"The Work Has Only Begun"

Scripture: " … Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!" -Luke 12:48, The Message Bible

One of the greatest things a person can achieve within their lifetime is graduation. I do not care if it's from high school, getting your GED, community college, a four-year college or university, graduate school, medical school, seminary, or any other school, it lets you know that the years of hard work paid off and you are standing on top of the mountain. I am reminded of December 15, 2007, when yours truly ascended to the mountaintop of having bestowed upon him his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. After four and a half years of doctoral study, tests, preliminary defenses, dissertation defenses, and dissertation writing, God blessed me to survive and make it! One of the greatest realities of that day was the day after and what had to be done. With a Ph.D. in hand and a job, I knew that the work had only begun. Within our Christian walk, God wants us to understand this as well, that as He has raised us to higher heights that the work has only begun. Today's text provides insight to this thought.

The Gospel according to Luke provides the back drop for today's main scripture. Luke, along with Matthew and Mark, wrote what is considered "The Synoptic Gospels". The term synoptic means "similar". The episodes of Christ's life told were similar, but each of them placed their own "flavor" in how they delivered their respective Gospel accounts. Luke, being a physician, emphasized the healing power of Christ throughout his account. Within this particular chapter, Christ provides warnings and encouragement (verses 1 - 12), tells the parable of the rich fool (verses 13 - 21), provides encouragement on why you should not worry (verses 22 - 34), be watchful (verses 35 - 48), discusses division not peace (verses 49 - 53), and how to interpret the times (verses 54 - 59). Today's main scripture falls under the subject heading of being watchful. As stated in the introduction, this scripture will provide clarity on why the work has only begun.

The portion of today's text we are focusing upon begins with "Great gifts mean great responsibilities". In the New International Version of the Bible, it says "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded". Brothers and sisters, God, at one point or another within your lifetime, has elevated you to a greater depth/level in Him, your education, your occupation, your business, or any other entity. As He has done this, He is looking for more from you! In other words, you cannot go down the mountain you came once you reach the summit! There's a higher mountain God wants you to climb! There are people are who are climbing the rough side of the mountain and those people need your help! God has blessed you with more money via a promotion and/or raise, what are you going to do with it? Spend it frivolously or bless others and the Kingdom of God? God has blessed you with the vehicle you desired, what are you going to do with it? Floss to the world that you have the vehicle or give God the same praise before you got it? What are you going to do when someone places you over a ministry or something? Are you going to gloat about it or are you going to work harder? At the end of the day, when God has elevated you to something higher, the work has only begun!

The text concludes with a greater emphasis on the previous point when it says, "Greater gifts, greater responsibilities". The New International Version says, "from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." One of the greatest examples of this portion of scripture is Manny Pacquaio. For those of you who may not have heard of Manny Pacquaio, let me give you a brief history on this superstar boxer. He was born in the Philippines, in a poor area, known as General Santos City. Before he became a superstar in the sport of boxing, he had already won a world title at 112 lbs. Under the guidance of trainer Freddie Roach, a former boxer himself, Pacquaio burst onto the scene to become a last minute substitute in a world title fight at 122 lbs. and went on to blow out the champion in six rounds. From there, through his diligence and hard work, Pacquaio became a champion at 126 lbs., 130 lbs., and 135 lbs. He really came into the limelight when he stepped up to 147 lbs. and fought Oscar De La Hoya. After eight one-sided rounds, Pacquaio made De La Hoya quit and eventually sent De La Hoya into retirement. After destroying Ricky Hatton at 140 lbs. and Miguel Cotto at 147 lbs., Manny Pacquaio has assumed the throne as boxing's pound for pound king. Because of his greater gifts, he knew greater responsibilities came! Because of his increased celebrity, he has still kept his hand to the plow and put on great performances in the ring! God has allowed some of you to possess some tremendous gifts and because of those gifts, you are expected to do more! It would be hard for me to ask a 2 year-old baby to preach the Gospel versus asking a seasoned preacher to preach the Gospel! Why? Because the seasoned preacher possesses greater gifts and thus, is capable of preaching the Gospel! Because of the greater anointing that's on your life, the work has only begun because greater responsibility is placed on you!

In closing, I was thankful to go to North Carolina A&T for 10 years and obtain three degrees in one of the roughest areas to study, Mechanical Engineering. I thank God the most because I know, because of Him, once I finished those degrees, the work of my life had only begun! Just like me, many of you possess awesome gifts and great anointing. God is calling you to great and greater responsibilities! Do not be afraid, He's there with you! He did not place more on you than you can bear! Are you willing to flex the muscle that God has placed on you to better His Kingdom? Are you willing to recognize that the work has only begun?

"Focus on Jesus"

Scripture: "Come, He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. …" -Matthew 14:29 - 31, NIV

As I am writing on this morning, I am reminded of a cliché my Mama use to say while I was growing up. When it seems like I was not paying attention to something, she would say, "Your attention span is as long as nothing". With this being said, the question I posed in my mind was "how long is a person's attention span supposed to be?" On average, researchers stated that for a two-year old child, his/her attention span should fall around five minutes. In the case of most healthy teens and adults, their attention span falls around twenty minutes. Within the Kingdom of God, we ought to have a very long attention span! We ought to be focused on the Kingdom of God! This attention span or focus ought to be spent on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! When we focus on Him, He will direct us! He will show us the way! How can we make such a set of proclamations? Let's examine the text.

Our main scripture for today falls in the Gospel account according to Matthew, also known as Levi. Within his twenty-eight chapter account, Matthew was the only of the four Gospel writers to speak of what we know as "the church". He also emphasizes obedience to and preservation of biblical law. Within this particular chapter, Matthew records the beheading of John the Baptist, the miracle of when Jesus fed the 5,000, and when Jesus walked on water. Within the episode of when Jesus walked on the water is where we derive today's topic and trend of thought.

To set the scene, Jesus told the disciples that He would meet them on the other side. As the disciples loaded up the boat and headed towards the other side, Jesus went to the mountaintop by Himself to pray and recuperate from His ministry duties on that day. As Jesus was on watch from the mountaintop, He recognizes the boat from a distance, who is being rocked by the winds and waves, and just like a loving Savior, began to walk on the water to check on them. As the disciples saw Him, they just knew it was a ghost; however, Jesus told them that it was Him. Then, Peter requested of Jesus that if it was Him, to ask Him and come out on the water. Jesus granted Peter's request when He told him to "come". Within the various seasons of our lives, Jesus will say to you "Come". He may be telling you to come into your blessings! He may be telling you to come into your financial breakthrough! He may be telling you to come into your mental breakthrough! He may be telling you to come into your marital breakthrough! He may be telling you to come into your spiritual breakthrough! Through focus on Jesus, you can receive the directive "Come"!

After receiving the directive "Come", Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water, coming towards Jesus! When your focus is on Jesus, you can do anything! When your focus is on Jesus, you can have the car you desire! When your focus is on Jesus, manifestation of your prayers can occur! When your focus is on Jesus, your children can act right! When your focus is on Jesus, those things that mean you no good will drop off! When your focus is on Jesus, businesses can be birthed! When your focus is on Jesus, you will have a relationship like no other!

The text continues where Peter took his eyes off of Jesus. It tells us that "But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink". When our focus is off Jesus, then the winds of our lives can blow and knock us off track! Many of us have experienced the wind of marital problems, thus we have lost focus! Many of us have experienced the wind of financial problems, thus we have lost focus! Many of us have experienced the wind of emotional problems, thus we have lost focus! No matter who you are, if you cut the grass down short enough, we have lost focus of Jesus because of winds that have blown in our lives!

The text closes out by saying, "Lord, save me! Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him." What blesses me here is the fact though Peter took his eyes off of Jesus because of the wind blowing, Jesus was right there to grab him. Not only did He grab Peter, He grabbed Peter immediately! Brothers and sisters, as I close on today, remember that though we may lose focus, Jesus is right there to grab you before you fall and He's there to grab you immediately! He's right there to provide help, He's there to be your battle axe, He's there to be the lover of your soul, and He's there to be your everything! My prayer for each of you on today is that you keep focus on Jesus, but just in case a wind may blow to knock you down, Jesus is right there to pick you up!

"Watch Your Mouth"

Scripture: "Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble." -Proverbs 21:23, NLT

If you were raised by an "old school" parent, then today's topic carries some substance with you! I was raised by a mother who was raised in the old school by my Grandma and my Granddaddy. I remember her telling me a story about when she talked back to my Grandma after she was told to do something. Because she back talked to Grandma Margaret, my Mama told me that Grandma Margaret slapped her so hard that she saw stars! If truth were told, each of us have experienced something along those lines. It may not have been a slap, but it may have been a whoopin', it may have been you eventually getting grounded, and other things. After Mama was slapped, Grandma Margaret told her to "watch your mouth". If we flip this thing spiritually, God is telling us the same thing to watch our mouths! Today's main scripture provides evidence to this thought.

Our scripture for this topic can be found in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs is the third of the five Poetry books in the Old Testament. It is also the first of three books written by the wisest king of all-time, Solomon. During his forty years as king of Israel, God allowed Solomon to learn a lot of things, thus allowing him to pin important clichés, "pearls of wisdom", proverbs, and sayings to help you and me grow as men and women of God. Today's main topic provides clarity on why we should watch our mouths.

Solomon starts off with the warning "Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut". Did you know that the tongue is the strongest muscle in the human body? It's stronger than your biceps! It's stronger than your triceps! It's stronger than your deltoids or any other muscle for that matter! Regardless, Solomon warns us that we ought to watch our tongue! He told us three chapters ago in Proverbs 18:23 that "Death and life is in the power of the tongue". It's crucial, my brother and my sister, to watch your tongue because it's going to either speak life into a situation or it's going to speak death into a situation! Solomon continues and tells us to "keep your mouth shut". One cliché I always heard was that "If you could not say anything good about anyone, do not say anything at all". Brothers and sisters, within God's Kingdom, it's imperative to build your brother up, instead of tearing them down! It's important to encourage and edify your sister, instead of always pointing out the negatives in their life! If you do not have anything positive to say, then God through King Solomon is telling you and me to keep our mouths shut!

If we watch our tongues and keep our mouths shut, then Solomon has a promise for you. He completes today's text by saying to us that "and you will stay out of trouble". I spoke to a friend of mine about three weeks ago and he told me how his wife keeps egging people on and once people began to snap at her, he would tell her that she kept pushing their buttons and for that, deserved being yelled at. If we cut the grass down short enough, there have been seasons where each of our mouths have placed us in trouble. Ladies and gentlemen, it's important to gage when it's time to talk and when it's not time to talk. Some of our greatest family and relationship hurts occur because people do not know how to shut their mouths! Some of our potential demotions and firings at our jobs have came because of us running our mouths unnecessarily! One thing about it, if you are God's child and you have been doing things right, then you do not have to run your mouth because God tells you in Psalms 46:10 to "Be still and know that I am God"!

In closing, Mama taught me a life lesson in watching my mouth towards adults. Solomon has taught us the lesson on how to watch our mouths spiritually as well as naturally. He tells us to watch our tongues and keep our mouths closed and we will stay out of trouble! Allow God to show you when to say things and when NOT to say things! It'll save so many people's feelings and in turn, subtract trouble from your life!

"One Body, One Spirit"

Scripture: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." -Romans 15:5-6, NIV

One of my favorite movies of this new century was based out of Atlanta, Georgia. It starred Nick Cannon as this freshman drummer from NYC, heading to a fictitious university called Atlanta A&T. By now, you know that the movie I am making reference to is "Drumline". One of the keys of this movie was the development of teamwork between Cannon's character, Devin, and his drumline family and classmates. The director of the band, Dr. Lee, had one saying to bring unity amongst them, "one band, one sound". In other words, there are various sections of the band, but when the band plays together, it's one sound being generated. Along these lines, within the body of Christ, God wants us to grasp the Dr. Lee concept, but instead of "one band, one sound", it is "one body, one Spirit". Today's text will make this point crystal clear.

Today's main scripture is found in the book of Romans. This book was one of the thirteen epistles written by the Apostle Paul throughout his missionary journey in the New Testament. During this fifteenth chapter, Paul discusses his plan to visit Rome, along with discussion about him being the minister to the Gentile nation, and discussion on unity in the body of Christ, where today's main scripture falls and where today's thought was derived.

Paul begins the text with "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus". He begins this portion of the text describing intangibles that the Father has already given them. Along with the intangibles of endurance and encouragement, Paul declares that God wants to give them, the Romans, a spirit of unity as they follow Jesus Christ. One thing I try not to get into nowadays are denominations. Yes, some of us are Baptist, some of us are Methodists, some of us are AME, AME Zion, Pentecostal Holiness, Holy, and other denominations. When you cut the grass down short enough, God is not concerned about those denominations! What He is concerned about is that we are ALL serving Him! What He is concerned about is that when we come together, what a time we can have in Him and what a time we should have in Him! What He is concerned about is as we follow Christ, we do it as an unified body! One body, one Spirit!

When you have the mentality of "one body, one Spirit", then we can complete the remainder of today's text. Paul concludes this text by saying, "so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ". When the saints of God get together and are on one accord, then they share one heart and one mouth! Jesus speaks through the Gospel according to Matthew, in its 12th chapter, when He says, "… for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Ladies and gentlemen, when your heart is right, then the mouth will speak right! When your heart is wrong, then your mouth will speak stuff that's wrong! When we are an unified body in Christ, "one body, one Spirit", where our heart is where our mouth is! When we possess the spirit of unity, we are capable and able to glorify God for the things He has done! When my brother/sister gets a promotion, I celebrate them because we are one body, one Spirit! When my brother/sister has one of their children graduating, we celebrate with them because we are one body, one Spirit! When the Lord has raised one to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we ought to celebrate them because we are one body, one Spirit! When someone hurts, we ought to hurt because we are what? One body, one Spirit!

In closing, once Devin got in his head that it was more about the band than himself, the band became stronger, unified, and able to defeat their foes. When the body of Christ possess the "one body, one Spirit" mentality, not only we can glorify God, but we will be able to walk in unity! My prayer for each of you on today is that God allows you to live life where we are unified as a body of baptized believers in Christ and exude the Spirit that comes from the living God!

"Someone with All the Answers to Your Questions"

Scripture: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." -Jeremiah 33:3, NIV

Many of us, at one time or another, have given presentations to a group. The group may be distinguished people within your field, your management group/chain at your workplace, or people you are trying to convince about something. Upon completion of those presentations, you often open up a "Q&A" session or question and answer period. It's within those moments where your audience comes at you from all directions. There are times where the audience has asked you questions and your response has been "I'll get back with you on that". There are other times where you can nail the question because it's simple in nature. Then, there are times where the question forces you to say, "I did not think about it, but I will investigate that the next time". Within the realm of the spiritual world, we often wear out our ministers, our deacons, our trustees, our big mamas, our papas, our pastors, and anyone that has a knowledge of the Word and worldly experiences with our questions. Today, I submit to you, someone who has all the answers to your questions. Today's text will provide a firm answer.

Today's focal book is the Old Testament book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is the second longest book (52 chapters) in the Major Prophets division of the Old Testament, behind Isaiah (66 chapters). Its author and namesake, Jeremiah, also wrote the book of Lamentations (which means "funeral songs"). Within this book, God allowed Jeremiah to understand that He was called from His mother's belly (Jeremiah 1) and He knows the plans He has for you (Jeremiah 29). Jeremiah, at this time, dealt with the hard-headedness of his people, but God gave Him the courage to step up, "man up" and do what thus saith the Lord. Within the chapter of focus, chapter 33, Jeremiah is writing about the promise of restoration. Within this discussion of the promise of restoration is where we find out about the someone with all the answers to your questions.

Jeremiah begins by writing, "Call to me and I will answer you". Who is the me being referenced here? The me is our Heavenly Father. Jesus gives us these words as well through Matthew when He says, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things shall be added unto you". In other words, He also knew the one who had all the answers to your questions. When it comes down to marital issues, seek God! When it comes to financial issues, ask God! When it comes to trust issues, seek God! When it comes down to you wanting to break a fast or an agreement of some kind, ask God! If truth were told, we can ALL say that at one point or another, when we asked God about something, He did answer!

This text concludes with Jeremiah writing, "and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know". Not only will He provide you with the answers to your questions, but He will tell you great and unsearchable things you did not know! Isn't that a powerful thing to know? I can recall a season in my life where at any moment, I would feel a sudden twinge of pain or "what's going on in my mind", I would immediately pray. As I prayed and found out later on, it was someone back home who was going through. As they were going through, God was blessing them to make it through. Ladies and gentlemen, there will come/has already come a season within your life where God will minister to you great and unsearchable things you did not know! He will minister to you about the greater calling He has on your life! He will minister to you about the turnaround in your finances! He will minister to you about the storm passing you over in your life! He will minister to you when it is time to leave someone alone! He will minister to you when it is time for you to keep your mouth closed and pray about a matter! He will give you clarity and understanding if you just ask!

In closing, many of us have had to or tried to provide answers to some very tough questions. Oftentimes, we will have the answer readily available and then there are times where we cannot find the answer. I am glad today to know that God is the man with all the answers to your questions. If you really want to know what's what in your life, ask the Father and just be prepared for the answer(s) He will give you!

"There are Friends and Then There are FRIENDS!"

Scripture: "You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand." -Galatians 6:2, CEV

As a fourth grader at Washington Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina, one of my friends met a guy named James, whom at the time could not stand him, but overtime, became one of his best friends. They played basketball together, they went to church together from time to time, they hung out at the mall together, and the list goes on and on. During the duration of their friendship, James endured some painful things with one of them being the passing of his older brother. Being the friend that my friend was, he told James that though he could not fill his brother's shoes, if there was anything he could do to be there for James, let him know. From there, their friendship became a brotherhood and they were there for one another at their graduations and James was there for my friend's wedding. The point I am getting at, my brothers and sisters, is that there are friends and then there are friends! If we cut the grass down short enough, we have all had "friends" who were more associates than anything and then we had friends - people who are genuinely concerned about you! Believe it or not, God emphasized this point through His Word. Let's take a look at what He says.

Our focus scripture for today is found in the epistle written to the church at Galatia. This book, let twelve others in the New Testament, were written by the Apostle Paul. Galatians is said to have been written between 48 and 55 A.D. Scholars stated that one of the main motivations behind Galatians was to let the people know that men are justified by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law of Moses. Within this concluding chapter of Galatians, Paul provides discussion on helping one another and some final warnings to the people at Galatia. Within the discussion of helping each other is where we draw clarity on the thought there are friends and then there are friends!

Within the Contemporary English Version of the Bible, Paul stated the following: "You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand". What a powerful and yet real verse! If you were to look at this text in the King James version, it says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." When you have real friends, instead of associates, they will be there to bear your burdens. When one bears your burdens, they do not literally carry those burdens, but they carry them spiritually. When I see that a brother or sister needs a job, I carry their burden in prayer and continuously ask God for His will to prevail and bless! When a brother or sister needs a promotion to make their financial needs at home, I carry that burden in prayer until God's will prevail! When someone says they are in need of a healing, we ought to carry their burden until God's will is done in their lives! When someone is hurting within their relationships, we ought to bear their burdens in prayer until God's will prevail! One thing I must emphasize in the midst of carrying one's burden, make sure you are capable/able to do so! Some of us can carry more because we have dealt with similar situations. Others of us can carry more because of our faith and relationship with God. Just know your limit in reference to what you can carry/bear.

As you show your friends how true of a friend you are or vice versa, then you are fulfilling the law of Christ. The law of Christ is simply this: "Love ye another as I have loved you". Do you realize that Christ is a happy Savior when He sees His children loving one another? Do you realize how happy He gets when He sees us carrying one another's burdens? Do you realize how Christ gets when we go visit the sick, feed the hungry, console the brokenhearted, and compel the sinners? When we are doing these things, we are displaying the love He had for us. At one time or another, we were all poor, we were all hungry, we have been brokenhearted, and we did not know Him in the free pardon of our sins! What did He do? He went on Calvary's cross to save you and me and because of that, He is not just a friend, but He is a FRIEND, a friend who loves us and a friend who cares for us! Doesn't that make you feel good knowing that Jesus cares?

In closing, James and my friend's friendship/brotherhood grew over time because each of them allowed the other to see the realness of their bond towards one another. They were not just associates, but they were genuine friends, one to the other! Just like them, Paul allows us to understand who our friends really are because they can carry our burdens when the time is warranted/needed. Upon completion of reading this message, ask yourself: who are your friends and who are your FRIENDS?

"His Intended Purpose"

Scripture: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." -John 3:17, NIV

Within this lifetime, God has established us with a purpose. Some of you may have been purposed to encourage your fellow man. Some of you may have been purposed to sing to the Glory of God. Some of you may have been purposed to preach the uncompromising Word of Jesus Christ. Some of you may have been purposed to serve as an intercessor on behalf of God's people to God. Some of you may have been purposed to prophesy over your family, friends, and foes alike. When it's all said and done, each and every one of you has an intended purpose! As we have an intended purpose, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, had an intended purpose. This purpose is disclosed within today's text.

Today's main scripture is located in the Gospel account according to John. Matthew, Mark, and Luke's accounts of the Gospel are called in totality the "Synoptic Gospels" because of their accounts being similar in story line and discussion of Jesus's life. Within John's account, He establishes Jesus as "Logos" or "the Word" without dealing with His birth nor geneaology, thus immediately beginning with Him working miracles. Within this particular chapter, Jesus converses with Nicodemus (verses 1 - 21) and we hear about John's testimony about Jesus Christ (verses 22 - 36). Within Nicodemus's conversation with Jesus, He discloses to this young ruler His intended purpose.

Jesus initiates today's text by saying, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world". What a real and yet powerful statement! He lets Nicodemus know and us, as readers know, that God did not purpose Him to come into this world to condemn it! He did not come into this world to bad mouth its people! He did not come into this world so He could enrich the richer and lessen the poor! If Jesus did not do these things, then why do we think we can do it? I was in a meeting with my ministerial brothers and sisters, and one thing our pastor told us is "to love the sinner and not love the sin!" If we cut the grass short enough, we have ALL sinned and come short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23), which means there's no room for judgement or any room for condemnation! I encourage you, my brother, and my sister, that as you live this life, watch your conversation, and be careful not to condemn anyone because God is the ultimate judge!

Jesus completes His message to Nicodemus by letting Him know His intended purpose is "to save the world through Him". In other words, Jesus' mission was to take on the sins of the world that began with Adam through the heroes and people of the Old Testament and for those people during His ministry and after His ministry (which includes you and me) and save us all from our sins! He knew that eventually that He would have a disciple to betray Him in Judas, He knew that Peter would deny Him three times, He knew that He had to die on Calvary's cross, and He knew that He had to rise again on the 3rd day morning with all power in His hands! With Him doing these things, He would serve, has served, and is serving His intended purpose, "saving the world through Him". As men and women of God, we ought to minister Jesus and strive to live Christ-like! We ought to remember that no matter how bad this world gets or will get, Jesus saved us!

In closing, we all have intended purposes within this world of ours. I'm thankful for Jesus' intended purpose: to not condemn the world and to save the world through Him! Aren't you glad about Jesus saving you from this world of sin? If so, take a moment to tell Him Thank You, live a life showing your appreciation, and minister to those as opportunity presents itself and even when it does not present itself!

"I Cannot Function Without You"

Scripture: "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."-Ephesians 4:16, NIV

One of the greatest cliches I have picked up within my lifetime says, "There's no I in team". I love this cliche because it emphasizes the need for individuals to come together, unite, and fight for a common cause. One place where you can find this thought process to be prevalent is in the sport of football. Most of us are amazed at how teams such as the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts score with so much efficiency and ease. These offenses can do that because they are getting their 11 men, from quarterback to running back, on one page, with a set of plays where they can protect the quarterback where he can throw the ball, provide blocks for the running backs and receivers, and hold back the defensive pressure striving to sack the QB or hit the receivers or hit the person with the ball! At the end of the day, because of team unity, these teams are successful, thus giving their teams the chance to win on any given Sunday. Guess who else should adopt this team mentality? You guessed it, we, as Christians, and the body of Christ! Today's scripture provides further clarity why you cannot function without me and I cannot function without you.

Today's main scripture is located in the epistle written by Apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus. This book was written around the time of 60 - 61 A.D. Paul's purpose for writing this book was to encourage and strengthen the church there at Ephesus since he could not be there with them. Within this chapter, Chapter 4, Paul deals with two key subjects: unity in the body of Christ and living as children of light. Within the section dealing with unity in the body of Christ, our main scripture is found, thus setting up the premise for today's title.

The text begins with Paul saying, "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament". The Him in this case is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because of His death on Calvary's cross to redeem us of our sins, He has brought us together. Have you ever been a part of a big family where the matriach or the patriach was considered the "glue" of the family? Well, consider Jesus in this same light. He's the glue that keeps us, as believers nationwide and worldwide, intact! As a part of this Christian body, we are the "supporting ligaments" mentioned here. Whether if you are a singer in the choir, a preacher, an usher, a deacon, or a trustee, you are a supporting ligament in the body of Christ! What do these supporting ligaments supposed to do?

Paul provides the answer to this question. The supporting ligaments "grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work". As a supporting ligament in the body of Christ, we are obligated to grow and build one another up in love. We can do these things as "each part does its work". In other words, it's on you, my brother, and you, my sister, and myself, to grow in God's love through His Word, through communication time in prayer, through fellowshipping with one another, through praying for breakthroughs and miracles in our lives, and through doing what God wants us and needs us to do for His Kingdom. As we do these things, we not only grow, but we are building the body in love. Our intent is to pray for another in love, to worship with one another in love, to fellowship with one another in love, to edify one another in love, and the list goes on and on. The body ultimately grows and builds when everyone does their part! In this season of my life, God allows me to help His body grow through ministering these devotionals to each of you on a weekday basis. Others of you help the body of Christ grow through praying for your brothers and sisters, preaching the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ, teaching the Word of God, edifying your brother and sister, providing help when need be, and whatever else God needs from you. As everyone does their part, I cannot function with you and you cannot function without me! As Hezekiah Walker sung a while back, I need you to survive and we need one another to survive!

In closing, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees cannot be the quarterbacks they are today without their teams. Our churches cannot become great churches without active and real members, striving and hungering after Christ and the things of Him. We cannot grow the body of Christ without doing our part! Jesus brought us together, holds us together, and He is looking for us to do our end to keep this body growing! Are you willing to step up and do your part to make Christ's body grow?

"When You're Mad, Don't Get Even"

Scripture: "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." -Romans 12:17, NIV

As a elementary school kid, I could recall many mean jokes that were played on my classmates and schoolmates alike. As these jokes were executed, the dominant thing that ran through the mind of most is getting revenge on that person with a joke of your own. When the opportunity presented itself, the person jumped full steam ahead and got their sweet revenge. In the adult world, we, within our relationships, either with our children, our spouses, or friends, have, at times, hurt them with our words or actions because in turn, we have felt like that we have been hurt by them or rubbed the wrong way by what they said to us. What God is saying to us is though, we may apply the cliché "Don't get mad, but get even" to our situations, He is telling us that when you are mad, do not get even! Today's scripture provides the foundation and baseline for discussion.

Today's main scripture is located in the epistle written by Apostle Paul to the church at Rome. This book was written around the time of 56 to 58 A.D. Scholars stated that Romans is a book of doctrine divided into four sections: righteousness needed (1:18 - 3:20), righteousness provided (3:21 - 8:39), righteousness vindicated (9:1 - 11:36), and righteousness practiced (12:1 - 15:13). Our main scripture for today falls into the final category of righteousness practiced. Within this scripture, God is providing us guidance on not getting even when we are mad.

Paul begins the first part of this text by saying, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil". In other words, there's no room for tit for tat. Have you ever seen anyone or been the one to throw stones at someone because of the stones they have thrown at you? Have you ever thought about getting revenge on someone because they embarrassed you in public? If we cut the grass short enough, we have all been there and done that! Again, remember what the Father is saying to you, even when these situations present themselves to you: when you are mad, do not get even. Proverbs speak to the importance of our mouth and the impact it has on your relationships. If you want to have stronger marriages, do what you can to love your spouse despite the pain (direct or indirect) that comes your way. If you want to have stronger relationships, do what you can to love your mate/child/friend/whomever despite the pain (direct or indirect) that comes your way. If anything, do not get even when you get mad!

Paul concludes the text by giving us a loving thought to remember: "Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody". I know this one is easier said than done. However, it's on us to strive towards doing what's best in the eyes of our friends, enemies, children, and most importantly, God. Paul tells us within this same 12th chapter that "Vengeance is mine, said the Lord, I will repay". With these things being said, there's no reason to get even and go "tit for tat" with someone. At the end of the day, the Holy Spirit will deal with them accordingly. Those who are reading this devotional can attest to how God has avenged them in the mists of their enemies, their "friends", and their family. With all of this being said, it does not make sense to get even though you are mad or when evil has been done to you.

In closing, life has a way of dealing you some blows. These blows often come from our family and friends and they come off as "wrong" or evil. Because of this feeling, we often times want to strike back and get even! God through the Apostle Paul is challenging you and I on today, to change that mindset and not try to get even when you are hurt. Allow God to do the work on the individual and in turn, focus on keeping yourself in order!

"The Cream of God's Crop Will Rise to the Top"

Scripture: "Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined." -Genesis 39:20, NIV

"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." -Genesis 41:39-40, NIV

We are now in the mists of one of the wildest and yet spectacular spectacles in sports: the NCAA Men's Tournament. 65 teams with one goal: to win six or seven games and become National Champions. These young men had to go through a grueling regular season and some had to attach a post-season tournament on there as well in order to receive their conference's automatic bid or to receive an at-large bid by the Selection Committee. At the end of this tournament, 61 teams will be disappointed because they did not make to Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Final Four, and three more teams will be disappointed because they made to Indy and yet did not bring home the National Championship. There will be one team that can use the old cliché that says, "The cream of the crop rose to the top". If truth were told on today, you, my brother, and you, my sister, are the cream of God's crop. There are times where we may not feel like it, but when you have endured the regular seasons of pain, blues, agony, disappointment, financial failures, family betrayals, and other things, you have made it and God has allowed you to rise above those things! Today's text will reveal another example of a man who was the cream of God's crop and how he rose to the top.

Our devotionals for the week begins at the beginning of the Bible, Genesis. This fifty chapter book, written by Moses, allows the reader to understand creation from the Earth being created to man being created with Adam and Eve, and their lineage from Cain and Abel to today's main character, Joseph. In addition, we learn from Genesis how sin came on the scene and how He is a promise keeper in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. Joseph was the eleventh son of Israel or Jacob. Jacob found favor within this particular son because he had him in his old age. As a young man, God allowed Joseph to dream dreams; however, he had to deal with "haters" that includes his brothers and other family members. Due to this hatred and wanting to shut down the dreams Joseph had, the brothers were ready to kill Joseph, but his oldest brother, Reuben, had mercy on him, placed him in a pit, and eventually sold Joseph into slavery. Because of Reuben's sparing his little brother, biblical history on Joseph continued; thus, giving us today's message stating the cream of God's crop will rise to the top!

The next part of Joseph's journey brought him to Potiphar's home. Within Potiphar's home, Joseph's excellence and favor from God reigned supreme and Potiphar placed him in charge of his home and everything he owned. Do you realize that favor has a way of making room for you even when you think you are not qualified or ready? Do you realize that favor will open the eyes of your bosses and peers and give you opportunities to shine within your organization or school or church? As Joseph was working hard, Potiphar's wife had a "thing" for Joseph because Joseph, according to Genesis 39 was "well built and handsome". Due to the wisdom and "eyes" God gave Joseph, he did not feed into Potiphar's wife's advances. Since he did not feed into it, Potiphar's wife told her husband that Joseph tried to "get with her" and because of that, Potiphar had Joseph sent to jail.

When you are the cream of God's crop, you will rise to the top! Joseph shows us this in Genesis 39 and 40 with Joseph being in prison. Though he could have been destroyed by his prison mates, God allowed the favor and excellence over Joseph's life to shine where he was in charge in the prison! Then, while Joseph was in prison, he interpreted the dreams of a baker and the chief cupbearer in Egypt. However, the cupbearer forgot Joseph in Chapter 40, but remembered him in Chapter 41. God has a way of allowing people and situations to come into your life where your gifts will make room for you and place you in front of great men (Proverbs 18:16), but He will provide you with a set of blessings you did not have room enough to receive! The cupbearer remembered Joseph because of the dreams the Pharaoh was having during that time. When Joseph received his opportunity, God gave him illumination, clarity, and understanding in order to interpret the Pharaoh's dream and because of that, the cream of God's crop rose to the top of Egypt and served as second in command behind the Pharaoh! Isn't it a blessing to know that all it takes is one break and you have went from the poor house to the penthouse? Isn't it a blessing to serve a God who knows your potential and is ready to take you higher if you just follow His will for your life? Isn't it a blessing to know of an example who received God's favor and was able to make good on it, not only for him, but for his family? When you are a child of the King, you are the cream of God's crop! When you are the cream of God's crop, you will eventually, rise to the top!

In closing, the 2010 Men's National Champion in basketball will endure some pains, hardships, setbacks, and injuries, but as the old cliché says, "the cream of the crop rises to the top". Just as the champion will rise to the top, Joseph rose to the top and he serves as encouragement for me and for you. Pray that God has you in a place or places you in a spot where you can rise, bless your church, family, and friends, and be able to make God proud of you!

"Please Take Notes"

Scripture: "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." -James 1:19-20, NIV

Everyone that is receiving today's devotional, remembers the days of school. Whether when you are in elementary school, middle school, high school, college, or seminary, we have all been there. There were a couple of things that our parents told us in order to be successful for school. Those two things were to ask questions if you did not understand something and to take notes so you can use those to study, do your homework, and prepare yourself for your tests. You can tell the good note takers from the bad note takers. The good note takers are the ones bad note takers ask to borrow their notes and copy them. Within the Kingdom of God, our Heavenly Father is encouraging you and I to take some notes from Him. How can I make such a claim? As most preachers would say, I am glad you asked! Let's check out today's main scripture to view the notes we need to take as Christians.

Today, our main scriptures comes from the book of James. According to scholars, James is viewed as probably the oldest book in the New Testament, written as early as 45 A.D. As James wrote this five chapter book, he dealt with some serious things. Some of these things include trials and temptations, forbidding favoritism, faith and deeds, taming of the tongue, submitting yourselves to God, and boasting about tomorrow. Within this introductory chapter, James discusses trials and temptations (verses 1 - 18) and listening and doing (verses 19 - 26). Today's main scripture falls under the category of listening and doing, thus providing us the thing we can do: take notes.

James begins this set of scripture by saying, "My dear brothers, take note of this". With this being said, the tone is set. James is letting you and me know that there are notes we must take. Let's dig a little deeper here. He goes on to say, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry". If I was to do a straw poll of everyone reading on today, I bet we can all say that we are struggling with at least one of these things. On today, God is asking you to please take notes on being quick to listen. Many of our non-essential arguments occur when both parties are trying to talk and one is not trying to listen. If you are slow to listen, then you are definitely slow to speak. One thing I have realized in this life of mine is that God gave you two ears and one mouth. What's the point here? He expects you to listen twice as more as you talk! Brothers and sisters, take time to listen to your spouse/mate/child/friend/co-worker and quit writing them off so quick! Take time and digest what God is saying to you through them! You never know, God may have a blessing for you through them! The last thing James mentions here is "slow to become angry". If truth were told, some of us will go off the deep end quick when it comes to a certain subject or something of a sensitive nature to us. James is employing you and I to take note of being slow to become angry. James further clarifies why we should be slow to becoming angry.

James concludes the scripture for today letting us know that "for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires". In other words, your anger cuts off the blessings God wants to bless you with! Husbands and boyfriends alike, we know that there have been times where our wife/lady was ready to love on us and next thing you know, we came out of our face really wrong, and next thing you know, those plans of being loved on was cut really short! What's my point? My point is that God is like the woman who wants to love you! If you allow your anger to dictate what goes on in your life, you may be headed down a road of failure and potential trouble! When you are about to go off or get mad about a circumstance, ask yourself a question: Is it something really getting mad about? Is it worth blocking the blessings God wants to give me?

In closing, we ought to be thankful for the good note takers at school. They helped us get a long way, get you through grade school, and for some of us, through our collegiate careers. We ought to also be thankful to James. He cared enough about us to provide us some worthwhile notes to live by. With the notes James has given you on today, are you going to apply them and pass life with flying colors or tuck them away and fail? You be the judge!

"You Are Who You Follow"

Scripture: "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." -Romans 8:5, NIV

In the realm of sports, you can tell by the way a coach coaches his team, whom he learned from or whom he studied from. In the case of Eric Mangini (Cleveland Browns head coach), you can tell he learned some of his coaching tendencies from Bill Belechick (New England Patriots head coach) because he served as a coordinator under Belechick for years. In a Belechick system, you know his focus is defense and in turn, so is Mangini's focus, defense. In the case of former head coach Mike Holmgren, you can tell he learned his coaching tendencies from former head coach Bill Walsh. In a Walsh system, you knew his focus was the West Coast offense and in turn, so was Holmgren's. If you were to flip this thing spiritually, you can identify those who follows after our Heavenly Father and you can identify those who do not. How do you know? Let today's text bless you and provide clarity.

Our focus book for today is the epistle, written by the Apostle Paul, to the Romans. Of the thirteen epistles/letters written by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, Romans, along with 1 Corinthians, are the longest, chapter wise, with sixteen chapters. Romans was written to proclaim the glory of Jesus through the teaching of doctrine, edification, and encouraging those who would receive this epistle. Aren't you blessed to receive some encouragement and edification along this Christian journey? Within today's focal chapter, we see Paul discussing life through the Spirit, the future glory, and being more than conquerors. Within Paul's discussion of life through the Spirit is where we understand how you identify who you follow.

Paul begins this text by saying, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires". In other words, when one falls into this category, you see the acts of their "sinful nature" in action through their lifestyle. These things include pride, idolatry, whoremongering, hatred, envy, jealousy, backbiting, tattling, and other things. Paul, in his letter to the church at Galatia, Galatians 5:19 - 21, allows us to understand the characteristics of one that resides in the sinful nature. As you identify those with these characteristics and attributes, then you know they live a life conducive to their sinful nature.

Then, Paul comes back and concludes the text by telling us about those who follow after the Spirit. He tells us that, "but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires". If truth were told, this piece ought to be applicable to all of us on today. When we live in accordance in the Spirit, we ought to be in tune what He desires, whether if it is serving your brother and sister, whether if it is praying for someone, whether if it is encouraging someone through the Word, whether if it is edifying your brother/sister to do better, whatever the Spirit needs from you and me, we ought to be doing it! If we are doing what the Spirit, then people can see who you follow, see the Father that shines in us and from that, He can get the glory (Matthew 5:16) out of our lives!

In closing, we all ought to have the tendencies of our Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Through the viewing of these tendencies on Earth, men can see that you are men/women of God and that you follow Him with great respect and love! Can anyone you hang around identify the God in you?

"Confession Is Good for the Soul"

Scripture: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." -Proverbs 28:13, NIV

When at home with my wife, there are times when we are playing, we'll act like we cannot own up to something. For example, we may have played Bowling on Wii Sports and I beat her by thirty-five pins and she would say that I got lucky. In turn, I would say, "Own up to it, you just got beat". Eventually, she would own up to just losing the game versus using an excuse. When she does that, I would say, "Now doesn't that feel better because confession is good for the soul?" There are cases where we, as men and women of God, need to put this cliché to practice in our everyday lives and every day walk. Today's text ministers to us on this topic.

Today's main scripture is found in the book of Proverbs. This book was written around the time of 900 B.C. Proverbs, written by King Solomon, are what one may consider "lessons learned" from Solomon's life and reign as King of Israel, along with some clichés, proverbs, and phrases that would benefit you and I as we continue to live life. Within this scripture on today, it provides us further clarity on why confession is good for the soul.

Solomon begins writing the text by saying, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper". Brothers and sisters, it's imperative that you do a "self - assessment" on a regular basis. Assess yourself for what is good about you. Assess yourself for what is bad about you. When you recognize the things that are bad about yourself, do something about it. Get the help you need in order to better yourself. Pray to the Father that He may provide you guidance and understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Read His Word that He may give you clarity on the things you should do to get it right (Psalms 119:105). Anything you do, do not hide/conceal your sins! If you do that, the text warns you and I that we will not prosper. As the old cliché says, "what's done in the dark will come to the light". Anything you do, deal with your darkness before it is brought to light!

The text is concluded by Solomon when he writes, "but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy". In other words, confession is good for the soul! Have you ever owed someone and you did not want to call them until you had their money available? Just think if you called them earlier and let them know your circumstances, there's a good chance they would understand and give you the time you desire. Many of us have wronged our brothers and sisters and ourselves and yet have kept it in the back of our minds and within our hearts! It's imperative on today that you confess your sins, renounce your sins because mercy is awaiting you! If you have a friend/brother/sister that you trust, confess your sins to them and know that God has healing with your name on it (James 5:16a)! Whatever you do, stop carrying the weight of sin, let it loose and confess it!

In closing, we all have confessing to do in one arena or another. If we hold those sins in, we cannot prosper the way God wants us to. On the other hand, if we confess them and renounce them, then there's a place called mercy where we can reside there and receive it! Are you content with sulking in the things you need to confess or are you going to let it loose and become blessed? The choice is yours!

"The Place Where Freedom Resides"

Scripture: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." -2 Corinthians 3:17

Over two hundred years ago, our fore parents searched for one thing we have on today: freedom. This search went on and on for years at a time. Nat Turner had an infamous slave revolt in Virginia in 1831. Harriet Tubman led the Underground Railroad from the slave-stricken South to the free-man North. Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist born in the free North with striving to give his fellow brothers and sisters what he had and that was being free. Through the help of God through President Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address, freedom was given to the slaves in the South and anywhere else in the U.S. at that time. Rosa Parks strived that you and I would not have to sit in the back of the bus. The Greensboro Four strived that we can eat in an establishment without coming through the back door. The work of our fore parents has brought us to the threshold of enjoying freedom on today. The freedom to eat anywhere, the freedom to ride the bus in any seat, the freedom to use public bathrooms with other nationalities. Our fore parents' diligence and hard work has blessed us with physical freedom. In the spiritual world, we often have not found the place where freedom reside. Well today, through the help of God's Word and today's main scripture, we have the location of where your spiritual freedom reside.

Our main scripture for today is located in the book of 2 Corinthians. This book is the second epistle or letter, written by the Apostle Paul, to the church located in Corinth. Scholars stated 2 Corinthians was likely written between 55 and 57 A.D. Within our focus chapter, Chapter 3, we find Paul making some opening comments and eventually, his talk shifted towards the glory of the new covenant (agreement between two parties, at times, an agreement between God and man). Within this particular section dealing with the new covenant, we find where the place of freedom resides.

Paul begins the text by writing, "Now the Lord is that Spirit". Paul establishes that not only that God is a spirit, but He is THE Spirit! Oftentimes, we ask the Spirit to step in and take over our life's situations, the Spirit we are requesting is that of God! When we ask the Spirit to lead us and guide us, it's the Spirit that is God we are asking for! My wife and I have a running joke. She often tells me that she "feels something down in her spirit" and I always say, "you are talking about the lower case s spirit!" At the end of the day, when you feel something in your spirit, make sure the Spirit that you are feeling and/or hearing is that of the living God!

It's critical for us to understand the Spirit of the living God because that's where freedom resides! Paul clinches this thought when he completes today's text. He tells us, "and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty". The NIV says, "and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom". If you are looking for freedom from a backbiting spirit, go where the Spirit of the Lord is! If you are looking for freedom from a spirit of financial lack, go where the Spirit of the Lord is! If you are looking for freedom from lackluster fulfillment in your life, go where the Spirit of the Lord is! If you are looking for freedom from a spirit of depression, go where the Spirit of the Lord is! Whatever you need to be freed from, whatever you need to be emancipated from, go where the Spirit of the Lord is, because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!

In closing, we all can applaud and appreciate the efforts of our fore parents for giving us freedom. Thank You Nat Turner! Thank You Harriet Tubman! Thank You Frederick Douglass! Thank You Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! Thank You Rosa Parks! Thank You Greensboro Four! Thank You to all of our fore parents! Most importantly, I want to say THANK YOU LORD because where your Spirit resides, there is liberty and freedom for us and the problems we deal with on today. If you are ready to lose the spiritual shackles off of your ankles, find a location of where the Spirit of the Lord resides!

"It's Time for You to Give It Up and Turn It Loose"

Scripture: "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." -1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible

One of the best songs I love the most is from a group who had the R&B world in the palm of their hands in the 90's. They had such hits as Free Your Mind, Never Gonna Get It, and Giving Him Something He Can Feel. This group was known as En Vogue, a set of four divas who could sing and put on a show. During my time of really listening to this group, they came out with a song where they were talking about leaving men/women alone in relationships, along with the cares of this world. This song was entitled, "Give It Up, Turn It Loose". If truth were told, today, as I am writing you, many of you are carrying things from your past and it's hurting your present and future. I am charged by the Almighty God on today to encourage you and challenge you (myself included) to do like En Vogue said, give it up and turn it loose! Just like our Heavenly Father, He provides us with scripture to back this topic.

Today's main scripture is located in the book of 1 Peter. This is the first of two epistles written by Peter to encourage believers to count it an honor to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ, as He suffered for them and for us on today. Isn't it amusing when someone comes at us wrong that we are ready to either check them or say something back? Well, since we are Christians or Christ-like, we do not have to worry about that. More importantly, He does not want us to act like that. Romans lets us know that "Vengeance is mine and I will repay". Anyone who has done you dirty, God will deal with them accordingly! As we move on, in the fifth and concluding chapter of this epistle, Peter addresses elders and young men and provides final greetings. Within his address to the elders and young men, he provides us understanding why it's time to give it up and turn it loose.

The text begins with Peter writing, "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him". Ladies and gentlemen, there's someone that can carry your load more than you and His name is Jesus! He lets us know that He would not put more on you than you can bear! He allows you to understand that the frustration that occurs in marriages, give it up and turn it loose to Him! The frustration of financial success, give it up and turn it loose to Him! The frustration of dealing with bad children, give it up and turn it loose to Him! The frustration of not meeting your quotas at the workplace, give it up and turn it loose to Him! The frustration of feeling alone because you are single, give it up and turn it loose to Him! Whatever you need to let go on today, give it up and turn it loose to your Heavenly Father and the Lord Savior Jesus Christ!

Why can we cast all of our cares or give it up and turn it loose to Jesus? Peter provides finality here. He tells us that we can give up our cares and turn them over to Jesus because "for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully". I am reminded of a song a trustee use to sing at my home church entitled "Jesus Cares". Jesus cares when I am burdened! Yes, He cares, when I am alone! Yes He cares when I am in trouble! On today, I want you to know that when you give up your problems and turn them over to Jesus, you can do that because He cares! He cares for you affectionately! In other words, He loves you with a DEEP love! He loves you with a passionate love! He loved us so much that He took on flesh, dwelt amongst men, lived 33 years, died on Calvary's cross for your sins and mine, and got up on the third day morning with all power in His hands! He loves you, my brother, and He loves you, my sister! He also cares about you watchfully. In other words, Jesus tunes in to every move we make, whether it's a good move or a bad move, He tunes in on a regular basis! He tunes in so much that He knows when you need to let things go. He knows when you need to stop trying to fix it and let Him fix it. He knows that beyond a shadow of doubt, whenever harm tries to come your way that He will send angels to protect you! Aren't you glad that Jesus cares and cares enough for you and I that we can give up and turn loose our cares to Him?

In closing, I believe within my soul, there are greater days ahead for each and every one of you who receives these devotionals. I believe that God has great things in store for you. I believe that God will send "in the back of your mind" blessings. He will send "why me Lord" blessings. He will send "This was nobody but you Lord" blessings. Within receiving these blessings, He wants us to be able to let go of some things. He is calling for you and for me to go deeper in Him so much that we become transparent! When you become transparent and real with yourself, watch out because the blessings are coming!

"When All Else Fails"

Scripture: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." -Habakkuk 3:17 - 18, NIV

Have you ever been in a season where things were not going your way? Where the bills stacked up, your family member(s) became ill, the workplace was acting up, the children were acting up, and your spouse was acting up? Have you ever had to deal with a season where all you did was mope, act depressed, or cried with regularity? If truth were told, we've all been there in one form or another. As you have these feelings, you feel like life has failed you. However, on today, I am encouraged to know that God, through we go through these failures, is still right there. He still has the keys to your life and the keys to my life! Within today's text, He provides us with a weapon we should use when all else fails.

Our main scripture for today is located in the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk was one of the twelve Minor Prophets within the Old Testament. This book was written between 610 and 605 B.C. Habakkuk wrote this book with wondering why God was allowing His selected people to go through suffering from their enemies. Through God answering His prophet, the faith of Habakkuk was restored. Within this particular chapter, Habakkuk was praying to God and within this prayer, we find what Habakkuk prescribes for us when all else fails.

He starts off the text by saying, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food". Ladies and gentlemen, many of us have planted seeds and have seen where no produce has came. We have tried one business venture and it did not grow. We have tried various relationships and it did not last. We have tried to do things our way and it did not work. At the end of the day, we have all experienced the feeling of no produce, the feeling of no grapes on the vines, and the feeling of no buds from our trees.

Habakkuk continues by saying, "though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls". There were times and seasons in your life where God had provided you with sheep (money, friends, etc.) to handle your business, cattle in the stalls for growth and helping you accomplish greater things. Here again, as I mentioned previously, you were provided those things and eventually, your pen was empty with no sheep and your stalls were empty with no sheep and your brook has dried up without any water being there! What are we to do when all of these things have failed?

The answer to the question is given here. Habakkuk finishes the text by writing, "yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior". Brothers and sisters, no matter how dry your season is, rejoice! When your children act up, rejoice in the Lord! When your money is funny and your change is strange, rejoice! When your workplace wants to give you a rough time, rejoice! When your family members do not understand what God is doing in your life, rejoice! The Word tells us that "The joy of the Lord is our strength". When you take time to rejoice, you won't take time to be depressed! You won't take time to think about what you do not have! When you have God in your life, you have everything you need! Though the brooks have dried up, God has and will continuously send you "the water" you desire! When you are in need of blessings, He will be Jehovah Jireh to provide for you! When you are in need of some peace, He will be Jehovah Shalom and be your peace! When you need victory over the enemy, He will be your Jehovah Nissi! When all else fails, REJOICE! I feel like the old hymn I use to hear at my home church right now when it says, "When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me, my soul cries out Hallelujah, I thank God for saving me!" Don't you thank God for saving you? Don't you thank God for keeping you closed in your right mind? If you do, then rejoice and give Him praise!

In closing, seasons of pain, blues, and agony will come. Seasons of failure and hurt from unexpected places will come. The lesson here is to do like Habakkuk and have a "yet God" rejoice in your Spirit! Have a "yet God" rejoice in your mind, body, and soul! When you do that, you tap into God and He will be there to come to your rescue!

"Choosing the Right Door"

Scripture: "I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture." -John 10:9, Amplified Bible

During the 1980's and even now in 2010, there was a show where people came dressed up as animals, policemen, and other occupations looking to become a big winner. This show I am making reference to is "Let's Make a Deal". The host back in the 80's was Monty Hall and within 2010, the host is now Wayne Brady. No matter who was/is the host, these contestants come with props in their hands, with the chance to win money, and to win the grand prize. However, in order to win the grand prize, you had to select from three doors and determine which door had the grand prize behind instead of hay or a cow or a beat-up car. Within the Kingdom of God, we often are dealt this same hand. Life presents so many doors and it's on you, my brother, and you, my sister, to select the right door. I am encouraged today because today's text provides definite clarity to this matter.

The Gospel account according to John will serve as today's backdrop for our main scripture. The intent of this Gospel account was not to present Jesus' life in chronological order like the other Gospel accounts, but to put on display His power and who He was as the Son of God. Throughout the tenth chapter of his Gospel account, John records Jesus ministering to His disciples about the shepherd and his flock and the Jews unbelief in Him. Within the discussion of the shepherd and his flock, clarity is given on which door to choose.

Jesus clarifies the house by letting us know who/what is the right door. He says, "I am the Door". The New International Version and New Living Translation say, "I am the gate". In other words, to receive the blessings God has in store for you, you have to walk through the door of Jesus. Not the door of despair, but the door that's Jesus! Not the door of depression, but the door that's Jesus! Not the door of desperation, but the door that's Jesus! Not the door of greed, but the door that's Jesus! Not the door of financial wealth than spiritual health, but the door that's Jesus!

Jesus continues on and lets us know the benefits of choosing Him as the right door. He goes on and says, "anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). " Now that right there ought to make you give Him a praise! Jesus loves you and I so much that He wants us to come to Him so we can live! It's also critical as men and women of God to compel others so they can live and walk through this door known as Jesus! If you think about Romans 10:9, it truly links to this portion of the text. It says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." If we believe Jesus to be the Son of God, believe that He died for our sins, and convey this message to others, being saved is a part of the blessing along with being able to live!

Jesus completes this verse by saying, "He will come in and he will go out (freely), and will find pasture". In other words, because you chose Jesus as the right Door, you will be able to live life, knowing that He's there to take care of you! You will be able to live life knowing that no weapon formed against you shall prosper! You will be able to live life knowing that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! You will be able to live life knowing that you are a part of the blessing of Abraham and that those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed! You will be able to live life, as Jill Scott would say, like it's golden! As we live our lives for Jesus, there will be some bumpy days, but at the end of the day, you will have more good days than you will bad days! He will make sure that your needs are met! He will open up His windows from Heaven and pour you out blessings! He will take care of you and yours!

In closing, selecting the right door on Let's Make a Deal enables one to win nice prizes or pieces of junk. When you choose the Door that's Jesus, it enables you becoming saved, it brings about freedom, and it brings about the opportunity to reap the bountiful blessings He has with your name on it! Aren't you glad that you made Jesus your choice? If so, compel your fellow man to do so in order for him/her to receive those blessings as well!

"What Activates God's Promises for Your Life?"

"Because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word." -Hebrews 11:11, Amplified Bible

As a young man in my early 20's, credit card companies wrote me and wanted me to apply for their credit cards. Many of you know this same feeling today. In the meantime, upon applying for a credit card and eventually getting approved, the company would send you your new credit card in the mail. Before you could use the card, you had to call a 1-800 number to activate your card. Upon following those instructions on the 1-800 number, your card became activated and ready for use. Within the Kingdom of God, God has some promises bottled up in Heaven awaiting you. Today's question being posed is how do we activate the promises that God has for our lives? Let's examine a Biblical hero to understand what is needed.

Our main scripture for today is found in the book of Hebrews. Within this particular book, we learn about Jesus being the Chief Priest in the order of Melchidezek, His authority over the angels, and most importantly, how faith is defined, and who exhibited faith within the Bible who was worthy to enter the "Faith Heroes Hall of Fame". Within this faith chapter, Chapter 11, we learn about someone who found out what activated the promises for their life.

The author begins the text by telling us what is needed to activate the promises God has for your life. He writes, "Because of faith …". I remember hearing a song as a young man where a trustee at church use to sing, "Prayer is the key, but faith unlock the door". The code to activate God's promises for your life is f-a-i-t-h, faith! If you can step out on faith and believe God for His promises, they will come to pass! The great spouse you desire, with faith, God will send you him/her! The job with the financial and other perks you desire, with faith, God will send it to you! The peace you desire in your home, with faith, God will send it there! Whatever you desire, God will send it to you and activate His promises into your life if you show Him that you have a little faith!

Today's example of faith in action is Sarah. The writer goes on to say, "Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she long past the age of it". Brothers and sisters, when you have faith in your life, there's no age limit on the things God can do for you! You can be 15 years old and be a great preacher! You can be 65 years and be a great teacher! You can be any age you desire, but God can make things happen for you! Not only that, He will provide you the power to make it happen! If you need mental power, God can deliver it to you! If you need emotional power, God can deliver it to you! If you need spiritual power, God can deliver it to you! Sarah was barren, but God gave her the physical power to conceive Isaac! How many of you are striving and trying to conceive a miracle in your life? If so, use your activation code, faith, to get it done!

The author closes the text with some valuable information. He says, "because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His Word". Her faith activated God's promises, but she knew God to be reliable, trustworthy, and true to His Word. Ladies and gentlemen, He lets us know in His Word that "He is not a man that He would lie" and "He is not slack concerning the promises He has for you". When you use faith to activate the promises, you understand how dependable God is! He woke you up this morning! Closed in your right mind! Able to get your clothes on and get to work! You understand how trustworthy He is! You give Him praise, glory, honor, and smile on the inside because He has been so good to you! You understand how His Word is true! You have seen the oddities of the weather! You have seen children rebelling against parents! You have seen men becoming boasters of themselves. You have seen people that have a zeal of God, but deny the power thereof! Most importantly, you know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more! When you know these things about your Father, you can place the code faith to activate His promises for your life!

In closing, we get credit cards in order to take care of bills and any other luxuries of life. Aren't you glad that God has His promises readily available to bless you? All you have to do is have a little faith. Look what it did for Sarah! Old woman, but God blessed her to have a promised child, by the name of Isaac! Activate the promises that God has for you by exercising a little faith!