Tag: #beboldbebraveandkeepyourgodfocus

EPISODE 14–WARMING BY GOD’S FIRE

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “WARMING BY GOD’S FIRE”

Fire is necessary for our survival. When the weather is freezing outside, there is no better feeling than to come inside from the cold and snuggle by a fire. God can take the cold, cruel world and wrap us in the warmth of his Love.

The enemy knows when you are not on fire for God. He knows it is God’s fire inside of us that keeps us pure. Like fire burns all the dirt and impurities from Gold. The Holy Ghost fire, within us, burns away sin and impurities in our lives.

There are times we can step outside of God’s will. We grow cold and start following Jesus from a little farther away than we should. Fear and other things get between us and him.

Look at Peter. After Jesus was taken to be delivered up for punishment, Peter followed a far-off. For us, we would be going through the motions. We still attend service but do not participate. If we do, it is half-heartedly, more out of obligation than desire, until we grow cold. We start allowing the world to creep in and make us cold.

The word says our God is a consuming fire. The Holy Ghost is often referred to as a fire. It stands to reason that if we drift away from God, we will get cold. Sometimes, we are so cold that even the enemy’s fire can warm us up.

Why did Peter deny Christ? The two main reasons were weakness and fear. He was afraid of the enemy that had taken Christ into custody. He didn’t trust that God would deliver him.

Once Jesus was taken into custody, those who had taken him built a fire. Peter sat down with the enemy and warmed himself. As he sat there, someone said he was one of those with Jesus. Peter denied it. You can be sure if you spend any time with Jesus, the enemy will know it.

Even though Peter was not doing what he was supposed to do, Jesus knew what Peter would become in the future. When Peter denied Jesus the third time and the cock crowed, Jesus turned and looked at him.

I like to think that Peter, at that moment, realized where he was, warming himself by the enemy’s fire. He removed himself from that situation; the word says he wept bitterly. We have to remove ourselves from situations and people sometimes, before we can repent and get back on track by following Jesus close.

This moment in Peter’s life, I believe, was his turnaround moment. I believe the beginning of his getting enough boldness to stand for the gospel. He stood boldly on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost was sent to the church and declared, “This is that which was prophesied by Joel.” The world needs people today to stand boldly and declare the gospel. We will not be able to do that if we are warming ourselves by the enemy’s fire.

It was a shock to me when I first grasped the concept that those who crucified Jesus were the very ones who were the religious leaders of their day. They claimed to be looking for the Messiah. They were so corrupt and money-hungry that they didn’t even know him when he was standing in front of them.

This is where we are in the world today. Many say they believe in Jesus. They say they want a move of God. But really, they are so stuck in their feel-good, all is right with the world message. They miss Jesus, and they will miss the move of God because they follow him afar off.

They worship him with their lips, but their hearts are far away from him. They are warming themselves by the enemy’s fire. They have gotten comfortable by that fire so much that they no longer see Jesus looking at them to let them know they are denying him. They are happy at the enemy’s fire. Some have gone so far as to adopt the all-roads lead to god because god is known by many names’ messages. This is the biggest lie the enemy ever told.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.

Proverbs 14:12 says There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

None of the Greek gods, Baal, Buddha, Muhammed, or any other, suffered in agony many, many hours from being beaten beyond recognition to crucifixion to pay the price for my sins and yours.

We cannot allow the philosophies of this world or those that are confused to make us question our place. Which is not warming ourselves by the enemy’s fire. The way we keep from being deceived is to stay close to Jesus. Allowing his fire within to keep all the impurities burned out of our lives.

Who’s fire is keeping you warm? Often, we talk about the Holy Ghost being like fire and God is a consuming fire. God’s fire refines us and makes us better and stronger Christians. But, sometimes, we get out of God’s will. We allow the things of the world to creep in our way. We allow fear to get in our way and become bigger to us than God is in our lives.

Are you saying, Lord, fill me with your Holy Ghost? Keep me on fire for you so that I can grow and be what I need to be. Or are you living a way that you’re putting some distance between you and God because of people or situations in your life? Are you to the point that you’re denying him? When I ask, are you denying him, I’m not asking if you know God, but maybe denying him your time, your fellowship. Maybe you’re you’re denying God space in your life.

