I do not like driving in the rain. Well to be honest, I don’t like driving period. However, driving in the rain is on my worst thing to do list. I try to avoid it if possible. Once I was driving home and this storm came up out of nowhere. The rain was so heavy I could not see. There was nowhere to pull over and I couldn’t just sit in the road. So I slowly kept moving, praying and crying. Yes crying, don’t judge me. I was scared!

 Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it? Storms can come suddenly, without warning. Trouble comes hard like heavy rain. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does. Like the winds, thunder, and lightning! I remember my mother would say about life situations, “when it rains it pours.” Yep, and you in trouble out there without an umbrella. And any kind of umbrella just won’t do. When life comes at you like that, you need a large, sturdy umbrella, one that the wind can’t destroy or blow away. I have found in life storms; we can depend on God’s umbrella to keep us safe. The rain will still come, Jesus said so. (John 16:33). We may not be able to see for a moment, we may bend but we won’t break. We may be scared but we will keep moving, because we know we are covered. We keep going because we know that there is no storm or situation stronger than our God. He is bigger than the universe! Under God’s umbrella we are protected and safe, no matter how many storms come and how hard the rain falls. Unfortunately, there are some that do not know God is our protection in times of trouble. Even us believers move from underneath the protection of God’s umbrella sometimes.

I believe it’s because sometimes we want what we want, when we want it. We live in a world of instant gratification. Everything at our fingertips. We say to ourselves, who has time to wait on God? Being obedient to God takes patience and trust. We may think we can get what we want or get to where we are going faster if we do it our way. Big mistake! That thinking will always eventually lead us into a storm. And when the rain comes, we have left God’s protective umbrella, so we get wet. Soaked. Ask me how I know?

The good news is that we may leave God, but He will never leave us. We can always return under the safety of His umbrella. He will cover and protect us in the storms of life. Let us learn from Peter and not look down! (Matthew 14:28-30). We must keep our focus on Jesus and not the storm! We may get wet, we may even get soaked, but just as Jesus saved Peter, He will save us. He will not let us drown!

God wants us to be obedient. His desire is for us to obey Him even when we don’t understand. Even if we may not feel like it at the time or think it’s a good idea. Obeying God is an essential step in receiving God’s greatest blessings. When God tells us to do something and we know without a doubt it is His will, then we need to obey based solely on who is doing the talking. Faith and obedience walk together. When we live obedient lives, even if we get caught in rainy weather, we will have a sense of peace and joy. Instead of conflict, there will be contentment. That’s all a part of experiencing God’s goodness and protection. Obedience to God is better than any sacrifice we could ever make! Love and Blessings…

“But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.” (Jerimiah 7:23)

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

“And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.” (Philippians 4:13)

“Let your manner of living be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5)

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14)

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There have been times in my life I could really stink, wait, let me clarify that, I mean my attitude smelled awful. I probably could produce quite a few examples, but I’ll give you just one. I am ashamed to say I was a self-centered and arrogant person. Back in the day, it was all about me. Even though I was basically a nice person, always willing to help someone, my attitude could really stink sometimes. Our attitudes determine how we relate to God, how we react to what’s happening around us, and how we treat the people who cross our paths. Some people may have smelled my attitude and others may not have. But God did! My attitude did not give off the aroma of Christ! And God loved me enough to not leave me with as they say, “stinking thinking.”

During my time in the wilderness, God taught me that it is not about me, but all about Him! I don’t even come in second. The Lord’s second command is to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves. Of course being the selfish person I was then, I kept asking, “but what about me?” And God showed me, as He brought me through that terrible but blessed time in my life, that He would always take care of me. I call it blessed even though I was going through because as I began to focus on Christ and the needs of others, my attitude began to change, I  smelled better.  

When our attitudes place God first and we see other people with eyes of love, we smell better. I’m not saying we are to forget about self-care, which is definitely important! God’s Word is clear that we are to take time for ourselves in order to draw near to Him and to be able to comfort others. The Bible tells us that God values and commands rest (Ex. 34:21, Heb. 4:34) and for our physical bodies (Ex. 22:26-27). Jesus himself prioritized rest. When faced with great crowds, Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). He cared that his disciples “had no leisure even to eat” and instructed them to “rest a while” (Mark 6:31). We need to rest, relax, and be restored physically and mentally in order to  pour into others. God can’t use us when we are burnt out and tired. However we don’t want to turn our self-care into self-indulgence which leads to selfishness.  

