2 Chronicles 20 tells us that there was a mighty army coming for the people of Israel when Jehoshaphat was king. When the king heard about it, he was afraid, so he called for a fast throughout all of Judah and Jerusalem. Then he stood before the temple and began to remind God of his promises if they came before him, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’

So you’re in a battle, perhaps not against a mighty army of men who are hell bent on killing you and destroying your home, but none-the-less, a war has been waged against your faith, family, finances and future. What should you do? Fast and remind God of what His Word says. Oh wait, you don’t know His Word or His promises to you? So you’re not armed for battle then. You’re facing your greatest adversary and you don’t know what to do. If I were you, I’d get myself to the house of God where His Name is preached and call out to Him. I’d repent for being consumed with the things of this world and not being battle ready and I’d commit to reading the Word and arming myself to win.

There are two reasons the enemy comes after Christians; either you’re an easy prey or you’re a threat to his kingdom. Which are you? If you’re an easy prey, you’ve separated yourself from the body of Christ and decided you’d rather do what you want, not what God wants. If you’re a threat to his kingdom, simply link arms with other believers, declaring the Word of God and your trust in His ability to deliver you. Confidence in self won’t make you a winner, only confidence in God will give you the victory.

The story continues as they stood before the temple, the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the priests and he delivered a message 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.” God then gave them instructions to send out the worshipers to sing praises, so they did. It so confused the enemy that they turned on each other and killed each other, the people of Judah didn’t lift a finger, they only obeyed Gods instructions.

Revelations 12:11 says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony, and not to love our life but lay it down. That’s how we do it. We don’t fight like the world, we fight from a position of victory because Jesus overcame and handed us the authority to win as well.  We don’t go by what we see in the natural, we go by what we know in the Spirit. What do you know? Have you positioned yourself to stand in faith regardless of your symptoms or the balance in your checking account. God has the power to turn it all around, we only need to trust in Him and call out to Him.

Father, the things I face today will not be here tomorrow. I stand before You reminding You of what You said, “I will never leave you or forsake you. Never, no never!” The battle is not mine, it’s Yours and I stand behind Jesus, my example and my victor. I will not fear! I will not be discouraged. I will shut myself away with your Word until I come out with a Word from you about the outcome of this battle. My heart is set on You. I am surrounded by a mighty army of angels who wait to hear the voice of your Word. I lend the voice to Your Word. It is in me and I stand firmly on those promises, knowing that You are well able to keep what I’ve committed unto You. It’s in Jesus’ Mighty Name I pray. Amen

John 10:3 Voice, “The guard who is posted to protect the sheep opens the gate for the shepherd, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

This morning as I read this beautiful passage, I saw our pastor as the guard who was posted to protect the sheep and open the gate for the shepherd. In turn, I saw sheep (God’s people) knowing His voice, following the leading of the Holy Spirit. So many sheep just want to do their own thing, come and go as they please and not submit to the gates and guards that are there to keep them safe. They wander into the world like Red Riding hood, unaware the old woman they’ve met is really a wolf trying to eat them up. They’re all good with dating that wolf, even marrying that wolf, with or without their pastor’s blessing, but the minute that wolf steps out of his disguise, they run back to the sheepfold expecting the guard to open the gate and fix all their problems.

Gates and gatekeepers are designed for protection and guarding of precious things. They do more then just preach a good message on Sunday morning, they keep watch, making sure that there are no breaches in the fence where foxes can get in and do harm to the sheep. We need to trust the gatekeeper to do his job!

When the Shepherd arrives, He calls them by name and His sheep know His voice and He leads them out. There’s something we’ve been missing here and it’s allowing the gatekeeper to open the gate for the Shepherd. Sometimes we think we’ve heard from God and want to go out and do it with no covering or blessing from our gatekeeper. We come to him or her with a word from the Lord and expect them to leap up and tell us, “Go! Do it!” but they’ve been trained by the Lord to wait, double check credentials, make sure it’s legitimate before putting on their stamp of approval. So next time you meet someone who you’re sure is the right someone for you, bring them into the sheepfold so the gatekeeper can know them and see how well they submit and hear the Shepherd before you allow them to put a ring on your finger and sleep in your bed.

