When you go to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots and soldiers far outnumbering you, do not recoil in fear of them; God, your God, who brought you up out of Egypt is with you. When the battle is about to begin, let the priest come forward and speak to the troops. He’ll say, “Attention, Israel. In a few minutes you’re going to do battle with your enemies. Don’t waver in resolve. Don’t fear. Don’t hesitate. Don’t panic. God, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win.” Deuteronomy 20:1-4 Message

It’s easy to not be afraid when you know the outcome, isn’t it? It’s like seeing a movie for the 2nd time, you know what’s going to happen, so you’re prepared for it. But those times you don’t know, when your situation or circumstance screams loudly in your ear and you are forced to give it your undivided attention, that’s hard.

The really neat thing about these verses is this; he uses the word ‘when’ you go to war, not if. He knew this was only one of many things His people would face and He wasn’t going to try to sugar coat it. It sort of reminds me of what Jesus said in John 16:33-“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Just as He brought them out of Egypt, the place where they had dwelt in bondage for centuries, He was showing them the way through it. He was saying, “I did it for you than, I will do it for you again and again and again!”

So whatever you’re facing today, or have faced this week or perhaps will face in your future, reflect on your past victories. The same God who provided for you last time, will provide for you again. The God who loves you and stands with you, He’s still there, loving and standing with you. He will strengthen you, He will hold you up with His right hand.

Sit and write down your past victories so that you have record of them, then draw on the memory of your victories.

Make it a good weekend,

Sandy G

I’m sure we’ve all experienced those cutting words from friends, family and strangers. Shoot, back in my sarcastic days, I’m pretty sure I was responsible for more wounds then I want to admit dishing out. I should have been a medic! I would have been busy cleaning up after myself.

This morning, I wanted to point out that good can come of cutting words. You’re probably thinking, “Sandy, drink your coffee. You’re not awake yet!” I’m working on it!

In Hebrews 4:12, Paul writes about Gods cutting words;
God’s word is alive and working. It is sharper than the sharpest sword and cuts all the way into us. It cuts deep to the place where the soul and the spirit are joined. God’s word cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. It judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.

Unlike our words, His Word is like a surgeons scalpel, cutting out wrong thought patterns, correcting our vision and improving our understanding. What’s truly amazing is how He does a complete heart transplant, trading our diseased one for His own.

You see, as messed up as my words were, when I began exchanging mine for His, my words became life to those who hear me. Instead of causing hurtful tears and offense, His Word in me brings life and hope and hopefully, encourages others to exchange their words as well.

Where I deserved, ‘Shame on you!’, I received forgiveness and a promise of a forever home with Him. I may remember the things I did and said, but He never throws that in my face. It’s that unconditional love and forgiveness that made me want to change and be more like Him.

Father, thank You for all the undeserved love and forgiveness. Thank you that Your Son paid the debt I couldn’t pay. I’m so glad He’s constantly reminding You that in spite of my insufficiencies, His grace is enough. I may say ‘OUCH’ when Your Word cuts me deep, but what a relief when that thing is finally gone. I love you! And thanks for the good day I’m going to have. It’s in Jesus name, Amen.

PS-if you were a friend I’ve cut-SORRY! LOVE YOU! #don’thate #i’vehadsurgery #behealed

Sandy G

Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted. Ephesians 4:20 Message

God is a motion sensitive God. When we move, He moves. When we seek Him, we find Him. When we give, its given back to us. When we raise our hands and praise Him, He responds by coming into our midst. Thats why they sent singers into battle first, because they knew it would evoke the presence of God and assure the victory.

And when we’re still, we know that He is God, and the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Oh Astounding God, if I stand, you’re there. When I’m asleep, You watch over me. When I move, You direct my steps. Is anything too hard for You?

So I will wait in Your presence until I’m full and spill over onto those you place around me.

A soothing tongue [speaking words that build up and encourage] is a tree of life, but a perversive tongue [speaking words that overwhelm and depress] crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4 Amplified

You know, it’s really easy to encourage others, just look for a way to make it all about them, not all about you. Tell them what a gift they are. Tell them how much you appreciate the things they do, that they’re always at work on time, always doing their job, making the atmosphere more pleasant.

Compliment their appearance, ask them where they got such a beautiful smile. Make them glad they work with you. People have enough problems, they don’t need to hear about yours.

You already have a Father who hears you. He already knows what you’re going through, so leave it with Him and be someone people enjoy being around. Pray for them. You may be the reason they are where they are, so that you can show them the love of God. Today, decide to reflect the Father.

