So what do you want for Christmas? A house? A new car? A vacation on a remote island? More money? A new job? All of these things sound nice, but they have an end date attached to them. The home will lose it’s charm, the car will soon become old, the vacation, well, those end way too fast. Money will exchange hands as it always does, and the new job will soon become tedious.

We’re never satisfied, always wanting, like food that tastes so good but doesn’t have any nutritional value in it so we’re left hungry for more. What will it take? This time last year, almost everyone wanted the latest IPhone, but now it’s obsolete and there’s new things.

Psalm 45:10-11 “Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”

We can’t continually wish for something else when the one who values us and lavishes great gifts on us is really all we need. It’s not even our birthday, it’s His, so it’s time we seek the giver, not the gifts. Don’t focus on filling the space under the tree this year, focus on the One who made it all possible.

Lord, nothing in the earth can satisfy or bring me joy but you. I hear people say, “I want that for Christmas!” but I want you. In days or weeks, the newness of those things will wear off and they will be left wanting once again. Will Love win the affections of your people?

As Paul said, “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” So it would seem Lord, that the greatest gift I can give is Love. I will live to give love to those I meet. A smile, a kind word, compassion, a prayer, a dollar, a meal. A word of praise to the checkout clerk who looks stressed because her child is sick and she can’t pay her bills. I will look for ways to give, even if it costs me everything, because that is what it cost you. It’s in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

This morning I read about Abraham and saw how God took an average man, and persuaded him to leave everything familiar to him and trust in a God he’d never seen. We’d call that stupid, unwise or uncommon, but that my friend is faith! Although Abraham made mistakes along the way, he never allowed those mistakes to define him. From the moment he began his great journey with this unseen God who speaks, to the day he held in his arms the promise, he believed God.

Genesis 15 begins with a vision where God says to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” When Abram reminds God that he has no son, no heir, God begins to deal with his self perception.

Genesis 15:5-6; Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

  So what is it that you’ve been promised but haven’t seen? The same God who formed each star a named them all, is the same God YOU have been asked to trust in. But you can’t just trust Him when you see it, you must trust Him when you don’t. Each time you declare his faithfulness, you are putting another stone on your foundation of faith. Each time you declare Him mightier than the enemy your face, each battle you fight, each time you persevere in the face of opposition, you’re building your faith.

Then the next time you face that mountain, you can say, “Be removed from here!” and it will move! Our God is mightier then any mountain you can or cannot see. Those things you’ve been going through were not meant to defeat you-they were meant to strengthen your hope and trust in God. He is well able to deliver you from anything you face today.

Just as God made a covenant with Abraham, you stand in a long line of heirs that have received the same promise. That promise has never weakened or diminished in any way. God has promised to bless and multiply you just as He did Abraham, who may I add was a friend of Gods (James 2:23).

Father, I set myself to trust You. I know that everything You speak to me contains blessings just as You’ve promised. I will keep my eyes on You and trust in Your Word, for You will never leave me nor forsake me. My life was designed for Your purpose, may I never lose sight of that. Today as I go out in the world, I know that You are with me, that Your rod and staff comfort me and keep me safe. There is no weapon that’s formed against me that will win, for You are a faithful shield and my great reward. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

We’ve all heard the saying, ‘What goes in, must come out.’ Well, that’s a no brainer, right? The things you eat will make it’s journey through you, retrieving the good,  before what’s not useful exits from you. Or so you think! Some of what you eat contains things that are not good for you, like pesticides that remain in various foods depending on the soil it’s grown in. Those things eventually wreck havoc on every part of your body, causing sickness and diseases. We always try to consume organic foods, but in the event we’re not sure, we ask God to take out anything bad and bless it to the good of our bodies.

When God is trying to show me something. He always takes the ’roundabout’ to reinforce the treasure He has for me and I totally love it! So as I’m thinking about food, something we all have on our mind, especially during the holidays, I hear the Lord ask, “What is the purpose of My Words? They are always full of purpose, on assignment the moment I speak them out. Do your words hold purpose?”

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat it’s fruit.”

Wait, how can there be fruit in a word? Well now, God said (that’s words), “Let there be light.” What happened? There was light. He sent a word (seed) and called it light which produced light. Remember Psalm 107:20, “He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.” Everything God speaks is a seed with a harvest attached to it. He made us in His image and likeness and expects us to do the same.

Proverbs 4:20-22; “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ, do not think that you can damn everything and everyone with your words and expect different results. If you are speaking negatively over your body, expect negative results. If you’re speaking the problem constantly, don’t expect it to change. It will only grow in magnitude until you change what you say.

I know what you’re thinking, ‘That’s just positive thinking!’ That’s right, I’m positive you will get whatever you’re saying because like Gods words, yours have value and are on assignment the moment you speak them out. And don’t think that what you say in secret won’t have the same results!

