the Bible. A great example is found in Acts 9 when Peter sees a man who has been bedridden for 8 years and a woman who had died. How does Peter respond to these situations? By faith. 

To the bedridden man, Peter says in Acts 9:34 "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up." To the dead women, Acts 9:40 says, "Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up." The bedridden man was able to walk and the dead woman was able to come to life because Peter stepped out in faith. 

If Peter had relied on his eyes, he would never have the courage to try to heal a man who had been bedridden for 8 years and bring a dead woman back to life. But through faith, Peter was able to see God do the impossible. 

God wants to bring miracles to your life and show you his mighty hand, but will you let him? Will you choose to walk by faith and not by sight? Will you let go and let God do his thing? 

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Don't limit God's ability to do wonders by what you see. God will always ask us to step out in faith because it's only through faith that God can be glorified. If life always happened the way we expected it to happen, there wouldn't be a need for God to do miracles. 

God asked Peter to step out in faith and to restore the lives of Aeneas and Tabitha for his glory. When Peter healed Aeneas and brought Tabitha back to life, many people turned to the Lord. Acts 9:42 says, "This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord."

When we live by faith, our lives become a testimony to God's almighty power. God wants to bring miracles in your life, but we must step out in faith in order to see God move. If we continue to do things our way, how can we expect to see God's hand move in our lives?

We are all called to live by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we live by faith, not by sight." Will you step out in faith and trust God? It's only when we live by faith that we can see God real in our lives. So remember, live by faith and not by sight. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to live by faith and not by what I see. I know it's only through faith that I can see you move mightily. 

There Is Purpose In The Waiting

No one likes to wait for what they want because we all desire instant gratification. We have big dreams that we want to accomplish and relationships that we would love to have, but there is purpose in the waiting.

Patience was never my thing. Whenever I had something that I wanted, I would go after it with no hesitation, leaving no room to wait.

I've always seen the waiting season as a waste of time. There have been times when God has told me to wait but I've always told God, "Why wait when you can give it to me now?"

But God has shown me that the waiting season is a crucial part of our journey to reach God's destination for us.

Our waiting season is part of God's process to prepare us for His great plans.

We can't be who God wants us to be without the waiting process. It's through our waiting that we learn to stand strong in God and grow our faith in him alone.

It's tempting to take things into our own hands when we're suffering, but we must stay faithful to what God has asked us to do. When we stay faithful in the things that God has asked us to do, he will stay faithful to fulfill his promise to us. 

Everyone that God used in the Bible had a waiting season before God's promise to them was given. God gave Joseph a dream that he would be the leader of Egypt, but that didn't happen right away. Joseph had to go through much suffering and waiting before God's promise came to pass.

Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers and later thrown in prison for doing nothing wrong. But because Joseph stayed faithful to God and did what was right before God's eyes, God honored his promise to Joseph and made him ruler over Egypt under Pharoah. Joseph could have easily fallen into temptation, but he says in Genesis 39:9, "..how then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

David is another example in the Bible who had to go through suffering during his waiting season. God promised David that he would be king over Israel, but that didn't happen right away. David spent many years running away from King Saul who was trying to kill him. David had many opportunities to kill King Saul, but he always chose to do what was right before God. David tells King Saul in 1 Samuel 24:6, "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord."

Both David and Joseph could have taken things into their own hands, yet they chose to stay faithful to God and to trust in him. Through their waiting season, they learned to be obedient to God and to hold on to his promises.

While the waiting season may seem like a wasteful time in our lives, it is one of the most crucial moments in our lives. What we do in our waiting season will determine the outcome of our lives. We have the choice to take steps towards God's promises or steps away from his promises.

If Joseph and David had given up in their waiting seasons, they would never have lived to see God's promise fulfilled in their lives.

God has promises for your life that he wants to fulfill - will you press on and stay faithful to God? Will you be like David and Joseph and trust God in your waiting season? 

Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Don't let your waiting season wear you out. God has a purpose in your waiting. Stay faithful to God and trust that his promise for you is coming. God promises we will reap his blessings if we don't give up.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "..And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.." The only way to go through our waiting season without giving up is to fix our eyes on Jesus. We will only find our faith increasing when our hope is in Jesus alone. Jesus will never let us down and he is the hope we need to press forward.

God has plans for your life beyond what you can see or imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). Your waiting season is the bridge to connect you to God's beautiful plan for your life. So remember, there is purpose in the waiting.

Why Obedience Is Necessary

We all know obedience is a good for all aspects of life; school, work, family, and our walk with God. But obedience is not always easy. Obedience will almost always ask us to do the very thing we don't want to do. Yet, obedience is necessary.