Our attitudes determines how we smell to God. Are you self-centered, proud, or arrogant as I was? Is it all about “you and yours” or do you reach out to others, especially your brothers and sisters in Christ? Are those around you drawn to Jesus as a result of the love and peace you display? Do your conversations always honor God? Do you represent the fruit of the Spirit? Or are you laced with bitterness, resentment, anger, complaining, and gossip? Imagine what we smell like to our families, children, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. More importantly what aroma are we sending to Christ. How can we have nasty smelly attitudes and claim to represent Christ?  

Whenever negative thoughts or behavior creep into our thoughts, conversations, or behavior, we must reject them and pray to God for a clean heart. We all are in need of an attitude adjustment now and then. We all are a work in progress. I am grateful to God for showing me one of my areas that needed work. I continuously work on myself that I may smell good to God. I realize I can’t do it alone. We must spend time in prayer asking God to reveal areas in our life that does not smell as they should. Once He reveals them, then we pray that He help us remove them and pray that He cleanses us of anything that is not pleasing to Him. I challenge you to join me every day to work on taking captive of our thoughts before they come out of our mouths. In doing this we are more inclined to speak the best, not the worst, to speak of beauty and not the ugly, to praise and not curse, and to uplift and not put down. We must strive to have the sweet aroma of Christ all the time, not just some of the time, just as God’s grace and mercy is with us ALL the time, not just some of the time! Does your attitude give off an aroma of Christ? Please my brothers and sisters, meditate on the scriptures below until they resonate deep in your hearts.
Love and Blessings…

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

“Finally , brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

“Whoever  says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”(1 John 2:6)

“Yet  you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay; you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

“So  do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”(Isaiah 41:10)

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
(2 Corinthians 9:8)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)

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Life as we knew it has certainly changed and will continue to do so. There is nothing wrong with change unless there is something wrong with change. Think about it. We live in a world where injustice, pandemics, murder, hatred, false prophets, and so much more is going on. And it will get worse. How do I know? The Bible says before the Lord returns there will be world-wide chaos and disorder will increase. Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, plagues, and earthquakes in various place. We see these things happening before our eyes. But we do not have to be shaken and afraid. Those of us in the household of faith will keep our eyes on the Lord. Of course we will be careful and cautious, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us. But we will not be afraid!

As followers of Christ we don’t have to worry or be afraid. These things should not catch us by surprise if we have studied the Word of God. Knowing that heaven and earth will pass away should give us perspective in life. This world is not our home. “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13). Jesus tells us to have the proper priorities, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6-19-20). And Peter, after reminding us of the temporary nature of this world, says, “Dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Peter 3:14).

Brothers and Sisters, those who read the book, knows how the story ends, so we should eagerly wait with anticipation for the return of Christ. We should not be so focus on living and building life here, which is temporary, that we forget about preparing for a life that is eternal. Since we do not know the time or the hour, we should stay alert and be prepared. How do we prepare? The Bible clearly instructs us to be watchful. We should seek God and submit to His will. We should live a life of purpose. A life that glorifies God in all we do. We should take every opportunity to do good, loving others wherever and whenever we can. If we do these things we can be at peace no matter the changes going on around us. God’s Word never changes. So we can trust that the return of Christ will not be the end, but the beginning of the very best! Love and Blessings…

Jesus answered, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:4-11 NIV)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)NIV

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10-13)NIV

“But in those days, following that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:26-31)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

I have always prided myself in being self-sufficient. Look up super woman in the dictionary, you might see my picture. Or so I thought. When I reflect on my biggest challenges to date, my super powers failed me. I tried but there was nothing I could do. Nothing. I. could. do. God had to show me this to the point where I lost everything, and almost my sanity! Oh I prayed for God to help me but at the same time I never stopped trying to help myself. I forgot God was in control and I failed to trust Him. It was only when I was sick and tired of being sick and tired that I gave up. And when I gave up, then Super God showed up. God said to me now are you ready to get out of my way and let me show you who really has the super powers! I’m not saying we should not help ourselves, but there are battles that are not ours to fight. We have to learn to be so in sync with God that we hear Him when He tells us to move, and we hear Him when He tells us to stand still. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way.

