We should be careful what we name our kids. And in my opinion, we should be even more careful what we nickname them. They could spend their lifetime trying to live down a derogatory nickname or like me grow up hating their name. I hated my name because it was different. It seemed no one could pronounce it correctly. Most of the time I just answered to however they pronounced it. To make matters worse, we did not have middle names. I found out as an adult that my older siblings came up with my name trying to find something that rhymed with my twins name. To give them credit they had short notice to do this. The story is that my mother nor the doctor knew she was having twins until after my sister made her entrance, and then three minutes later I entered the world, surprising the doctor and sending my mother into shock. (literally).

They didn’t know, but God knew. God knew me before I was formed in my mother’s wound. According to the SSA, my name was first recorded on Thursday, June 5th, 1919. And until 2017 less than five people have had my name. I guess I am one of the less than five people. Also I have been told that in Trinidad, my name means beautiful daughter of the King. I’m not sure if that is true but I am the daughter of the King of Kings. I no longer hate my name. In fact, I like that it is different. I am different, set apart, and chosen by the Almighty!  

A name is not just a name! Our names are an important part of our identity. They carry deep personal, cultural, ancestral, and historical connections. Our names give us a sense of who we are. In Biblical times, names carried great significance, telling something of what a person was or would become. God often changed the names of people who had special relationships with Him. He changed Abram to Abraham (Gen.17:51), Sarai to Sarah (Gen.17:15), and Jacob to Israel (Gen.32:28) just to name a few.  

When Jesus met Simon, he recognized his leadership qualities. He also knew he was emotional, unstable, and quick to anger. Simon had weaknesses just as we all have. Jesus knew that Simon would need help. And He began by giving him a new name, Peter, which means “rock.” (John 1:40-42). Jesus gave Peter a nickname that was better than he was! Jesus gave Simon a nickname that meant stability and strength. Jesus saw what Peter could be. That’s how God looks at us. He see’s promise and possibilities. God sees what we can be, and He calls us His sons and daughters. Jesus told Peter that he was to be the rock on which He would build His church. And at the end of the day, Peter lived up to his name. On the day of Pentecost, the real power of the Holy Spirit was shown when Peter spoke, and three thousand souls were saved. The Holy Spirit filled Peter with all the gifts he needed to lead. In Jerusalem, Peter healed an incurable Cripple, who had been lame from birth. It was there that Peter preached his second recorded sermon. Five thousand men turned to Christ that day. Peter helped start the first church, worked miracles and baptized thousands.

The same way Jesus believed in Peter; He believes in us. God believes in us and loves us in spite of our weaknesses. God knows what we are made of, he made us. Just as Jesus gave Simon a new name, once we accept Jesus as our Savior and we are filled with the Holy Spirit as Peter was that day, we become a new person. That doesn’t mean we become sinless, but that we sin less because we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Some people in this world will give us nicknames or even call us out of our names based on how they perceive us. But when we encounter God, we, like Peter have the opportunity to cast off our old names the world has given us and embrace new identities from God who renames us because he has a different agenda for us! Love and Blessings…

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)NIV“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:14)NLT

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:14)NLT

“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isiah 43:1)NIV

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18)NIV

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)NIV

“And I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18)NIV

It does not matter what it may look like on Social Media, how happy a person may seem to be, don’t get it twisted and get caught up in thinking that person or family has no issues or problems. And then proceed to get into your feelings. Asking yourself, why my life can’t be like that? Stop it. We all have been or are going through something, and if you are not right now, trust me, you will. That’s life. Some people only show you what they want you to see. And that’s their business. But there are  people who really are happy in spite of what issues or problems they are facing. Those are the ones to watch. Because it’s likely that those people have discovered the secret. What secret? I am glad you asked. The secret of not depending on what’s happening to make you happy. They can still smile, dance, and move forward with life, living it to the fullest because they have joy. Happiness is fickle, and requires happy circumstances. Joy is within and is not chased off by the troubles of this world. The ability to feel and show this joy doesn’t depend on good situations or no challenges in our lives. Money can’t buy it, it is priceless! This joy comes from God, and it is free to us all. However, it is not forced on us, we have to accept it. Real joy is found in God’s presence. The more we stay in His presence, we learn that He is in control and there is no power besides Him!