What's the first thing you think of when you hear the word obedience? 

For me, it's not fun.

I cringe at the word obedience because I know obedience isn't easy. It has never been easy and still isn't easy now.

God has asked me to let go of many things in life that I so dearly cherished. I struggled with obedience, but there are 3 things that have helped me persevere in obedience to God:

God is good. God is faithful. God knows better.

The only way for us to arrive at God's destination and to receive his blessings is through obeying him.

God will never ask us to do anything that isn't for our good. He loves us and only wants the best for us. He wants us to be blessed, but God's blessings only come through obedience to his will in our lives.

James 1:16-17 says, "Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.." James warns us to not be deceived because many times we tell ourselves that we can gain God's perfect blessings through doing things our way, and not his way. We believe the enemies lies that we don't have to obey God to get where God wants us to be. But the truth is, there's only one way to see God's plans for our lives happen and it is through obeying him.

How can we see God's plans come to life if we aren't willing to follow his plans? 

James 1:25 says, "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." God wants to bless us, but we must commit our lives to following his perfect will in our lives.

Trust that God is faithful and knows what we need. Before we were even born, God already made good plans for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God knows his plans for you - will you believe that? Will you take the step of obedience and faith, trusting that God knows what is best for you? 

There have been many times in my life when I thought I knew what was best for me, but following God only proved to me that he knows better. Following God has never created regrets in my life. The only regrets I have in my life are the choices I made myself, but never God's.

If you love God, you will obey him. God promises to those who love him that he will prepare amazing plans for their lives that no one can even imagine. 1 Corinthians 2:9 is God's promise to us which says, "“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -the things God has prepared for those who love him—"

God loves you and will always be there with open arms to receive you no matter what you've done. He's given you his perfect son Jesus to forgive your sins when you surrender your life to him and obey him. Obedience might seem dreadful, but it's only through obedience that you can experience the best that God has for you. So remember, obedience is necessary.

Fear or Faith?

We all have fears. Your fear might be losing what you most love or not making it through your career successfully. The list of our fears can go on and on, but we have the choice whether we are going to believe in our fears or not. Will you choose fear or faith? 

My fear is loneliness.

I've held on to relationships in the past just to be able to have someone alleviate that fear. I thought being in a relationship would cure my fears of loneliness, but what I found is once I lost that relationship, my fear of loneliness came back.

I couldn't understand why God was calling me to singleness, but now I know why. He wants to set me free. Free from bondage. Free from fear.

Just as God wants to set me free, he also wants to set you free. Whatever your fears may be, God wants to set you free into the freedom that is found in Jesus.

There is no assurance that our fears are true, but we do have the assurance that God's promises are always true. We can hold on to God's promises knowing they will come to pass if we surrender our lives and follow him.

Let go of fear and hold on to faith. 

The disciples of Jesus also had to learn to have faith in Jesus over their fears. In Matthew 8, we see the disciples in a boat with Jesus during a furious storm. The disciples saw the harsh waves hitting the boat and started to be afraid. In fear, they woke up Jesus. Jesus's response to the disciples in Matthew 8:26 was,"'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." 

How many times have we been afraid of our own storms just as the disciples were, despite knowing Jesus was still with us? 

No matter what we are facing, we do not need to be afraid because Jesus is walking the journey with us. Just as Jesus was able to calm the storms for the disciples, he will also calm our storms in his perfect time. 

Psalm 23:4 says, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." God promises he is always with us even in our darkest valleys. He will be with us to comfort us whenever we need it.

We must proclaim God's word and promises over our fears. The only way to cure our fears is to let it go and face it with faith in God. God wants to set us free, but that will require us to face the fears that are keeping us in bondage. 

Our fears will always hold us in hostage unless we overcome them. Romans 8:37 promises us that "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." If we will understand how vast God's love for us is, we will have the hope that God is only working for our good. 

If God's love for us is truly unfailing, will he really lead us to a place that will only harm us? Psalm 35:5 says, "Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds." Nothing can stop God from loving you. He is always faithful and that is what we should believe in. Believe in God's faithfulness and let go of your fears and doubts. 

What fears are preventing you from walking into God's freedom? What's holding you back from living a life full of joy?

Wherever God is taking you, trust that he is faithful and is only taking you to the best place to grow your faith in him. 

It's comfortable to stay in our comfort zone, but it is outside our comfort zone that our faith in God will be strengthed. Don't allow your fears to keep you living a life bound in chains. The last thing you want to do is to allow fear to drive your actions because fear will only lead you to do the very thing you never wanted to do.

Hold on to God's promises and let your hope in him sustain you. God wants to show you the power of his mighty hands, and that can only be done through facing our fears. So remember, choose faith over fear.

