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Our Riches Are All The Same

This morning while in line at Starbucks, a very corporate looking man in front of me presented a $100 bill to the barista at the till in hopes that the register could make change for his $3 coffee. Time began to pass as the store was having a hard time scraping up enough money to make change. With my pocket book in hand, I stepped forward and offered up five $20 bills to the gentleman in exchange for his one large bill.

 

What dawned on me in that moment was that our ‘riches’ were the same. Sure his looked different than mine- this guy had a really big bill and mine were each pretty small in comparison, but standing at the register, all that mattered was the total and we had exactly the same amount.

 

I thought about this in terms of the ‘riches’ we offer to God. Many of us don’t have one really big ministry or large leading to offer, but we do have smaller deposits we’re making every day. And when we step up to ‘the till’ or Heaven’s gate, it doesn’t matter if we present  one really big offering or several smaller stories dedicated to the devotion of our Lord, because in God’s eyes, it all equals the same!

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Solitude

Henri Nouwen called solitude… “the furnace of transformation.” This doesn’t refer to mere personal privacy for a twelve- second pit stop where we get a quick fix to reenter the race. It’s more than that. It’s an oasis of the soul where we see ourselves, others, and especially God in new ways. It’s where much of the “clutter” of life is identified and exterminated, thanks to the merciless heat of the “furnace.” Soul surgery transpires as serenity replaces anxiety.

In solitude, struggles occur that no one else knows about. Inner battles are fought here that seldom become fodder for sermons or illustrations for books. God, who probes our deepest thoughts during protracted segments of solitude, opens our eyes to things that need attention. It is here He makes us aware of those things we try to hide from others.- Charles Swindoll, “Intimacy with the Almighty”

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Our Daily Bread

God has been revealing to me a correlation between our daily supply in His word and the manna He provided to the Israelites. 

The people fed off of God’s daily provision; they were not allowed to store up extra for the days or weeks to come. I hear God saying this is how it is with His word. We can’t store up a week’s worth of the Word from what is given to us on Sunday, but rather, we must seek Him every day and be fed from His daily supply in the word.

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No Fear of Failure

When will we ever learn that there are no hopeless situations, only people who have grown hopeless about them? What appears as an unsolvable problem to us is actually a rather exhilarating challenge. People who inspire others are those who see invisible bridges at the end of dead-end streets. Whether your circumstance is a relationship or a job, be inspired to continue hoping and persevere!

“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” -Proverbs 28:1

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” – Romans 5:3-4

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God’s Plan For Hope

For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

God knows, right down to the final nub, exactly where you are in life. He sees. He cares. He is aware. And best of all, He is touched by it.

The enemy of our souls wants you to think differently. ‘God doesn’t care. He’s left you in this mess for so many months. How unfair! Those around you, those at work, your neighbors, live like the devil, and they’re making it fine. And here you don’t even have a job. You don’t even have enough to cover the credit card bills. What kind of God is that?

Or maybe some young mother-to-be, stretched to the limit already with other young children and crushing responsibilities, cries out in her heart, ‘My situation is more than I can bear!’ And God replies, “My daughter, I know what I am doing. I know the pain of your heart right now. I know you feel overwhelmed, overloaded, pressed down. But believe Me, I am touched with your situation. And I have a plan! I am working out the details of your deliverance even now. Trust Me!”

-Charles Swindoll; Moses, A Man of Selfless Dedication

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Lane Changer

As I was driving to work, I realized halfway there that I hadn’t changed lanes once since merging into the morning rush traffic. In fact, I couldn’t even recall the cars that may have passed by or those that fell behind. In this, I also noticed the impatient beat in my heart that drives that kind of lane-changing behavior was missing.

And God spoke in that moment, showing me that when my eyes are fixed straight ahead on the lane or path He has me in, my mind will not get distracted by who may be passing me by or what others are doing. When I’m not looking to the right or left at all the options or ‘opportunities’ to get ahead, my heart is at peace in the lane He has me in. (Deuteronomy 5:32)

With my eyes fixed on the narrow path God put me on, my mind isn’t consumed with whether I made it there faster or slower than others or what open lanes of opportunity I may have missed. When my focus is steadily straight ahead in The Way, I’m not even distracted by what others did in the lanes God placed them in. When I finally reach my destination, joy and peace exude from my heart; which ultimately is what I yearn for and thus has set the pace for the rest of this path He has me on. (Psalm 84:2) (Psalm 29:11) (Psalm 34:14) (John 14:6)

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Prepare Your Heart

God spoke to me as I was making homemade granola this morning… it took me time to sliver the almonds… and He said “it takes time and effort for you to prepare healthy snacks and meals for your day. you have to be diligent and plan ahead the day so you do not get in a bind and make unhealthy choices when you get rushed or weak… and that’s how you need to be with me (God). You need to be diligent and stop to prepare your heart for the day by spending the time in the morning in prayer and reading so that later in the day when you become rushed or weak in a moment, your heart is prepared for it”.ImageImageImage

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Prayer of Declaration of Who I Am In Christ

Father, I Thank You for this day, for it is truly your day and I will be glad and rejoice in it. And  I Declare today is going to be a learning day, It is a day of understanding. A day Lord that You will be showing me mighty things and hidden things.

Today is the day that I will get a Revelation of who I am in Christ. I thank You Lord that because I have been made the righteousness of God that I have been completely justified by faith apart from the works of the law (2Cor. 5:21). Praise God, therefore, I have peace with You and I can stand in Your Presence without Guilt, or without Shame. Praise the Lord

I declare that I will no longer let Satan deceive me into thinking that I am Unworthy.I thank You that because of the Blood of Jesus that I am no longer a slave and living under the curse of the law.