The further we get away from God, the colder we get. When we grow cold, we will look for warmth. We may end up warming by the enemy’s fire. So take time to Think about it. Remember, our God is a consuming fire. He’ll consume us without burning us up. It is something to ponder over the next few days. Who’s fire are you warming by? I pray it’s the right one.

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Thanks for spending a little time with me. I encourage you to devote time this week to getting closer to Jesus. Make sure you are warming by His Fire. Thanks for watching,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 13–LIGHT OF LIFE

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “LIGHT OF LIFE”

The world is in darkness, and moral decay is on the rise. The only answer is Jesus. We are called to be a light. It is our duty to show others the way to Jesus. Light and Darkness cannot exist in the same place; light will drive out the darkness. However, if we hide our light, it will seem smaller and smaller. The darkness will press in on all sides.

The word shining means to give out or reflect a bright light. We are to give out the light that God has given us. We need to reflect on the God inside of us.

John 8:12—Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Focus on that phrase for a moment, “the light of life.” Our life will have light once we have accepted Jesus and decided to follow him. It comes into us when we receive Jesus into our hearts. We are then called to share this light we have with others. It is the only way they will be able to see their way through the darkness of this world.

It is the job of the enemy to keep people blinded by sin and temptations. It is only in the darkness of sin that Satan can keep us bound. But that darkness cannot hold us when the light of God’s love is shared. Sometimes it takes a little time for people to see, but love wins every time. We just have to see our way through and keep consistently shining our light.

Have you ever been in a room when the electricity has gone off, and it is pitch black? A simple match will light up the corner where it is found. Many matches together will light an entire room. As we show more people the truth of God’s love for us, they will accept Christ and receive their own light. “The light of LIFE” The more light we shine into the darkness, the less threatening it becomes.

Have you ever stood on a hilltop and looked down on a city below? It is not one large light. Its beauty comes from many small lights together. Being a Christian means that we share our light and combine it with others to encourage them to do the same.

Without the darkness, how would we recognize the light? Or we could reverse that statement. Without our light, how could others see that they were in darkness? Just as our eyes adjust to the amount of light there is out there, sinners adjust to the darkness. They are so used to stumbling around in the dark they don’t realize there is a better way.

I used to pray for God to make me a big bright light. In my mind, a big light would be better. My heart was in the right place. I figured a big bright light would reach more people. Like a lighthouse beacon. One day I was praying and I said, “Make me a big bright light” and God said, “Why, a big light is blinding.”

Then I got it, too much light and it is a reflex to close your eyes against the brightness. A little light, will help you to see. It is better to let our light shine in many small ways every day, instead of doing one big thing.

We need to spend alone time with God. He will fill our hearts with his love daily. Then, we can take that love and light our world. It really all boils down to a relationship with him. We need to be authentic; the world will see through fake Christianity. That is why it is so important to walk in integrity and do the right thing even when no one is watching. We will never be a good light unless we can focus our lives on walking with integrity.

God doesn’t tell us to share our light just to have something to do. Being a Christian is not about a list of rules. God tells us to avoid things for our own good, not because he doesn’t want us to enjoy our life. He wants us to have an abundant life.

I think about a dream I had a few years ago. I was on a platform off to one side; Jesus was standing in the middle. I could see his back from the shoulders down and he had his arms full of bread. There were many kinds of bread. Some were rolls, and some were loaves. In front of me was people as far as I could see. All colors, nationalities, shapes and sizes. Then God said, “The people are hungry.”

It was up to me to give them the bread that was in Jesus’ arms. As Christian’s it is our responsibility to find those starving for the light of the gospel. Then we need to share that light.

There are so many people that are starving for the word, starving for a fresh start. They are depressed and starving for anything that can give them some peace. They are burned out and tired of life as it is, they need a turnaround. It is my prayer we reach them before it is too late.

