Post Coming Up Later...

Hey everyone! I have a speaking engagement today, and I'm really excited! I'll have some Ti on this afternoon.

Thanksgiving Friday!

Today I am thankful that I am about to experience a weekend full of purpose!

My church will be showcasing a gospel play called "Who Will You Answer?" this weekend. I helped to write this play, and I'll be doing the sound and lights for the performances. It is so cool to see something that you created bless other people. This play always gets rave reviews, and I'm praying for more souls to be added to the Kingdom as a result of all of my church's hard work in ministry.

This weekend I'll also be preparing to give a commencement address on Monday. I was truly honored to be considered, and I'm excited to have a speaking engagement talking to youth. It's my life's passion, and I'm glad for the opportunity to walk in purpose.

Lord, thank You for blessing me with the opportunity to honor You on this weekend! I give you praise for blessing me with creativity, leadership, and vision in order to get these things accomplished this weekend. I thank You for Your Holy Spirit who is always there to guide and direct my footsteps. I honor Your name because I have no reason to fear. You brought these opportunities, and I can go forward with assurance knowing that You are there to back me up.

What are you thankful for this week? Go ahead and thank your God for His blessings!

Verse of the Day: O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. Psalm 96:1-4

Big God

What's so great about God is that He can never be fathomed or contained. As long as man has been on the earth, as many scholars and ministers have searched the Scriptures, as deep as people have progressed in their knowledge of God - there is so much more that has gone untapped. We will never reach the limit. We will never know it all.

That's how big our God is. That's how great our Lord is. That's how much higher than us He is.

I take comfort in my great, big God. Because of His grandness, He comes up with solutions that I would never dream of. He finds ways to bless me that I could never figure out on my own. He's set up principles in His Kingdom that will cause me to live a blessed and favored life as I follow after His instructions.

He is so amazing!

What have you learned about your big God lately? How has your relationship with Him been enriched as you've gotten to know the Lord? What things in the Word have you come across that you are excited to learn and apply to your life?

Take some time today to give God some praise and thanksgiving. If you haven't had any new revelations about your big God lately, spend some time in His presence and in His Word and listen to what He reveals to you. Every day is a new opportunity for you to grow in God!

Verse of the Day: I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. Psalm 145:1-3

Showing Love for All

In 2 Kings chapter 5 we find the story of a young girl who was taken into captivity by the Syrians. She was made a slave to the wife of one of the captains who defeated her country. Yet even while enslaved, the young girl displayed the love of God.

Her master, Naaman, was a leper. Seeing his sickness, the young girl spoke up. She mentioned to his wife that Naaman should go see the man of God because she knew that Naaman could be healed if he went to see him. As a result of this young girl's suggestion, her master was ultimately healed after following the prophet Elisha's instructions.

This young woman had every right to be bitter. She was taken captive from her home and she was now forced to be a slave to a family of her enemy. But, this young woman was not bitter. She recognized a need and knew how it could be fixed. She spoke up in faith believing that God would heal even her enemy. In showing her faith in God, she was able to give Naaman his miracle and ultimately show him that the Lord was the one true God.

Are you in a "captive" situation? Do you find yourself working with someone or in a situation that you see as totally against your favor? Don't get so caught up in what you see as a slight that you allow bitterness and anger to cloud your vision. Choose to remain full of God's love. Bless those that curse you. Do good to those who despitefully use you.

As you showcase God's love - even to your enemies - He may point out some problems that only He can fix. As you speak up in faith, you may be just the instrument to bring someone their miracle and ultimately lead them to the Lord.

Verse of the Day: And he [Naaman] returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel... 2 Kings 5:15a

No Need to Fear

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  - 1 John 4:18

I love this Scripture because at one time I had a problem of fear. I used to be afraid to talk to people, I was afraid of messing up, I was fearful of other people's views of me... I had so many worries and concerns that plagued my mind.

Yet in this verse I learned that there was no reason for me to be afraid. As I allowed God's perfect love to envelop me and to fill me, I experienced a strength and assurance that drove away fear.

