OUR MOMENTARY AFFLICTIONS!

"When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined Gold [pure and luminous]". Job 23:10. My friend, some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns. It's all your perspective and understanding about the God you serve. Being a child of God, what a comfort it is to know that the Lord has vested interest in my deliverance. He is in the process of cultivating what He has invested in my life. Wasn't it God's divine purpose that kept us afloat when others capsized beneath the Lord of life when we were facing fierce storms in our life? Job knew that God had an investment in his life that no season of distress could eradicate. Hey, hey, you will come out as refined and purified Gold. When I was a boy I watched my mother sift flour through a sieve. The fine flour went through easily, but the large bits of grain were not affected by the shaking and remained on top. Bro: Life is like that. We go through testing periods, but if we are big enough- have big faith, hope, love, courage, and faith and confidence in your God- we can endure the shaking and remain on top. Your God has bigger plans for you. Disappointed! But appointed to do bigger works. Cheer up man, THIS WILL PASS!!!!!

WILL COME OUT AS PURE GOLD!

"When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined Gold [pure and luminous]". Job 23:10. My friend, some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns. It's all your perspective and understanding about the God you serve. Being a child of God, what a comfort it is to know that the Lord has vested interest in my deliverance. He is in the process of cultivating what He has invested in my life. Wasn't it God's divine purpose that kept us afloat when others capsized beneath the Lord of life when we were facing fierce storms in our life? Job knew that God had an investment in his life that no season of distress could eradicate. Hey, hey, you will come out as refined and purified Gold. When I was a boy I watched my mother sift flour through a sieve. The fine flour went through easily, but the large bits of grain were not affected by the shaking and remained on top. Bro: Life is like that. We go through testing periods, but if we are big enough- have big faith, hope, love, courage, and faith and confidence in your God- we can endure the shaking and remain on top. Your God has bigger plans for you. Disappointed! But appointed to do bigger works. Cheer up man, THIS WILL PASS!!!!!

YOUR HAIRS ARE NUMBERED!!

"But the very hairs of your head are all NUMBERED". Matthew 10:30. We usually ask questions like "Do I know you? I don't believe I know who you are? We answer it in different ways. We give our names, sometimes where we live, our nationality, I am a Texan, whose children are we, or even the parents of this or that person. But my friend, our God knows who we are and you don't have to introduce yourself to Him. Our God's record about us are so complete that even the hairs on our head are numbered. Not counted but NUMBERED, that means He has the chronological record of your hair strands and He knows which hair is in your comb. TADA. He has the record of your family tree, your tithes, your thoughts, your priorities, your blood group, your vain words, and your secrets which you think you only know. But God knows it. Even in those moments of absolute desperation, disappointments, loneliness, and helpless situations, our God is working an expected end for your good. BRO: Our Lord who fed thousands with one basket, stilled storms with one command, raised the dead with one proclamation, rerouted the history with one life, lived in one country, was born in one manger, died on one hill is telling you now "STAND STILL AND SEE MY SALVATION". HE WILL DO IT AGAIN BUDDY!! For you..for you.. FOR YOU!!

ARE YOU A MEMBER OR DISCIPLE?

"GO then and make DISCIPLES of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". Matthew 28:19 AMPV. Do you see my friend two words "GO AND DISCIPLES"? Today's average audience in the public gatherings is made up of those who need it least. There have been times when one public sermons would result in three thousand conversions; but today the results are more like three thousand sermons resulting in one conversion. This is not to disparage public meetings. This is why Jesus said "GO". Pastors and churches are high on memberships, but Jesus is telling us to make DISCIPLES not pew-warming members. Disciples are expected of the following: 1) Commitment. "And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" Luke 14;27. We can learn in groups, serve in teams, worship as a family; but we can only DISCIPLES individually. Without commitment, discipleship cannot happen. 2) Competence. John 15:7-8. Remain in me and bear fruit. 3) Character. John 13:34-35. 4) ..love one another..By this all men will know that you are my disciples. 4) Conviction: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". John 8:32. Too often, Christians are knowledge rich but application poor. "Right Doctrine" but without "Conviction". That's why "our life styles differ little from the cultural norm and do not even hint at CHRIST within us. Tada. Are you a member or a disciple? Think about it buddy.

COLT FOR JESUS?