“because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.” Romans 1:19 ASV

Manifest-“readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; to make clear or evident to the eye or the understanding; show plainly.”

I keep hearing this word in my spirit so I decided to look it up to see its meaning and this is what I found. I believe that God is manifesting His great Word to us in ways we’ve never experienced or seen before. He’s making clear the dreams and visions he’s given us in times past. He is also making apparent to us the things that need to exit out of our lives, things that hinder us from going deeper with him, and trust me, there are things about God that we have not yet scratched the surface of knowing.

Just when I begin to understand his grace, I see another part of it that leaves me stunned and weeping. Just when I think I understand his Love, He shows me a part of Him that leaves me breathless, wanting more. If we don’t take time now to feed on His Word and be satisfied, we will try to find other things to fill that void.

Lord, may we seek Your face to know You, that You may show us more of You today. The closer I get to You, the less of me is seen.

I will believe,

Sandy G

So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” I Samuel 30:8

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time at all, you’ll know that battles are inevitable! The Bible is very clear in stating that the righteous will have many battles but the Lord will deliver us from them all. We’re not to focus on the battle as much as the Victor.

This morning when I did a search using the words, ‘David inquired of the Lord’, it brought up 8 different times. I’m sure there are others, but my point is that before every battle, David always sought strategy from the Lord. He knew that going into battle without the Lord was a sure way of losing, but when he had God’s word on it, he knew he would win.

Must be nice to know God so well. Must be nice to have the confident assurance of victory every time, just as David did. Well guess what? We can! David won because he placed his confidence in God who is mighty in battle. It’s not enough to just ask, “Should I go?” He asked, “Shall I overtake them?” And God answered him. God will answer when you call on Him, you just have to tune in to His voice. Just like tuning into a radio station, you hit the tuning knob until you get a better signal. Listen closely, He’s speaking clearly, you just have to get rid of all the static.

But not only did God answer what David asked, He went on to say, “Recover ALL!” So God doesn’t just want us to win over our enemies, He wants us to recover everything that’s been taken along the way. He doesn’t want us to just win the war, He wants us to be prosperous, not for our benefit, but for His. God doesn’t do anything without a strategy. He has a different plan for every battle you face, He just wants you to come to Him and receive the strategy for each battle.

Think of it as obedience boot camp. Don’t do more, don’t do less, just do what He says.

Father, you have a plan for this battle that I’m facing, so I’ll stay in the planning room until I get clear instructions on not just what to do, but how to do it. Your plans are to prosper me in every area of life, so I submit to you as Commander and Chief. Show me the plans you have for me so that I may be affective in my warfare, overtake my enemy and recover all he’s taken from me. I take back my children! I take back my marriage! I take back my health! I take back my money! I take back houses and lands! I take back relationships stolen! I take back vehicles! I take back assets stolen! I will recover all! It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

We Fight To Win,

Sandy G

And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.” 1 Kings 18:1

I love Elijah! Now there’s a man that knew how to hear Gods voice and truly trusted in the Lord to deliver on what He said. How many times did he speak and it happened? Every time!

He was bold when he announced a severe drought, then hid for 3 years until God said go back. He killed all the prophets of Baal in the most awesome display of Gods might since the splitting of the Red Sea, then he tells King Ahab, ‘Go on and get yourself some food cause I hear a heavy rain coming!’ Not a cloud in the sky, he goes up, positions himself to pray and 7 times, sends his servant to check the sky. When his servant finally returns with the report of a teeny weeny cloud in the distance, he says, ‘Run and tell the king to get in his vehicle and drive fast before he gets stuck in the rain.’ (my modern day translation of course).

Here’s my observation on this: Most of us would have got off our face the 3rd report that there’s no cloud! We’d of taken our pitiful self back home in defeat stating we’ll never take a risk like that again. Knowing we couldn’t trust the voice of God in our lives, we’d of probably crawled into bed and refused to believe for another thing.

What has God spoken to you that you’ve hung onto and believed for all these years? Are you listening to the inner voice saying, ‘It’s never going to happen! You’re a fool for believing that way!”

Can I tell you something? Look again! There’s a cloud forming on the horizon, a cloud of the promise of salvation, restoration, healing, deliverance. I hear Jesus saying, “According to your faith be it unto you!” Stop trying to explain it! Stop trying to justify it! Stop listening to friends who spread doubt and unbelief! Stop sharing it with all the gloom & doomers! Pick your self up and begin to run with your promise, because I declare to you this day, RAIN IS COMING!