Because of what Jesus has done for me. I have been delivered out of the control and the dominion of darkness and You have transferred me into the Kingdom of the Son of Your Love. Thank You Jesus (Colossians 1:13)

Father, In the Name of Jesus I release Your Word now into the spirit realm to affect the things in the natural realm so that your purposes for my life will be fulfilled, I declare that no devil in hell shall prevail against what You Lord have blessed me with or what tou have prepared and prearranged for me to have. I declare that based on Your Word that it all belongs to me. Praise God.You said all that is Yours is mine and I declare that I have been given rights here on this earth and I will exercise those rights by standing on Your Word.

I thank You Father that Your eyes are roaming to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Yourself strong on my behalf today (2 Chron. 16:9). Thank You Jesus.

Jesus said that as He is on this earth so am I. Father, thank You that I am the apple of Your eye and that You have a picture of me in the palms of both Your hands. Today Lord, because of what You have done for me, I can  walk in true freedom that I now live by faith. Praise God and not by sight…

Thank You Lord that I will never have to do anything alone ever again. For You will always be here for me. No matter what, thank You Father that I have Your promise that nothing can ever separate me from You and  Your love and that You will never stop loving me.

I declare today that ”I am a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus”. In Jesus Name. Amen. Amen

I pray that you will begin confessing this prayer over your life every day until you have more confidence in Who your Father is and how much He loves you.

And remember that “There Is Power in the Spoken Word of God and your life can be changed one word at a time…”

http://www.pastorjostwm.com/prayers/allihave

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Prayer For Divine Protection

I thank You Father that according to Isaiah 54:17 that no weapon formed against me shall prosper because I am the righteousness of God. Your favor surrounds me like a shield. (Psalm 5:12)

I declare that every attack that the devil has planned against me is diverted now in the name of Jesus. I use my words to agree with God’s Words, and therefore I cannot be defeated and I cannot be terrorized.

Fear has nothing in me because perfect love casts out fear, according to 1 John 4:18 and perfect love has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Perfect Love is God Himself living in me, therefore fear cannot live in me because God lives in me. And if God lives in me and He does, then love lives in me, and fear and torment cannot live in me. They cannot even come near my dwelling place. Praise the Lord.

I will fear no evil because God is with me (Hebrews 13:5-6). God Himself said that He will not in any way fail me nor give me  up, nor leave me without support…

He said I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless or forsake, nor let you down (AMP version). The Lord is my Helper; and I will not be seized with alarm. I will not fear or dread or be terrified, what man can do to me (Psalm 27:1, Psalm 118:6)

As the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21), I can speak the word of God and it comes to pass. I can declare and degree a thing and it shall come to pass. (Job 22:28). He is watching over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12) and it will not return to Him void. (Isaiah 55:11)

Every time I speak God’s Word, the angels hear it and they hearken to the voice of His Word; they hasten to carry out that word and bring it to pass. (Psalm 103:20). I cannot be defeated or destroyed; I condemn right now every tongue of fear trying to speak to me, every tongue of terror, every tongue of disaster, and tragedy. Nothing can defeat me, for if God before me, who can be against me.

Thank You Lord, that You have given me authority and Dominion over this earth and everything in this earth. I have authority over every serpent and scorpion and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt or harm me or my family (Luke 10:19)(Psalm 115:16)

I believe what God’s Word says and I will not be moved by what’s going on around me.

Now I declare that God is on my side, Jesus is Lord, and every mountain of fear, terror and plots against me is removed right now in the name of Jesus. I declare today that Satan has no power over my life; that every weapon he has, has been defeated, that fear has been cast out, that love makes my faith work and therefore I cannot fail. God’s Word cannot fail and that’s what we are made of – His Word, Made in His Image, after His likeness, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of His Words.

Therefore by the Blood of Jesus, I dwell in the secret place of the most High. I abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He has given His angels charge concerning me to guard me in all my ways. They will bear me up in their hands lest I dash my foot against a stone (Psalm 91)Thank You Lord for all Your Blessings. In Jesus Name Amen.

Satan I command you to take your hands off  me right now. I command you to cease and desist in any and all attempts to bring destruction or harm to me and my family. Father, I ask that You place a hedge of protection around my home now and around my body. In Jesus Name Amen.

(http://www.pastorjostwm.com/node/39)

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Under Pressure

As I was grilling some pecans, spices and onions to dress up spinach leaves for lunch, I was thinking about how many things I’ve been trapped in stress or worry over and an interesting correlation came to mind. I heat the spices to activate the seasonings, saute the onions to soften their texture and toast the nuts to crisp their shell. By warming up the ingredients, the pressure draws out all kinds of flavor and lets me get the full bodied taste, the core of the food. Do you know what the secret to really good coffee is? The temperature. The hotter the water, the more flavor it draws out from the grounds. The greater the pressure inside the pot… even more flavors steep out!

I think about what happens to me when I’m under pressure. When things heat up, it draws out the core of my being, who I really am. If there’s any ‘bad fruit’ deep down, it comes to the surface real quick. And if the fruit is of the Spirit, it shines through like a beacon of light to the surrounding world. Often we portray ‘being under pressure’ as a bad thing, but  this is the time when God draws the core of our being to the surface… this is when the ‘flavor’ of who we are is extracted for the world to taste. And just as heat and pressure does, I think pressure can sometimes soften our hearts while it toughens the spirit.

I’ve come to understand that when things ‘get heated’ or I’m under pressure, it’s not necessarily a work of the devil.  It could be God drawing out the best in us, our core, our, character to infuse this world with the flavor of His goodness through us. Sometimes we are our best versions of our ourselves, sometimes we do our best work, when we’re under pressure. These are all good things and opportunities for God to show off the sweetness, and maybe a little spice, He’s created us to be. Warning: This is also a chance for the devil to reveal the sourness that’s buried within.