Month: October 2018

The God of Jacob

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2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Philippians 3:13-14 forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Beloved, we are redeemed by the Blood of Jesus therefore though we aren’t perfect we can still be used by a perfect God. Amen to that! Many of us bible-quoting, tongue-speaking disciples of God sometimes need to get off our high horses and begin to see people the way God sees them. It is established that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham was a role model except for when he acted like a wimp because of fear and wouldn’t say Sarah was his wife causing Abimelech to take her until God intervened. I believe Isaac was also a role model and one of the reasons being that he kept his cool when the Philistines kept striving with him covering his wells. But on this glorious day that the Lord has made, I’d like to focus on the God of Jacob the supplanter.

Friends, the God of Jacob is the God of imperfect people like many of us. He is the God of the woman at the well who had had many husbands and was now cohabiting with her boyfriend! Because of Jesus’ approach to her, she became an Evangelist! The God of Jacob is the God who gave Prophet Hosea the go ahead to marry a harlot! The God of Jacob is the God who used Rahab (a celebrated harlot) mightily and she became an ancestor in the lineage of Jesus our savior. The God of Jacob is the God of Zaccheus – a tax collector who was ostrasized and much hated (I’m sure by very religious people). Beloved, the love Jesus showed to Zaccheus made him restitute and return the money he had swindled from everyone in multiplefold.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s best to be in the perfect will of God, however, some are in the permissive will of God and are still being mightily used of God because they have put away their evil doings and have made themselves available to God.

What am I saying???? Friends, we need to push the delete button. When the devil and his cohorts (sometimes humans) reminds us of our past, let’s remind him of his future. God does not wish to write us off. He doesn’t judge us the way others do. He (God) bypassed David’s legitimate brothers and anointed him king! Adonijah was called “Beautiful” but God chose Solomon – a product of adultery to be king. Let’s get rid of negative labels and not let that be our identities. Our identities in Christ is not determined by our performances, where we are from, how much we can pray, how much we can fast, how much we can bind and loose, cast out demons, etc. In the eyes of God, there is neither Jew nor Greek. Male and female He created them in His image.

People of God, we have treasure in earthen vessels. May God give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that we may be called the trees of righteousness and the planting of the Lord. In the majestic name of Jesus, we shall no more be termed forsaken nor desolate because the Lord delights in us. May we be called Hephzibah and Beulah. May the Almighty make our wilderness to be like Eden and our desert like the garden of the Lord. Be encouraged. Remain blessed in the victorious name of Jesus.

Borrow Not a Few…

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2 Kings 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

The bible says in Psalms 5:12 that God will bless the righteous and surround him with favor as a shield. May God release a mega dose of favor upon someone reading this in the majestic name of Jesus! The wealth of the unjust is laid up for the just (prov. 13:22). I pray that there shall be an automatic wealth transfer from the unjust into the hand of God’s children in the victorious name of Jesus. Friends, God’s resources are unlimited; let’s not limit Him with our mediocre thinking.

Luke 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

There’s an account in the Luke 16:21 about a beggar who DESIRED CRUMBS from a rich man’s table! Why couldn’t he desire better things for himself? What mindset did he have? Could it be his condition? Let’s not allow our present situations or circumstances make us look down on ourselves. We have been created in God’s image and have different anointings. God called some Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors, Prophets, Teachers (Eph. 4:11-16). Can you imagine if everyone were pastors???? Beloved, with God, you are a majority. No one is better than you. We are not less than other gifted people. Even in a company, the boss is not better than the janitor. If we try to be like other people, then we are no longer the original God created but a cheap copy. May that not be our portions in Jesus’ mighty name.

Elisha told the widow whose husband left her in debt to go borrow empty vessels and specified that she should not borrow a few. Beloved, let’s not “borrow a few” vessels with our thinking!!! Nothing is too big for our God. Eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has in store for His children.

Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

Beloved, God takes pleasure in your prosperity therefore let’s make room for increase. Your vision is your future. Whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve. The earth is waiting for your manifestation and in the majestic name of Jesus, YOU WILL MANIFEST!

