Tag: be encouraged

YouTube Channel Announcement

Good Evening, my friends. I am excited to share news of my new adventure with you. For the longest time, I talked about doing a podcast. I may still do that sometime in the future. But for now, God has led me in the direction of a YouTube Channel.

My plan is to start posting short devotional videos, Mon to Fri. I should be able to start posting them in early November 2023. I feel God has given me a ministry to enlighten and encourage the body of Christ to fully focus on him. My blog is called God Focus. The YouTube devotionals will be called God Focus This Morning. I will be sharing longer videos containing bible studies, testimonies and encouraging words as God leads.

You can watch my first video by clicking on the picture above. Like, Share and Subscribe to my channel so you do not miss what the Lord is doing in and through my life. I will keep you updated. Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS.

Bringing Down Walls

I’ve often read the story of the walls of Jerico. It was always a miracle that the walls fell. But until recently, I didn’t realize that the walls were so thick that chariots raced on top of the wall at least three wide. Now it seems even more amazing just how awesome our God is. I used to wonder why the men on top of the wall didn’t attack those who rode around. They would have been easy to pick off, just marching in circles. But God had told them to be silent and just march. The only answer I can come up with is that the people of Jerico didn’t feel threatened by them marching around. It wasn’t until the last time they circled that they shouted. When they did, God brought down the walls of the city of Jerico and God’s people were triumphant.

 Joshua 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

In 1982, Pastor Christian Fuhrer of Leipzig’s St Nicholas Church started a weekly prayer meeting to pray for peace and deliverance from the communist regime in East Germany. Although the authorities watched everyone closely, including churches. They didn’t pay any attention to the pastor or his church because not many showed up to prayer meetings.

After consistently having prayer meetings, the number of people grew, and on Oct 9, 1989, an estimated 70,000 people showed up for a protest. A month later, the Berlin Wall fell, and they were free. This wall fell by prayer and people standing up for the right thing.

Today, we have walls of a different kind. They are not actually made of brick or stone.  Some are personal walls of fear, anxiety, jealousy, negativity, sin, hate, anger or depression, for a few examples. Others are walls of political and economic policies of our government. These walls can only be brought down by God.  Like the walls of Jerico, these things are often massive borders that prevent us from living in victory.

The only way we can see these walls crumble to the ground is through prayer. The only way deliverance will come is through prayer. We can speak words of victory. We can shout to the Lord and cry out for freedom.  He is there to deliver us and help us to tear down the things that are in our way.  Victory can be ours if we do what God tells us. He will cause the walls to crumble. God will transform our walls into victory if we will just shout out to him.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

REAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

II Tim 4:3-5  (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  (5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

We are in these times right now. People don’t want to hear the gospel. They want preachers to be motivational speakers. They want them to tell them how great they are and how God is going to bless them, even though many of them are full of sin.

I believe in motivational speakers, the REAL ones of generations gone by; they preached hell so hot that it motivated you to live a pure life.  The sermons were so hot they purified like gold tried in a fire. I want a preacher to be honest and not tell me it’s all wonderful.  I need the toe-stomping gospel that makes me want to be better.

If we are okay and everything is wonderful, we have no motivation to change and grow.  Fruit will not be produced in our lives if we are convinced that we are wonderful. Paul warned Timothy to watch in all things.  In other words, be careful what you do.

Paul also told Timothy to endure afflictions. He didn’t tell him that life was wonderful and everything was perfect.  He told him to endure afflictions. Things in this life will often shake us and cause us pain.  As children of God, we have to deal with the pressures of life, like everyone. But God is there to help us carry our burdens and will help us through our situations.

Bring back the days of the truth; it is time the church grew up and got rid of the fables. We need to be ever-vigilant to keep our feet on the correct path. God has some preachers that are true and right. Find them and support them in any way you can, because they are under tremendous pressure.