God's love is so strong that He would do anything to save you. He gave up His only Son, so you could live. His love placed you in the right moment in time, the right family, the right country, with the right abilities and talents to fulfill your destiny. His love for you is so great He makes Himself available to talk to you whenever you want. He allows you to experience His awesome presence and to hear His personal words of wisdom straight to you.

With love like that, what do you have to fear?

There is no circumstance that can beat you. There is nothing a human being can do to you to cause you to fall. There is no sickness that can overpower you. There is no mountain that can block you. You have no reason to be afraid.

Why? Because God's love is for you. With His love, God will make sure you succeed. He will make sure your destiny in Him is fulfilled. He will take care of your every need and destroy your every foe.

All you have to do is allow His love to lead. All you have to do is trust in the love that saved you. All you have to do is allow yourself to become perfected in His love.

Verse of the Day: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:16, 17

Stormy Days

Life is full of changes. We have days where everything seems to go right. We have days where everything seems to be falling apart. There are times that the sun shines bright, and there are times when the wind blows, rain falls, and clouds block our skies.

Stormy days have a way of unsettling us. No one likes to go through a storm. No one likes to have their world rocked beneath them. But, storms come to help us to grow. And, not all storms are bad.

In the Bible we have lots of examples of how storms can affect our lives.

Storms can come as a result of disobedience to God (sin). God decided to send a storm to cleanse the earth of sin. Only Noah, who was righteous in God's eyes was saved. Jonah ran straight into a storm that God caused because Jonah chose to run away from the call of God. It wasn't until Jonah volunteered to surrender his life that the storm quieted down.

But not all storms come as a result of sin.

A storm that Paul experienced also proved God's saving power. Even though the boat Paul was sailing on was completely destroyed, no one lost their lives and Paul was able to minister the gospel effectively to all that travelled with him.

Jesus used storms to point to the power of God as well. He showed the disciples that even the winds and the waves will obey words of faith. He showed Peter that you can even walk on water if you keep your eyes fixed on the Savior. Through Jesus' example we learn that we don't have to fear any storm that comes our way.

Maybe right now you are in the midst of a storm. Just because the winds may be blowing or the rain coming down, it doesn't mean that all is lost. This may be a signal that you need to ask God for forgiveness for a transgression that you did. Or it could be that you are going through a storm so someone else can see God's saving power. After you come through your storm unscathed, you'll be a better witness for the Kingdom.

Or, God may have possibly allowed your storm to come for you to use your faith. He may want you to grow in prayer or knowledge of His word. A storm may be just what you need to stand strong in the Lord and see what faith in Him can do.

So, yes, the wind blowing, rain falling, boat rocking, waves crashing, and dark skies may be the last thing that you want to experience. But God will never allow you to go through more than you can handle. There's a reason why you are going through the storm. Don't get so distracted with looking at the waves crashing around you that you start to sink. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and you will find yourself walking on solid ground while everything else is in chaos around you.

Verse of the Day: And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Mark 4:37-40

Thanksgiving Friday!

It's Friday, folks! How was your week? My week was awesome!

This week I'm thankful for open doors. I was just telling a friend that we should always to hope. In one conversation, one phone call, one visit, one meeting... our whole situation could turn around. Right now things may be looking gloomy, but in one minute our whole horizon could change!

THAT, my friends, is what happened to me this week. Not that things looked gloomy, but in a moment a whole new horizon opened up in front of me! Thank you, Lord, for the sudden change!

I'm also thankful for forgiveness this week. I try my best to make things right when I know I messed up. I'm so grateful to have loving friends and family who forgive me when I make mistakes. It's hard saying 'I'm sorry' sometimes, but it's easier to do when you know that the other person will forgive your error. And, even if they don't, I have a God who will always forgive me no matter what! Thank You, Father, for Your forgiveness.

Finally, I'm thankful for joy. Life wouldn't be worth living if you couldn't have joy in the midst of it. We all want to lead happy, fulfilled lives. God's joy helps us to do that. It gives us strength in times of weakness, and helps us through trying times. God's joy eases many pains. Thanks, God, for your joy!

What are you thankful for this week? What wonderful things has God done for you? Make sure you show Him some gratitude today!

Verse of the Day: And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25, 26