"Go into the village over against you, and straight away ye shall find an ass tied , and a colt with her: loose them and bring them unto me". Matthew 21:2. After talking to you the other day, I like to encourage you to do God's work. Stop telling me I am useless, foolish, weak, no degrees in Theology, good for nothing, unwanted, unqualified, and have no calling. Look like you have fear and inferiority complex. God qualifies the called, and he wants to know whether you are available. Of all animals Jesus chose the foolish donkey to carry Him for His triumphant journey to people. Horses are majestic and fast. But the colt was foolish, weak, immature, untrained. The donkey can say" I am just a village donkey not a city-bred confident one. Probably the owner had to push it to go. When Jesus was riding on Him, he received honor, people were shouting and praising Jesus. "He said to me, "prophesy to the breath, prophesy son of man. Tell the breath, 'God the master says, come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breath on these slain bodies (dry bones). Breath life!" So I prophesied, just as He commanded me. The breath entered them they came alive! They stood upon their feet, a huge army". Ezekiel 37:9-10. Bro. We serve a God of endless possibilities, if He can breath life into dry bones, He can take care of your situation if you ask Him to, nothing is too hard for Him. Step out of your box and into the purpose God has for you, and He is waiting for you. Don't limit yourself, He is calling...calling.. calling!!

YOU AND YOUR PRIDE!

"..I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the mount...I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.." Isaiah 14:13-14. My friend, do you have this "I" problem? The classic portrait of pride is Lucifer, Satan, the Devil which is caused his downfall. God is in all out war against PRIDE, do you know that? Litmus test time! 1) You have a tough time accepting, or considering for that matter, suggestion given by colleagues or anyone else. 2) You do not entertain people who challenges you or correct you and you'd rather keep away and maintains a distance. 3) You avoid contact with people whom you think have a higher potential and skill compared to you. 4) You get extremely offended when your associates or team members seek help for complicated cases from your friend and not you. This is what you call "I am invincible pride". Well, God pickles the proud and preserves the foolish. Hey, pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick but the one who has it. TADA. How do I deal with it- you may ask? a) Recognize it buddy. b) Repent of it- do something about it before God does. c) Fight it everyday. Hey hey, soon after your body has been lowered into the grave, your family, friends, your co-believers will be eating fried chicken, chicken biriani, eating desserts, cracking jokes and you will be history. OUCH but it is true.

ARE YOU GOING DOWN?

"But the Lord has sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken" Jonah 1:4. Like Jonah, we are called to preach to people who'd rather hear something different. But running away didn't work for Jonah, and it won't work for us either. If God has to, He will shipwreck our plans in order to get us to go where we need to go, and say what He called us to say. My friend, now you know what is happening to your life. Tada. For you: 1) Nineveh is whatever pulls you out of your comfort zone 2) The place God calls where you don't want to go. 3) Is the people who have hurt you deeply and God says, "Go and give them my message". Did I diagnosed your problem brother? Stop that excuses man. Don't tell me like Jonah "I have peace in my heart about this decision or Look at the circumstances, I have money. The ship just happened to be there. It must be God's will". Notice four times we see this phrase "He went DOWN" to Joppa, went DOWN into the hold of the ship, went DOWN into the sea, and went DOWN into the belly of the great fish. Are you going down?? God's goal is not our comfort; it's producing in us character of Christ so the world will be drawn to Him. If you feel like your nest is shaking or you are getting grounded, well hum...the missionary in me came out today. Like · · Share

LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP!

"Launch out into the deep" Luke 5:4. My friend, Jesus told His disciples. "Launch out into the deep"; as God's child, the world's limitations don't control your supply! SO, what's your vision buddy? When problem arise, our vision is often first thing to hit the chopping block, isn't it? That's because we don't see life the way it is, we see life the way we are. Don't be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond! My friend, do you know vision comes from our past and is based on our failures. Failures teaches us what not to do and make us to expect more from ourselves and life. Vision drive us to push when the personal desire is to quit. When God gives you a vision for your life, you begin to see things as God sees them. Moses "saw" the promised land when everybody around him saw only wilderness, wanted to give up and returned to Egypt. Bible says " The steps of a righteous man is ordered by God". Do you notice: "STEPS" not an ELEVATOR. Man, understand that you will get there on God's schedule, according to God's plan, one step at a time. Do you want to see where God wants to take you? My mender told me to take these steps. 1) Dare to seek- pray for God to give you a new vision. 2) Dare to dream- Open your heart to God. 3) Dare to believe- Have faith that God can and will do great things through you. 4) Dare to act- Be courageous enough to confront. God told Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance...." Joshua 1:6. Now get your net, throw it. OOSH. GOOD!

THE UNCONQURABLE CHRIST!

