Tag: #dailydevotional

EPISODE 277 IT’S JUST A FEELING

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The title of today’s episode: IT’S JUST A FEELING

I want to talk to you today about feelings. Every Christian, experiences times of isolation. God will separate you to hear from him. He will separate you to protect you from something that someone would have done. We all have experienced times that we may not be isolated from people but feel isolated from God.

Satan thrives on the times when we don’t wake up with a shout of praise on our lips. He loves the stresses of life. Because the more distracted he can get us the less we have time to pray and draw close to God. But God is always there even when we don’t feel him.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

There are times that we have done something that causes us to not be as close to God. If we have sin in our lives, our faith walk will not be as close, just as Peter followed Christ from a far off before his crucifixion. We sometimes allow fear of man to get in our way. Or like Adam and Eve after they ate the fruit, they knew they had done wrong and hid. When we don’t feel close to God we need to ask ourselves if we have done something we need to repent. If we can’t think of anything then we need to ask God.

When we don’t feel close to God at all. Does that mean he is not there? God is always there waiting to talk with us. Our faith walk is not all about feeling. Granted it is amazing to feel the presence of God. But in spite of how we feel, we have to do the right thing. We have to be obedient.

Do you think Abraham felt like taking Issac up to the mountain top to sacrifice? We would have been shrieking in horror. We would be telling ourselves that can’t be God. Instead of getting into his emotions, he remembered God’s promise.

God promised him he would be the father of many nations. He knew no matter the outcome, God would keep his promises. So, he told his servant that he was taking Issac to the top of the mountain, and they would return. He had faith and spoke his faith out loud. He believed God would allow Issac to return with him.

Do you think Hannah felt like giving her precious Samuel away after praying for a baby for so long? She didn’t go by feeling, she acted with obedience. When he was old enough, she took him and left him at the temple to be raised by a man that had accused her of being a drunk.

The choices these people had to make sometimes are overwhelming to think about, but they didn’t go by feeling, they were obedient.

Satan will come along and tell us all lies to get us down, most Christians have thought the following things: I don’t feel like a Christian, I must not be saved. I don’t feel God so he must be disappointed in me, maybe he has given up on me.

This is why I lean so heavily on 2 Cor 5:7…we walk by faith and not by sight. I could also say, we walk by faith and not by how we feel. There is not one single emotion worth getting off track over, we have to walk by faith in obedience.

God will tell us something to do, and we will question if it was really God. He will tell us to go somewhere, and we will not feel like going. We have to push through and go anyway. Someone’s life or soul could depend on us listening to God.

Our emotions will lie to us when our back is against the wall. This is where it is crucial to be tempered the correct way. Steel is placed in a fire to make it bendable. If you leave it too long or too short, it will not make a good blade. It has to have just the right amount of even heat. Just as we develop temperance or self-control by being thrown into a few fiery trials.

There is a difference between self-control and not showing emotions. We are not meant to be robots. If we have self-control, we will feel the emotions, but we will act according to God’s word.

For example, many would look at Jesus running the money changers from the temple as not being very self-controlled. But he was righting an injustice. The money changers were thieves ripping off the people by not converting their money correctly or making them buy a sacrifice from them. Then using the people’s sacrifice to sell someone else.

As we mature as Christians we will grow fruit. We learn how to walk by faith and not by our feelings and how things look. Remember it’s not in a feeling. It is in that still small voice that is in us to be our guide.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP276 NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SWORD

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SWORD

Yesterday, I spoke to you about honing and sharpening our swords. As Christian warriors, we all have swords. Most of us have several. But even the finest blade will not protect a soldier in the battle if he doesn’t know how to use it.

In the days of warriors using swords and shields, it was essential to train and know how to use your sword. Although popular television and movies would like you to believe these swords were extremely heavy, they were around five pounds or less. It wasn’t the weight of the sword that made it a weapon, it was its cutting power.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The sword was quick, that to me means that it was light and sharp. The word of God is not a heavy burden. I understand when we get into Leviticus that it is hard to follow, but every word in the book is there for a reason. It is to help us cut through the attacks of our enemy.

The cutting away of our flesh is painful sometimes, just as it would be to get cut on the battlefield for real. But the sword of the word also contains the oil and the wine, the balm for our wounds. It is full of God’s love, compassion forgiveness and a divine source of encouragement. But it is our weapon against the enemy, satan.

