Colossians 3:2-3

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The Devil wants nothing more than to distract us from our God-given purpose, and the best way he can do that is by planting negative or destructive thoughts in our minds. We must set our minds on the things above and not upon the circumstances we see before us. If we have truly died to Christ, we can be assured that God is working everything for our good, and we can trust Him in the midst of difficulty.

While we should not ignore the circumstances of life, we don’t have to let them consume our thoughts. We can turn them over to God in prayer and let Him fight the battle for us. If we can’t fix it, we must surrender it.

Satan can’t steal your salvation, but he can certainly steal your peace, your joy, and your effectiveness. Determine not to let him have one more inch of your life by setting your mind on the things above and walking forth in the purpose to which God has called you. If something seems unfair, turn it over to God instead of wallowing in the hurt of it. Don’t let its offense get you off course or delay you. If life has handed you an interruption, look for the good things God has planted inside of it, and be willing to change your plans to accommodate His. Keep believing in the goodness of God toward you, and move in the direction He sends.

Where your mind lingers, your emotions will eventually follow, so let it linger in high places. You will rise above your circumstances and find a clear path in the process. God is still with you; you just need to look up to find Him.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 69:13

But as for me, LORD, my prayer to You is for a time of favor. In Your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with Your sure salvation.

Have you ever felt like you just needed a break? Have trials stacked upon you so high or hit you one at a time so fast you couldn’t see straight, and you just needed something good and positive to happen? I have been there before, and I’m thankful this morning to learn there is a Scripture reference to pray when we just need a break or a time of favor from God.

The Message Bible states it this way:

And me? I pray, GOD, it’s time for a break! God answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation!

David trusted in God’s faithful love when times were tough, and so can we. If you just need a break today, ask God for one. He sends seasons of favor after times of trial to renew our faith and revive us. Contrary to the enemy’s lies, you are God’s beloved child, and you have His favor. Pray this word over your life, and trust in His abundant, faithful love for you. He is greater, stronger, and more powerful than your storm.

Have a blessed day!

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Do not remember past events, pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

We often see this verse used at the beginning of a new year because it gives hope of what could be forthcoming. As I read the verse for about the 1,000th time this morning, I saw something yet new that spoke to me. God’s Word is like that; the same verse you read one day may tell you something new the next time you read it. For this reason, the writer of Hebrews called it “alive and active.”

God’s instruction here is to pay no attention to past events. If we focus upon the past – hurts, failures or even successes, regrets, offenses, sorrow, etc. – we will miss what God is doing now in us. The Devil’s strategy is to get us distracted so we won’t see what God is doing right now. If he can make us yearn for what was or angry about what happened, we will miss the beauty of the right now. We must be present. God is making a way for you and for me in this wilderness we are called to walk. His path is not in our past; it is in front of us. To see it, we have to stop looking back.

I love the Message Bible translation: “Forget about what has happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.

Turn your head from the past today and look forward into your future. What do you see bursting out at you? What road has God placed in front of you? What river of refreshing do you see in your own badlands? Let go of what used to be and what has hurt you, and embrace the new thing God is doing. Many of us don’t like change, but change is inevitable. The thing in our past that may hinder us most is the comfort zone it created for us. Let go of that thing, and step forth into the thing God is doing now. Your blessing is there for you today, not in your past. Be alert, be present. God doesn’t go backwards.

Have a blessed day!

Isaiah 40:10

See, the Lord GOD comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.

In verse 8 of this chapter, the grass is compared to people, and flowers as the love they portray. The grass, however, withers, and flowers fade when God breathes upon them. His judgment brings our being and all of our accomplishments to nothing. His word, however, remains forever true.

We must remember that when we face spiritual warfare, it is God who does the fighting for us. We are instructed to put on the full armor of God and stand, meaning we endure to the end. The actual fight is fought in the heavenlies, and He has promised to be with us in heavenly places.

When chaos breaks out around us, the best thing we can do is to seek God’s presence. When life falls apart, His presence is what we need. By inviting Him into our situations and placing our trust firmly in Him, we encounter His presence, and His reward is with Him. The Scriptural implication is that of a warrior returning from battle with the spoils of war in His hand. We find our victory in Him, and all the Devil tries to steal from us is recovered when He is with us.

Are you in a spiritual battle today? Seek God’s presence. Let Him overtake your thoughts. Set your mind on things above, and rest in His unrelenting love for you. Your victory is in Him, and no weapon formed against you will prosper as you enjoy the favor and rest of the One who fights for you.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 4:6-8

Many are saying, “Who can show us anything good?” Look on us with favor, LORD.

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

The lustful heart is never satisfied and always longs for more. The Psalmist acknowledges the fact that the LORD satisfies. He puts more joy in our hearts than anything this world can give and enables us to sleep well at night. Why in this world would we want to look for comfort or satisfaction in things? If we are honest with ourselves, however, most of us would find ourselves guilty in some area of our lives. I know I am.