THE UNCONQUERABLE CHRIST H.L. HASTINGS Woe to a world that vainly tries to escape from Jesus Christ. They may deny His deity, dispute His power, disbelieve His resurrection, explain away His existence, deride Him as a phantom, insult Him as a spirit medium, philosophize over Him as a myth, accept Him as a mere human teacher, misquote His words to sustain their opinions, pervert His teachings, and despise His precious blood; BUT when all this is done, their difficulty is not removed, for CHRIST the KING still lives at God’s right hand, “JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER”; the Christ who was, who is, and who is to come; He who had the glory with His Father before the world was, shame with man during His earthly pilgrimage; and who having suffered these things, has entered “into His glory”—that same Jesus still lives in all the majesty of His divine character, and in all the powers of an everlasting life. Herod could not kill Him, satan could not seduce Him, death could not destroy Him, the Sepulchre could not hold Him; yet He stands upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints and feared by devils, as a living personal Christ; rejected, crucified, exalted, glorified, and coming again in like manner as He ascended; to raise the dead, to judge the world, to save His people, to be glorified in His saints, to crush the usurper—to destroy His foes, and to reign forever as the LORD OF ALL.

YOUR PLAN AND GOD'S PLAN!

"Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, O Lord, why have You dealt evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?". Exodus 5:22. (AMP). My friend, have you ever done the will of God and then things seemed to become worse? Here Moses completely misunderstood what results of His obedience to God would be. The anticipated things did not happened and Moses was discouraged. Sounds familiar? Hey, hey, it is foolish to attempt to do God's work using our own "common sense". God does not eliminate common sense, He consecrate it. TADA. I believe God is using every event in our life to prepare us for something incredible. The good, the bad, the highs, the lows, the victories and the defeats. It's all part of His divine strategy. When Egyptians forced the children of Israel to gather their own straws to make bricks, their response was very interesting. Instead of praying for deliverance they responded by crying out for, guess what? STRAW. Can you see the limitation in their thinking? How about you? God was working to miraculously deliver a people and build a nation, but they were focused on making bricks. What about you buddy? You know what God taught me from this this morning? 1) Don't focus on today's struggle; focus on tomorrows victory. 2) Don't just pray about a job; pray for a company. 3) Don't look for a way out; look for a way up. Be encouraged. Trust His plan for your life, your family, and prepare for the MIRACULOUS!! PLAN BIG! STOP THAT LITTLE PUNY THINKING AND PLAN. Y'ALL HEAR ME?? YEAH?

YOUR MIRACLE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK!!

"The Lord does not DELAY and is not TARDY or SLOW about what He promises, according to some people's conception..." 2 Peter 3:9 (Amplified). My friend, I know you are impatient, restless, and worried. But His blessing and Miracle is always right on time. Hey, hey, have you noticed on your right rear view mirror of your car a warning "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear". Well..those words are meant to prepare you because something is close...closer than you think. Bro: I believe this is announcement in the Spirit for you "YOUR BLESSING AND YOUR ANSWER IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK! His goodness, His mercy, His favor and His answer to your prayer is NOT FAR OFF. Man.. You didn't survive everything you've been through to drown you in shallow water. DON'T GIVE UP!! The present storm you are going through doesn't not indicate the absence of your God. I know it's exhausting and weary. Look.. the storm is lifting and the sun is breaking through. His promises are true. YOUR MIRACLE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK BUDDY!! HE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

YOUR FATHER IS WAITING!!

"And he said, A certain man had two sons..I will arise and go to my father...I have sinned against you".(Luke 15: 11-24). This story in Bible is talking to me all day today. Can I share my friend? We call it "the prodigal son" and we poorly named it like that. In verse 11 the story starts like this: "A certain man had two sons". It didn't say "two sons had a father". It's a story of a FATHER man. Humm. In today's term: he decided the life in the country side was too slow for his tastes and energy. So he got his share of inheritance and set out to find the big time in the town partying. Instead, what he found were hangovers, fair-weather friends, unemployment lines, hunger, hog food to eat and hogs pin to sleep. Finally he realized that "there will be thousands with you when you have money and laughing- but when you are crying and no money only your shadow will be with you. Finally swallowing his pride dug his hands in his empty pockets, he began his long walk back to home rehearsing a speech that he planned to tell his father. Isn't this the story of you my friend? The younger son was in the house, next minute he wants his stuff to party with friends, a Jew- hooked with a gentile sleeping in a hog pin, lost himself, don't know who he is. Are you a spiritual Cameleon? Assimilated with different environment, taking the form and color of the environment losing and hiding your identity, wear somebody else's name on your cloths because you don't know who you are? Trying to impress people? Hey hey, The younger son never had to use the speech he was rehearsing. His father was waiting at the gate saw him and quickly was muffled by the father's forgiveness..Bro: you can find the forgiveness of your heavenly father who is waiting for you with open arms..GO TO HIM...GO.. GOOO. That's it..Just do it.