I Tim 1: 18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

Paul is telling Timothy that it is his duty as a soldier in God’s army that he fights a good warfare. He is being called a soldier to fight a spiritual war. It is the job of a warrior to combat the enemy. God has provided the weapons for us to use, we just have to train daily and get to know our sword.

A good soldier always has his sword with him. I am not saying that we have to carry the literal book of the bible with us everywhere we go, but we need to have it down in our hearts.

Many armies won, not because they had the best or most equipment, but because they were well trained in using what weapons they did have. No weapon can make up for determination and heart.

We have to have a made-up mind that we will prevail over our enemy. Nothing he does will cause us to give up or retreat. No retreat, no surrender. It doesn’t mean we will not stumble from time to time, we are human. But the more we know how to use the word the stronger we are as soldiers.

Psalm 119: 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

The more of the word we have within us the less likely we are to fall.

Psalm 119:12-18 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. 17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. 18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

This passage shows David’s heart. He desired for a closer walk with God. Asking him to teach him his statutes. He proclaims that he will meditate in the precepts of the Lord. He asks for his eyes to be open to God’s ways.

We should always approach our study time as not something we have to do, but something we want to do. We need to develop a hunger to know more about God. Like David, we too can ask for understanding and the ability to apply what we learn to our lives.

Remember, if you are losing a battle, there is nothing wrong with the sword. God’s word is perfect. The problem is in the way we use our sword. We need to be bold soldiers in this day and stand to proclaim what the word says. One thing it says is satan’s kingdom is coming down. We will win, as long as we faint not, the sword says so.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 275 –HONE AND SHARPEN

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The title of today’s episode: HONE AND SHARPEN

There is an old saying you have to walk before you can run. I see a lot of people trying to be something that they are not, they want to be the CEO of a company and do not even know what the company sells. They want to be an Olympic gold medalist, but have never tried the sport. But they love to give advice to those who are doing.

Among the body of Christ, we have a group of judgmental people that have one purpose, to be used by satan to cause conflict. They want to tell everyone what to do and what their problems are, without first considering their own heart. They say the sinners prayer and they feel like they can tell the world what to do, even those who have been pastoring for years. Just as God will use whosoever will let him, even if they are not the most on fire Christian. Satan too, will use anyone who will let him.

Jesus said

Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

This is why we need to not judge without compromising on the truth. It is not an easy balance, but people will do what they want and will make their own choices. The only one we are fully responsible for is ourselves. This is why we need to guard our hearts and lives against satan and his lies.

I don’t want to be judged harshly by God because I was judgmental. That is different than standing for the truth of God’s word.

Matt 7:3-5 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

This is why we have to guard our hearts and make sure to hone in on our motives, before we open our mouths. I recently had to tell a fellow Christian something that was hard to tell them. I knew it was for their good and I knew God was pushing me to say something. I prayed about it for a few weeks before saying anything. Then God opened the door and through love I was able to share what God has put on my heart with them.

If I had been judgmental and went to them a month earlier, before I prayed about it, the outcome could have been much different. But by waiting and praying, God used me to help them and not hurt them.

Prov 27: 17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

The right tool needs to be used to sharpen or hone a blade. When we are in a position to help someone in their faith walk, we need to tread lightly. We cannot approach them with a superior, judgmental attitude. We have to be humble and show them the love of Jesus. It takes the anointing or the oil to help with the process. Most of the time, the stones used to sharpen or hone a blade have oil put on them for lubrication. This ensures that not too much is taken off the blade at once. It is a process.

Knifeanalyst.com says, (Hone is a term often used in the context of bladed weapon maintenance. At its core, “to hone” means to refine or sharpen a blade to improve its cutting edge. While some may believe that honing and sharpening are synonymous, there is an important distinction: sharpening typically involves removing metal from the blade with a coarser abrasive to restore or create an edge, whereas honing involves the finer process of realigning and smoothing that edge after it’s been established.)*

I know from watching my dad when I was growing up that many use a special stone with oil to sharpen and hone their pocketknives. It takes our rock, which is Christ Jesus, and the anointing or the oil of the Holy Ghost to hone us into the person we need to be in order to be soul winners.

The word says the person that wins souls is wise. We have to be wise when dealing with people. We are all flawed. The moment we think we have arrived and are above everyone else is when we are on our way to a serious fall. Because that is walking in pride, and pride goes before a fall.

We are living in serious times. Now is not the time to be playing church. Now is the time to ask God for more love toward people; especially the judgmental, Bertha better than you’s. They need our understanding and compassion more than we know. These people are normally very insecure and want to point out our flaws and shortcomings to make themselves feel better.