When you are caught in a hopeless situation, learn to position yourself. Stand still and see the super power of Jesus work on your behalf. Don’t just pray and forget about the one you prayed to, because you are so busy concentrating on the situation or problem. After you pray, turn your focus on God. Believing, expecting, and thanking Him for delivering you. Center yourself, your thoughts, your beliefs, and your hopes on Him. God will never leave us or forsake us. If we listen, He will lead us concerning what to do, just as He led king Jehoshaphat to a triumphant victory over his enemies! God told him to stand still and position himself. For a victorious life, God requires us to listen to His instructions, trust and obey. The battle is not ours; it is the Lords!
Love and Blessings…

“Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! 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. . . 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.” (2 Chronicles 20:25,17)

“But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].” (John 16:13-15)AMP

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).”and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17-47)

“and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17-47)

When we have challenges, sometimes it requires more than determination or a personal goal to push us through. We have to be driven by the desire to be obedient to God, knowing that He who appointed us this assignment, will not allow us to fail. So we move forward in obedience. And God blesses us for our obedience. We are thankful for our blessings, and everybody is happy for us, right? WRONG! Some people are not happy when God blesses you. And it is not always your enemies you have to worry about, your enemies cannot harm you because you keep them at a distance. It is the ones closest to you that can do the most damage. Be careful who is sitting at your table? Everybody will not celebrate your successes with you.

Some people have the spirit of Cain, the spirit of jealousy, insecurity, and unhealthy competition. They hate the fact that you have favor with God. They don’t see all you went through and in spite of everything, you still walked in obedience. They only see that you came out that fire not burned, not even smelling like smoke. They only see the double you received for your trouble. They only see that you are better, stronger, and at peace. They can’t be glad for you because somehow they feel your success came at their expense. They believe that should have been their job, their house, their husband or wife. They irrationally believe that you have their blessing. They don’t get that success is success only because it relates to struggle. How can you have victory without conflict? Success is the reward that God gives to the diligent, who through perseverance, patience and obedience obtained the promise. There is no way to receive what God has for your life without fighting the obstacles and challenges that block your way to victory.  

There was a time I would look at people and wonder how it felt to be where they are, now I look at people and I wonder what they had to go through to get there. What did they have to give up? How many relationships did they lose? Everyone can’t go where God is taking you so you have to leave some people behind. Your struggle helps you to appreciate the blessings when they come. But some people don’t want to know your story or what price you have paid to get where you are. They just want what you have. When I speak of successes, I’m not just talking financially, sometimes people are jealous of your peace and joy. Unfortunately sometimes those who are closest to you will try to steal them from you. I think about Jesus sitting at the table with Judas. He had no problem discerning who would betray him with a kiss. Judas served a purpose in God’s plan. Just as some people in our lives are there to serve God’s purpose for a particular time, not forever. God will protect us from those who mean us harm and will remove them from our lives. And if He does remove them, we must not try to keep them or let them back in!  

We must  pray for discernment. Guard your heart. We must recognize the spirit of Cain in those around us, and possibly even in our own heart. A jealous heart is the beginning of betrayal. Guarding our hearts means being wise and discerning in our lives. The best way to do this is to stop and listen to God. Hear what He is telling us to do, where He is leading us, when to move forward, and when to stop. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in all areas of life, especially relationships. As believers, it is important for us to realize what is important and what matters most on this journey. First we must seek God first and be obedient to Him. Then we should help the hurting, lift the discouraged, and rejoice at other people’s blessings. Simply love God and love one another. This pleases God and He will satisfy all our needs and meet the desires of our hearts. We do not have to be jealous or compare ourselves with anyone, what God has for us is for us, period. Remember that we are Jesus disciples on earth. As followers of Christ, we represent and should act accordingly. We should be thankful and genuinely celebrate our blessings as well as the blessings of others. Love and Blessings…

“The followers of Jesus are children of God and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all.”
F. F. Bruce

“But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) NLT

“Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (1 John 3:12)

“As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” (Matthew 26:21)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  (Proverbs 4:23)

“until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” ( Luke 20:43) NLT”What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” ( Romans 8:31)  

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” ( Romans 8:31)  