I love the clear statement of this passage from the Message Bible:

Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say. “More, more.” I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get i all their shopping sprees. At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for You, God, have put my life back together.

If you find yourself yearning for more today, submit that longing to God, and ask Him to put you back together – to make you whole in that area. He can satisfy better than anything else in this world, and you will no longer seek elsewhere for fulfillment when He gives you joy. As Jesus told the woman at the well, those who drink from His living water will never thirst again. You already have His favor and His blessing. Take time to enjoy it today.

Have a blessed day!

John 21:15

When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

In most commentaries I have read and in most sermons I have heard preached on this passage, scholars and preachers believe the word, “these,” refers to the other disciples. Indeed, Peter often spoke boldly of his love for Jesus in comparison to the commitment of others. As I read the verse this morning, however, I saw another possible meaning for “these.”

Just prior to their breakfast, Peter and some other disciples had gone fishing. They had been out all night and had caught nothing. If this sounds familiar, it should. They had done the very same thing when they first encountered Jesus and were called to follow Him as a disciple. Jesus called to them from the shore, instructing them to cast their nets to the right side of the boat, where they caught such a huge catch of fish they could hardly haul it all in. When Peter saw what happened, he immediately recognized the man on the shore as Jesus, and he jumped into the water to swim to Jesus as fast as he could, leaving the huge catch behind.

This was the same Peter who had just denied Jesus a few days earlier and had gone back to the only thing he knew how to do – fishing. Just what would he do now that Jesus had died and rose from the dead? He didn’t even know where Jesus was or how to contact him. What was he supposed to do at this point? He had failed Jesus miserably, so what was there left for him to do? He reverted back to what he had been trained to do for a living. The only problem was that it didn’t work for him anymore. Since his encounter with Jesus, his success in fishing for a living ceased because he was purposed for greater things.

Peter was simply trying to find his way, but he couldn’t find it on his own. He needed Jesus to reveal Himself to him once again and restore him. He needed the assurance that Jesus still wanted to use him in ministry and still had a plan for him, despite his failure. When he saw the large catch, he knew for certain Jesus was still with him, although not physically present in his boat as He had been previously. The huge catch was not as important to him as finding Jesus. He left the blessing to get to the Blesser! When Jesus asked Peter if he loved him more than “these,” could it be that He was referring to the huge catch of fish? Did Peter love Jesus more than His blessing? Absolutely! Peter demonstrated with his actions that getting to Jesus was more important to him than the blessing he had just received. Still, Jesus questioned him.

In questioning Peter’s love for Him, Jesus was letting Peter know what was important to Him. If he truly loved Jesus, he would feed His lambs. He would shepherd His sheep. He would feed His sheep. To love Jesus is to care about the things He cares about. To do His will is to extend His mission on earth and expand His kingdom. To do these things, we can’t let His blessings become more of a priority to us than our mission – to make disciples and care for His sheep. Yes, He will bless us in the process, but our objective should never be the blessing. Our goal should always be to follow Him.

Jesus did one more thing in questioning Peter. He identified him as Simon, son of John. Peter was the name Jesus gave Simon. Jesus saw him as a rock to build His church, and that is exactly how He used Peter. In this verse, however, Jesus called him by his given name and uniquely identified him, specifically, as the son of John. This reference was a personal, individual calling that only Simon could answer. Jesus appealed to the person he was before he was called – Simon, which means, “hearing.”  He knew everything about him and how he would later deny Him when He called him, yet He called Him anyway. Simon’s flaws were no secret to Jesus. They were hidden to Peter, and Jesus revealed them to him when He allowed the Devil to sift him as wheat. Such a sifting was necessary before he could be effective in ministry. Jesus would take this fisherman from “hearing” to being the “rock” which He would use to begin the building of His church. Peter had a significant role to play in expanding God’s kingdom, and both the sifting and the restoration were important parts of his transformation.

Do you love Jesus more than the blessings He gives you or is capable of giving you? Is your comfort more important to you than the mission of making disciples of all nations? Do you feel you have failed Him too much to be useful to Him again? He knew your flaws and limitations before He called you, yet He still called you. Truly loving Jesus and following Him requires feeding His lambs and tending to His sheep, and we never retire from it. Any blessing we receive is secondary to the relationship we experience as a result of obedience to His call. Let your focus be getting to Him, rather than receiving the blessing you so greatly desire. In Him you will find significance, which is greater than any blessing you can imagine.

Have a blessed day!

Exodus 14:14

The LORD will fight for you; you must be quiet.

The children of Israel cried out to God while enduring heavy bondage and oppression under Egyptian rule. God heard their cry and sent Moses to deliver them from Pharaoh, who was unwilling to let them go until his own son died from the final plague God sent to kill the first born among every household that was not covered by the blood of the lamb. Once released, the Egyptians questioned their decision to free their slave labor and went after them in the wilderness.