Joy Is Attainable

When we're going through the hardest times of our lives, the one thing we want is to have joy - to be able to rejoice and be happy. Yet when we're faced with our darkest moments, joy can seem too far away for us to grasp. However, with God joy is attainable.

Many times we look for joy through our circumstances or people, but that's the very reason why we find it hard to have joy. Joy becomes unattainable when we rely on it from others or our circumstances because people will fail us and life is not always perfect.

Life will have its ups and downs, but that shouldn't determine whether or not we have joy. Joy doesn't come from our circumstances, but from God alone.

Joy will always fill our hearts when we look for it in God. 

God himself clothes us with his joy. The enemy can only steal our joy if we let him. Psalm 30:11 says, "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy." 

God has the ability to take away our mourning and replace it with a spirit of joy and dancing. No matter how bad your circumstances may be, you can always have God's joy in you. While joy may seem impossible to attain during your darkest storms, it is possible with God. 

Don't let your circumstances tell you that you can't go through your storms without joy. 

Joy is attainable anytime and anywhere with God. 

Our joy can never be taken away from us because God will never fail us. God's promises hold true, and when we are living in his will, we can be sure that he will use our struggles for His glory and our good. 

Psalm 89:33 is God's promise to you, which says, "I will not take my love away, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness." God's love for you will never fail and he is always faithful - rest in his promises and you will always find his never-ending joy. 

God's plan is for you is to have a life full of joy and not sorrow. Although you will go through seasons of hardships and struggles, you can rest knowing that God's plan for you is good even when things look bad. Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Seek God's presence in the midst of your struggles and you will find yourself filled with his joy. God's presence always follows with his joy. So remember, joy is attainable. 

Face Your Wilderness

The wilderness is a scary and lonely place - a place where none of us would ever volunteer to walk through. But there's a reason why God may be calling us into the wilderness and that is to receive what we could never receive outside the wilderness. Will you face your wilderness? 

We all have our own version of what our "wilderness" may be. Your wilderness may be getting laid off from a job, not getting accepted into your dream college, or maybe having to let go of a relationship that you so dearly cherished.

 My wilderness was walking into singleness.  

Just the thought of being single scared me. It felt as if I was really stuck in a scary and dark wilderness all alone. Life is tough as it is, and the thought of having to face it alone made it even harder.  

I couldn't understand why God would call me to such a place of loneliness and hardship. I mean if God was good, why would he tell me to go to this wilderness? 

But through much time alone with God, he opened my eyes to see that the wilderness isn't all that bad. While on the outside the wilderness may seem like the worst place to ever be at, it's in the wilderness that we become strengthened in the word of God like never before. 

The wilderness is the place where God prepares us for His great plans for us. 

Even Jesus himself had to go through the wilderness before he started his ministry. Right after Jesus got baptized, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Matthew 4:1 says, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." 

Jesus was parched from not eating or drinking for 40 days and 40 nights and he was alone. On top of that, he was tempted by the devil. But through the wilderness, Jesus learned to rely on the word of God alone. Jesus would reply with, "It is written" for every temptation that was thrown at him by the devil. 

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus tells the devil, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" The wilderness was the perfect place for Jesus to learn to depend on the word of God, and it is also the perfect place for us to learn as well.

We must learn to use the word of God to overcome the schemes of the enemy - to say "It is written" over all temptations and obstacles we face. 

After Jesus overcame his wilderness, he started his ministry full of power through the Holy Spirit. He began to preach and heal everywhere he went. Matthew 4:24 says, "News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases..." 

God wants to use our lives just as mightily as Jesus's life, and the only way for that to happen is for us to go through the wilderness. God has plans to use us in ways our minds cannot even fathom. With great power, we must have great faith. The only way for our faith to grow and be strengthened is to face the temptations of the wilderness. 

It's in these moments that we learn to rely on the word of God as we go through hardships. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active.." The word of God has the power to strengthen us and cut through all our temptations and doubts. Ephesians 6:17 describes the word of God as the sword of the Spirit. God has given us his word so that we could be overcomers and live life in his freedom. 

What wilderness has God called you to? Will you trust God and be still in the midst of temptations and hardships? Even if it hurts? Even when it's hard? 

There's a reason for the season you're in. Don't run away from your wilderness, but press on knowing that God has a purpose for this season of hardship. The wilderness may be the place where we're stripped away from everything, but it's also the place where we receive the all that God has for us - his presence and provision. So remember, face your wilderness. 

Prayer: "Lord, give me the courage to step out to where you're calling me to go. I know you will be with me every step of the way."