Just as you would prepare for a storm by stocking up on supplies, begin to prepare for a party! See it as God sees it, DONE! Begin to rejoice now because praise brings expectation. Its the fertilizer for your seed and add the latter rain to that and what do you have? Harvest!

Prepare for harvest,

Sandy G

Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best.He shall live within God’s circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth.Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises. Psalm 25:12-14 TLB

Have you ever just sat and thought about the greatness of God? Look up at a star-filled night, He made and named them all. Examine a flower and realize, He created that too. Examine a baby and understand the intricacy that went into that life and what keeps it breathing, growing and learning. All God.

To fear the Lord is translated, in awe or deep reverence. That verse says that God will teach you to make the best choices. I believe that’s why it’s important to daily think about the Lord and worship Him for how great and mighty He is.

That next promise is that we will live in God’s circle of blessing and our children will inherit the earth. I don’t know about you, but that is HUGE! That’s like being in the inner circle of God, privilege and favor everyday and when we teach them to our children, they inherit the earth.

And finally, friendship with God, reserved for those who reverence or revere Him. He’s no longer an after thought, an ‘oops’, forgot You today God. Oh well, You’re busy anyway. No, it’s waking to His presence each day, hearing His voice whisper all day long. It’s with those alone, He shares the secrets of His promises or covenant.

These are promises that I take with me everyday. Promise of direction, favor and revelation. I want to know God in every fiber of my being. I want Him to be more real then my surroundings. Bigger then any enemy, problem or fear. For when I exalt Him, everything else seems very small indeed.

Father, there is absolutely nothing bigger then You. I know that You will take care of every problem I face, for You are greater than my problem. There is nothing too hard for You, nothing You’re not aware of. My job is to enlarge You and magnify Your name. When I do that, You will give me the direction I need, Your favor on me and my family daily, and I will know Your secrets. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“I’m asking God to give you a gift from the wealth of his glory. I pray that he would give you inner strength and power through his Spirit. Then Christ will live in you through faith. I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation. This way, with all of God’s people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is. You will know Christ’s love, which goes far beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 GW

Love-‘the ground into which you sink your roots on which you have your foundation’, I sure do like how that’s written.

Do you know that a house is only as good as its foundation? We’ve taught this in premarital and marriage classes for years. If the foundation isn’t good, you need to tear down your house and start over again. No amount of patching or repairing will fix what’s wrong with the structure if your foundation isn’t deep with the right mixture of steel and cement.

Well friends, our foundation is Love. I’m not talking about just any kind of love, but the kind you can build relationships on and families on.

I John 4:8 states that God is Love. Read it, in fact read the whole chapter. I have to say that some of us have cracked foundations. Not the right mixture of God in our base. We have a form of religious love that has left us cracked, shifted and crumbling. We cannot render safe shelter to the lost or broken because we haven’t learned to be like our Father who is Love.

Lets examine ourselves and ask God to show us how wide, long, high and deep His love is. Then let’s ask Him how He wants us to demonstrate that love. The cool thing about God is, He makes crooked things straight. Trust Him to move your house and fix your foundation. Its the only way!

Let’s Love,

Sandy G

Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. 2 Corinthians 4:8 TPT

I stumbled across this scripture as I was doing a search for the word ‘despair’. I’m not so sure why it came up, due to the fact that nowhere in the verse does the word come up, but there it is.

I’m also not sure why this word has been skipping through my thoughts all week like a stone skips across the water. As I looked up the definition of the word, I found that it is the complete loss or absence of hope.

Well than, perhaps God is trying to show me something. It seems to be the look I see in so many people’s eyes of late, the inability to see an end to all this turmoil and strife. They seem to have lost all hope of anything changing or getting back to some semblance of normality.

Can I point out something that some of us have forgotten? We cannot put our hope in man, for if we do we shall be extremely disappointed. But we can put our hope in God, for although things may still happen that we don’t understand, and though we may experience every kind of pressure, we won’t be crushed. And although we may not know what we should do next, quitting is never an option.

Lord, the only thing I can do is wait and put my hope in you. I wait for your help, my God. Psalm 38:15

Don’t despair! Put your hope in God. Trust Him for the outcome. It’s not about how, what, where, why and when. It’s about knowing that what He said, He will do. Trusting in His covenant promises that He’ll never leave you or forsake you.

I know it’s been a very long, dry season. Seems like every time you try to light a fire, either the wood is wet or there’s too much wind. Whatever lies ahead, God has the roadmap and if you’ll listen, He’ll give you the directions you need to get to the next point. One step at a time. Keep your eyes on the road ahead, not the road behind you.

Keep Your Hope up,

Sandy G