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Do you know how to worship? I don’t mean do you know how to kneel, sing two or three songs, give an offering, jot down a few sermon notes and shake hands at the door on the way out. I mean, do you really know how to worship the Living God? In Psalms 103, David calls himself to worship, and in so doing, he shows us how to worship God with all that we are. First, worship is personal. Although we may be in a crowd of other folks, God does not see us as one big mass of people, but as individuals. “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” David writes. We are to adore or “bless” God individually, so there is a private aspect to our public worship. Our “soul,” or the sum total of our entire personality, is to be involved. Also, we are to worship him internally, with all that is within us. That means my conscience, my will, my purpose, my emotions, my spirit, my energy – all that is within me is to worship God. My inward presence, not my outward posture, is the key. Finally, we are to worship God intelligently, remembering His benefits that is, all that He has done for us. True worship engages not just our emotions, but our mind. All of the strings of our lives are being tuned by God. He didn’t just tune us when we were born and let us go through life becoming more and more off-key. He continuously tunes the lives of His children, touching one string, then another, and bringing it back to perfect pitch. The last time you were sick, could God have been plucking a string to slow you down and re-focus your attention on Him? What about that promotion you received at work? Was God touching another string to see how you handle success? In all the in’s and out’s of life, God the Father is running His loving hands over the strings of your life and my life, getting us in tune with Him and worship is the tuning fork that establishes the pitch.

Brothers and Sisters this was my early morning devotion. I urge you to praise God when you are happy, praise Him when you are sad, and most definitely praise Him through your challenges. He is fine tuning us and He is worthy to be praised! Love and Blessings…

“Bless the LORD, o my soul: and all that is within”
(Psalm 103:1)

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. … Even in the darkest of times, we can praise God for his love, his sovereignty, and his promise to be near us when we call (Hebrews 13:15-16)

The dictionary meaning of “two-faced” is deceitful, hypocritical, untrustworthy, deceiving, dishonest, and backstabbing. I remember back in the day there was a song called backstabbers. The song said, “they smile in your face and all the time they wanna take your place”. Do you know anyone like that? In your life have you crossed paths with a two-faced, backstabber? They pretend to be for you but at the same time they are working against you. I think it’s safe to say nobody wants to deal with those type of people.  
We call them two-faced; the Bible calls them hypocrites. Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve Apostles. He is known for betraying Jesus. Judas was a back stabber if there was ever one. He claimed to love Jesus, but he turned around and betrayed Him. I call that two-faced. Two-faced people may fool us sometimes, but they can never fool God. Jesus knew what Judas was going to do before he did it.
What is worse than being a two-faced friend, is being hypocritical toward God. This type of behavior is not acceptable to God. He can see right through to our hearts. If we profess belief and love for God, but in our hearts and in our actions, our agenda is still our own, not Gods, the Bible says we are hypocrites. A hypocrite is not a person who commits some sins on occasion, because we all commit sin occasionally. Hypocrites practice sin on a routine basis while pretending to be sinless and judging others at the same time. Now I am not judging, but I am addressing this because one of the major complaints of non-believers against Christianity is that the churches are full of hypocrites. Unfortunately it is true. We are supposed to bring people to Christ, not run them away because of hypocrisy. Christianity should not be judged on the basis of those who claim to be believers, when, in reality, they practice the opposite of what it teaches. One should judge Christianity not on the basis of what the two-facers do, but on the basis of what Jesus taught and how He lived. Jesus had a lot to say about hypocrisy and hypocrites. The scribes and the Pharisees hated Him because he directly confronted the religious hypocrites of His day. Modern day hypocrites are no different, when we conceal our real feelings or motives, and adopt certain religious rituals to impress the world. All glory belongs to God. When it comes to our Lord and Savior, we can not afford to be two-faced. Trying to live for God and the world at the same time, the Bible says it cannot be done. But don’t take my word, look at God’s Word. James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” You are either for Him one hundred percent or you are against Him. We cannot walk with God and hold hands with the devil! Jesus stated: “He that is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30).  
Believers, God does not get angry when we fall short to sin, all His anger for our sins fell upon Jesus at the cross. Jesus became the lamb of God who took away all our sins. It is a gift, but we have to accept it, all of it. We cannot choose to let Satan deceive us and rob us of the greatest blessing man has ever known; salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Savior and redeemer.  
We don’t want two-faced people in our lives. We definitely don’t want to be one. We must ask God for discernment to see through hypocritical hearts and help us not be corrupted or tempted by satan to turn our face from God. We must pray to not fall into the trap of saying one thing but thinking another in our hearts. Brothers and sisters, if you are straddling the fence, being two-faced with God, choose now to turn your face toward Jesus, focus on Him and the things of this world will grow dim in the light of His glory and grace. You cannot face both ways! As for me and my house, we will face the Lord! Love and Blessings…