The Israelites were understandably fearful because they were in real danger. In their fear, however, they sarcastically asked God if there weren’t enough graves in Egypt that He would bring them into the wilderness to die. They thought it would have been better for them to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. They had more faith in the power of the Egyptians than in the God of their deliverance. Moses told them that God would fight the battle for them, and they were to be quiet.

As a child of God, you are precious to Him. Regardless of how hard the Devil comes after you, God will fight for you. As Christians, we are covered by the blood of the very Lamb of God – Jesus Christ. This salvation is complete and permanent. While the enemy may try to pursue us, God’s plan is not for us to die in the wilderness. He is a shield around us, and He will fight for us to assure our purpose in Him is fulfilled.

When fear threatens you, remember the cross and the empty tomb. Your salvation is complete, lacking nothing. God is greater than any enemy that can come after you, and He fights for you. Be quiet. Be still, and see the full salvation of the LORD. His work is awesome!

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 144:1

May the LORD my rock be praised, who trains my hand for battle and my fingers for warfare.

David was a talented musician who played the harp. He introduced this Psalm with praise to God, his strength. As a musician, David used his hands and fingers to play music to release the emotions of his soul. Such praise is warfare against the enemy.

Doubt, discouragement, disappointment, anger, offense, bitterness, sorrow, fear, hopelessness, and depression are all emotions the Devil inflicts upon us through our thoughts. If we allow him to redirect our focus to such things, we will find ourselves in a pit of despair, and I’ve found myself there too many times to count. Only when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and rely upon the work of the cross and God’s faithfulness do we find hope to lift us out of our personal pits and overcome the onslaught of negative emotions that attack us.

God inhabits the praises of His people. The enemy flees at the sound of it. When we praise God, from whom all blessings flow, and begin to thank Him for His faithfulness to us, His presence becomes greater in us than the fear the Devil tries to inflict upon us. Praise is a strong, offensive weapon of war that turns the darts of damaging emotions Satan has hurled our way back upon himself.

Praise is the greatest method of warfare that will deliver us every time! We must remember that God is greater than any problem we face, and nothing is impossible with Him! He has good plans for our future, and he is for us – not against us! When we praise God, faith rises and fear retreats.

Today I leave you with a link to listen and praise. My friend, Keith Medley, is an abundantly talented musician who has created a one-of-a-kind, 27 string harp guitar. David played the harp and allowed His emotions to flow through the strings through praise, which was an act of warfare. Go into battle today, and conquer your enemy! Our God reigns!

Have a blessed day!

Ronda Martin

John 12:26

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

The key to serving Christ is to follow Him. Where is He working in your life? Where is He working in your church and in your community?  Where is He reaching people, and where has He presented you with a need you can meet? Jump on board with Him and begin to use the gift He has given you to work in that place.

Another aspect to following Christ is to follow His example of self-sacrifice. Jesus taught His disciples that whoever wanted to be great in the kingdom of God must become a servant. The Gentiles lorded their positions of authority over others and expected to be served as a place of honor. In God’s kingdom, however, the greatest among them are those who sacrifice their own desires and needs in order to meet the needs of others. Such a person is someone God honors.

Jesus also made it clear that God honors His servants. While no one else may seem to care about what you do or even take you for granted, God sees every little thing you do, and He will honor you. In fact, there is no greater honor than to be called a servant of God. How and when He chooses to honor you is His decision and will likely come at a time you least expect it.

Perhaps, the greatest blessing in life is finding joy in serving. A true servant of God will always be busy doing His work because He will use those who are willing and available to Him. I honestly believe if PHOEBES are examples of anything in God’s kingdom, it is that of true servants. Thank you for being faithful to His call and for selflessly serving others. I find it a pleasure to work beside you.

Have a blessed day!

Luke 18:7-8

Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?

Our trials come to test our faith. Romans 5 instructs us to endure trials, knowing that our perseverance will eventually produce a hope that will not disappoint. Crying out to God day and night is a part of the process, and just because we don’t see an answer right away or a change in our circumstances is no reason to give up. God looks for a faith that will stand in place until He comes. Do we have that kind of faith?

The only way we will ever know the strength of our faith is to go through something difficult. Our trials will not only stand to strengthen our faith but to show us just how weak we really are on our own. It will take something much greater than will power to overcome the onslaught of the enemy, and this is the soil in which our faith will grow. That tiny mustard seed becomes a gigantic tree with enough fertilizer!

Be persistent in your faith today. Regardless of what your circumstances may look like, choose to believe the truth of God’s word instead of the damaging evidence in front of you. God is with you, and no weapon formed against you shall prosper! Cry out to God day and night, and don’t be slack in pouring your heart out to Him. Tell Him every grievance of your soul, and ask Him for whatever you need. Turn the matter over to Him completely, and watch Him go to battle for you. He has promised to grant you justice swiftly. Will He find faith in you when He comes to deliver?

Have a blessed day!