Peter had the right focus when he stepped out of the boat and began walking toward Jesus on the water. But then, his focus changed to the high seas and he began to sink.

This morning, I’m thinking of the many times I’ve jumped out of the boat and began to run with the vision only to be distracted by situations that overwhelmed me.

There’s an old song that came to me this morning, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

All I need is the grace of God to do what He’s called me to do. II Corinth 12:9 Phillips version says it so well, ““My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely.”

And isn’t that what it’s all about? Hidden in Him, we decrease, so He is more visible? Our obedience, His power.

Father, in the middle of my storm, when the waves are breaking over me, I will close my eyes so I can see you in all your glory. May that vision be enough to carry me through. I love you. I trust you. You are all I need.

Sandy G

Have you ever faced something that seemed way over your ability to deal with? Overwhelmed, broken, defeated, sometimes things just look impossible! It seems like that, because it’s all we can see. It consumes our vision each time we open our eyes, it takes up all our thoughts when we close our eyes, there’s just no escaping the problem.

King Jehoshaphat faced a similar situation in II Chronicles 20. Verses 6-12 we hear him crying out and reminding God of all He’s done for them and he ends with, “but our eyes are upon You.” Hear what the Lord answered in verse 15b, “Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ Then he gives them instruction on what to do in verse 17, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

But the coolest part of this story is found in verse 18, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord.” Do you see that? When you trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, you will remind God of His promises, wait for His instruction and then worship Him.

There’s a tendency to run and do without being thankful. Jesus healed the 10 lepers, only one came back to worship and thank him. The 9 were healed, but only one was made whole. Restoration comes when we worship.

I’m not going to be satisfied with a part of my salvation, I want it all. I worship you, my King. Thankful for your Word over my dilemma that moments before obstructed my view of You. May my worship usher in my victory over my enemies today.

Sandy G

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Ps 5:12 NKJ

We ask for your favor, Lord. Not that it rain down on us, but that it would wrap around us as a shield, protecting us, keeping us, directing us. Favor that touches every aspect of our lives, health, relationships, connections, business, finances, family. Favor on our jobs, in our homes, on our pastors, our churches.

Open doors that previously remained stubbornly closed, allowing us to move forward in your plans and purposes. Victory for battles! Promotion! Transfer! Lord, let Your ear be attentive to this Your servant.

I prophesy favor, as You have told me to do. Now great Provider, do as only You can do. Blow from the north, the south, the east and the west. We will stand this day and see the salvation of our God for You are faithful to Your Word and You are moved by our faith and trust in You. You will not allow our enemies to triumph over us.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NASB

And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NASB

As I was having devotions this morning, these two verses came to mind. I’ve learned not to question, but to post them and trust God has something for someone this morning.

I grew up hearing these verses because I had a mom who didn’t just believe the Word, but lived by it. She knew that if God asked her to do something, He would give her the strength to carry it out, and the wisdom in how to do it. When she would get discouraged, she would go back to the Word and read it over and over again, then she would cry out to God for help and He would come to her assistance in some way.

When God called her to start an orphanage in Haiti, her own church denied her support because she was too old and had no formal education. I remember her saying, if God used Moses at 80, He can surely use me at 40. Because she trusted in the Lord and His calling, nothing was impossible to her. She served the God of the impossible. Where He led, she followed, knowing that she would never be alone in the venture.

She and my step-dad built a large compound in a remote part of Haiti, took in hundreds of children, educated them, fed and loved them but most importantly, taught them about Jesus. Taught them that faith in God can move mountains and calm seas. That nothing is impossible when you place your trust in Him.

Last year, Jesus welcomed her home at the age of 90. I’m sure that she heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” How do I know this? Because without faith, it’s impossible to please God. She walked closely behind her Lord so she wouldn’t mis-step.

I hope this story encourages you today in your own walk with the Lord. When you’re weak, He is strong, trust His strength and remember, nothing is impossible to those who believe.

Sandy G

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he will not utterly be cast down; for the Lord covers him with His hand. Psalm 37:23-24

Regardless of your circumstance, God has made a way for you. I love that the Lord orders our steps and actually delights in them. Every day, I think about that, the great God of the universe orders my steps.

There’s nothing that escapes Him. Nothing is impossible to Him. Wherever I go, whatever I do, He sees and orders my steps.

The steps of Esther were ordered by God as well. I’m sure when she was herded up with the other young ladies and taken from family and friends, she probably wondered why. But look how God not only favored her and positioned her as queen, but saved a nation, a people using a mere child bride to do it.

I get so excited when I look at that story of Gods deliverance. Listen to this verse from Esther 8:17 NLT “In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.”

These were some of the first converts! Can’t beat um, join um! That’s what God will do with our lives. He brought us down this path so that people from every nation and tribe will be won to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are to rejoice and celebrate the goodness of our God, even when we don’t understand the why’s or the when’s, He orders our steps.

Remember that when you walk down your path today. Even when you fall, you won’t stay down because God holds you up.

Sandy G

“I am the Lord; there is no other god. I will give you the strength you need, although you do not know me. I do this so that everyone from one end of the world to the other may know that I am the Lord and that there is no other god. I create both light and darkness; I bring both blessing and disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things. I will send victory from the sky like rain; the earth will open to receive it and will blossom with freedom and justice. I, the Lord, will make this happen.” Isaiah 45:5-8

As I was reading Isaiah 45 in the Good News Translation, these verses jumped off the page as I felt the Lord addressing doubt and unbelief in my own thinking. Let me explain:

First of all, there is not one among us who doesn’t question God at some point in time. We’re always wondering what I call the 4 ‘W’s’; Where, what, when and why. I just like to know! I don’t think it’s wrong, but when it brings doubt and unbelief, that is where we muck up the water a bit.