“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)

“So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28)

And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.” (Mark 7:6)

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,” (Isaiah 29:13)

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us. But to Your name give glory. Because of Your mercy and because of Your truth.”
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Matthew 16:27)  

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

“Do not take me away with the wicked, And with workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.” (Psalm 28:3)

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

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How passionate are you about your life that you would value every second of it?
Every ounce of your breathe not to live in regret, because there’s no fear of death. Humble enough to admit your wrongs, secure enough when it gets rough to stand strong. In the midst of the storm you don’t ask why, you just know it won’t last long. Sometimes our lives are complicated when something or someone doesn’t belong, No matter how bad we want it, it was never meant for us all along. Cause in effect, if our life is truly precious, we won’t settle for less.
Making a comprise sometimes leaves you feeling empty inside. Swallowing your pride, you eventually have to come to spiritually realize; How does GOD see me through HIS eyes? Only HE could judge you perfectly according to all you do.
And no matter how hard you try to convince yourself; one thing remains true, that image in the mirror cannot be lied to, you realize the real you. And if reality is what you desire to live in, why do you allow fantasy’s to hurt you? Continuing to be stepped on, left behind, broken-hearted, disappointed, and lied to. GOD has designed so much more for you, so much so that HE sent HIS son to die for you
This is no religious propaganda; it is by all means the truth. For if we truly appreciated the significance of our life, we’d live it through and through
For every mistake there’s a way of escape, for every broken promise a better tomorrow
Each of life’s lessons we face and endure is like medicine to the soul. And our soul does not recover fully, until we let go, and give GOD all the control!

Brothers and Sisters, this beautiful writing by my son, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a reminder of how precious the gift of life is, and how we must live it to it’s fullest. The scriptures below reminds us that if we give God complete control of the life He has given us, life can be amazing! Love and Blessings…

“In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10)

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 69:34)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

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Imagine this world as a clock, and people are in a race with time. Running and racing toward success. Everyone seems to be getting their hustle on. This generation calls it getting your grind on. We are all out here pushing and striving, just trying to succeed. Staying on our grind is how we make things happen. Wait! How. we. make. things. happen? There is definitely something wrong with that statement. We can make nothing happen without God! As human beings we are limited without His help. Unless you have super human strength, you will get burned out! We can grind all we want but if it’s not in His will, purpose or plan for our life, oh well. That is why we have to be coordinated with God’s will and grace. We must remember without Jesus we would have no life at all. Our next breath comes from Christ and is to go back to Christ. Grinding without His grace is useless. Without God and His grace we will never be content. The truth is there will never be enough in this world to satisfy our souls, only Jesus can do that. So what happens is the more we get, the more we want, never satisfied. Racing with time around this world’s clock, until time runs out.
Spiritually, grace is defined as “the free and unmerited favor of God.” Grace offers us the riches of God, at the expense of Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. When we put God first and operate under His grace, things flow naturally. Miracles happen, money appears, sales increase, people show up, and opportunities that we don’t have the power to create ourselves miraculously appear. When we pursue our dreams and goals from a place of grace, we won’t have to strain or struggle to achieve them. Know that there is nothing wrong with working hard and making sacrifices to meet our goals. The Bible tells us if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The problem is when we sacrifice God, who is our helper, because we are too busy grinding. We can’t spend time with Jesus because we are too busy grinding. We can’t attend Bible study because we are too tired from grinding. You get my point. There is no condemnation of elegant living among God’s people. In fact, He wants us to live the good life and live it abundantly. But our priority should be seeking Him first. We have to be very careful not to work Jesus around our grinding instead of working our grinding around Jesus. Christians should strive to live a disciplined life, and be alert to spiritual realities. Faith, hope, and love are the basic essentials of a believers life. Our priority should be Jesus and to move in His will and under His grace. In contrast to the unbelievers of the world, with the love of self and material wealth as their main priority. As believers, we must work from a place of peace and confidence, not comparing ourselves to others or their timeline. If you are walking and working in God’s grace, He will lead you to your divine success, in your season and in His time. At the end of the day, all we need is Jesus and Jesus will supply all we need! Love and Blessings…