There was a guy who worked in a convenience store. He was a new Christian and was trying to be a light. So, for certain customers, he would say God Bless you as he gave them their change. One day there was a guy who came through his line, instead of the usual comments he felt like telling him that God loved him. The customer left and the clerk finished his shift, not giving it a thought.

Two weeks later the customer returned and asked if the guy remembered him. The clerk apologized and said he didn’t remember him. The customer then said, “I have something I need to tell you.”

The clerk responded with an “Ok”

The guy then said, “I don’t know if you remember or not but the other day, you told me that God loves me. What you didn’t know was that I was on my way home to commit suicide, that evening, I had already made my plans. I had my note written; it was a done deal all but pulling the trigger. But when you told me that God loved me, I got to thinking about it. I decided to wait a couple of weeks. I started researching about God. Because of you, I was around long enough to find someone who could lead me to Christ. I am a Christian because of you.

We never know how a little thing to us can be magnified by God and reach someone else before it is too late. God values courage and asks us to be brave.

I am going to leave you with that thought until next time.

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Thanks for spending a little time with me. I encourage you to go out and let your light shine into the darkness. Until next time, Be bold, Be brave and keep your God Focus.

EPISODE 12 –HIS MERCY IS NEW

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “His mercy is new”

Some of us, like myself, have been Christians for many years. I will be the first to tell you that during my journey, I have fallen down a few times. I have sinned and begged for forgiveness. I have been unkind and spiteful and had to turn around and repent.

It is not a shame to be human and fall. It is, however, a shame to stay down. Many of us have the problem of forgiving ourselves and moving on. Once we have learned how to forgive and move on, then the healing can be completed. God has already forgiven us and we are still wallowing in self-loathing. I am not saying we should not feel bad about sinning. I am talking about asking for forgiveness, then six months later, we are still regretting and beating ourselves up.

Breaking that cycle takes understanding and prayer. Understanding that God has forgiven us, then who are we to continue the punishment. This is just a trick of the enemy to keep us tied up in knots. If we are worried about the past, we cannot be effective in the present, where God is wanting to use us. Forgive yourself and let it go.

Now that we have a new start, what do we do with it? I suggest praying for God to give us direction. He created us all for a purpose; we often fall down when we are running from that purpose. I was called to teach and would do it in small ways. Maybe fill in for a lesson or two in Sunday school. Once, I actually spoke at a women’s conference. I remember when it was over, feeling like I was doing exactly what I should be doing. It also scared me, and I ran.

God is now giving me another chance to do what he made me to do. People’s opinions really swayed me; now I pray for God’s opinion to be the only one I hear. His opinion is the only one that truly matters in the end. God is getting ready to do great things in our country and around this world. We are going through labor pains right now because God is trying to birth something new in each of us.

What does God want you to do? What is he wanting to bring forth in you? You were made for a purpose. Many are afraid; I understand that fear. The enemy sits on your shoulder and whispers, who do you think you are doing this thing? What qualifies you to be a teacher, minister of song, a preacher or a prophet, a prayer warrior? As long as God calls you to the job, he will see you through it. He qualifies those he calls. He does not use perfect people; he uses flawed people. If we were able to do things in our own strength, we would not need God.

If you choose to watch my channel and look for the fault, you will find it. But if you listen with your spiritual ears, God may use it to strengthen you. We are not the sum of our failures or successes but the sum of our moments that we fully TRUST IN HIM. He will never abandon us, but we often are like Peter we deny him.

Now is not the time to be denying Christ and his will. Now is the time to stand strong and lean on him. Let the weak say I am strong. In Christ, I can do all things. It is scary to step out in faith. But we will never reach our potential if we do not take the chance and step out in faith. Peter stepped out of the boat and he walked on water for a moment. Many say yes but he sank. In other words, he fell. But he had the experience of Jesus lifting him up when he fell.

The others in the boat did not get that same lesson. They had to learn of God’s faithfulness in other ways. Never criticize someone else for their sinking, at least they are trying to walk on the water with Jesus. It is time to get out of the safety of the boat and live life out loud. Taking a walk with Jesus. This is our time to shine our light. The world needs now more than ever for us to be the light we were called to be.