Father, I repent of words spoken in anger, in fear and in worry. I repent of curses, seeds sown that have become a garden of weeds, choking the life out of the few good plants growing. Help me to consistently speak what You tell me to and to not deviate from that course set before me. Put a watch guard on my mouth that I may refrain from speaking evil. I thank you for crop failure! Your grace is enough to give me a new start. I will consistently agree with Your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I can tell you about Jesus till I’m blue in the face, but unless you believe what I say is true, unless you believe in ALL the finished work of Jesus, you will see my lips moving and hear, blah blah blah.

Acts 16:31 says; So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Did you see that? AND your household. That means all in your house will be saved because YOU believe on Jesus. So don’t fret about your children or your spouse. So complete are the promises of God that I Corinthians 7:14 says, “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.”

Just think about that for a moment. Saved doesn’t just mean forgiven of sin, Jesus did more than that! When His blood was shed, it provided total redemption to God’s original plan. The finished work of Jesus Christ made provision for EVERYTHING we would ever need for life and godliness. His blood eradicated sin, sickness, disease, poverty and lack of any kind. It’s there for the taking! Faith takes, what grace made available.

Oh my dear friends, we’ve been deceived into thinking that healing isn’t for everyone, but it is! It’s available for anyone who will receive it. Anyone who believes on Jesus will be healed, and their house. It just takes one radical believer, willing to reach up and take what’s been provided. Will that be you?

Father, I thank you for everything Jesus did for me on the cross. He made me a king and priest, ruling over sin, sickness and even death. Lord I believe, help my unbelief! I take authority right now in the name of Jesus over any sickness attacking my body. Even as people read this, may they experience healing only You can give.  Where there is lack, I call in provision. Meet every need in our finances. I call all debt canceled in the name of Jesus. Amen!

“She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.” 1 Kings 10:2 “Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.” 1 Kings 10:10

It’s well known that you never come before a king without a gift of some kind. The word ‘gift’ simply is a way to show favor or honor. Something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned. 

That, my friends, describes us right there. We didn’t deserve anything because while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God, the great King of kings, gave us the greatest gift when He gave us His son. Not only did it restore us to our rightful place as kings of the earth, the very act gave us everything needed for life and godliness. Think about that for just a moment because there is largeness in that.

I believe this story is a picture of the bride of Christ today as we come to Him, we never want to come empty handed before Him. We pour out our love and worship telling Him how mighty He is, how powerful and awesome. With all that is in our heart, there is a great exchange taking place; our sorrow for His joy, our turmoil for His peace. This should be happening in our services but most importantly, daily in our homes.

So this morning, dearest Father, I give you praise and adoration. You are Lord of all the kingdoms of my heart. I praise Your name, for You are great and there is no other like You. Mighty and holy and worthy is the Lamb that was slain for me. My heart beats because of Your blood that flows through my veins. You have anointed me and called me to carry Your Word and Your name. I come boldly before Your great throne of grace, having found favor before you and man. I thank You that my steps are ordered by You and that You take delight in the plans You have for me. I will trust in You alone. It’s in the great name of Jesus I ask these things, Amen.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. Acts 16:26

Have you ever been bound by chains and in prison for doing something good? Paul and Silas found themselves in just such a situation after setting a young girl free from a spirit of divination. Now they could have been angry, frustrated and discouraged because, after all, they were ‘doing good’. So what caused the sudden earthquake that set them free?

Let’s back up to verse 25 in that same chapter; ‘But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.’ They chose to pray and sing! How awesome is that? Our tendency would be to gripe and complain, bind the devil and call down fire from heaven. But God responds based on our response.

You may be sitting in a prison of your own making or one that someone made for you. It may have made life hard for you, things you struggle with everyday of your life. Oh my friend, there’s something liberating that happens when I break out in singing and praise His name. It pushes fear to the curb and invites the Holy Spirit to blow into the room and break some chains.

Are you ready to break free? Lift your hands with me and begin to say out loud, “Thank You Jesus for setting me free. You paid the highest price for me! You gave Your life, shed Your blood so that I could live and walk free. Thank You for breaking this chain that’s held me bound for so long. Your Word says that who the Son sets free, is free indeed. So right now, I just give You praise. I thank You for healing me, spirit, soul and body. Nothing is too hard for You and nothing is impossible for You. Thank you for delivering me from the pit of despair. No longer will I think on impossible things because all things are possible with You.

“Thank You for delivering me from debt. You give me ideas and witty inventions. You prosper me even as my soul prospers. You watch over my children and my grandchildren. You keep me in perfect peace because I keep my mind focused on You. I call for ministering spirits to come and bring freedom to every person reading this and speaking it out. I ask that immediately, they would sense You are working things out for Your honor and glory. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray this, Amen!”

