“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” ~ Jeremiah 29:12 REFERENCE: Jeremiah 29:12-14 A plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. In contrast, a building plan is a drawing or diagram made to show the layout of a building and the arrangement of the spaces. As the new year rolls around, remember that God has a specific plan or pattern for your life; your goal will be to build according to plan. Do not enter the year casually or live through the year randomly....
“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” ~ Genesis 18:14 REFERENCE: Genesis 18:1-14 God is often limited in our lives by the limits our minds set for Him - 'There are no mountains anywhere; every man’s mountain is in his mind.' God is not done with you yet; He is still working, building, and preparing you for His best. You have not seen the final chapter of your life yet, but your mindset governs your actions and determines...
“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” ~ Genesis 18:14 REFERENCE: Genesis 18:1-14 Although God dwells in eternity, He gives us time to govern events and measure our activities—a day before the Lord is like a thousand years to us, and vice versa. Scripture says, “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18). Whatever God does in eternity will at some point correspond with a date on our calendar; it will manifest at an appointed...
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” ~ Matthew 2:2 REFERENCE: Matthew 2:1-6 Merry Christmas! As the world celebrates Christmas, it is sad that for many, it is just another day to party, eat, give and receive gifts, etc. Others only see it as just any other day on the calendar. They do not understand that it is the celebration of the birth of the King of Kings. People like these were in Jerusalem when Jesus was born, it seems....
"Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." ~ Isaiah 7:14 REFERENCE: Isaiah 7:10-14 As we approach a significant season of the year for Christians – Christmas, it is good to pause and reflect on the season's blessings. Unlike any other religious celebration, the birth of Jesus Christ is the greatest miracle of all times – a virgin (who has not been with a man) shall conceive and bear a son. It is the spirit of Christmas, a celebration of a miracle-working God. King Ahaz...
"By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age…" ~ Hebrews 11:11 REFERENCE: Hebrews 11:11 Life and society can put you in a box and tell you it is too late to pursue your dreams or start over again. If you unconsciously buy into this philosophy, you will cheat yourself and fail to achieve your goals because a sense of inadequacy will overcome you. Decide today to let the world see your new version; it is not too late, and you are not too old to dream...
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." REFERENCE: Genesis 50:15-21 As long as we are in this imperfect world where satan reigns as a god, we will experience painful and sad events. Frequently, arrows of betrayal and bitterness will come at us, the wickedness of men will be directed at us, and sometimes, we may share in the consequences of another person's misdeed. Times of difficulty may arise, but I want you to know that good...
“Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’” ~ Romans 4:18 REFERENCE: Romans 4:18-21 Can you believe God to do what He has promised even when everything around you says it won’t happen? Abraham had all the odds stacked against him and his wife; there was no natural sign that they would still have a child in their late eighties and nineties, but Abraham said, “I believe still.” He hoped against hope; that is, he believed God when the situation was...
“For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.” ~ Psalm 18:29 REFERENCE: Psalm 18:28-50 You probably are not familiar with the word ‘diffidence.’ Still, it is responsible for why achieving your goals has been difficult. It is the opposite of confidence. It is hesitancy in acting or speaking through a lack of self-confidence. It is self-doubt, shame, or sheepishness. The voice that tells you that you are not fit, the rope that pulls you back anytime you attempt to venture, is diffidence. Like many of us, I often deal...
"As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight." ~ Luke 3:4 REFERENCE: Luke 3:1-6 A wilderness is a dry and empty place; it is not a place for much activity, and the human population often moves away. One does not expect to hear the voice of a preacher in a desert, except the howling of evening jackals and other such animals. However, it is in the wilderness that God gave John the Baptist a...