As I watch people struggle through all sorts of things in this life, I am reminded that life is not something that wraps up neatly with a bow. Life is messy, and it is painful. Anyone who paints it as a pretty picture of unicorns and rainbows is trying to sell something.

But life is still a blessing from God. Even though we go through times of struggle and pain, there are lessons to be learned every day. Even when we do not see it or feel it, God is with us and his mercies are new every day.

We have been given a great gift that we often take for granted. The gift of salvation. It is the ultimate new beginning. But each day we are given a new opportunity to begin again. Every morning is a blank slate. What are we going to do with the 24 hours in front of us? Will we pray for his direction and instruction? Will we rush ahead, doing our own will?

Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Lam 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Our hope is in the Lord. Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, we can do all things.

We all have “go to” verses that we cling to in times of need. One of mine is:

2Cor. 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

When we are standing on the edge of a new beginning, what is facing us may seem scary. Many things could cause us to fear, if we walk in that fear, we will never reach our destiny. This is why it is important to have faith and walk in what we know to be true. God is faithful and will help us to do the tasks he has asked of us, if we TRUST and walk by faith.

Fear is from the enemy; it is one of Satan’s most used tools. The Bible is full of verses that tell us to not fear.

Perfect love casts out fear. God is love. Therefore, it is easy to conclude if we have God, we have no reason to fear. So be bold, step out of the boat, and walk on the water. Jesus is right there to help you stay afloat. Think about what God created you to do, then go do it.

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Thanks for spending a little time with me.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 11–CRAZY FAITH

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Crazy Faith”

People thought Noah was crazy for building a boat. He preached and warned the people for years. He warned them of something that was supposed to take place that the world had never seen before: rain. He knew someone they did not know. Noah knew a God who was his friend and his deliverer. Noah took his crazy faith and put it into action. Noah never let people get in his way of doing what God told him to do and his faith saved his family from destruction.

Daniel prayed to the one true God, against the king’s command. He was bold about it. He did not get in the corner of his bedroom and quietly whispered. He opened his windows and prayed loudly to his God three times a day. He showed he had boldness. Many would consider that crazy faith. When it came to being thrown into a lion’s den, he trusted God to deliver him. God honors the bold and the brave. He uses them in ways that bring deliverance to others.

It sounded impossible that a man of God could bless a meal barrel and a pot of oil for a widow, and it would not run dry until the famine was over. But the widow took all she had and fed the man of God. To many people, that would sound crazy; why would she give him her last meal? But her crazy faith saved her and her son. God blessed her sacrifice and sustained her through the famine.

We are in a day and age when the world needs to see devoted people. They need to see the miracles and signs that our God is awesome. We need to be bold enough to step out and even look a little crazy if necessary, walking in that crazy faith.

A friend of mine recently asked if my grandfather had ever cast out devils. Deliverance ministry is on the rise in our country, as God shows his strength and power. I told her he had but I did not experience it. Then I remembered when I was a twenty-two-year-old, newly married woman. My husband went to visit some friends. He came home and told me to call my family to pray that he was going back to cast a demon out of our friend. In shock I said, “Can you do that?” I didn’t feel equipped myself, he said, “The bible says I can” and out the door he went. He returned an hour or so later and shared that our friend was fine.

He was so full of faith, he had what the world would call crazy faith. In order for us to fight the enemy in the times we are living, we need to ask God for a dose of crazy faith.

I Cor 1:26-27 (26) For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

Sometimes, God asks us to do things that the world may think are crazy. But I would rather look crazy to the world than miss what God wants me to do or say. Pleasing Him is all that matters.

Many things to the natural mind look crazy or seem impossible. The Bible is full of people who were brave enough to step out of their comfort zone and use their faith. God honors the bold and the brave. What is He wanting you to do that some may think is crazy?

1Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Sometimes, I wake up with a song on my heart. God often uses them to set the tone for my day. Other times I wake with a to do list running through my mind. But I want to focus on Jesus this morning. There is nothing he cannot do. Some people hear that phrase and think we are all crazy. Because they prayed with all their heart for something to happen and when it didn’t (when God said no) they lost faith.

One of the most important things we can hold on to is faith that all things work out for our good. Even when it seems like all hope is lost. Even when our hearts are breaking, holding steadfast to our faith is very important.

Where would all the inspirational stories in the bible be if those people lost faith? What if Moses had stood at the Red Sea and curled up in a ball crying, “We’re gonna die!!!” But he held on to his faith and God provided a way of escape. He had been through enough with the Lord to know he could trust him.

Many of the saint that have gone before us had a dose of crazy faith. It is going to take that over the top, “God says I can, type of faith to win the next generations. So be encouraged, hold on to your faith, God is with us.

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Thanks for spending a little time with me. Check out my blog at http://www.godfocus.net. Email me at angela@godfocus.net. Until next time, Be bold, Be brave and keep your God Focus.

EPISODE 10–FISHING GOD’S WAY

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Fishing God’s Way ”

Matthew 4:18-20 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

I can remember going fishing with my dad and grandpa as a young girl. It was always fun to cast the bait out and immediately catch a fish. But it got boring just waiting for a fish to bite. Fishing requires patience and skill. It requires experience to know where the fish like to hang out, like near downed trees and under rock ledges. It was always frustrating when one stole your bait. We used all sorts of things for bait, from minnows to a Velveeta cheese and garlic mixture my dad made. Sometimes, we used artificial bait with shiny spinners and spoons. It all depended on what kind of fish we wanted to catch.

Satan uses all sorts of shiny things to catch us and get us to sin. He knows just what will tempt us. He custom makes traps for each of us to cause us to sin. As Christians, we are not above falling into a trap if we do not listen to the voice of God. Especially if you are new to your Christian walk. But if we listen, God will make a way for us to escape falling into the trap in the first place.

When dealing with the lost, we have to understand that they have been trapped by the enemy. We must never go to them with a superior attitude or one of condemnation. They need to see God’s compassion and love in us. We will never reach the lost without God’s love in our hearts. We will not reach them if we only pray for our lost family and friends.

In order to complete the great commission, we have to have a burden for the lost. It is up to each of us to try to bring souls into the kingdom. I went fishing almost every time my dad went until he told me I was old enough to bait my own hook and take off my own fish. Well, that was the end of my fishing days. I didn’t want to get slimy, and I had seen people get cut badly with fish that bit or finned them. I wanted to protect myself.

We sometimes want to leave the hard jobs to someone else. We don’t want to get our hands dirty. We want to protect ourselves from people lashing out at us. When people are hurting or scared, they sometimes say harsh things. It’s easier to just stop fishing for those souls.

Thinking of people as being fish, some are tough, some are clown fish, and some are hiding and need different bait. We each may have different bait in our tackle box because of what we have experienced. Someone that I can reach you may not be able to even get close to witnessing to and vice versa.

There are plenty of lost to go around. It’s time for us to gather the tools necessary into our tackle box and go fishing.

What do we put in our tackle box? The word of God. Compassion, non-judgmental attitude, God’s love, peace and strength. Before leaving the house, we need to pray that the master of the sea will lead us to the right fishing spot. Ask for His Spirit to give us the right words to say to help heal the brokenhearted.

Many people have been hurt by so-called Christians and are afraid to be vulnerable again. They blame God and QUOTE “church people”. I don’t ever want to be known as “Church People.” I want people to look at me and see a Christian. Not someone bound by an organized religious denomination. I recently shared a story on my blog of a woman at a restaurant that I talk to a lot. She told me that some of the “church people” got upset on Easter Sunday because they were closing at noon to spend the day with their families. I explained to her there was a difference between a Christian and a “church people.” Church people are all about the church; they are judgmental and rude. They feel like they know everything and that no one is as good as a Christian as they are. Christians are loving people who attend church. But they are kind. Be kind to your servers, generous with your tips, and above all, help them see the difference between “church people and Christians. It may even lead to catching a fish or two. We can reach the lost if we walk in love.