These words were spoken to Cyrus the king because God had something intentional planned for his role as king. Verse 4 says, “I appoint you to help my servant Israel, the people that I have chosen. I have given you great honor, although you do not know me.”

We think we know the mind of God, to know His thoughts, plans and purposes. But if we did, there would be no room for trust or faith. Micah 4:12a says, But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord,
nor do they understand His counsel.

Every time you’re tempted to criticize someone for their actions or deeds, step aside and watch your own steps. We were each designed for a purpose and God alone knows what that is. If we would spend more time in communion with Him and doing what He asks us to do, we’d be much better off. Better to pray for others that they too would be faithful, than sit idly in front of your favorite media source passing judgement on those who are making an effort.

Remember that there is but one God and He has positioned each of us in His tapistry to add to His own design. Find your spot and do you. There’s only need for one Master Painter, so stop trying to be what you’re not. Trust His design, pray as He leads, do what He says and stop wasting time messing with His project.

Sandy G

“You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.” Mark 13:35-36

It’s not up to your pastor to keep watch for you while you go out and do your own thing. It’s not your parents’ responsibility to watch for you. It’s for you! You must watch. It’s up to you to be ready.

Get dressed, you know the wedding is soon, don’t be caught unaware. You’ve been warned! You can’t just say you didn’t know, because you do! Don’t live like there’s no responsibility. Jesus said to be ready. You putting it off for tomorrow doesn’t mean He’ll wait for you.

Matthew 7:21-23 says, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ ”

Remember the song, “People get ready, Jesus is coming, soon we’ll be goin home. People get ready. Jesus is comin to take from the world His own”? It’s simple. Repent of your sin, believe in Jesus than surrender your life to Him.

Whatever He asks of you, do it. When He comes, you’re going with Him.

Sandy G

When Enoch was 65, he had a son, Methuselah.  After that, Enoch lived in fellowship with God for 300 years and had other children. He lived to be 365 years old. He spent his life in fellowship with God, and then he disappeared, because God took him away. Genesis 5:21-24 GNT

Who knew I’d find this sweet treat in the genealogy part of Genesis? It was noted fact that Enoch walked with God and was taken. We sang songs about it in Sunday School all the time. But it wasn’t all about the children he bore, it was about the fellowship he had with God.

He was 65 when he had his first son and lived in fellowship with God for 300 years. Kind of makes me wonder if he realized his need for God after children? They do tend to hollow you out at times, don’t they?

That word, fellowship, usually is something you do with others who are like-minded and have same interests. You share basic desires and enjoy talking about them to each other. You tend to grow and learn from their perspective and actually enjoy spending time with them. They somehow fulfil you.

Prayer is conversation and conversation is two sided. I come to God to speak and listen, to hear and be heard, to get instruction, revelation, direction. Than I’ve learned that if I simply do it, I walk in step with God, receiving benefits I didn’t even know I was entitled to.

If I talk and hear but don’t do, I complete the cycle of insanity, expecting things to be different but continuing to do them the same. Change begins with me doing what I’ve been instructed to do. Change happens when I fellowship with God.

Sandy G

In the book of Esther, chapter 2, we find that after the kings anger subsided, he sent out his servants who attended him to find beautiful, young virgins to be prepared to please King Ahasuerus.

As I was reading this beautiful story, I saw our King, Jesus, having lost the heart and obedience of his Queen, searching throughout the earth to find those with a pure heart, so they may be prepared to show off His power and glory.

It doesn’t matter their social standing, age or rank in life. He’s pulling them off the streets, from abusive homes, from prisons, the highways and byways of life because His own have made excuses and are just too busy with their life, dreams and goals in this world to do His bidding. He’s preparing a people who will set aside their agenda for His own, who will leave father and mother, sister and brother for the sake of the Kingdom.

Those whose hearts follow hard after Him will be those who gain access to the inner courts of the King. I want to be a part of that. Those who hesitate, the bible makes it abundantly clear, will not take part in the Kingdom of God but will be left behind.

What has your heart? Everyday I ask God to show me any area where there is the least bit of hesitation. It’s one thing to say, “I’ll go anywhere You send me!” It’s yet another to actually go. To be a part of a body of believers who smell bad, look bad, are too weird, speak in other tongues, and to be uncomfortable sitting next to, that’s exactly where I want to be. Some people wear their yuck on the outside, others on the inside.

Jesus, more than anything in this world, I need You. Without You, I’m lost. Wrap Yourself around me and take me. I’m Yours. Every bit of my yuck is Yours to beautify. I yield to all the extensive treatments for a night with You. May I lose myself and find You.

Sandy G

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 GNT

Isn’t it awesome that we have someone to call on? Someone who helps us when we need help? I had to stop a moment and thank Him for His mercy. Even when I’ve done something stupid, He still helps me. What a wonderful gift.

But as I read the next verse, I realized that He doesn’t do it for our sakes alone. No, He helps us so we can help others. I have to be honest, I never really looked at it that way. I was always thankful for the help, the deliverance He brought to me, but I never really thought that it’s to help others.

I began asking how I can do this? How do I ‘play it forward’? How can I take the help I received from God and gift it to someone else?

One way is that when God blesses me financially, to always try to find someone who needs help and give out of that to them. Another way is that when I am healed in my body, to lay hands on and pray for others that they too may be healed. Sharing out of our ‘help bank’ should be just one way we can invest in others around us.

Father, help me to help others just as You have helped me. Give me creative ideas, ways to be a blessing and show others the way to call out to You. You are my help in time of trouble and I’m grateful. Today, may I be aware of needs around me and sensitive and discerning to be a help to people you’ve placed in my path. In Jesus’ name and for Your glory. Amen

Sandy G