Father, thank you for our pastor’s who know you and work for you keeping the sheep safe. I so appreciate their deep love for You and their obedience to Your Word. They’re not afraid to admit they’ve made mistakes. They are trustworthy and caring. Father I speak blessings over their lives, their homes, their finances and their ministries. Protect them as they’ve protected us. See to their needs and keep them in a safe place, surrounded by your angels day and night. May they not grow weary doing what you’ve called them to do. It’s in Jesus’ Name I ask this, Amen

Psalm 139:13-14 ERV, “You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way.  I know how amazing that was!”

The first part of that passage caught my attention this morning; He formed the way I think and feel. Everything about me, the way I look, my makeup, the thoughts and desires I have, my weird sense of humor, HE made me that way. Yes! To all of my close friends who continually shake their head and comment about my craziness, I come about it honestly because my Father made me this way. To Walt, who rolls his eyes each time I spontaneously break out into a song because of phrases I catch him saying, it’s a God thing! HA!

So many of us try to conform, to be accepted as ‘normal’, go with the flow and not stand out in a crowd, but God wants us to be different from one another. Stop making apologies for who you are and be thankful for the you that you are. God’s not finished using you because you’ve made mistakes, nor because you have no talent. He’s forgiven every mistake and you have talent, it’s just waiting for you to jump out of your insecurities and delight in who God made you to be. Stop limiting yourself by trying to be who you’re not made to be. Discover who you are by spending time with your maker until you become comfortable in His presence being you.

Father, I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way.  I know how amazing that was! The day you formed me in my mothers womb, you mixed in joy and laughter, you put a song in my heart, lots of love to give out, and yes, a very weird sense of humor. You knew there was someone in my future who would need what I have inside of me, and You placed my feet on a path that is ever changing and full of surprises. I am fearfully and wonderfully made and You take great delight in the plans you have for me. Today and every day, heaven celebrates me. You are proud of me and that is all that matters. It’s all for Your purpose and Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Joel 2:25-17, “I, the Lord, sent my army against you. The swarming locusts and the hopping locusts and the destroying locusts and the cutting locusts ate everything you had. But I will pay you back for those years of trouble. Then you will have plenty to eat. You will be full. You will praise the name of the Lord your God. He has done wonderful things for you. My people will never again be ashamed. You will know that I am with Israel. You will know that I am the Lord your God. There is no other God. My people will never be ashamed again.”

Have you ever suffered loss? I’m sure you have! Most of us have experienced the loss of something in our lives if we’ve lived any length of time at all. A loss of something that can be replaced is one thing, but how about the loss of a loved one or a relationship? Whatever the loss has been, it’s still a difficult thing to experience. But what about a cycle of loss? You know, when it doesn’t matter what you do, how you give, minister, invest, you lose everything, over and over and over again.

Not long ago, the Lord had me type this passage up, laminate it, then give it to some friends who’ve been in this cycle of loss for years. Never have I met more faithful tithers and givers, not only of finances, but time and energy. As I handed them this laminated group of verses, the Lord said, “I have sent the locust to devour, but I will pay you back double for your trouble, and just as this paper is sealed, I have sealed my Word to you. Your turn around season is here and you will bless my name and never be ashamed again.”

When God says it, it’s a done deal! You can hold that promise in your hand, memorize it, mark the day on your calendar, sew it into your clothing, stick it on your bathroom mirror, whatever you need to do to remember, God is paying you back. It’s like getting an open ended credit line that never needs to be paid back. God hasn’t forgotten your season’s of loss or how you went through that season. He said He would pay you back and He will.