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

EPISODE 9 –EDIFYING WORDS

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode EDIFYING WORDS

Yesterday, I talked about how our words can delay our blessing. Today, I am going to talk about edifying words. I want to start with the definition of edify. It means to establish, build up, or construct. If we apply it to the word of God. We are to build up or encourage one another.

EPH 4:29-32 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,(yelling or outcry) and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

We often think corrupt communications are cursing and saying bad words. That is just the beginning. Maybe we have an opinion that would hurt someone’s feelings. Maybe it is a lie that we have been told by someone else that we believe. We need to build each other up with our words and actions. I am sure everyone has had a moment when they doubt themselves. Someone came along and spoke just the right words that gave them the courage to carry on. The world is too full of people wanting to tear each other down. It is time we build each other up.

Romans 14:19 – 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

I was recently watching a video about decluttering your home. It gave some of the best advice I have heard to date, and I have read many articles and watched many videos about being organized. The woman said when decluttering, she picks an item and asks, “Does this add value to my life?” If the answer is yes, she keeps it and finds a place for it. If the answer is no, then it goes in a box for charity, in the trash, or in a bin for a yard sale.

I was thinking about how people often say things that would have been better to have left unsaid. Social media is full of people who thrive on causing chaos or trashing someone they don’t even know. Words are powerful and cannot be taken back once they are said; I think it would be a good idea to slow down and pause before we speak and ask, “Does that comment add to the value of the conversation or someone’s life. If yes, then say it. If not, then keep it to yourself. Take the thought captive and then forget it.

2 Cor 10:5 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We can take those negative thoughts into captivity and not say them. By holding them back, we bring them into captivity.

We have all been the recipients of a kind word or compliment at just the right moment. It actually lifted our outlook on our day. At the same time, we have all been recipients of words that cut to the bone and left us wounded.

We need to speak the truth of God in Love. Trying to encourage and edify one another. Words cost us nothing but can be more valuable than gold to the recipient.

Proverbs 21:23(KJV) Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Something to think about as you start your day.

Thanks for watching

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BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 8 –DO NOT DELAY YOUR BLESSING

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Unbelief can delay your answer.”

We are starting today with the prophecy of the birth of John the Baptist.

Luke 1:13-20 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

What an amazing prophecy for a future father to receive. Think how many men down through time would have been excited to receive such a word. What a great thing to be said about your future child. He will be great in the sight of the Lord. We don’t really know what went through Zacharia’s mind. Maybe it seemed too good to be true.

Verse 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Why did Gabriel cause him to not be able to speak? Gabriel knew how powerful our words can be and stopped him from delaying the prophecy with his negativity. Everything had to be timed perfectly with the birth of Christ. God would not let anything stand in the way of his plans. Our words can affect the future. We can delay the blessings of God with our words of doubt and negativity. I cannot say enough about the power of our words.

We are limited within our human capacity. But God has no limits. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Sometimes, we ask what would appear to us to be impossible from the human perspective. But nothing is impossible with our God. We cannot ask him for the impossible, however, and then doubt that he will come through for us.

Have you ever prayed for something then allowed unbelief to get in the way of that prayer? I have. It is easy to allow our human perspective to dictate our faith. When we take our eyes off of God and his ability and start seeing our situation with human eyes, our faith wavers.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Why should we waste our time if we are not going to believe God for what we ask? Having faith means to simply believing in God.

Look at the children of Israel. Because of their words of unbelief, they were made to wander 40 years in the desert. When it was originally less than a two-week journey. But because they didn’t believe in God when the situation looked impossible, he made them wander until they all died in the wilderness. They never received what God had for them because of their unbelief.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my promises to die in the wilderness. I am going to try to guard my unbelief. This is why I try to live by 2Cor 5:7- For we walk by faith and not by sight. It doesn’t matter how big the giants are in your way. It doesn’t matter what the doctors say. What matters is what God says, and he says he will save, heal and deliver his people. Don’t let unbelief cause you to speak negative words out of your mouth. Instead, look at the situation through the eyes of faith and say, I know it doesn’t look the way I want, but God answers prayer.