Grind is not having time for your spouse/family/closest friends.
Grace is receiving divine knowledge of what you should work on so you can let go of the rest.
Grind is copying, comparing, and chasing after every “tip, trick, and tactic” because you’re desperate to see success right now.
Grace is trusting in your own gifts and abilities because you know you are good enough to achieve the success you seek.
Grind is forgoing your spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness for the sake of “giving your all” to your dream.
Grace is prioritizing your self-care no matter what because you know it is NOT your purpose to “succeed” while leaving yourself in shambles.
Grind is believing you don’t have enough, so you have to get out there and “hustle.”Grace is recognizing what God has already given you and using that to make your dreams come true.
Grind says other people have all the answers.
Grace says the answers are inside of yourself.
Grind is doing it all.
Grace is doing only what you were meant to do.
Grind is about scarcity.
Grace is about abundance.
Grind is about force.
Grace is about flow.
Grind is about fear.
Grace is about faith.

(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)

“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages [to put it] into a bag with holes.”(Haggai 1:6)

“Yes, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, everyone for his gain, from his quarter.” (Isaiah 56:11)

Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

“Those who make God their hope, shall flourish like a tree always green, whose leaf does not wither. They shall be fixed in peace and satisfaction of mind; they shall not be anxious in a year of drought….They shall not cease from yielding fruit in holiness and good works.”
Matthew Henry 

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To God be the glory that I am at a point in my life where I am experiencing this peace that is indescribable priceless! Did I win the lottery? No. Do I have perfect health? No. Does storms and trials still rise in my life. Yes. This peace I have is not from the world, but from God. No situation, circumstances, or person can take it away. Unless I let them and why would I do that? I am living my best life in spite of and so can you. My  desire is that everyone experience this peace which is beyond understanding. I would like to share with you some thoughts from a devotion I read called “FINDING PEACE” by Charles F. Stanley. One of the things he talks about is how do we lose our peace, this peace that Jesus left us with?

“There’s only one way to experience an abiding peace that transcends circumstances—by faith. Faith is the foundation for living in God’s peace—an active, confident trust in His presence and power to sustain and comfort you, no matter the circumstance you face. There are, however, certain issues that can undermine our faith and rob us of our peace. Let’s consider a few of them:

1. Sudden Fear—Some people are so accustomed to responding to every little dip and rise of life with fear and small doses of panic that they can’t even imagine there’s another way to respond. They’re so upset by change of all types that it never dawns on them they can live with greater emotional stability.

2. The Enemy—We can be attacked by our enemy, the devil, who may use various means to cause us to doubt and lose faith in our God. But we must stand up to him. Scripture urges us to resist the devil, and when we do, he will flee from us (James 4:7).

3. Sin—Peace and rebellion cannot co-exist. The only recourse is to confess sin to God, surrender to Him, and ask for His help in turning from and resisting all temptation. Then, God’s peace can then flow once again.

4. Giving Up Peace—In times of crisis, we sometimes lay down our peace willingly. We give it up. Concede it. Abandon it. Always remember that no one can take our peace from us; we have to surrender it. And as such, we’re the only ones who can take it back.

5. Losing Focus—We can allow the myriad of bad-news scenarios we hear and read about every day to cause us to lose our correct focus. Instead of having our minds set on God and trusting Him for His peace and presence, we allow our thoughts to get sidetracked and galvanized by the negative news and circumstances we see and hear.”

Because God is with us, we don’t have to give in to, sink beneath, or become defeated by our troubles. We can face, confront, challenge, deal, and in the end overcome them in the power of the cross. Jesus taught His followers that all troubles are passing in nature for a season … and a reason. Hold on to the peace that God gives, confident that He’s watching, directing, and caring for those who trust and believe in Him. Love and Blessings…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John14:27

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Corinthians 4:17-18

“The Lord is Near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:40

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39