I was raised to believe that everything was black and white, but the older I get and the more I learn about God’s compassion, I realize there is a little grey area called grace. His grace is something that we all need a lot more of, because Jesus is coming soon for those who are ready.

I don’t believe he is coming after a bunch of self-righteous, judgmental people. It is time for us to ask God to use the oil and the stone to sharpen us and prepare us for the harvest.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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*Information copied from https://knifeanalyst.com/hone-the-definition-and-meaning/

EP 274 FINE TUNING OUR SPIRITUAL EARS

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The title of today’s episode: FINE TUNE (OUR SPIRITUAL EARS)

For those of you who are old enough to remember radio without digital tuning, it was a process to get your radio station clear. It all came down to a very minute turn of the radio dial. Too far, one way or the other, you either got static, another station cutting in and out or you lost the signal altogether.

As Christians we are in the time where there is a lot of static in the air. The enemy constantly puts out lies and deception to see who will fall for them. For example: I saw a clip warning against a religious song that is becoming popular. But upon a fine tuning of attention the song is sung to allah a false god. This is why knowing the source and listening to the lyrics is important. The artist is very open about her beliefs, but Christian’s are not paying attention. If it sounds pretty, they go with it.

I am in no way slamming contemporary Christian music; however, we need to be vigilant about what we are allowing to be put into our hearts. Music is a powerful thing. It has the ability to sway emotions and cause people to do crazy things if the music suggests it. Country music carries the spirit of depression, heartbreak and drinking too much. Other types of music seem to be about one thing, but end up being about another. We need to guard our lives, allow in our homes.

Prov 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

We need to keep the word of God on our minds and hearts. It is life to us who pay attention to the sayings found in the Bible.

Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

We keep our heart by being diligent or vigilant. When we pay attention and fine tune what we are allowing to influence us. We protect our future and our souls.

Prov 4:24-27 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

As we fine turn our receiver to only hear God we can be sure it will keep us on the right path. This says to ponder the path of our feet. We need to think about what we are doing. We need to question if we are doing the right things. It says to let our ways be established, which means something that has been taught a long time or entrenched. Entrenched means unlikely to change.

God’s ways need to be so deeply entrenched in us that we will be unwilling to change or allow satan to tell us lies.

Not everyone who says god means the one Christian’s assume they mean. To Christians there is no other God but our Lord Jesus Christ. But when some speak of god, they mean the god of money that they worship. They could mean any of the idols of the bible that are being worshipped today.

The name of my channel is God focus. I often say this, but it needs to be repeated. When I say God, I mean the only God our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only one who died to save me and you. But by being a little generic in my title, I have had people of other faiths check out what I was saying.

Satan will fill our minds with static if he can, he will try to bring up things of the past that we thought were buried forever. But somehow, he can find them and try to resurrect them. But he doesn’t have resurrecting power unless we allow him to use the past pain to distract us today.

We need to be so finely tuned into the voice of the Holy Ghost, that when he leads, we don’t question what he says, we just follow. But most are where I am and find themselves questioning, was that really God. Did he say go over and tell that person that he loves them? Did he really want me to stop my car and pray for the lady at the roadside stand?

When we can finally get out of our own way and let God have his way fully, we will see the revival we have been desiring. Many souls are depending on us getting it right. So work on the fine tuning of our spiritual ears to hear what God is saying to his people today. If we follow his leading, we will see billions of souls saved before it is too late.

Jesus said,

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Above all the noise of the world, if we are his sheep, we will hear and follow Him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 273 DON’T FORCE IT

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Don’t Force It

How many times have you wanted something to work out so badly that you did everything within your power to make it happen. I can remember once I wanted something so badly that I was making myself crazy trying to force it. A friend of mine gave me words of reason that I have carried for over thirty years. You cannot force things in life to go a certain way, they have to happen naturally when it is the right time. That is what I want to share with you today.

God has his timing, but we want to take shortcuts. We want to force things to happen. Maybe it’s a job promotion, the purchase of a house, or maybe it is a relationship, or some type of breakthrough. Everything happens in the right season. We cannot make them any different.

God sets before us an open door. We have two choices: right or wrong. If we allow everything to come down to these choices and choose right, choose what God would have us choose, then everything will work out for our good. We have to be vigilant and always choose the door that leads to God’s will and plan.

Satan will come at us forcefully sometimes to try to knock us off guard. When he realizes that his tactics will not work. He will slither in with subtilty and try to cozy up to us and have a conversation.