Thank you Father for paybacks, the good kind, not the bad! Thanks that we don’t have to deserve it or do good deeds to get it, You simply give it to us. I love that about You. Good, bad or ugly, You love us all the same and have promised to take all the bad and use it for Your good. I trust in You, Lord. I won’t try to figure it out because it just can’t be figured. I will just allow your goodness and tender mercy to be poured out on me, to wash away all the pain of our losses as you lavish us with blessings. It’s all because of Jesus, your son. I’m so in awe of your love. Thank you! Amen

Matthew 5:15-16 NLV, “You are the light of the world. You cannot hide a city that is on a mountain.  Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. They put it on a table so it gives light to all in the house.  Let your light shine in front of men. Then they will see the good things you do and will honor your Father Who is in heaven.”

If you’ve ever used a kerosene lamp, you’ll be familiar with the smell, the flicking of the light and that the light is not as bright as electric light. However, if you keep the lamp filled, the chimney (globe) clean and the wick trimmed and turned up just so, you can light a whole room with the light it gives out and it will last for days. The higher the placement of the light, the larger the area it reaches.

I was thinking of the light we are to the world around us. Some of us are running on fumes because we haven’t taken the time to fill our lamp. We arrive at church for a ‘fill up’ only to burn out before we go to work on Monday morning. Our globe is smokey so what light we do give out, doesn’t give clear direction for anyone around us. What cleans us? The washing of the water of the Word. What fills us? The oil of the Holy Spirit. How do we stay filled up? It’s not just about reading the Bible and saying a prayer, it’s about being in His presence, worshiping and being thankful.

If we were to do this everyday, can you imagine the powerful presence of God that would transform lives as we gathered together in one accord on a Sunday morning. The light would be blinding and the smell of oil would fill the place of worship. You can’t have my oil and I can’t have yours. I can’t run a hose from me to whomever needs it, it must come from the Father of lights. I’d love to share what is in me. But there is only one filling station, and that is the powerful presence of God. All I can do is help others find the way and show them how to fill themselves up, but I can’t do it for them.

Father, today I see so many who have allowed the cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches smoke up their lives and keep them from coming for their fill of Your oil. You sent us into the world so that the world would be saved, but we’re so self focused that we try to burn the lamp for only ourselves and in the process, we’ve lost what little light we have. We can only fill up as we give out to you. Transfuse me. Transform me. Cleanse me and make me new that the light of your glory will flood my space and inspire others to pursue you. It’s in Jesus’ Name, Amen

Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

I used to think that the person who wrote this, must have never experienced real hurt. Sometimes, hurt goes so deep that it’s easier to avoid or close the door on that relationship rather than walk in love and forgive. I’ve watched some people attract hurt like it’s a magnet, like there’s an all out war waged against them to see how much they can withstand. You can’t compare hurts, that’s like comparing boo boo’s. On the surface, they may look the same, but some go deep and takes longer to heal. Some are so deep they take a surgeons hands to repair damaged tendons and bones.

Just like everything else in life, forgiveness takes a conscious decision and a disciplined mind set. I remember asking a wise man once, “How do I know I’ve really forgiven?” His answer was, “You will always remember the wounding, but it will no longer hurt you.” In other words, you’ll not relive the pain of the event as if it just happened to you.

Not there yet? Let me give you an exercise to do. Whenever you feel the pain of the episode, remember what Jesus took for you and say, “Thank You!” Then ask the Lord to bless that person. Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus said these words; “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.“

It’s in our nature to forgive, not hold a grudge because we are sons and daughters of God. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Oh the thoughts will come back, trust me! But you have a choice to continue thinking that way, or let it go and bless them. Remember, as a man thinks, so is he! If you hate how you feel, change the way you think.