Whiners weary God. Malachi 2:17 says, “You have wearied the Lord with your words. ‘Wearied him?’ you ask. ‘How have we wearied him?’ You have wearied him by suggesting that the Lord favors evildoers since he does not punish them. You have wearied him by asking, ‘Where is the God of justice?’

Are you ranked with the whiners? Do you try to figure everything out, to fix things that weren’t meant for you to fix, then when you’ve made a royal mess of it, ask God to fix it? Have you told God, ‘I have this and don’t need you!’, until you do? Only for the desperate things, the things that need a miracle.

Trust is built in relationships, getting to know someone, spending time with them, talking and laughing together. It’s no different with God. It’s like talking to a friend on the phone; you can’t see them but you talk just the same. You must know God with your spirit, because He is Spirit and those who worship Him must do so with their spirits.

Listening is just as important. Learn to tune into His voice. I did this by reading the Psalms, learning how important His voice was for David, made it equally important for me. I would go for walks into quiet, sometimes remote places, let my mind go still (which is a literal miracle!), share my heart with Him and wait to hear Him speak to me. I found that He’s never quiet to those who want to know Him. After all, He said if I seek Him I will find Him if I seek Him with my whole heart.

Jeremiah 33:3; Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

I will trust in You, Holy and Mighty God. You are my steadfast friend, the first I run to in time of trouble. I know I can count on You for You have never let me down. Your plans are bigger then mine. So big that I am dumbfounded when You show me a glimpse. When I stand before You, I’m aware of how small I am and how big You are. I’m in awe of the way You love and care for me. Everything I would ever need in this life, You have given it to me and continue to show me how to use it to be victorious. I love You Lord and I give You praise this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Don’t freak out at test time! Trust the One who gives the answers.

“Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”John 14:1-4 MSG

Whatever you’re facing, God has it! He’s way ahead of you! He not only knows the problem, he has also provided the answer. It’s like an open book exam, they don’t put a question on the test if the answer isn’t in the book, you just have to take hold of the book, open it and read. Something else happens when you read Gods Word. Your confidence in Gods ability goes off the chart.

“Don’t throw away your trust now—it carries with it a rich reward in the world to come. Patient endurance is what you need if, after doing God’s will, you are to receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36 Phillips

I know it seems like the battle you’re fighting will never end, but God knows your end from the beginning. He said that in due season, you will reap if you don’t faint away. So many people give up just before the victory, simply because they can’t see the finish line. It’s just around the next bend of the road, just over that hill ahead. One more day, keep going! I know you’re frustrated! Satan knows what God has in store for you, so he will try everything he can to get you to quit. Keep pressing forward. There is a great crowd cheering you on.

Father, for that one who is ready to throw in the towel, quit the race, stop fighting for what belongs to them, I pray you will give them a new tenacity to continue. Put new wind in their sails, new hope in their hearts. May they get a glimpse of what you’re holding at the finish line. I ask for warring angels to be released to fight for them. I ask for ministering angels to minister to them, to strengthen them for the last leg of the journey. May they stay focused on You and Your ability, not their own. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

You know the saying, ‘Opposites attract?’ Walt and I are extreme opposites. I think the older we get the more evident it becomes. We love each other VERY much, and over the years we’ve learned to appreciate the differences and realize that together, we are a formidable force. But sometimes, it’s just hard. If I’m weak in an area, he’s strong and when he’s weak, I’m strong. Oh those first years when you fight to keep the tenuous hold on who you were alone, to becoming what you will be together.

Yielding is a big key in marriage. The bible talked about wives submitting to their husbands. It’s a verse I’ve stumbled over so many times, but it’s there none-the-less. I would not be who I am today if I hadn’t learned that yielding was not a dirty word. Walt is to our marriage, as Christ is to the church. He loves me unconditionally, wants to take care of me, I just have to trust him, honor and respect him, and submit to him.

Psalm 37:5 tells us, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass.” We may not know or understand the plan, but we know that it’s for good. God has great plans and purposes for us if we will simply submit to Him. We must understand that the struggles we have in life are designed to take us somewhere. Life’s not always grand, but if you’ll press through the struggle and give God the praise, it will be.

David would not have been king without Goliath.  Moses wouldn’t have rescued Israel without Pharaoh. Jesus wouldn’t have been crucified without Judas. God has a plan for us. It’s ok to not understand, thats what trust in a loving God is all about. Just know this, while He has your hand and he is leading you down an unfamiliar path that appears a struggle to walk on, what happens on the journey will prepare you for your destination. John 14:3, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

It’s so sweet to trust in You, Lord. You always have my best interest at heart. You lead and direct my steps and show me the way to go. I will trust you when it rains and when the sun shines. I will trust you in the good and the bad. I will trust that Your plans are better and lead to greatness. I will trust in You for this day and for always. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.