We need this joy, especially in these trying times with all of it’s troubles and uncertainties, it can seem as if our lives are spinning out of control. However we feel this joy knowing that in spite of, God is in control, and He is with us. When we can’t see the path or even the next step, God is with us. If you don’t know how you are going to pay the bills or feed your kids, God is with you. When it seems as if  everyone has deserted you, God is with you. When you are sick in your body and you can’t understand why God has not healed you, know that God is still with you. He is still the God who heals. Our timeframe may not match His, but rest assured, He is working it out for our good. His time is always the right time. The Bible says by Jesus stripes we are healed, I choose to keep believing this until it manifest. In the meantime I have joy, not because of the challenges, but because I know His grace is sufficient. Whatever the situation or problems you may be facing, know that God is with you, above you, before you, behind you, in front of you, within you, around you, beneath you, beside you, beyond you, and over you. It may look like you are surrounded by the enemy to others, they can’t understand why you still smiling. It’s because of the joy in knowing that God surrounds you!  

I will admit, sometimes it is hard to maintain this spiritual consistent joy. The enemy will try his best everyday to take it away. And even though it looks like he is attacking us physically, emotionally, and financially, the battle really starts in our mind. We must remember this joy comes from the Lord, not the world, so no circumstance or challenge can take it away. Family or friends can’t take it away. No other human being have the power to take it away. The enemy knows only we have the power to give it away. He knows we do that by our thoughts, then our actions. We must remember to govern our thoughts, take them captive. In happy or sad times, in comfort or difficulty, we find joy in the presence of the Lord! Love and Blessings…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  
(Romans 15:13)

“But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!” (Psalm 68:3)
“For all power belongs to God, now and forever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:11)

“For all power belongs to God, now and forever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:11)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”  (Isaiah 43:2)

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

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities: the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”  
(2 Corinthians 12:9)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)“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)

“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)

We all sometimes give advice based on our opinions, experience, and our perspective of the truth. But should we? As believers, we should be careful when we are giving or receiving advice. Ask yourself, is this advice coming from the Word of God or is it what I think or believe? Did you pray on it? Did you consult with the Holy Spirit? As His children, God said we should know His voice. The voice of God will give us direction. When God speaks to us, we will gain clarity. The first person we should seek for advice is our heavenly Father. His truth is the only truth. Besides, His line is never busy, and He always has time for us.  
And when we hear from God, we must be obedient. Don’t you hate it when someone comes to you for advice and then they go do the exact opposite of what you said. God doesn’t like it either. The Bible says in James 1:22, “we should not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” We can learn from Moses and Elijah, who did mighty things through God, but both great men of God still fell short in the end. Toward the end of his life, Moses hit the rock twice in disobedience, yelled at the people, spoke out of anger and impatience, despite his years of service, Moses’s disobedience kept him from entering the promised land. (Numbers 20:6-9). Why was the consequences of Moses action so severe? Because in his anger he misrepresented God. He did what he wanted, not what God told him to do. This shows us that as children of God, we should not misrepresent Him. When we seek the voice of God, we should follow His instructions. When we give advice it should come from a place of love and always be based on God’s Word, not our opinions or emotions. Moses teaches us that we need to be very accurate in how we represent God. And what about Elijah? Despite amazing victories and evidence of the power of God in his ministry, in his last days, Elijah thought Jezebel was greater than God and fled from her. After all he saw God do, he still lost faith and became discouraged. (1Kings19:3-5). One lesson we can learn from Elijah pertaining to giving advice is not to lose faith or get discouraged, even if the person does not like the advice we give. Sometimes people don’t want to hear godly advice. They don’t want God’s truth. They want to hear what makes them feel better or what justifies their actions. Or maybe they just don’t want to hear it from you. And that’s ok. We are responsible for what we do, we can’t control the actions of others. What we can do is pray that God will show them the answer. The same goes when we are seeking advice, it is important we make sure the person is in tuned with God and is given us God’s truth and not their beliefs and perspectives. There really is only one truth and it will set you free!
Love and Blessings…