Father, today I want to live as a daughter who loves, letting go of the crippling affect of hurt. I want to stand upright before you, walking in your grace and forgiveness. Forgive them, they don’t know what they’ve done. I know that as I forgive others, I am forgiven. I’ve probably hurt others and not even known it. If that’s the case, may I have the opportunity to make it right so that I may set free the captive from their prison of rejection and hurt. You long for us to walk in total forgiveness, it’s the reason you sent Jesus to die in our place, to take the full punishment for all our sins so we could stand before you forgiven. Oh how I long to live daily in that grace. Today, I step toward your outstretched hands and place in them, every hurt I’ve held onto. It’s in Jesus’ Name and for the price He paid. Amen

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 ERV; Always be full of joy.  Never stop praying.  Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.

When I first looked at this verse, I thought, how can you always be full of joy? This is an impossible verse to keep! How can I be thankful for whatever happens? What if it’s bad? How can I be thankful for ‘whatever’ happens. But then I read the last statement and I get it. It’s how God wants us to live in Christ Jesus.

You see, when you’ve died to self and set aside your life and allow Jesus to live in you, it’s no longer you that lives. Paul said it best in Galatians 2:20, “So I am not the one living now—it is Christ living in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God. He is the one who loved me and gave himself to save me.” Oh my! Do you see it yet? To be always full of joy, I look at what Christ did for me. He redeemed me from a sentence of life in prison without parole (Always be full of joy). He gave me access to the Father (never stop praying). I can’t stop thanking Him for taking my shame, my punishment, my sickness, my disease so that I could tap into HIS victory and live free. That is life in Christ. It’s not repeating a prayer or ritualistically going to church or reading the Bible. It’s not calling on God when I desperately need a fix or get into a tough situation. It’s knowing who our Father is and walking in the power and authority we have in Him.

My cousin Jerry, was a race car driver. This is for you, Jerry! If I had a fast car and knew it could go 200 mph, trust me, I’d find somewhere to take it to it’s fullest potential. To drive it at 35 mph everyday would be such a sin! That car was made to go fast! Well guess what? The power we have in us should be used to it’s fullest potential, daily. No need to be cautious with it or afraid we’ll run out, there’s plenty more where that came from, an inexhaustible supply.

Father, I need a tune-up to get me to optimal operating speed. I’m so excited to open up the throttle and let the Holy Spirit flow through me. My example is my brother, Jesus. I will love like Him and trust in the same power that was in Him, that raised Him from the dead, to also keep me full of joy, thankful and trusting in You. I love You so much. To reflect you is my desire and my right. I won’t allow the cares of this world or the deceitfulness of riches, distract me from the purpose I was created for. I take authority over all outside forces that would try to drain my fuel and gum up my carburetor. I’m on an open highway with You, Lord. Let’s go! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

James 5:16 NIRV;  So confess your sins to one another. Pray for one another so that you might be healed. The prayer of a godly person is powerful. Things happen because of it.

I believe the most powerful thing happens when we humbly confess our faults to others. It makes others able to relate to us. If we appear to be perfect, we make people feel they can never attain the status of a ‘good’ Christian, when in reality, we are merely sinners who have been saved by grace, bathed in love, covered by the blood, forgiven and walking daily on the journey toward becoming like our Father. We are simply hidden in Christ.

I remember the first time I went to a marriage retreat and heard others tell things they were going through in their marriage. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “I’m not alone! Others are dealing with the same things I am!” Remember, the trick of any enemy is to alienate the weak in order to overpower and defeat them. It’s what the devil does to us, making us feel we are the only ones experiencing these things when in reality, everyone is, just no one talks about it.

The second and most important part of this passage is that we pray for one another. Notice it doesn’t say, pray for yourself. No, in praying for each other, it automatically causes a great principle to happen; inner healing for us. So when I open up to others about problems I am having or have had, it allows them to feel they can open and share with you so that you can pray for them and they and yourself can experience healing. Wow. God sure does know how to do things, doesn’t He!