MERRY-GO-AROUND!

""This is the victory that conquers the world- our faith". 1 John 5:4. My friend, have faith in God! Sometimes we feel like we are riding a wooden horse on the merry-go-around, round and round with the carnival music blowing in our ears. There was a lot of motion and sound, but you didn't go anywhere. Hey, hey, God who has called you is faithful to fulfill it. If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present. Always believe that God is going to bless you. If you want to obtain different results, you have to take action and do something different than what you are doing now. Once you know where you are and where you want to be, set specific goals with established markers to measure your progress in getting to where you are going. Bro: when it comes to winning or losing this race called life, four things determines whether you cross the finish line first. They are ability, motivation, attitude, and vision of the finish line. Well, get off that merry-go-around, develop "YES I CAN" attitude, and have faith in GOD- HE WILL TAKE YOU THERE. Is it your small thinking, small planning, or small vision is what holding you back? EVALUATION TIME....OKAY!

YOUR NEVERTHELESS MOMENT!

"And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net". Luke 5:5. My friend, no matter what you are going through and contrary to your beliefs and your current circumstances, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Tada. Here Peter and his friends were fishing and did not catch anything. Jesus looked at Peter and told him to drop his net and try to catch some more fish. Experienced fisherman like Peter was launching net again and again and did not catch anything. But Peter said "Nevertheless" at thy word I will let down the net again. Bro: It's your NEVERTHELESS moment now. Believe in your Harvest. See the potential for a harvest when other people around you only see hell and drought. Always believe that God is going to bless you. Believe it when the lights are out, when the gas is off, and bank account runs to the last dollar. Your God is an OMNISCIENT God. He will NEVER CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE AT THE SAME TIME. You have to look beyond the difficulties in your current situation to see the coming harvest. Your God is going to bring you into your season very soon. Our God knows where we are, He knows where we need to be, and He knows how to get us there. We must believe, rise up, and walk it out. Hey Hey FEED YOUR FAITH AND YOUR DOUBTS WILL STARVE TO DEATH. OUR GOD NEVER FAILS ..NEVER..NEVER!!!!

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!!

"My peace I give you..do not let your hearts be troubled and ..afraid". John 14:27. My friend, OUR GOD IS IN CONTROL. The peace Jesus gives doesn't depend on conditions and circumstances. It comes from knowing you're God's child and that your Father controls the universe, loves you and always has your best interests at heart. It doesn't matter what is happening in the economy, politics, White House, health care, your business, your job, your family, or anything else. As a child of God your destiny is secure, God is your source and heaven never has a shortage or needs a bail out. Hey hey, there is an enemy in our life, a battle that has been going on, it seems like you've got it under control, but you turn around and it's there again, you pray and pray, and you felt like you've got the victory but just when you start to make some progress there it is again. But our God is in control. Accept it and persevere. Bro: only in acceptance lies peace.. NOT in resignation. Let me explain it to you. Can I? Resignation is surrender to fate..but Acceptance is surrender to God. Resignation says I CAN'T..but Acceptance says MY GOD CAN. Resignation says "What a waste" but acceptance says in what redemptive way will you use this mess in my life LORD? Let us sing this Hymn buddy, "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.. IT IS WELL/// WITH MY SOUL! Thank you JESUS!!

DO YOU KNOW THE GOD YOU ARE WORSHIPING?

"Thou knowest my downsitting and uprising, thou understandeth my thought afar off". Psalm 139:2. This Sunday Morning, my friend, Do you know the God whom you are worshiping? Here in this Psalm David praises God for His all-seeing all-knowing providence. He is an OMNISCIENT GOD! Many of us have the fear that if we ever reveal to anyone what we are or who we are really like, they would reject us. We think that there is no way anyone could love us if they intimately know us. But our God knows who we are. He knows our activities, our thoughts, our directions, our habits, every word we speak, and every day of our lives. Hey hey, remove your masks, HE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE. HE STILL LOVES US. He is OMNISCIENT in our prayers, our sufferings, our fellowship with Him, our sin, and even our hard questions. Bro: if you feel like you fell from the frying pan to fire, He is still in control. If you are in one of those dark nights when the storm came and you didn't expect it, if the tares are appearing in your harvest time, I have a message for you. The final Chapter hasn't been written yet. The curtain hasn't fallen yet. God has a PLAN FOR YOU AND THE BLUE PRINT OF YOUR LIFE IS IN HIS HAND. He is alpha and omega. Worship HIM. Worship Him. If the doors are closed in your life, WORSHIP HIM IN THE HALL WAY!! Y'all hear me. GOOD!!