You are blessed going in, coming out, in the city, and in the field! I pray that God will catapault you to a new dimension. May you experience explosive miracles! May God do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think. May your barns be filled with wheat. May you have plenty of corn and wine. May you begin to enjoy the precious things put forth by the sun, moon, ancient mountains and lasting hills. May your head never lack oil. May your garment be always white. May you burst out with new wine in the victorious name of Jesus 😊

Happiness is a Choice

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Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath

Friends, we are responsible for our own happiness.   Let’s put on our robe of righteousness through Jehovah Tsekinu. Offenses will come. Let’s put on our shoes of peace and have a “God-bless-you-anyway” attitude to everyone that wrongs us. Let’s not take the bait because it’ll only make us bitter and bitterness is like poison. Let’s rest assured that God will make our wrongs right. To the pure all things are pure. The stone the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

Friends, let’s be determined not to be easily offended. Let’s be quick to forgive and not allow offenses to take root. Paul said Alexander the coppersmith did him wrong but he will leave it to God. We shouldn’t be overly sensitive. Let’s not wear our feelings on our sleeves. We should be secure enough to overlook faults and let things go. When people do us wrong, they may have deep issues that we know nothing about. Be determined to see the positive. Love covers a multitude of sin. It also covers injustices done to you. Choose to walk in love.  By not repaying their evil for evil, we may inspire them to come up higher.

Anytime someone is just pain old nasty to me (and trust me some tongue speaking people sometimes are),  I go out of my way to do something kind and nice for them. It’s like a secret weapon. Afterall Jesus died for us when we were yet sinners. Let’s be quick to show mercy and pray for the people that do us wrong. I personally cannot afford to be bitter because God cannot use a bitter person. I make a conscious effort to keep my vessel pure so that God can continue to use me for His glory. I pray  in the mighty name of Jesus that you will be a crown of glory and a royal diadem in God’s hands.

Shake off the dust of discouragement, malice, and revenge. Encourage yourself in the Lord like David. Remember that you have a crown of favor. God will vindicate you as you pursue peace and walk in love.

Believe the best in people. Give them the benefit of a doubt. Trust me, I am well aware that some bible quoting, tongue-speaking brethren sometimes DELIBERATELY want to hurt, annoy, and/or be mean to you. Leave them to the God who sees all things and knows what’s in the heart of everyone. The God who sees in secret (secret pains, tears, hurts, and injustices done to us) openly rewards.

Come what may, let’s CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY. We can’t control how people act. We can, however, control how we react. We overcome evil by doing good to those who aren’t good to us. This is one of the things that sets us apart from unbelievers.

Psalm 24:3-4 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Friends, let us keep our hearts free from offences. Let’s cover one another’s faults and be generous with mercy. Let’s sow seeds of kindness to those who are unkind to us and watch how God will multiply it back to us in multiplefolds. I hope I have encouraged someone today. Remain blessed in the awesome name of Jesus.

Lessons From Zacchaeus

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Luke 19:2-3 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
There are MANY lessons to be learned from the account of Zacchaeus. Though he was wealthy, he was VERY unhappy one and felt a need for an encounter with Jesus. He was a tax collector who made extra money by over-taxing innocent people. He probably was very much hated by the people. I can bet that this rich man (Zaccheus) had no peace. Beloved, if you don’t have Jesus, YOU CAN’T HAVE PEACE. Zaccheus most likely was always looking over his shoulders to see if someone was trying to harm him. All the money he swindled from people obviously did not bring him happiness or peace. The most important lesson here is that Zacchaeus realized a need for an encounter with Jesus. He was so desperate for Jesus that he climbed up a tree so that he could get a better view of Jesus.
 Luke 19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
Beloved, God sees your heart. If you genuinely long for him (his word, his will, his ways, etc) he will fill you with more than enough. He is El-Shaddai (more than enough). The bible says “blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). The bible also says “draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8). Jesus, who knew how much Zacchaeus longed for him, told him to come down quickly because he would pay him a visit at his home!
 Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
When God sees that you genuinely long for him, you become a V.I.P. in his sight no matter what you may have done in the past. With God, old things are passed away and all things are become new. The bible says “ALL” who come to God, He will in no wise cast out (John 6:37). The blood of Jesus cleanses from ALL sins!!!
Jesus received Zacchaeus with open arms regardless of his past (and regardless of what people would say or think). Friends, the love that Jesus showed Zacchaeus made him to repent and make restitutions! He vowed to return everyone’s money to them in multiplefold (Luke 19:8). The people murmured and said Jesus was visiting a sinner (Luke 19:7) but Jesus answered those people by saying he came for the lost (Luke 19:10). Beloved, let him that is without sin cast the first stone (John 8:7). We need to remove the log in our own eyes before we talk about the speck in our brother’s eyes (Matthew 7:3).
Beloved, let him that think he standeth take heed lest he falls (1 Cor. 10:12). We may be saved, sanctified, spirit-filled, highly-committed, and hopefully heaven bound. GREAT!!! We must not look down on anyone because no matter what level they are today, they are still the “Lazarus, whom Jesus loves”. And a day is coming soon when Jesus will say concerning them “I go to wake him up!!!
You may be reading this message and think you have messed up so much that there is no hope for you. My word for you today is this: Micah 7:8 – Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me!!! No matter how many times you may have fallen, you will arise again in the mighty name of Jesus and you shall laugh last. The bible says a just man falls seven times and rises up again (Proverbs 24:16). The bible says in psalm 37:23-24 that though a good man falls, he will not be utterly cast down because the Lord uphold him:
Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
Beloved, the Lord will uphold you in the mighty name of Jesus! Contrary to popular belief, God is a God of MANY chances (not just second chances). If he was a God of only second chances, many of us would have used up both chances by now (myself included). He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy (Psalm 103:8). Do not listen to the lie of the devil that tells people they have messed up so much that God can’t use them again. God says in the bible that ALL who comes to him, he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37). There is great joy in heaven over one sinner that repents (Lk. 15:7). Rend your hearts and not your garments (Joel 2:13).God does not desire your burnt offerings but a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:7). The bible asks us that shall we continue in sin and hope grace abounds? GOD FORBID!!! Make up your minds TODAY to arise, shine, for thy light is come (Isaiah 60:1).
I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that we will see everyone the way Jesus sees them and embrace EVERYONE regardless of their differences. Remain blessed in the mighty name of Jesus!