Take a few moments to reflect on your words. Are you talking unbelief, or are you talking Faith?

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

NEW ADVENTURES

I am excited about what God is doing in my life and those around me. That is why, from now on, I am combining my blog and my video ministry. Each blog post will be in the written form of the video for those of you who would rather read it. At the top will be the video of the day. God Focus This Morning is the title of my daily videos. The posts will be Monday thru Friday.

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Made Up Mind”

We used to attend church with a man who was constantly reminding us that we have to have a made-up mind. He would say that the enemy will send all sorts of things to get us to give up. We cannot allow the enemy to get us to falter in our faith. We cannot take a step backwards. We have to hold the line.

Troubles may press in from every angle, but if we have a made up mind, nothing will phase us. Nothing we go through will cause us to waiver.

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. We are in a battle for the soul of our nation. We cannot be moved by the enemy or what he tries to do. We need to have deep roots and be planted. Can you see a tree get up and walk away, because it didn’t like the angle of the wind? No, a tree digs deep. The stronger the winds blow the more need the tree has to dig deeper.

As warriors in God’s army, we must be determined to do our duty and honor the wishes of our King (Jesus). As warriors we need to have loyalty to the cause of Christ and be determined that we will not be bribed by the flashy things of the enemy to cause us to back up or sin.

We need to dig in and hold the line, saying, Satan, I will not back up, I will not back down. I am going through with Jesus guiding me. Many brave soldiers down through time won battles that seemed impossible because they were determined to not back down, but to hold their ground.

Lines are being drawn in the sand. We have to be determined to stand up for what is right. I will not be moved, I will not back up, I will not back down, I will stand for Jesus even if I have to stand alone. Gideon started with a huge army of men. But God needed that number paired down to the ones who believed him. With 300 men, God defeated the enemy.

Phil 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

I believe we are going through a season in which God is separating the wheat and tares to an extent. Many who have been lukewarm and call themselves Christian will be separated. God wants a strong army of determined men and women who will have a made-up mind to stand for him. There is not a battle we cannot win as long as we believe that he will go before us and fight our battles. We have to be determined to stand for the truth.

We cannot waiver in our beliefs, even when things don’t look like they line up with our beliefs. Ephesians Chapter Six is all about putting in the whole armor of God. Warriors of God are equipped with God’s armor. All of this armor was designed for meeting an enemy head-on. There was no covering for a retreat. If you turn around to run, the enemy can easily get you from behind. So we have to stand strong.

Romans 12:2 says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God….

We have to stand strong and allow our minds to be renewed with the word of God. If we keep our spiritual mind strong, we will be determined and always have a made-up mind.

Thanks for listening.

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

PRESS ON

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In this life, we have many troubles and trials. Many situations arise that we worry about that are nothing. We allow the day-to-day routine to rob us of our focus. The main thing for us is to press on, closer to the goal. Our main goal should be seeing Jesus face to face.

The things in this life that we pay so much attention to will all fade away. Our stresses and disappointments will be a thing of the past. So I want to encourage you to keep your eye on the prize. Press on toward the goal. Never look back. We have nothing to look back to, if we had been satisfied where we were, we would have stayed there. But the life of sin was misery. Why would we want to go back? If we aren’t going back, we have no choice but to press on and go forward.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

DRY LAND

Psa 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Psa 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

We have all walked through spiritual deserts in which we feel like we are alone. We feel like God is not there. But he is walking silently by our side while we work out our issues. Being in the desert gave David a good perspective. It was during the time he was running from Saul that God used to grow him. It was in the solace that God taught him to be king.

Our bodies desire water; we cannot function without it. But just as our flesh needs water, our soul needs God’s living water. I want to take time to remind those who feel like they are in a spiritual desert that God is there and will not leave you. He has promised he will never leave us or forsake us. Just when we think we cannot go one more step, he sends a refresh to our soul. We feel like we can begin to take one more step. O Lord, how our souls thirst for your presence. Help us when we find ourselves in a desert place. Remind us that you are with us and doing a good work within us by preparing us for the next level in our Christian walk. Fill us up, Lord.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS