 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
(Gal 6:9 ESV) Are you at a point of sheer frustration because it seems like you’re believing for the promises of God to manifest in your life and it looks like nothing good is happening only increasing difficulties in your faith walk? Well do not despair because while it seems like there is a millions miles separating the promise from the manifestation, in reality your a lot closer than you think. Jesus in telling the parable of the sower once stated, “It is the same with those who receive the seed on rocky ground; as soon as they hear the word, they accept it with joy, but it strikes no root in them; they have no staying power; then, when there is trouble or persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once(Mark 4:16-17, NEB)." So this feeling is not new at all, but what we later find out in this same chapter is that what makes the difference is how deep the word is planted within our hearts and how determined we are to see the promise come to pass in our lives. When a word goes out into the atmosphere whether via preaching, prophecy or just personal bible study our emotional response alone doesn’t mean that we believe the word. The evidence rests in our ability to apply the word, hold on to the word, and to war with the word because God’s word is our most trusted weapon in spiritual warfare. Too many people are not going to the word of God when trouble comes, but instead they run to people and most often those people that we run to don’t give us counsel according to God’s word. Stop it now! Paul knew this which is why he admonished Timothy by saying, “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare(1Ti 1:18 ESV)." Even Jesus when being tempted by the devil in the wilderness countered the devil’s deceptions by using the word setting a proper example for us as his followers. When we remind ourselves of God’s promises then we will find that second, third, fourth and fifth wind to continue consistently fighting “the good fight of faith(1 Timothy 6:12)." When you really think about it the issue is not whether God’s word will come to pass because the scripture states, “So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it(Isa 55:11 AMP)." The number one issue is whether we will be fixed on the promises of God so much that our faith causes us to inherit the promise(Hebrews 6:12)." We are assured that we will see our harvest at the right time if we simply press forward no matter what and don’t give up. So I leave you with question, “Are you determined to possess your inheritance or will you allow the devil to deceive you into forfeiting it?”
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 Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.”-Colossians 3:13, CEV
What do you react when you have been wronged? Do you begin planning the best way to get revenge? Do you earnestly pray that they will get what’s coming to them because “God don’t like ugly”? Do you choose the road less travelled and pray that God would bless them? Today I want to encourage you to let go of your grudges and walk in the way of love at all times. Too many people allow the seed of un-forgiveness to take root in their hearts instead of forgiving and taking the Jesus approach to interpersonal conflict. We somehow feel the need to take vengeance into our own hands instead of just letting it go. What people don’t actually realize is that un-forgiveness can be so toxic that it can literally kill you if you hold onto it. For example, there was once a man who had been wronged many years ago and could never find it in his heart to forgive the person who caused the offense. Eventually, he developed cancer and his condition did not respond to treatment. One day in prayer he cried out to God asking why the treatments weren’t working and God said, “When you forgive “so and so” for that offense all of those year ago then your healing will come.” Immediately the man called the person with whom he had the grudge and forgave them. By the time he went for his next medical examination he was pronounced totally cancer-free. There is power in forgiveness! I know that person may have said or done something very hurtful, but you must release them from that offense. Right now whether that person is living or dead release them from every offense that has been committed and if they are still alive pray God’s blessings over them. Don’t allow un-forgiveness to be a blessing blocker. Live a genuine life that habitually walks in the God-kind of love. In order to move forward with the fullness of God’s plan for your life who do you need to forgive? Declaration: “Today and everyday I choose to walk in forgiveness. I forgive everyone who has ever wronged me and because God’s love is in my heart I make no room for offense. When people see me they will see a walking display of the God-kind of love. I choose to freely share that love with my family, friends, enemies and strangers because God chose share it with me first when he sent Jesus.”  “Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the person whom the Lord does not consider guilty and in whom there is nothing false.”-Psalms 32:1, 2 NCV
What would you say if I told you that in Christ you can begin again with a totally clean slate? Would you jump at the opportunity to have every wrong act ever committed up until this moment cleared off of your record? One day I was offered this opportunity and once I accepted it my life was made new. Today I want to encourage to give Christ your past and accept his future. We’ve all done things that we would like to take back, but today Christ is saying we don’t have to take them back because he already did. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 and 21 Paul teaches us that, “If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new! Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could become right with God.” How awesome is that? Christ took the penalty for our crimes not only against humanity, but more seriously against God himself. In Romans 6:20-23 we are told, “In the past you were slaves to sin, and goodness did not control you. You did evil things, and now you are ashamed of them. Those things only bring death. But now you are free from sin and have become slaves of God. This brings you a life that is only for God, and this gives you life forever. The payment for sin is death. But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We have been giving not just life, but an eternally abundant life in all it’s fullness. Satan was the deceiver who kept us in slavery to sin and during our previous bondage he stole our opportunities at happiness, success and victory. John 10:10 states, “A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness.” Any existence outside of Christ can’t really be considered living because without Christ the fullness of life can’t be obtained. Even if you have a lot of material things, if you don’t have Christ then it’s all meaningless. Christ brought us true peace with nothing missing and nothing broken. In him we are now complete. Praise God forevermore! How did you come to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior? How has this decision changed your life? Declaration: “I am happy because my sins have been forgiven and all of my wrongs have been pardoned. The sin nature is no longer apart of who I am because I have been declared the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Because of Christ I am living life in all of its fullness.”  "I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength."-Philippians, 4:13 NCV
What is preventing you from living a life of fulfillment and zero regret? Education? Finances? Vital Partnerships? Whatever your reason or reasons may be, today I want to encourage you to live a life without limits. Most people spend countless hours and days thinking about what they were supposed to be or what they were supposed to do. However, we can’t turn back the hand of time, but we can live better today and tomorrow. Yesterday’s mistakes should not be today’s handicaps, but they should rather be instruments of higher learning that help us to make better decisions and avoid the same pitfalls. Today live expecting all of your dreams, goals and visions to come alive. Expect for God to connect you to divine appointments with the resources necessary to carry out everything that he has placed within your heart. Your faith in God will empower you to overcome every limiting factor that the enemy tries to use as a means of preventing your destiny. You are called to live a life without limits. What would you attempt to accomplish if you were confident that you would not fail? Declaration: “As a child of God I live a life without limits. As I stay connected to God, he is expanding my vision and bringing every necessary resource into my life. I cannot fail because God has blessed the work of my hands. My accomplishments bring God glory.”  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”-1 Corinthians 11:1, NCV
Do you have a mentor? When I speak of a mentor I am speaking of someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced individual. The principle and practice of mentorship can be seen throughout the scriptures through such famous relationships as Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy and most importantly Christ and his disciples. Today I want to encourage you to pursue the value that can be received from positive mentor/mentee relationships. Often an individual that desires to achieve success or breakthrough in any particular area of their life will seek to be mentored by another who possesses that which they themselves seek to acquire. If you want to be successful in business then you would not submit to the mentorship of someone who has always been an employee, but you would seek someone who has a proven track record of success as a business owner. If you’re a married couple to seeking to have a strong and healthy marriage you would not seek the counsel and guidance of someone who has never been married, but you would seek a godly couple whose marriage personifies God’s true biblical intent for marriage. Likewise, if you desire to have a strong relationship with God you would seek to be mentored by someone whose life clearly demonstrates that they are walking with the Lord daily. If you have an aim or goal in life you should associate with those that exemplify the vision that you’ve received from God and glean from the wisdom of their experience. Associations with true mentors will always inspire you to rise out mediocrity and begin living an extraordinary life filled with possibilities. Today my prayer for you is that God will divinely connect you to the right mentor or empower you to become the right mentor for someone else because the world needs true mentors. |
AuthorSteve Tolbert is an emerging revivalist who is passionate about drawing people closer to God. Archives
November 2020
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