Why I have to suffer LORD!!

And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered MY servant Job, that there is none like him on earth, a BLAMELESS and UPRIGHT MAN"..Job:1:8. Hey hey Bro: look at this, without Job knowing it, a dialogue took place in the invisible world. The subject quickly turned to this well-known man who God himself testifies about his exemplary life. Satan's respond was "who wouldn't serve You the way You've prospered and protected him. Take away all the perks and possessions and watch what happens; he will turn on You in a flash". In today's term, the Lord bet Satan that Job would never turn on Him. Satan quickly started a hostile removal of all possessions, leaving him bankrupt and even his own wife suggested to curse God and die. My friend I know you are experiencing this attack in certain degrees. We should not be surprised when we suffer. The Bible warns us in advance that the Godly in Christ will suffer. I don't care which teacher or pastor or evangelist told you that trusting saints, if they have proper faith, don't have to suffer. But the word of God says the opposite. Jesus Himself said.." In the world ye shall have tribulation. John 16:33. The Apostles did not preach the kind of painless Gospel being preached today. If Satan is whispering in your year because of your sin and unworthiness is why you are facing what you are facing, tell the enemy the following: 1) Christ in the flesh suffered mightily- and HE WAS PERFECT. 2) Paul and all church fathers suffered great affliction- and GOD LOVED THEM DEARLY. 3) Instead of suffering being a sign of God's displeasure, it's a sign of SONSHIP- WHOM HE LOVES, HE CHASTENS. 4) It may be grievous and painful- I may cry and hurt- but afterward, If I receive it, IT WILL BEAR THE FRUIT OF HOLINESS. Hope this is helping you my dear!! Praying for you.

SOWING AND REAPING!

"Be not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". Galatians 6:7. Do you see this my friend? This is what you call "Kingdom principle". If you want to change what you reaping, change what you are sowing! But you say I don't understand. Well, If you have trouble having friends- you are not friendly (check your behavior). If you sow rejection you will reap rejection. You feel nobody taking time with me, guess what, you are not taking time with them either. Hey hey, you can change what you are doing to get different result- did you hear? If you would drink pure water from your well tomorrow, don't throw garbage into it today. If you want a harvest in the fall, don't eat the seed in the winter. Don't waste your bread today, if you're going to have an appetite tomorrow. If you want high credit rating in the future, pay your present bills. Don't be ugly and speak your mind without thinking now, if you would have them come as helping friends tomorrow. Don't sow wild bitter berry and expect sweet corn at the time of harvest. Don't blame people and devil for the things happening in your life. Come on now! You got arrested at a convenient store..because you stole something from there. Don't blame devil, evil spirit, you parents and society. You reap what you sow. Well, I am preaching now. Sorry. Hope you got the message Bro. Get your act together, OK?

Are you pessimist?

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the POWER that work in us" Ephesians 3:20. My friend, are you a pessimist or optimist? Humm. Sometimes I wonder? Some people are against everything. This keeps them from having to assume the responsibility of launching out. Their negative views have clobbered them. There are others who are against any improvements unless they get the honor of thinking it first. Their pride demands that they be first- or not at all. Some have too much pride to ever change when once they are wrong. They say " Even God comes down and tell me that I am wrong, I won't admit or agree with it". For them two plus two is five and always will be. The pessimist says "My cup runnneth over; what a mess!" Stop saying, "It's one of those days? or words like "always, never" or "I can never win" or "This always happens to me" or Everything is a mess in my life" or Here is another one "what's the use of trying?'. Bro: BE POSITIVE. Aren't you a believer and you serve a mighty powerful God? In Chapter 3 of Ephesians, three times Paul uses the word POWER. He wishes that they would be strengthened with the unrealistic power of the SPIRIT, that they would know the unrealistic love of Christ, that they would be filled with the unrealistic fullness of GOD. The power of our faith and of optimistic thinking and full trust in our Almighty God has numerous benefits. Hey Hey, let's overcome our pity party and pessimism so we can be free from doom and gloom cynicism and walk in the promise and purpose God has created us to be. EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ..POWER ...that's right!!!!