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Weeds!

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  “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” Matthew 13:24–25, NIV Weeds In Jesus’ parable of the weeds, the farmer sowed good seed in his field, expecting a great harvest like he’d seen year after year. But when the wheat came up, so did the weeds that an enemy had sown in the night. The weeds were not the farmer’s fault. He hadn’t been lazy or failed to watch over his land. He did all the right things but still had these problems. Just because you’re having difficulties doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. You may have sown good seed, been faithful, honored God, given and served, and gone the extra mile, but weeds have popped up in your field. Things you didn’t sow. You raised your child right, but now he’s gotten off course. You’ve given your best at your business, but you had a setback, lost a client. You don’t understand it and could blame yourself....
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The Son Empowers Us to Cast Darkness Aside!

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  The Son Empowers Us to Cast Darkness Aside Scripture: Judges 5:31, NIV “‘ So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.’ Then the land had peace forty years. ” (Judges 5:31, NIV) Soak your Heart When we experience Christ—the Morning Star—rising in our heart, it feels like the sun when it rises in its full strength. The sun scatters the darkness. When the  Son  rises in our heart, he brings light to our innermost being and empowers us to cast the works of darkness aside. He brings an increasing desire to invest in the imperishable rather than just the perishable. He brings to light a new worldview with a focus on the life to come in the real world of eternity. Sow to the Spirit Pray:   I pray, Father, that the Morning Star will rise in my heart, overcoming any desires that are contrary to your will and best plan for my life. The more I am crucified to my flesh and the lures of this world, the better adv...
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Angels Dispatched!

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  “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way.” Daniel 10:12–13, NLT Angels Dispatched Daniel had been praying and fasting, waiting on God, asking God to help him, but nothing was happening. I’m sure he thought, “God, You brought me through the lions’ den and I’ve seen Your power and favor. Why aren’t You answering me?” After three weeks of silence, an angel appeared to him and said, “Daniel, from the first day you prayed, your request was heard in heaven, but the spirit prince of Persia blocked me until now.” On day one, God set the miracle into motion, but there were reasons for the delay. When we don’t see anything happening, we think God must not have heard us. Nothing is changing. No, the moment you prayed according to God’s Word, He set things...
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3 Ways God Can Work Through Us!

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  3 Ways God Can Work Through Us Scripture: Isaiah 43:18–19, NIV “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. ” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV) God’s Word is wonderful, telling us continually that he is in the renewal business. It is exciting being a Christian because we anticipate that God will always do something new and exciting in our life. Our responsibility is to place ourselves in a position so God can work through us. How do we do this? First, we need to stop dwelling on the past. When we dwell on the past, it is like trying to drive a car always looking in the rear view mirror. There is nothing we can do about our past except to put aside the parts that pull us down, and to learn not to make the same mistakes in the future. God is always moving. He is in the creation business. He is in the renewal business. “ For we are his workmanship, c...
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Who You Really Are!

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But Moses said to the LORD, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” Exodus 6:12, NIV Who You Really Are  Moses had God’s promise that he would deliver the nation of Israelite slaves from Pharaoh. But the Israelites were too discouraged through hard labor to listen, and Pharaoh refused. Moses’ words were met with resistance, and he made the mistake of immediately talking defeat. He was on the verge of letting his negative environment change his identity from deliverer to defeated. Fortunately, God spoke to Moses and promised again that by signs and wonders He would bring the Israelites to freedom. You may be in an environment now that contradicts what God promised you. The circumstances look just the opposite of the dream He put in your heart. That’s a test. The enemy would love for you to lose who you really are, to see yourself as limited or a victim. You can let it change you, adapt to the environment, water do...
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We are Pilgrims and Strangers in This World!

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  We are Pilgrims and Strangers in This World Scripture: Psalm 84:5–7, NIV “ Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. ” Because we live in a temporary, perishing world, we need to constantly remind ourselves we are on a pilgrimage here. We are blessed to realize our sufficiency is in God alone, and that all we need is sourced in him. Most of us find ourselves in the Valley of Baca from time to time. That is a place of drought or need. It is then we find our provision in the Lord himself as we allow him to teach us. Many times these “valleys” can be places of blessing where we can experience revelation from God and sense his presence. Of the heroes of faith it is said, “ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the thi...
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Calm and Quiet Your Soul!

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  Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2, NKJV Calm and Quiet Your Soul King David faced constant dangers, enemy attacks, and betrayals. He had a lot of reasons to live worried, afraid, and panicked, but he gives us a secret to live above today’s noise—the bad news, the economic rumors, the divisiveness, our own worries. King David said, “I have calmed and quieted my soul.” On a regular basis, you need to quiet your soul. Still your emotions. Come back to a place of peace. That’s a powerful place. When the battle is all around you, thoughts tell you to panic, to worry and be afraid. That’s when you have to take charge and quiet your soul. The enemy would love for you to live noisy and troubled, but the Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God.” This infers that if you’re not still, if you don’t quiet your soul, you’re not going to know He’s God. You’re not going to feel His presenc...
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