We are wise to his deceptions; we cannot give in, even a moment to entertain an idea of how we can shortcut to our goal. If we do we may find ourselves trapped in quicksand.

Learning to recognize the times and seasons of our life is important. This is why I remind you to listen for that still small voice. He is our guide.

Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

We can have hope through Christ. He will give us strength to be patient in our trials and when things do go like we want. This tells us to continue in prayer and be instant in prayer. Prayer should be our go to, the first reaction to our situations as they arise, not our last resort after we have made a bigger mess of things.

Jer. 32:17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

Nothing is too hard for our God. He will keep us safe from the enemy as long as we resist the devil. That is the key, we have to resist and put him behind us. God will do the rest. On Jesus we can always depend.

As we are getting ready for the new season, we are getting ready to step into, remember that everything is in God’s timing. We want to skip the shaking and go straight to the revival. But first we have to go through the storm to see the dark clouds of evil roll away.

For now I will remind you to stay strong, keep fighting the good fight of faith with patience. Resist the enemy and be ready to receive what God has for you.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP272 THE RIGHT RECIPE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: The Right Recipe

I watch a lot of shows about cooking. I love the ones with all the built in game play that they have to incorporate an ingredient that may not seem to go with the rest. Many things go into a good recipe, ingredients, preparation, presentation. Although I watch these shows, I rarely apply any of the information to my own life.

As a content creator I can sympathize with the people trying to do presentations for their audience. They sometimes struggle with all the right components. I try to bring to you, different elements to make up a spiritual meal. I always want to tie into the word of God. It is our foundation. There needs to be a combination of something educational, encouraging, strengthening and to help you with your identity in Christ. There are times I feel like I create the same thing over and over like our go to few quick meals that we prepare when its almost dinner time. But the topics I keep pushing I feel are important to the body of Christ.

The ten minutes I prepare for you each day should be something to make you want to search out the recipe for your own life. Daily devotionals are meant to be appetizers, not the main course of our day. God wants to give us individual meals one on one.

The body of Christ, far too long, has been living on a few minutes of devotion to check off a box. God is calling for us to step out into the deeper things of our spiritual walk. These are things we have to search for with prayer and study.

I Cor 3:1-5 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

The meat of the word is what it is going to take for growth. He doesn’t want his people to be divided by things that are unimportant. We are to love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to walk in God’s love toward all.

Think about the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. He took two fish and five loaves of bread. It is going to take two testaments: the Old and the New Testaments. The bread of the word to feed the multitude. It is going to take the fivefold ministry to share that meat and bread of the word. Jesus is that bread.

We all have a part to do. Knowing what is in the book is the beginning of our wisdom. Learning how to walk it out and apply it to our lives is the icing on the cake.

It may be the year of the snake in China as they celebrate their new year. But I am telling you it is the year for God’s people to arise and put the snake the devil under out feet. But we will not be able to accomplish that without the word. Satan is not afraid of us, but he is afraid of that word. Every time he came at Jesus with an temptation, Jesus did say, that is against my religion, or I can’t do that it goes against the church bylaws, He said it is written…and would quote scripture to the enemy. We will never defeat him with our religion, it takes the anointing of the Holy Ghost that comes from the word.

We need to speak the word, sing the word, write encouraging verses and stick them on the bathroom mirror, the refrigerator door and everywhere. Too long the church has suffered from malnutrition. Its time we start feeding the hungry before they try to take a journey and faint on the way.

The harvest is ready, Jesus is coming soon. We need to be ready. I pray you find the right recipe for your life.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP271 WAITING

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: WAITING

If God shuts you in it is for your protection or preparation. If he shoves you out of a room and shuts the door it is for your protection or preparation. You don’t belong there anymore. Life is a series of rooms. We spend a designated amount of time in each one. God often has others in these places. They are there to help us or for us to learn how to help others.

How many times has God shut a door, leaving you in a hallway with no other doors in sight. When this happens, we feel like we have misunderstood God when he closed that door. But we all have seasons of just trusting him in the hallway. Then one day a door will open, and we can’t believe we didn’t see the hidden door sooner.

It is all in God’s perfect time. Just as Jesus went apart from the crowds to rest and pray. We too need times to refresh our soul. We need renewal and fresh infilling of his power. Think about a pitcher of water. You take that around and pour a little out into everyone’s cup you meet. Soon you will run out of water. You have to go back to the water source to fill it up again.

God’s mercies are renewed each and every day. Our strength is renewed if we look to him. He will also refresh our thirsty souls.