Study the word and know who is preaching to you.  Not every one that carries a bible and gets behind the pulpit is sent by God. Satan also sends preachers to destroy, divide and confuse the truth. We have to know the word for ourselves so we can judge within our hearts if what they are speaking is the truth.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

THE LESSON(S) OF ALONE

JOB 23:8-10  Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: (9) On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:  (10) But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Lately, I have had several friends comment that they feel like God is not near to them.  They say they cannot feel his presence.  I have been there at times in my spiritual walk with God. I understand how it can feel like you are alone. Job probably felt this more strongly than any of us. 

God allowed him to be tested by the enemy.  In that test, he proved to be true and faithful.  As gold tried in the fire. When gold ore is mined out of the ground, it has a lot of minerals, dirt and impurities.  The ore has to be put into an extremely hot fire and melted. During the melting process, dirt and other impurities cannot withstand the fire. They burn up.

The story of the three Hebrew men who were put into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar. This is a literal example of how we are often tested.  But they did not fear the fire. They knew their God would deliver them.  We must know that “OUR GOD” will deliver us out of the fire.

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Do not allow the trials of life or the feeling that you are all alone to cause you to fear or worry.  God is right there with you.  He was with the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace; he was with Job when he felt alone; he will be with you, too.

Sometimes, like Job, we have miserable comfort. People mean well but do not have the right perspective and their advice is not always sound. We must always filter other’s advice with a bible filter.  In other words, does their advice line up with God’s word? Is it sound according to what I believe God is telling me or has told me in the past.

Other times, God will isolate us from people too.  This could be because of a season of transition for us. He is preparing us for the next level in him. The distraction of people will often taint this process, so God isolates us from the influence.

I Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

There are many in-depth studies out there about gold and the way it is processed.  The process is compared to our walk with God. I will not take the time to go into great detail here. However, it is something interesting to dig deeper into if you have time. I hope I have said enough about the process to encourage you that if you faint not, you will reap in faith and blessings.

Look at the story of Job; when he was done with the process, God abundantly blessed him. I think that many times, the trial is taking out something within us that will hinder our next level of God’s presence and blessing.  Until it is gone, whatever it may be, we cannot level up. Embrace the times of isolation. He is there even when you don’t feel His presence or see His hand moving.

Keep on being faithful to what God has given you to do, even in times of isolation.

Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

JUST A CLOSER WALK

 “Just a closer walk with thee….Grant it, Jesus is my plea…Daily walking close to thee…let it be, dear Lord, let it be.” The old hymn has a sentiment that many Christians share.  Our desire is a closer walk with God.  On one hand, I would say we can’t get any closer, he is inside us.

But I understand the sentiment of the feeling.  I often feel I could do more to build my relationship with Him. He wants time with us. I often get busy doing all the Christian things and must remind myself to slow down, sit quietly, and wait for Him to fill my cup back up.

As we go out and try to be Jesus to the world, we often pour out and pour out until we have nothing left to pour. Sitting quietly and meditating on His Word is a good way to refill our cup. As we meditate on Him and the Word, He will pour into the emptiness of our vessel.

When we ask to be stronger and have a closer walk, we are really telling Him to allow trials and tribulations in our lives. How else will we draw closer to Him? How else will we become spiritually stronger? How else can our lives be a testimony unless we are tested?

It is kind of like praying for patience.  It seems like if you ask for patience, the whole world is determined to do things that irritate you beyond belief.

James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The trying of our faith helps us to be patient. Being patient builds experience that gives us hope.  In the darkest times of life, we need hope that things will get better. Hope helps us to have faith that God will see us through whatever we face. It doesn’t matter how big the mountain or deep the valley is; we never walk alone. That is the greatest comfort we have as children of God. That we are never alone. We also have the comfort of knowing that God will take care of it all. We have no reason to fear.

Isaiah 43:1-2 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.   2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

As we face our Red Sea, our lion’s den or fiery furnace, we have comfort knowing God can handle it. We will not drown, be torn apart or even smell like smoke from the fire. God has it all planned out and will lead and guide us every step of the way. He will deliver his people; we have this hope in the depths of our souls that he is with us. If we walk with Him and pray, “Just a closer walk with thee.”

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

WHAT IS IN YOUR BOX?

All the accounts of the gospels tell of the woman who anointed Jesus with precious ointment. This was for Jesus’ burial, even though she didn’t realize it. All she knew was that she loved Jesus and wanted to honor him. The oil was very expensive, but she didn’t care about the cost; she wanted to give him her best. It has been said that the alabaster box was a one-time-use vessel.  It had a narrow neck, and to use what was inside, it had to be broken. Once broken, the contents could spill out.

God is wanting us to give him the precious ointment of our worship.  He desires us to spend time with him and give him the contents of our hearts.  His presence will break our hearts and cause us to spill out everything hidden inside. He is there to bring healing to our broken hearts. 

Worship is more than a song or lifting your hand in praise. It is an act that shows God your love for him. Like the woman with the alabaster box, this was an act of worship. Many things can be seen as worship. Simply taking a walk in the woods and thinking about God’s amazing love. Thanking and praising him for who he is and what he has done.

I sit quietly and ponder what I have that I can pour out to God?  What has he given me that I can give back to him? What is the valuable oil that he wants from me? He desires our willingness to give our all. He wants us to pour out our whole hearts to him in a sweet ointment of worship.  He will pour out the presence of his anointing on us in return.

Psalm 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 99:5 “Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.”

Take a little quiet time to think about the gift we give God in worship.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LET PRAISE GO BEFORE YOU

Lazarus had died, the mourners were with the family. In a normal situation, this was the end.  He had been buried.  But Jesus came on the scene. He didn’t make a big production.  Jesus asked that they roll away the stone that sealed the cave where Lazarus was placed. He simply said a prayer for the sake of the crowd that had gathered, then said, “Lazarus, come forth.” Soon, Lazarus came walking out of the tomb.  He was still bound in his grave clothes and had his face covered with a napkin.  It took others to set him free of his grave clothes.

To look at the modern church, one might say we were all but buried.  Jesus is calling us to come forth. He is calling for the warriors to arise. He is calling for the army to be who we must be in this day. Every day, we need to put on our whole armor and go to battle.  Satan is after the body of Christ.  If he can keep us depressed and stressed, we cannot focus on our task. 

Many are still bound by their grave clothes. It is up to us to help set them free. We can overcome and set them free if we get down to the business of serious prayer.  The enemy is not going to be defeated with a ten-minute prayer in the morning and a ten-minute prayer at night. These are serious times, and it is going to take serious warriors.

Are you a prayer warrior? It doesn’t take any special skill to pray.  It just takes an investment of prayer in a quiet place. The biggest enemy of a full prayer life is distraction.  The enemy will do all he can to distract us.  But we will not be defeated.  We will overcome because the power of God is within us.

Take time to be an encourager, reaching out to someone struggling and helping them get free of the grave clothes of fear, anxiety, depression, distraction and being overly busy. We can win the battle if we go to fight.  All God requires is for us to show up with worship and prayer.

I often use the story of Jehosophat.  He was in a horrible predicament. He had three armies coming against him at one time.  It looked like, in the natural there was no way he could win.  But God told him to go out to fight and that the Lord would fight for them.  Jehosophat sent his worshippers in the front to go before them with praise.

We can fight the enemy better, if we enter into God’s presence with praise and worship.  This will get God’s attention and he will fight our battles.  He only wants us to lean on Him.

2 Chr 20:15-18 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.   16 Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.  18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. 

I love this story because it shows how good our God is to deliver those who trust Him.  We, too can trust Jesus to deliver us from the things the enemy has planned. We have to stand strong, stay in the word and pray like we have never prayed before now.  It is almost time to march out against the enemy. Make sure you go to battle with your praise and worship in the forefront.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

WAIT

What to do in the transition? This is a major question many Christians find themselves asking often of the Lord. If you have been a Christian any period of time, more than likely, you have been through a transition. The big question is, what do we do in the wait? This is the hard part to walk through. One door has closed, but the next one has not opened.  We find ourselves in a hallway with several possibilities and we ask God, which door?

He answers, wait. That is a word we do not want to hear.  But in God’s amazing timing, He is working out all the details behind the door, he will eventually unlock for us. I read a quote that says, “If God shuts a door, praise him in the hallway.” That is a good place to start. Prayer and praise is something we need to do every day, even in the waiting.