A Godly Approach To Conflict Resolution

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Friends, as children of God working in His vineyard it is not uncommon to disagree from time to time or have difference in opinions. We may sometimes not see things eye to eye though we might have admirable motives. Even if two “angels” were married to each other, they would have conflicts. You may be wondering what conflict could two ANGELS possibly have? Here’s one example:
While one might think it’s a great idea to praise God 24/7 because that’s why we were all created – to praise and worship God, right? The other might have “other things” in mind like the honeymoon, the consummation of the marriage…are you following? Okay. Now both appear to have valid points of view because it is good to praise God 24/7. Isn’t it? It is also important for two married couples to “spend time” with one another and certainly consummate the marriage. So here we are with two “angels” knocking heads with each other and they both appear to have admirable points of view!
Let’s take another look at Mary and Martha. I have often heard people say “don’t be the Martha that does not matter…” But I beg to differ with that statement. I think Martha has a ministry that really matters. While, Mary wanted to sit and learn at the feet of Jesus which Jesus said was the right path, if Martha wasn’t busy with the chores like cooking and cleaning, who would’ve done them? So there is room for both Mary’s and Martha’s in God’s kingdom!!! The only problem I see is that Martha got frustrated and reported Mary to Jesus. She felt Mary was just sitting down while she was doing all the work. I feel she could’ve handled it differently. She could’ve politely asked Mary to help her as she was overwhelmed.
Similarly, in churches today, modern-day “Martha’s” could ask the “Mary’s” for help. Many modern-day “Mary’s just desire to “learn at the feet of Jesus” . The Martha’s love to be busy and some of them are natural leaders. But there should be a balance because many Martha’s are too busy and don’t hear the sermon and are not well grounded in the word!!! Mary’s should also offer their assistance when the need arises even though it is a settled matter that they love to learn at the feet of Jesus.
Martha’s could say to the “Mary’s” “there is an upcoming event and I need all hands on deck…I’d really appreciate your help…in fact, I am counting on it” Beloved, I have heard many times that it is easier to get something from someone with honey than with vinegar. Your approach is of essence. If modern day “Martha’s” come at Mary’s the wrong way (as is the case many times), it may not be a pretty sight. May God season our speech with salt that we may minister grace unto the hearer in the mighty name of Jesus!
Beloved, difference in opinions does not have to lead to bickering or resentment as is the case may times. The bible tells us we should not let the sun go down with our anger. It also tells us that even if our brethren upset us seventy times seven times, we should still forgive! Some claim they have forgive but still have people in their black book (for lack of a better word). MAY OUR PRAYERS NOT BE LIKE THE BARKING OF A DOG! We must learn to compromise. Let us always ask ourselves:  what would Jesus do in this situation? The bible says “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…”
Beloved, we must realize that everyone cannot be like us. Neither can people  meet our expectations at every given time. Though we may have flaws, we are also all gifted in diverse ways. We are not in competition but in complementation in that we “complement” one another as members of one Body of Christ. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that our hearts will be big enough to embrace everyone! I pray that we will be tolerant of the differences in others. May God take us from grace to grace and from glory to glory in Jesus’ mighty name!
This message is an excerpt from my ebook titled “In His Vineyard” and can be emailed to you today at no cost with a purchase of any other of my inspirational ebooks. Beloved, my ebooks cost $5.00 (five dollars) and can be read from your smartphones, iPads, or computer.