It is easy to tell someone that is in a place of isolation or standing in their hallway that God will open a door. But when you are the one waiting on the door to open the time can seem to drag on forever.

God values patience and will give us peace to wait out the transitions that happen in our lives. He will make a way when we don’t see how he will. We don’t doubt his ability, but we get battle weary sometimes and wonder when he will move. The answer is when it is time for us to walk through the next door.

Take the time to just sit in his presence and spend time with him renewing your strength. Allow him to fill you up to overflowing so you will be ready to pour out what God has given you to share.

We cannot allow our human nature or the enemy to cause us to act on our own. Taking our own path or opening our own door will lead to a place we don’t need to go. Even if it seems harmless. Things only work out right when we allow God to lead us.

Waiting is another way God develops our fruit of patience.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

This helps us to become complete and will help us be a capable light to those around us.

Do not fall into the trap of the enemy. He will try to create opportunities that look to be just what you were waiting for, but a little voice says, wait do not enter that door. If we don’t listen to that still small voice of God’s Spirit, we will end up walking into a room where we do not belong. Once in the trap, it is hard to get out of and we have to pray for God to save us. This only delays the blessings and opportunities he has for us to be all that he has created us to be.

God will show us the way if we wait on him. When we are waiting, we can spend quiet time meditating on the word of the Lord. Great things are coming to the body of Christ. We need to spend our time preparing now for the revival that is about to sweep our land.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP270 GOD’S GARMENTS

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: God’s Garments

In the Luke chapter fifteen, we find a parable of the prodigal son. The man had two sons. One asked for his inheritance and went off to live his own way. This is the beginning of trouble. When we start to think we can live however we choose and that there are no consequences. The enemy will do all he can to get us to use our talents and resources for things other than the work of God.

The word prodigal, means extravagant, spending resources recklessly. He had gone off and lived like the world in sin. Until he found himself in a place where he didn’t have any friends. Most would leave after the money was gone. There arose a famine and he didn’t have any resources left. He ended up working for a man feeding his pigs.

Often, we have to hit our rock bottom before we realize that there is a better way. He was so hungry he thought about eating the slop of the pigs. Then he remembered that his father’s servants had plenty to eat. He swallowed his pride and returned home. It is sad that human nature will lead us to the place of the pig pen every time. We have to fight against nature and take care of the resources that we have been given by our heavenly father. Our father in heaven expects us to use whatever we have wisely. Whatever the resource, our money or our talents and creativity.

Like the father in this story our God is waiting and watching for us to come to our senses and run to him. This applies to anytime we are in trouble, not just when we have been living a life of sin.

Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Think about it, he had been working with pigs. You know he didn’t smell like roses. But the father didn’t care how he smelled and how dirty he was. He had been watching for him to come home. His father saw him a far off and ran and embraced him. He was excited that his son had returned.

Luke 15:21-22 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

Jesus puts on us the robe of righteousness. He removes the filthy robe of our righteousness, what we have done and can do with our ability.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

There is not anything that we can do to earn our salvation. Our best behavior is as filthy rags. Because we must come through the blood of Christ.

The father put shoes on his feet so that he could walk like a son. The ring is the seal of the promise of God. Which we are given when we are born of the Spirit.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

He clothes us with garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness. He gives us the garments of praise.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

We can walk through difficult times that we find ourselves sad and down. It seems that nothing is going right. This is when we have to hold on to the promises of God. We take hold of our garment of praise and wrap it a little tighter around ourselves and begin to praise the Lord. Not because we feel like it, but because he is worthy. He will lift the spirit of heaviness that has tried to take over our souls.

When we focus on God, it doesn’t matter what is going on in our lives. Grief, sadness, depression, disappointment all can be powerful things. But we have to allow God to carry them for us and help us get through the hard things in life.

Just like the father in this story, Jesus is always watching for us to come to him with our problems. He will see us through it all.

1Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

An entire book could be written about humility and pride. God’s Spirit within us will make us humble. He gives grace and strength to the humble. He can use the humble because they are willing to give God the glory for the outcome.

We are warned not to be prideful because pride goes before a fall. If we come to God and are willing to allow him to dress us, we will always have on just the right garment.

Don’t forget the whole armor of God, which equips us to be warriors in his army. His armor protects us from the attacks of the enemy.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP269 – WAITING FOR GOD’S TIMING

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v6duf3y-god-focus-this-morning-ep269-waiting-for-gods-timing.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Waiting For God’s Timing

Imagine what a long night of waiting it was for the children of Israel when the death angel was passing over the land. It must have seemed like a week. The anticipation of being set free from bondage must have been hard to wait out. They had waited a long time for their freedom. They were obedient and waited. What if they had gotten impatient and left the safety of their homes? The alternative would have been devastating.

What if Noah got anxious to get out of the boat before it was time? The story would have been a lot different.

We can’t give up now. God is doing some amazing things in the earth. America is in the middle of major changes. It is easy to let our human reasoning get in our way. We cannot allow fear to overtake our faith. God is in control.

Where would the three Hebrew men have been if they had looked at the flames? Where would Rahab been if she was afraid and started to run out of the city. Instead of staying under her roof where to men of God told them to stay. But they all had enough courage to be patient and wait to see what God was going to do. We are standing in such a moment. We have to remember that no matter what the news says, we have to wait upon the Lord. We are his people and he will take care of us.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This is everyone’s go to verse when we think about waiting on the Lord. We need to be encouraged that he will renew our strength. The hard part for us is to not fall into fear.

We have to walk through a fiery trial to make sure we are ready for the promotion God has for us. Soon there will be a large number of people coming into the church. They are going to need us to be their examples of Christ.

As difficult as the truth can be to face sometimes, we must find the strength to listen. God himself will give us discernment if we ask him for truth. Because God is truth, He cannot lie. He wants us to know the truth.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jesus is our truth. He will show us the way to go. His Spirit within us will lead and guide us. We just have to be sure to listen to the still small voice.

We love to quote what Mordecai said to Esther as an encouragement to approach the King… who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Esther 4:11-14 All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. 12 And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

I would say the same to you. God could have created you and me at any point in history. He put us on this earth at this time in history. We are the generation to see the coming of the Lord. I am sure many would argue that people have been saying that for years. But look how much closer we are to the end.

God is our deliverer; he is getting ready to come and get his bride. But she is not quite ready, there are too many divisions in the bride. She has wrinkles and spots; because of what we have allowed to enter the church. It is time we took a stand against the enemy and took back the pulpits. It is time for us to be bold and speak the word of God in love.

Prov 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Speak the truth in love and pray for the lost. Stand strong, ask for discernment in this time in which we are living. God will not fail us. He will lift us up. Together we can win the lost to Christ before it’s too late.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP268 A NEW THING

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: NEW THING

Many atheists will say that the word of God cannot be true because it contradicts itself. What is a contradiction is in the understanding not in the word itself. Today I want to discuss two concepts that seem to be in conflict with one another but once we understand the meaning is very clear.

Is 43:18-19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

It is exciting to think about God doing a new thing. But then there is the verse that says there is nothing new.

Eccl 1:9-10 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

These seem to contradict one another. The nothing new under the sun I have come to realize that we are fighting against the same spirits that they fought in bible times. Just because the prophets of Baal were killed after God sent fire down from heaven, doesn’t mean that Baal worship was wiped out completely.

Until recently I was ignorant about idols. I thought they were just statues that people created and said, this is my God. I will do this as a ritual, and I will burn incense to it. But in all reality, these statues have evil spirits attached to them.

Baal worship exists today. (There is nothing new under the sun). The false god Moloch and Chinu, found in Amos chapter five, are behind the abortion movement around the world today. People are still sacrificing babies to these gods. Some religions of the world that people think are good are controlled by evil spirits. (nothing new under the sun)

Our God answered with fire on Mt Carmel for Elijah. He parted the Red Sea to save his people from the evil that was Egypt. Today we are fighting the same evil. But God has a plan to draw his people back to him once again. The new thing he will do is to work things out for our good in this time. The new thing is instead of literal fire on a mountain top, he will pour out his Holy Ghost fire to prove he is God.

He will not part the Red Sea to allow us to cross because we are not physically leaving a place of slavery, but will bring about supernatural deliverance in other ways, from the bondage we have been under in our society. Something new. God used what the children of Israel went thru to not only show them that he was their God. But he used the plagues to show the Egyptians that he was a God that was above all their gods.

Make no mistake, we are about to see the wrath and the mercy of God. What you experience on a personal level will depend on if you are openly evil or if you are a follower of Christ.

In summary, God has shown up in supernatural ways in the past. When he shows up in supernatural ways today it is not new to him, but is new to our generation. I for one am excited to see what God is going to do to set us free.

Continue to pray for our country and the nations around the world. Pray for the children that are being abused at the hands of traffickers. May they all soon be set free.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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