Father, help me to be that person that others feel comfortable sharing their hurts and sorrows with. Forgive me for not being sensitive at times, for rushing through life focused on me and mine. You created me for others, just as Jesus was focused on others, may I also deny myself, take up my cross and follow you, others focused. Wherever there is sickness, may healing flow through me. Wherever there is hate, may love overpower it. Wherever hopelessness is found, may hope well up and overflow. It’s in your precious name I pray, Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIRV; Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him.  Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds. He will do this because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say, this is easier said than done! It takes practice to not worry, doesn’t it! I’ve actually taken to talking out loud to myself each time I recognize I’m going down the ‘worry road’. Regardless of the deadline or how high and wide the obstacle, the lack of finances, the impossibility of the situation, ‘no matter what happens’, tell God. He’s always listening, never too busy, never sleeps or gets tired, so the very first thing we should do is pray.

My mom and dad used to sing a song, “It’s Me Again, Lord”. The chorus went like this; “It’s me again, Lord. I’ve got a prayer that needs and answer. It’s me again, Lord. I’ve got a problem that I can’t solve. I don’t mean to worry you, but here I am facing something new and I need help that only comes from you. It’s me again, Lord.” Not that we can ever ‘worry’ God because He doesn’t. He knows the end of things from the very start and can handle the biggest problem, the scariest darkness, the most desperate of circumstances with no problem at all. I hate to say this, but it’s really DUMB to worry!

Have you ever just surrendered a problem to the Lord? You know, just physically lifted your hands and dropped them at His throne? I have, many times in fact. Each time I do, I walk away lighter, with a peace that’s indescribable. During our whole ordeal with our home, we adapted a little saying to remind ourselves it wasn’t our problem anymore. It was, ‘Not my circus! Not my monkey!’ When we were tempted to talk the problem, someone would chime in, ‘not my circus, not my monkey’ and we’d just move on. It helped us remember that God has this! We left it in His hands and have chosen to trust Him with it, we’re not taking it back.

Father, thank you that this day is another day that we don’t have to worry about tomorrow because You hold tomorrow. Each day, I place my life and the lives of those that surround me, near and far, into Your very capable hands. Your Word says that You are well able to keep what I’ve committed unto you. I won’t try to take it back and do it myself cause I would only make a mess of it. I will place my hope and trust in You. I thank you that when I call on you, you answer me and show me great and mighty things I don’t know. You give me wisdom and your favor follows me, wait, it overtakes me! I’m so excited for the journey we are on together. My best is yet to come. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Isaiah 61:8-9 NIRV; The Lord says, “I love those who do what is right. I hate it when people steal and do other sinful things. So I will be faithful to my people. And I will bless them. I will make a covenant with them that will last forever.  Their children after them will be famous among the nations. Their families will be praised by people everywhere. All those who see them will agree that I have blessed them.”

“I will be faithful to my people.” Isn’t that a wonderful way to start your day? Just thinking about the faithfulness of God. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to commit to do right things today. To make a conscious decision to allow the mercy and grace that God has given me, flow freely onto the lives of those around me. To learn to be like my Father who is love. That people will look at us and say, ‘Wow! The favor of God sure are on the Gregory’s! Look, even their children are blessed!’ God has made a covenant with us. Not just the Gregory’s, but you as well.

I hear some argue that God was talking about Israel and His people. That is true, but because of what Jesus did, we’ve been adopted and are now His own. I Peter 2:9 says, “But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are God’s special treasure. You are all these things so that you can give him praise. God brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Famous! Special treasure! Not so that we can be all that and a bag of chips, but so that we can give Him praise.

Oh Father, the fruit of my lips give you praise today. I want others to see you in me. To know who they are and what is theirs. Oh Lord, how I love you. I make a joyful noise to you, a sweet song of worship that will turn your head and cause you to lean in and listen. Here I am, Lord. Remember me, the one you love. May I bless you today in all I do. I place all that I have into your capable hands and know that you will keep what I’ve committed to you. It’s in Jesus Name I pray. Amen