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27)

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” (Ephesians 4:15)

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:16)

“We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1John 4:6)

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:33)

Some years ago when I first began to have pain, it took the doctors over a year to find our why. Process of elimination they said. When I think about it, I am thankful for the pain. The pain led me to the doctors and according to them it could have escalated if not found and treatment started for management. Pain is our bodies way of telling us something is wrong. I am grateful that God allowed me to feel pain and that I was sensible enough to have it checked out. God had my back!

Yes, sometimes we have to thank God for the pain. Sometimes we have to thank God for what we don’t see. When that man or woman goes ghost, maybe it was God because He could see the troubles that came with them. You may be devastated that you didn’t get that position. Did you think that it could be God has something better for you? When we are running late and traffic not moving, instead of getting upset, maybe we should thank God because we can’t see the accident that He could see waiting to happen further down the road. Even when God doesn’t say yes to our prayers, we should thank Him. God knows if it’s going to hurt us or He may say no because the timing is not right. We must remember delay is not always denial when it comes to Lord God. One thing we can trust and be sure of, God is always watching our back!

This world can be terrifying at times. All the violence and the uncertainty can make us feel vulnerable and confused. The Bible says the angel of the Lord and that pillar of cloud God used to guide the Israelites through the wilderness, moved from in front of them to behind them. (In Exodus 14:19). It’s comforting to know that Jesus is watching over us as well, front and back. In fact, with the Holy Spirit within us, we are surrounded in protection. We are quick to thank God for answering our prayers for what we see He has done for us. And that’s good. But we should also remember to thank Him for all the things He has done that we did not see. All the times He has kept us from harm when we didn’t even know we were in danger. The good that God does isn’t always obvious or understandable to us at the time, but we can be sure He always has our backs!

Brothers and sisters, when life presents itself with troubles and the enemy tries to attack, seen or unseen, friends or family may leave you hanging if it gets too hot. Do not worry or fear, you are not alone! God’s Word says He will never leave or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6). In other words God is telling us, He has our back! Don’t believe me, study and meditate on the scriptures below. Love and Blessings…

“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)NIV

“The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)NIV

“What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)NLT

“For the LORD, your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:4)NIV

“It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.” (Deuteronomy 11:12)NIV

“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 nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)NIV

“the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8)NIV

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 receive blessings and favor from God we expect the ones closest to us to be happy for us. Unfortunately that is not always true. Some people are not happy when God blesses us and it is not always our enemies. It can be those who are the closest to us that try and block our blessings. Enemies cannot harm us because they keep their distance. Be careful who is sitting at your table. Everybody will not celebrate your successes.

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 to get where you are. They don’t  see how hard it was through the tough times to continue to walk 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. Do not beat yourself up if you did not see the betrayal coming. Sometimes a good heart does not see the bad. We have to pray for discernment. God will protect us from those who mean us harm and will sometimes remove them from our lives. And if He does remove them, we must not try to keep them or let them back in! Some people are in our lives to serve God’s purpose for a particular time, not forever. Even those who betray us are a part of God’s plan. Judas served a purpose in God’s plan. Because of Judas’s betrayal, Jesus ended up on the cross and saved us all. God will place people in our life, and He will remove them, and there is always a reason for both. We serve an intentional God. What God has for us is for us and no one can take it away unless we let them. Guard your heart. It is easy for us to fall into jealousy in our society and become a Judas. But it is important for us to realize what is most important in our lives and what matters most. We should encourage one another and rejoice in others blessings. 

We must pray for discernment. 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. 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.

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

“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)

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

“A heart of peace gives life3 to the body, but envy rots the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30)

“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” (Psalm 37:1-3)

“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)