It is in the “wait” that we learn to trust. We learn to stand still and know that God works things out for our good.  We gain strength in our Christian walk when we “wait” on the Lord. The main thing to remember is to keep talking to God about it.

Phil 4:6-7  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

God is not nervous about our situations in life. If we can get to the place where we fully and completely trust him, we will not be nervous either. God will give us peace that is beyond anything we can comprehend if we learn to lean on him in the “wait.”

LEAVEN

Paul wrote letters to many different churches. The church in Galatia was one of them. Each church had its own issues. The church in Galatia was having problems with legalism and false teaching. Paul wrote that there is only one gospel.

Gal 1:6-9  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

How do we know what is right? How would those followers have known?

Gal 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

There is only one gospel, one body, one Lord, one Faith and one baptism. Man has, through ignorance or blatant deception, twisted the gospel into what the church looks like today. For us to be effective, we will have to find unity in the Word.  If we would all sincerely ask for God to search our hearts and our theology, we may find that God would start removing some things from our ideas of what it means to serve Him.

I pray often, “Empty me of me and the ideas that I have which are not from you Lord. Fill me with the things I need to know. Guide me to do what you have created me to do.”

Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.  When baking bread from scratch, you need to make sure you have the right ingredients. There has to be yeast to get the bread to rise. Paul used this analogy to explain a little bit of false teaching can change the whole body of Christ.

In Mark 8:15 Jesus warned them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Hearod. In other words their false teachings and ideas.  Jesus came to change the world. Just as a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump of dough, what we would consider a tiny sin or little bit of false teaching can have an extensive influence.

If we walk in the Spirit, He will lead us into all truth. Then, we will be wise enough to not fall for false teachings. He went on to explain that we will reap what we sow. That is an entire study alone.  But in summary, if we sow good things and follow God’s word, we will reap good things.

It is up to each of us to study to know the word and understand our role as Christians. II Tim 2:15-Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It is our responsibility to pray for guidance to walk in God’s love.  We are in times when lines are being drawn in the sand.  We need to be sure that we stand for the truth of God’s word. Do not allow the leaven of the world to ruin what we need to be for the cause of Christ.

God’s Desire

There are days when the words flow so quickly that I cannot type fast enough. God inspires me in the smallest ways.  Other days, like today, I stare at a blank page and ask God for revelation. I always depend on him to pour into me, something that will bring you encouragement.  Sometimes, I stare for a while, like today.  I have had random thoughts and do not see the connection. Nothing I read in the Word today inspired an article.  I sat with worship music in the background quietly.  It is a sweet melody. I recognize and think of the words in my head.

Jesus are you there? Are you going to give me inspiration? I feel him say not yet.  I ask why Lord, you know I am doing this all for you? He says, “Your fellowship right now is more important than what you do.”  So, I sat quietly in worship. “Open the floodgates of heaven…let it rain.”  His presence filled the room, and I was refreshed. He is never far away. But He wants our undivided attention. More than anything, we say or do for him.  He just wants us to love Him. To slow down and sit with Him. 

In the quiet, I was reminded how much he loves me and wants only good for me. He reminded me, as I often do you, to keep my God focus. I am a very goal-oriented, to-do list kind of person. It is hard for me to slow down and sit quietly. In the quiet, we realize how much we need His sweet presence. It is awesome to worship with our church family. But there is something special about the one-on-one time.

Matt 5:6-Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

If we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we are actually wanting God. Because He is righteous.

I Chr. 16:10-11  10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

Without God’s anointing, anything we attempt is just our ability. Any message, song, lesson, any type of ministry is just earthly understanding. But God can take our effort, add a little anointing and that same lesson, song etc. can change the world.

I heard a preacher say that when God fills your cup, it’s for you. But, when it overflows, it is for others. May the overflow of my quiet time today (that you will read tomorrow) fill your day with inspiration to sit quietly and listen.  He wants to tell you he loves you, too. I ask that you take today’s lesson of remembrance to heart and find quiet time to just love Him and listen for his thoughts concerning you. May we never get too busy to stop and have alone time with our Heavenly Father.

Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS