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Your spiritual core is made up of four values: intimacy, identity, integrity, and humility. These develop as separate entities within your "sit place with God," as well as work together to help you in becoming all that you were destined to be and do. In your identity, it is important that you believe who you are in Christ. God states that you are very precious, chosen, holy, dearly loved, and a people belonging to Him. Believing these truths and so many more is your identity because you are created in the image of God. Believing and trusting in this identity is essential for creating a strong spiritual core. Intimacy has already been presented in the value of sharing your voice (thoughts and feelings) openly and truthfully, pausing to receive His care and comfort, and then listening to God's voice of truth, and taking a hold of His grace in order to trust and obey the words He speaks to you regarding your relationships and circumstances. Psalms 34 expresses this beautiful imagery of intimate relationship. Integrity is presenting to the world that what they hear and see match, that your private life matches your public life. No discrepancies. The world needs to see the good fruit of your integrity in truth, goodness, righteousness, gratitude, humility, and reverence to God. Humility is the fourth value that is needed to strengthen your spiritual core. It is the pathway that leads out from your spiritual core of identity, intimacy, and integrity to fulfill your role in the kingdom. With a strong spiritual core, humility is the spiritual pathway to serve others with your vision (your purpose on earth) and mission (the ways you walk out your vision). Everything God works in you is for the purpose of overflow to others. As He has loved you, so love one another. Commit to fulfilling your role in the kingdom to declare God's grace to others. First, define your identity. If there are any discrepancies in what God says about you, replace them with the truth. Live loved. Live out those words for you and the world to see and enjoy! You are His beloved! Second, develop a strong core of all these values. Spend time with God in the Word, applying all He speaks to your personal life. Let integrity be worked through and through, reflecting God in your words, choices, and responses. Serve others in humility, bending low and lifting up one another. Humility is the essence of love. Third, declare your vision and mission. Write out your vision statement that you believe God gave to you when He created you and then list the ways you desire to walk out in mission that vision statement.

In life’s waiting rooms, as we look forward to a job, or a promotion, or marriage, what is our attitude? Are we frustrated? Are we simply distracting ourselves? Or are we yielded to the Lord, allowing Him to refuel and refine us through the waiting? Do we respond to His provision in the waiting with thankfulness? Do we respond to His preparation with obedience? And, do we understand that the purpose of our waiting is to discover that God is enough? Today, spend a few minutes answering one or all of these questions for yourself: 1. What is one thing you’re thankful for in the waiting? 2. How is God preparing and training you while you wait? 3. What do you believe is the purpose of your waiting? Have you found that God is enough? Let’s pray: Father God, There’s no getting around the fact that this waiting period is hard. I often find myself restless and anxious, ready to give up. But I thank you, today, because Your ways are higher than mine. I thank you because You are teaching, shaping and growing me through this season. I thank you because day by day, moment by moment, I’m discovering that You alone are enough. Amen.

Deep down we all desire community no matter how we’re wired—introvert, extrovert, or a mix of the two. A place where we are accepted and loved for who we are in all our imperfections and yet still called higher and challenged to repent, forgive, and live the life we’re destined for. A place where we can celebrate marriages, births, and job promotions as well as mourn death, loss, and pain—together. This longing almost makes no sense. On the one hand, some of our most painful and wounding relationships have been in the context of community. On the other hand, some of our greatest moments have come from being in loving community in which we have found acceptance, love, healing, redemption, and restoration. So why is genuine community something we long for and at times vehemently avoid? We are created in the very image of God, sealed with His divine imprint, and the image of God in its triune nature is the very essence of community: our God is three in one. As created beings, we instinctively desire to reflect our Creator here on earth. What makes it so hard to attain? Simply put—the fall of man. We followed suit and stopped being bearers of His image, instead becoming self-conscious, covering ourselves, and toiling for protection. The good news is that Jesus came to redeem all that was lost in the garden. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we are connected back to God and therefore restored to our created value and purpose. It’s going to get messy—this calling to live out our faith in community. However, the gospel fills the gap caused by pain in this life. Living life together with family and community means that when loss or difficulty take place in our lives, we have one another to help us shoulder the burden and get through. Life is a battlefield full of land mines, both seen and unseen. It’s important that we have friends and loved ones to keep watch when we are anxious, weary, and in the middle of a fight. Take a moment to consider how you feel about the idea of living life in godly community. Do you have any hurdles or hindrances that keep you from doing life with others? What is at least one way you can practically choose to invest yourself in relationships in a deeper or greater way?

Your Everyday Personal Growth-Focus Journey Pursuing personal growth-focus is a daily commitment towards change, growth, and betterment. Goal-focus is aimed only at results whereas growth-focus desires greater growth and change for permanence. Goals have their purpose within the growth-focus, but your eyes must be focused on the growth that you can ultimately experience, not the goals only. Goals usually have expiration dates, while personal growth-focus is ongoing and offers a greater purpose to help you become all that you were designed and destined to be and do. On your personal growth-focus journey, you would be wise to take with you eight traveling companions. These traveling companions are also your life companions. They are truth, grace, perseverance, tenacity, resilience, support, perspective, and endurance. It is important to remind yourself of the meanings of these words. Perseverance: pushing through produces character. Tenacity: to never give up helps you to become steadfast and immovable. Resilience: when life knocks you down, you bounce back in order to fulfill your life purpose. Support: you were never meant to do life alone and without the encouragement of others. Perspective: it is crucial to know that God can and will work all things out for your good and His glory. Endurance: going the distance, trusting God with your whole heart until His good work is completed in you and through you. First, choose one growth-focus you would like to work on toward change, growth, and permanence. Here are a few ideas: a healthy lifestyle, emotional well-being, marital intimacy, financial security, spirituality, or leadership growth. Second, list the goals or steps you will take every day to move in the direction of your growth-focus. Third, choose your life companions and integrate them with your daily steps. I wish blessings to your personal, daily growth-focus journey.

We men devote so much of our mental attention and hard work to our own greatness. We plan for advancement; strategize next moves; put our heads down and grind. Deep in our inner machinery there’s something that drives us on toward securing greatness . . . of some kind or another . . . for ourselves. Maybe it’s on a small scale. Maybe on a large scale. Maybe in our work, maybe in our communities, maybe even in our faith. The drive is just there. The twelve Apostles—men, human men—had this drive. In the upper room, a dispute “arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24). But Jesus stopped them and taught them (and us) that this drive must be refocused. “But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:27). That’s our blueprint. His life is the blueprint for our lives. We must follow it and no other. We must reject all blueprints drawn by our pride, or envy, or selfishness. Refocusing this drive, away from lifting ourselves and toward lifting those around us, is one of the most important things we can do as men. It moves us into true masculinity—where we lend our strength to others who need it, rather than use it solely for our own gain. We must trust that this is a better way to live . . . better for God, better for us, and better for those we are to love and serve. Look around you—today, this week—for people you can serve. Keep it simple. Whom will you come into contact with, naturally? Whom do you have influence over, in the normal course of your days? Whom might you have overlooked? Ask yourself what do they need and how can I help?

When we feel powerless over our past, we feel guilty. When we feel powerless over our future, we feel afraid. When we feel powerless over the present, we feel depressed. And when we feel like the people or circumstances of our lives just won't change, we feel angry. A sense of powerlessness is the root to all negative emotions. The thought that there's not much we can do about the economy, or our weight, or the allergies we grew up with forces us to accept and tolerate a mediocre and weak life. LET’S CHANGE IT TODAY 1. Take inventory! God has NOT given you a spirit of fear; but POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND. 2. Believe that power is in you. Ephesians 3:20 says, “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think according to the power that is at work within you.” There is power in you that enables God to do beyond what you can ask or think! 3. THINK AND ASK BIG! Give God something to work with; because He can do beyond. We have to at least give Him a base to begin with. 4. Recognize the Holy Spirit in you. Acts 1:8 says, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you . . ." This power (dunamis = dynamite) is already in you. Romans 8:11 says, "The very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives IN YOU.” 5. Take the limits off. Don't limit God. Psalm 78:41 says that the children of Israel limited the Lord because they did not remember His power (verse 42). We free God's Hand to bless when we remember His previous blessings. 6. EXPECT! Never underestimate the power of expectation. Expect God's power to strengthen you today. Expect to be led by His Spirit. I have POWER in my life right now. Through the Holy Spirit in me, I have the power to overcome temptation, the power to change my life for the better, the power to be healed, the power to forgive, and the power to speak God's Word and see His promises show up in my life. I will think big and ask big, and therefore the POWER OF GOD'S SPIRIT WITHIN ME will bring it to pass in my life, in Jesus' Name!

Religion tends to look for outward signs that we are qualified to follow God, but Jesus shatters that paradigm time and time again. He doesn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up or renounce our lifestyles. He finds us where we are and calls us to follow him. No application or qualifications needed. That’s why I think Matthew’s story is such a perfect illustration of Jesus’ message. So, what was Jesus’ message? It wasn’t that good people go to heaven. It wasn’t that bad people will be judged. Those are cheap imitations of his message. Jesus’ message was grace. It was salvation for all who believe in him. It was mercy and compassion and forgiveness for all who would put their faith in him. And I’ll go even further. Jesus was the personification and the embodiment of grace. In other words, Jesus himself is the message. Jesus is the purpose and the point. The message isn’t mere dogma or doctrine. It isn’t behavioral change. The message is that no matter who you are or how badly you’ve messed up, grace and forgiveness are available in Jesus. That’s why Jesus came to earth in physical, tangible, human form. He came not to just tell us about grace but to literally be grace for over thirty-three years. His life was his message, and his message gives life. The more we follow Jesus, the more we find our lives defined and transformed by the love and grace of God. Jesus’ life is the message of grace. It’s a message of unconditional and unending acceptance by God, based on his grace and received through faith in Jesus. I’ve discovered that it’s one thing to agree with grace or even recite verses about grace, but it’s another to truly understand it and live it. Honestly, that’s where we tend to miss the message the most. We listen to grace on Sunday and then live with guilt, law, and condemnation Monday through Saturday. It’s not hard news, bad news, complicated news, or frightening news. It’s good news. The message of Jesus is one of hope, of joy, of peace, of freedom.

Jesus was called a lot of names. All he did was love and help people, yet he had his share of bullies and critics. Many of the religious leaders of the day were jealous of his success and afraid he would upset the status quo. They wanted to discredit him in the eyes of the public, so they said all sorts of crazy things about him. They whispered that he was an illegitimate child. They accused him of being demon-possessed. They denounced him to the Roman authorities as a rioter, a threat to public peace. Jesus didn’t deserve the hate, but it turns out one of their nicknames for him was true. They called him “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34 ESV). In their minds, that was one of the greatest indictments imaginable. Jesus hung out with bad people, therefore he must be bad too. In their minds, to be a friend of sinners was incredibly shameful. But for Jesus, the title Friend of Sinners was a sign of success, not a source of shame. I can imagine him smiling the first time he heard the phrase. “Friend of sinners? I’ll take that as a compliment.” Why? Because it was the very definition of his mission. I can’t stop thinking about what Jesus’ nickname means for me, for my friends, and for humanity today. What kind of God labels himself a friend of sinners? I could believe “judge of sinners”; I could even believe “Savior of sinners.” But friend? Really? . . . Friendship is far more important to God than we often realize. We tend to think he puts top priority on performance, purity, and perfection, and we assume relationship is the eventual reward for those things. In other words, the more like Jesus we become, the closer our relationship with him will be. Actually, it works the other way around. The closer we get to Jesus, the more like him we become. Relationship comes first; changes comes later. . . . God cares about everyone, regardless of where they are on their journey: spiritually mature or seeker, devout or in doubt, religious or simply curious. All of us need him, and all of us can find him. Whether you consider yourself a saint or a sinner, Jesus wants to be your friend.

There are three approaches to life with God: All In; All Out; and, in the middle, between those, a third approach. This third approach is actually a range—it encompasses every approach between the two extremes. Many of us take the third approach. I mean, we do believe life is better with God—but our belief is more theoretical than not. We get busy with careers, families, finances, and rarely think about actually applying the life and truth of our King, Jesus Christ, to our own, complicated lives. And so, they become indistinguishable from the lives of men All Out. Jesus calls takers of the third approach “lukewarm,” and is particularly frustrated by us: “because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). We third-approachers mistakenly presume we’re doing okay faith-wise—not as well as we could maybe, but okay nonetheless. Therefore, Jesus’ words are startling and challenging—and force us to consider All In. So, what does All In require? The world tells us, too much. But that’s wrong. It doesn’t require more than we can give. We’re designed for All In. Jesus isn’t some out-of-touch “high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15). He understands our lives. He knows what He’s asking. All In doesn’t require we be perfect; we couldn’t. It requires a soft heart―a willingness to try, genuinely, to use Jesus’ life as a pattern for our own. Pray the All In prayer: Set aside a couple minutes today. Quiet your surroundings. Shut the door. Turn off music. Quiet your mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften your heart. Now, speak directly to Jesus, your King, and say three plain, simple words, “I’m All In.” That’s it.

Human hearts are like soil. Things grow there - thoughts, ideas, and attitudes. Some of the things that grow are good. Some aren't. Even in the most beautiful gardens, weeds grow and need to be pulled so the good plants can be healthy. And even in the rockiest places, where there's no dirt to be seen, trees and other plants find ways to grow. But they can't survive heavy storms, and they won't grow tall and strong without deep roots. Heart "soil" can change. Hard and rocky hearts can be transformed into gentle and loving hearts. Dry and dusty hearts can be changed into joyful and kind hearts. Weedy hearts can be changed into clean and pure hearts. We can't change our hearts on our own. Only God can make that kind of change, which he promises to do if we give up control and trust him to work in our lives. What things might cause a heart to be rocky? shallow? filled with weeds and thorns? What needs to change about the "soil" of your heart? Even healthy soil needs tending - weeding, fertilizing, mulching, etc. How do you tend the soil of your heart? What tending do you still need?

Small decisions - repeated over time - have big results. Great athletes understand that the food they eat fuels their performance. Have you ever wondered how an athlete sticks to their diet? Or how they curb a sweet tooth? Better yet, how they master those cravings in such a way that they actually begin to desire the right fuel overthose indulgences? The right food fuels your body and produces better results. When repeated over time, this has a compounding effect. This effect makes the results easier to see. When we get results, we begin to hunger for whatever fuels the results. This is why high performers track their progress. There is a momentum to making the right choice. The same is true spiritually. What if the best way to increase our hunger for prayer, is simply to pray more? Jesus hungered for prayer. More than 40 times in the Gospels we see Jesus withdraw to pray. Luke notes that Jesus often withdrew to pray (5:16). In fact, prayer proceeds some of the biggest ministry moments in Jesus’ life. He is alone praying before walking on water (John 6:15), before choosing his disciples (Luke 6:12), before teaching his disciples to pray (Luke 11:1), before the transfiguration (Luke 9:28), before multiplying the fish and loaves (Luke 9:16), and before traveling throughout Galilee to preach and perform miracles (Mark 1:35-38). And to prepare for the most critical moment of his life, facing the cross, Jesus was repeatedly seeking the Lord in prayer (Matthew 26:36-45). Prayer was the fuel for Jesus’ ministry and life. He craved connecting with the Father in prayer. The results are obvious. If you are looking to build your hunger for prayer, it starts with…praying! Consistently. The more you pray, the more you will hunger for prayer and its’ blessings. Prayer is the fuel for a connected and hope-filled life. And like a high performing athlete, track it. Write down your prayers and rejoice at how God moves in your life. Your hunger for prayer will grow over time! “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8a NIV). What is a small decision you can make today regarding your habit of prayer? How can you begin to keep track of your prayers? Read about two examples of Jesus’ hunger for prayer in Luke 6:12-16 and Matthew 26:36-45.

You and I live daily within an external—and internal—clash of two worldviews. This is the exact tension within which Jesus himself ministered during his earthly tenure. There is the worldview we might call Materialism, which even Jesus’ followers can’t seem to keep themselves away from and in which the entire unbelieving world continues to swim. And then there’s the worldview of Christianity. So many of the disciples’ problems arise from confusing the worldview of Christianity with the worldview of materialism. And so many of our problems arise from also confusing these worldviews. It’s one reason why taking verses such as John 16:23–24 out of context can be so appealing, even though we’re not doing it intentionally. . . Materialism offers circumstantial experiences and temporary things to satisfy superficial desires. Christianity offers the glory of Christ to satisfy the eternal void inside of our souls. The problem with the materialistic worldview is that it doesn’t go deep enough. We’re all searching for happiness, but Jesus is offering a deep, bottomless, abounding, everlasting well of forever-joy. Like the disciples, many times we think we’re treasuring Jesus but we only see the Jesus we want to see, the Jesus we want him to be. He knows that when we face the prospect of immense sadness—as did the disciples in the three days of his crucifixion and burial—we may be undone with confusion and pain. Jesus knows that his followers have to endure a very difficult life in this expansion of his mission since his ascension. They are threatened, accused, exiled, in some cases tortured, and in many cases executed for their faith. But he makes them a promise. He makes them a promise that is far greater than earthly rewards and earthly successes. . . . The pain is a promise. And your pain is a promise. One day your tears not only will be wiped away but will turn to rapturous joy. He will trade your ashes for beauty. Every single hurt you endure will be stored up and returned to you a million-fold in heavenly bliss.

These days, it’s difficult for people to wait for anything. According to the Urban Dictionary, the term “microwave generation” applies to the many people today who expect instant information on their smartphones and instant gratification in almost every aspect of life. We have become so impatient, says the Urban Dictionary, that we stand in front of a microwave, tapping our foot and yelling, “Come on!” We may have taken impatience to a new level, but being patient was tough even in biblical times. In many of his psalms, David cries out to God with complaints that God has not come through for him and seems distant or even silent: “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” (4:1); “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (10:1); “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (13:1). In Psalm 27, David makes similar pleas to God: “Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! ... Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!” (vv. 7, 9). David’s pattern in most of the “complaint psalms” is to follow the complaints with reminders of how God always comes through for him. In Psalm 27, however, David simply makes one confident statement: “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” (v. 13). He then finishes the psalm with today’s verse, where he exhorts himself to wait with courage. When God seems distant, we need to follow David’s pattern: cry out to God, remind ourselves of God’s help in the past, and exhort ourselves to be strong in God. The result will be reassurance and confidence that enable us to be patient … even when we don’t want to be.

A submitted life is one that waits patiently on the Lord. This is one of the most remarkable acts of trust and obedience, just to sit when your mind is ready to launch forward and your spirit is filled with revelation. There is a simplicity and a depth in the waiting. As you press into the glory of God to pursue His plans for your life, family, and purpose in the earth, you must accurately discern the time. No purpose is created without the assignment of moments and seasons. There are moments to wait, to observe, to launch, and to build. God has already mapped out the beginning and the end. He has a plan for both the highs and the lows. You may not feel or be aware of it, but if you have surrendered your life to Him, He is working even now. His plans are alive and active even in the moments when the waiting becomes difficult. He makes all things beautiful in His timing. In the waiting there are deep and meaningful lessons to learn, giants to confront, and mantles to catch.

His patience began when he was seventeen, and his brothers sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt, where he ended up serving Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Recognizing that God was with Joseph, Potiphar made Joseph the overseer of his house. But Joseph was still a slave. Potiphar’s wife decided that she wanted Joseph. When he resisted all of her advances, she framed him for attempted rape, and Potiphar threw Joseph in prison. God helped Joseph gain favor with the keeper of the prison who put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners. But Joseph was still in prison. Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker ended up in prison. Both had dreams, which God enabled Joseph to interpret. Knowing that the cupbearer would be reinstated, Joseph asked the cupbearer to tell Pharaoh about Joseph. But the cupbearer forgot about Joseph, and Joseph remained in prison. Two years later, when Pharaoh had dreams that no one could interpret, the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. After Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over Egypt. Joseph spent thirteen years as a slave and prisoner before God set his feet upon a rock. But those years were necessary for God’s plan. The betrayal of Joseph’s brothers brought Joseph to Egypt. The false accusation made by Potiphar’s wife put Joseph in Pharaoh’s prison. Interpreting the cupbearer’s dream gave Joseph an ally in Pharaoh’s court. Interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams about a famine to come put Joseph in a position where God could use him to save thousands of people, including Joseph’s family—God’s chosen people—from starvation. When you wait patiently, God will come through, not just for you but also for others.

I once read a study produced by the University of Michigan that shed some light on a human fear. They had volunteers wear caps containing electrodes and had the people play a computer-simulated betting game while researchers analysed their brains’ electrical activity in response to winning and losing. The game allowed subjects to place a small bet, and with each bet, their brains showed increased activity within milliseconds. But something that really stood out was that negativity showed a larger dip after a loss than the rise in positivity after a win. In fact, during a string of losses, negativity dipped lower with each loss—it compounded by each previous loss. Researchers came to a simple yet profound conclusion: losses loom larger than gains. In other words, the fear of loss is greater than the hope of gain. This could explain why so many people live their lives defensively. Past losses and fear of loss keep us bound in the present and the future! Sadly, a lot of Christians are very hesitant when it comes to faith living. We allow our fears from the past and our fear of present or future lack dictate nearly all of our faith decisions. We’re so afraid of making the wrong decision, or maybe “putting too much faith in God,” that sometimes we make NO decision. Often, it’s indecision that keep people stuck in their life and in their faith. Rather than living on the defense, we need to switch to living on the offense, and that is what living by faith is. Faith is not defensive, an insurance plan, a backup or a crutch. Tithing and generosity, prayer, fasting, worship and community is offensive living. It's faith-filled and faithful living! We need to be more afraid of missing God opportunities and God potential than in making mistakes. In 1 Samuel 14, verse 6 we see Jonathan’s mindset going into a huge ‘risk’ with an offensive, faith-filled mindset: “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord”. Jonathan’s faith was not defensive or hesitant. He didn’t let fear stop him from pursuing adventurous possibilities and potential wins with God. Because more often than not, the will of God will involve a daring decision that appears ‘risky’. I remember when I was younger, hearing this thought: “When you live by faith, the best you can do is no longer the best you can do, it’s now the best God can do through you!” In this season of generosity, trust that God has more for you than you have for you. Faith steps seem risky but it’s never a risk to trust God!

How often do we mix the two? Most people I talk to assume when they hear "their calling," what’s really meant is "their vocation." But the place that will pay you is not the determining factor to your destiny. The natural world says to have more you need to earn more. But truthfully there is no amount of money that will make YOU a better YOU. Doing what you’re called to do and using the gifts God gave you will bring you a fulfillment money never will. The real secret to fulfillment in your life is figuring out why you’re here and working out that purpose! It’s not to have more, but to BECOME more of who you are meant to be I once heard it put this way: “We don’t just need money to live on, we need something to live for.” Paul said it this way in Acts 20:24: I consider my life worthless. If I don’t do what God called me to do, if I don’t finish the race, what’s the point of running? It’s not just for those written about in the Bible. God has something in you and for you to make a difference too. And believe me, it’s far greater than money! If money weren’t a factor, what would you do? Write down a list of things you’d like to be and be known for.

Don’t you hate "the middle"? The middle between ordering and eating. The waiting for someone else to get ready. The in-between of giving and receiving. Moses was one man who had a big "middle season." Moses had a chance to help his Hebrew people, who were enslaved in Egypt, because he was adopted into Pharaoh's family. But that vision seemed to die when he killed an Egyptian task-master and fled the country as a fugitive. Moses spent the next 40 years on the backside of the desert watching sheep. The hope he once had would seem to be gone. Then one particular day, God was about to invade the "middle" with Moses. “Where you are standing is holy ground.” There was nothing special about the desert Moses was in. A bush that he had probably seen many times before was on fire. And there was God. An ordinary place became holy ground! A regular "middle" moment became the catalyst for change. Why didn’t this happen in a temple? At home? On a mountain top? Because it reveals there is no place and no moment that is without God’s presence! See, one name for God taught in Hebrew culture is “The Place.” God is here, there, and actually everywhere. So it doesn’t matter where you are, HE is there! It doesn’t matter WHO you are or WHAT is taking place. HE IS THERE. Any bush in the desert could be an encounter with God and any middle moment you’re in could be the time God invades your life, answers your prayer, and provides a breakthrough! But Moses COULD have missed this. He could have kept walking past. Instead, he turned aside in his "middle season" and experienced God’s presence. Let me tell you, there is no moment absent of God’s presence in your life. His silence does not equate to His absence. If you’re still breathing, God’s not done with you! The harvest comes because of Him, He is there in the waiting, and He was there with you before sowing. Take time from the middle to turn aside and seek Him. In preparation to receive, go hear from God. Because the more you know Him, the easier He is to trust during any season. What are you in "the middle" of? What breakthrough are you waiting for? What do you do, or could you do, to turn aside and seek God at this time? To see a harvest, there is waiting and there is sowing. Have you decided to sow greatly yet? Are you expecting to receive greatly? Are you prepared for the middle?

Have you ever had a day where you feel like you worked hard and came up with nothing to show for it? As a business owner, I have felt this very same feeling more times than I can count. Some days I feel as if I’ve been pulled from every direction. Other times I feel as if I’ve done a lot of sowing and not a lot of reaping. It is during these slumps where discouragement shows it’s face. We work ourselves to the bone and receive nothing in return. Or do we? Sometimes our fruit hasn’t yet been harvested because it’s still growing. Just because you have yet to receive the results doesn’t mean that you haven’t accomplished anything. Having a sense of accomplishment through the result of your own perseverance makes the fruits of your labor so much sweeter. If they haven’t sprouted yet, then they might still need water! In order to feel accomplished, you have to keep on. You cannot give up just because things get difficult. Accomplishments lie just on the other side of difficulty. Accomplishments are meant to be difficult. They are meant to cause discomfort. It is in this discomfort that we find fulfillment. Today can be a day of fruit. A day of reaping. A day of results. A day in which you reach the goals that you have set for yourself. Despite every setback and circumstance that may arise, you can accomplish that which you set out to accomplish. You have to form this mindset if you expect to accomplish your goals. An accomplishing mindset leads to an accomplishing lifestyle. Having the mindset of David will give you the power to defeat your Goliath! Today is my day of accomplishment 1. What will you accomplish today?

When someone wants to emphasize a point they usually repeat it several times. In Joshua chapter 1, the word courage appears several times. God emphasizes the need for courage as a key ingredient for success. The reason courage is required to achieve success is because the journey towards success is riddled with a lot of fearful situations. Courage is not the absence of fear, but going ahead despite it. Courageous people are just as afraid as everyone else. The difference is that courageous people act despite their fear. There is no need for courage if fear is not present. The fact that we need courage means that fear does not go away, but we have to act despite its presence. Courage is one thing, but there is also one other ingredient just as important to success. Humility. Courage helps us do things that may scare the daylights out of some people. Humility makes us admit that what we are doing isn’t working. It takes a lot of humility to admit we are on the wrong road. It takes even more humility to take an alternative route. Because people lack humility, they can continue on a wrong path just to prove a point. A humble man or woman admits when they are wrong and stops what they are doing. Therefore, to succeed we need to be both humble and courageous. These two concepts work hand-in-hand. In the book of Revelation, we see a picture that seems to be contradictory. A scene unfolds where John, the Revelator, is troubled when there is no one courageous enough to open the scroll. The Holy Spirit told him that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah was worthy to open the scroll. What was strange was when John looked at the One worthy to open the scroll—one who was described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Instead of seeing a lion, he saw a lamb. Not just a lamb, but one that looked like it was slain. This is a picture of people that become successful. They have this contradiction. They have a lot of fire inside them, but when we look at them, they look like a lamb. They don’t have the outer physical features of a lion, but that of a lamb, and the attitude of a lion. Dear God, I know that on the way to success there are so many roadblocks. Some will require me to be courageous, others will require me to be humble. Help me know how to act accordingly. I commit my success journey into your hands in Jesus' name

Moses and the burning bush is one of the most told stories in the Bible. However, when telling the story, most people emphasize the fact that the bush was burning but wasn’t being consumed. I get that. That is one of the dramatic things that happens in this story. No wonder it catches the attention of most readers and tellers of the story. However, I think it is not the main point of the story. Why do I think so? I think so because I am very sure that not only Moses saw this burning bush that was not being consumed. There were possibly many shepherds in that part of the mountain on that particular day who may also have seen the burning bush. There is a line that most people miss which is so crucial to what is happening in the story. God didn’t call Moses because Moses was a good shepherd, different from the others. No. The thing most people miss in the text is that it was only Moses who stopped to look at this strange site. That is the central point in this story, not the miracle of the bush not being consumed by fire. Curiosity is one of the success secrets from the Bible. A person who is curious always attracts a call to something, moreso than one who goes through life without any sense of wonder. Those who always look for things that make them wonder end up discovering new ways of doing things. In so doing, they end up becoming inventors or founders of great companies. Only the curious discover new things. It is the new things that bring about new business and new organizations.. Every invention and technology comes from curious people. They spend hours and hours observing things to find out why those things behave the way they do and they use that knowledge to invent things to help people. Opportunities are everywhere looking for people with a curious mind. It was Helen Keller who said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight without vision”. Everyone who has eyes can look, but only those that are curious can see. Dear God, Give me eyes that see. In Jesus' name.

Reading through Proverbs has been quite difficult for me because it just holds SO MUCH truth… Sometimes truth can be a difficult thing to face but at the end of the day God instills this truth in us to protect us from doing things that will essentially hurt us. Such as, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” – Proverbs 21:5 Just like your earthly father tells you, “Don’t touch the stove because you will burn yourself”, God tells us that specific actions lead down roads that will only hurt us. Satan thrives on these types of attitudes that us as humans naturally have. The attitude of “I’ll do what I want because it’s my life”. He uses that to steal, kill and destroy. But God has a beautiful plan for your life and everything He says, protects us from what we (wrongly) think is good for us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 God doesn’t tell us this truth to stop us from enjoying life and having fun… He does it because He’s a loving father who only wants the best for us. Lean into Him, lean into His truth. So much good will come from this.

Do you clearly know your life’s purpose? God does, and He created you for a special purpose! Vision is the tool God uses to help guide you to that purpose. Vision is a picture of a desired future that stirs your innermost passion and syncs your mind, body, and soul. The challenge is discovering that vision and finding the courage to live it. What is God’s plan for your future? Can you picture it? For some, this picture comes quickly. For most people, they must go through a journey to discover it. Take a moment and think about your desired future. Pray about it! Let it flow from your heart. This is the first step toward discovering God’s vision for your life.

Is it possible to remain calm and peaceful while chaos is brewing all around you? Yes, it is possible because Jesus demonstrated how to remain in peace even through a raging storm. In the book of Mark, chapter four Jesus and the disciples were in a boat on the sea when a great storm started the brew. Jesus was tired after a long day of ministry and he laid down to rest. While he was resting, the disciples were up worrying and fearful. Does that sound familiar to you? How many times have you worried over a problem and been fearful even after praying about it? At one point the disciples decided that the wind and waves were too overwhelming so they made a decision. Their decision was the sign of their wavering faith in a savior who was right in the same situation as they were. How many times have we been in the midst of our situation and failed to realize or acknowledge that Jesus was right there with us? If he is with us, then he is certainly having the same experience but without the anxiety, fear, and impatience. His perspective is different than ours because Jesus knows the beginning and the end of the matter. When we look at our situation from this same viewpoint it should help us to find a little more patience to endure the test. Storms don’t last forever and neither does trouble, sorrow, or crisis. Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, given to us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Just like any fruit, it must be cultivated and pruned in order to grow to full maturity. If we fight the pruning process, we shortcut our growth and have to start over again. Wouldn’t it be great if we just got a whole measure of patience to start with? In theory that would be nice, but then we couldn’t experience all of the other amazing gifts that come along with it. The side-effects of patience include increased faith, endurance and self-control. Spiritual maturity becomes a beautiful cocktail designed to help push us to a higher level in our walk with Christ. This level allows our “salt and light” to be felt, seen and heard in the world around us.

Have you ever had to live without something that you use on a daily basis? It’s a weird, exposing, and vulnerable feeling whenever are having to live without something you depend on and value so much. This is what makes fasting so powerful! The misunderstanding about fasting is that it is self-punishment or just something that Christians do from time to time without really ever knowing why. Fasting is a way for us to get closer to God and to open up ourselves to receive from Him. It’s not meant to be a ritual that everyone does just to say they have done it. It’s also not meant to be a status symbol to bring attention to yourself (Matthew 6:16). The act of fasting is to temporarily take away something that holds value in your life and to let God fill that space in order to know Him more. Fasting may look like giving up social media for a period of time so that instead of scrolling through every morning or night, you take that time to read the Bible or to talk to God. It could be fasting a certain food by making an active decision to refrain from eating to remind you to bring God into your daily thoughts and life. Fasting is the act of taking away something that you value and allowing God to use that space in your life to speak to you.

It's easy to be so caught up in the journey of becoming that one forgets the beauty present in today. To me, it seems quite ironic that we most overlook the very things that are most important in the long term. How often have we promised to spend more time with loved ones only to run out of time to be with them? God is the Giver of all good gifts and it’s only right to thank Him for all He’s done for us. Especially in tough times, it’s important to remember who He is. God is The Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent One. No problem we can face is greater than Him. As you stand in faith on God’s Word to manifest in your situation, what do you do? Fear not. Keep your focus on God and His Word. The circumstance may look and feel intimidating, but the truth is that it is a defeated foe. With Jesus’ resurrection, He made an open show (see Colossians 2:15) of the enemy and all of the enemy’s works. What you know and believe matters. So, how can we be grateful despite our current situations? Keep a tight grasp on God’s truth. He loves us and will never forsake us. If you’re in need, go to His Word and learn His solution for your problem. He is extravagantly generous and eager to bless His children. Your deliverance is as close as your quality decision to know, believe, receive, and act on His Word. I believe that’s something to be quite grateful about!

What is it about doing something affirming that makes you feel good? Whether you do something good for yourself or others, the act of doing good is profound. I like that doing something good for someone else gets me out of my own head and focusing upon what I have that can help someone else. In giving, I gain greater awareness of who God created me to be and where I fit in His big plan. I relearn that my life matters and that others are counting on me to do what I was created to do. These statements may seem lofty, but even at the most basic levels, my connections with others matter. Simple acts of kindness are transformational. A few words of encouragement may override someone’s contemplation of suicide. Some dollars may keep someone from resorting to crime to meet basic needs. A call for justice will give voice to the invisible. We may not know the impacts of our giving, but God does and He’s counting on us to show and share His love with a hurting world. One life does matter and makes a difference. Let’s commit our concerns to God and go about His business of doing good. He’ll take care of us and we’ll meaningfully impact our world for good!

For some of us, prayer can seem complicated or overwhelming. Maybe when you think of prayer, you see an image of being on your knees for four hours straight with no breaks, saying excellently worded prayers to God, and reciting at least ten well-rehearsed memory verses. This example, as silly as it is, might be how some view prayer; but the Bible tells us that “we can come boldly into the throne room of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16). The Bible also tells us “to cast every care and worry on God because He cares about what is happening to us” (1 Peter 5:7). Let’s explore what is prayer and how we can incorporate it into our lives by looking at Jesus’s example and how He lived. Luke 5:16 says that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” In other words, Jesus took time on a regular basis to talk with God. This might seem too simple but it really is that easy! Prayer doesn’t have to be a long-winded holy diction that you feel pressured to do. Prayer is simply talking with God, casting your cares on Him, telling Him how much you love Him, and reflecting on how you can continue to live by His will and His love. When we take time to withdraw and talk with God, we end up filled to overflowing with His love, and in deeper relationship with the One who created us.

For some of us, prayer can seem complicated or overwhelming. Maybe when you think of prayer, you see an image of being on your knees for four hours straight with no breaks, saying excellently worded prayers to God, and reciting at least ten well-rehearsed memory verses. This example, as silly as it is, might be how some view prayer; but the Bible tells us that “we can come boldly into the throne room of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16). The Bible also tells us “to cast every care and worry on God because He cares about what is happening to us” (1 Peter 5:7). Let’s explore what is prayer and how we can incorporate it into our lives by looking at Jesus’s example and how He lived. Luke 5:16 says that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” In other words, Jesus took time on a regular basis to talk with God. This might seem too simple but it really is that easy! Prayer doesn’t have to be a long-winded holy diction that you feel pressured to do. Prayer is simply talking with God, casting your cares on Him, telling Him how much you love Him, and reflecting on how you can continue to live by His will and His love. When we take time to withdraw and talk with God, we end up filled to overflowing with His love, and in deeper relationship with the One who created us.

The declarations you make today will be the fruit of your tomorrow. In Job 22 we see that when we declare a thing, it will be established. There is power in your declaration! Declaration: I decree and declare that I am going to step out in bold faith! I declare that fear and discouragement have no authority in my life. I declare I am not a slave to fear or sin. I am free and I am a child of the living God. I decree that I will not forget Your works but I will acknowledge You in all of my ways. I decree that I am going from glory to glory, strength to strength, and faith to faith, in Jesus’ name! Amen!

So much in our lives change. Seasons change, months change, and our ages change. Nighttime turns to daytime. Good times become hard times, and hard times become good times. If we’re not careful, how we see ourselves can change based on who we’re around and the circumstances we’re going through. But while our circumstances change, our identity remains the same. God is the same today as He was yesterday. His promises to us and His love for us do not change. What He said about you at your highest point is true of you at your lowest point. You are who God says you are and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The God who gave up everything to restore a relationship with you is not bailing on you. And Jesus, who died for you, is right now in heaven interceding for you. That’s right, Jesus is battling in prayer for you (Romans 8:33-34). This is why the Bible calls us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). Nothing the world throws at us can overcome us because the Creator of the world loves us and is fighting for us.

Have you ever rubbed your hand across sandpaper? Depending on the grade, it can range from semi, smooth or very rough in texture. Each type of sandpaper serves different purposes. For example, the smoother grade is meant to finish off any final touches on a project where only a little bit of polish is needed. The very rough type of sandpaper is meant to dig in and take off any areas that are uneven or unpleasant to the eye. Isn’t trouble like those types of sandpaper? Maybe you’re going through a season where you are experiencing a very big trial. You feel like your particular troubles are about to swallow you up or overwhelm you. These are the moments that are refining you just like the rough sandpaper. They are meant to polish off major areas where you need adjustments or upgrades in your character. Of course, this polishing process doesn’t feel good. You may go through moments of asking “Why me?” or even downright despair. Please be encouraged through this process. At the end, you will see the good that was intended through it all. If you’re enduring small irritations or problems that just seem petty, you’re in the smoothing process. This is where God is trying to adjust small areas of your life where you need a slight upgrade. Maybe you need to be a little more assertive on your job so that you don’t get taken advantage of. Perhaps there is a relationship issue that keeps cropping up and you need to set a boundary. As you learn to confront those small areas you will notice a difference in your circumstances. Thank God for the smoothing process because it all works together for your ultimate good.

If you were to take a “health assessment” on your words what do you think they would rate? It’s easy to let down our guard and allow our words to cross from gratitude to negativity, gossip and complaining. The anecdote to complaining is gratitude. Make a mental note today to stop and stand still for ten seconds every time you catch yourself complaining. During those ten seconds, reevaluate and redirect your heart to thankfulness to combat the critical thoughts. When we put into practice regularly acknowledging what we are grateful for, everyone around us is impacted. Our outlook on life and attitude changes. People around us can see and feel the difference. Our countenance changes. Our face tells a different story when we are grateful than it does when we are sitting in the negativity.

I wonder what you think of when you hear the word ‘fear.’ I wonder what image comes into your head. It may be that the term ‘fear’ reminds you of an event in your past or a challenge we are currently facing in the present like the Coronavirus. It may be that the word ‘fear’ makes you feel helpless and vulnerable, or that it throws you off guard in some way. But one thing is for sure, the word ‘fear’ is always going to remind you of something negative; I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who has talked of their fears as being something positive! The word ‘fear’ has very negative connotations in our society today, and in most cases deservedly so. We use the word when talking about our deepest worries, and the things we are most scared of. So it may surprise you to know that there is one unique instance in which the use of the word ‘fear’ is actually overwhelmingly positive. Although fear generally has a negative impact on us, this one instance has the polar opposite effect - a positive impact on us. This fear that we are talking about is the 'fear of God.' The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. What this means is that the starting point for each of us must be an understanding of the fear of God. But what is incredible is that the word used for ‘fear’ in this passage is actually a positive fear; it means a great awe and reverence for the awesomeness of God. In this context, fear does not mean being petrified of God, but rather to be in awe of his goodness and greatness. This is great news, as the more we understand how mighty and powerful God is, the less we fear man and what man can do. Fear of God is actually the antidote to the fear of man. In the Word of God, we have everything we need to successfully take fear out of our lives.

It can be easy to be thankful for the people we are closest to, but what about the teller at the bank or the bag boy at the grocery store? Do you notice the lady who checked you in at your doctor’s appointment or the waiter who took your lunch order? We can get so busy that we quit noticing people. That is in direct opposition of what our Savior did. He went out of His way to see people with less than perfect backgrounds and less than glamorous jobs. He took time to notice, serve and thank His Father in Heaven. There are people all around us we can and should be grateful for. Our expression of gratitude to the Father impacts how we see and treat them. When we express gratitude to the people we encounter throughout our day, we have the opportunity to allow our words and actions to impact their lives. Take a look at the people around you. The ones you interact with on a regular basis and the ones you see sporadically. Who are they? Do you exhibit gratitude to those around you? Would they say you are friendly? Pray and ask the Lord for open doors and opportunities to share with the people around you what you’re grateful for and why. When you share about people, add a specific reason for why you are grateful for them. Make it a priority to notice and share who you are grateful for.

“Those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected by God All-Powerful. I will say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God, and I trust you.” God will save you from hidden traps and from deadly diseases. He will protect you like a bird spreading its wings over its young. His truth will be like your armor and shield. You will not fear any danger by night or an arrow during the day. You will not be afraid of diseases that come in the dark or sickness that strikes at noon. At your side 1,000 people may die, or even 10,000 right beside you. But you will not be hurt. You will only watch what happens. You will see the wicked punished. The Lord is your protection. You have made God Most High your place of safety. Nothing bad will happen to you. No disaster will come to your home. He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go. They will catch you with their hands. And you will not hit your foot on a rock. You will walk on lions and cobras. You will step on strong lions and snakes. The Lord says, “If someone loves me, I will save him. I will protect those who know me. They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will give them a long, full life. They will see how I can save.””

How will I pay the bills tomorrow? How am I going to feed my children? How can I get out of this mess? So many people are looking for a way to escape financial pressure. That’s why winning the lottery and get-rich-quick schemes are tempting to so many. People are desperate to find rest. They only look forward to the weekend, their next vacation, or even retirement. Because that’s when they can finally stop running and start doing what they’re passionate about. No one wants to keep waking up with the weight of finding provision on their shoulders. When you’re living that way, your life is stuck on pause—every day you’re waiting for a breakthrough so you can finally start living. The good news is you don’t have to live that way any longer. You don’t have to put your dreams on hold while you struggle paycheck-to-paycheck. He created you with a specific purpose for your life, and when you tap into the laws that govern His Kingdom, you can stop chasing after money and start accelerating toward your destiny. God’s plan for your life is bigger and better than anything you can do in your own strength. That’s why EPH 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (NLT). God didn’t create you to just survive. He created you to THRIVE, to live in His favor, to live a life of rest—where your needs are met. And the best part is you don't have to work more hours to accomplish it! The power of rest is a law of God’s Kingdom that frees you to stop chasing after money and start accelerating toward your destiny. It’s one of the most life-changing principles God has ever taught me. It’s time to unlock the freedom to prosper in your passion through the laws of God’s Kingdom. Quit counting down the number of days until the weekend, and start experiencing the power of rest in your life every day!

“Believe in yourself!” How many times have we been given this line as a pep talk? It is a banner statement in our new tradition of building up the self-esteem of a new generation. This kind of advice resonates with our human nature because at the end of the day, we all love taking matters into our own hands. We’d rather trust in ourselves because it makes us feel in control. Deep down, however, in the true essence of who we are, in our soul and spirit, we know it’s a lie. The truth is, the older you get, the more you begin to realize that one of your greatest enemies is yourself. No one has misled you more than you’ve misled yourself. No one has lied to you more than you’ve lied to yourself. No one has hurt, distracted, or hindered you more than you have. In fact, the more you believe in yourself, the deeper the pit you find yourself in. Have you ever noticed that the harder you try, the more you mess up? If you attempt to live life believing in yourself, you will be trapped by discouragement, fear, anxiety, and worry. The pressure of trying to be in control of all situations will set you up for failure. You were not made to believe in yourself, because you were not made to be in control. You were made to believe in Someone else. You were made to trust Someone else to be in control. A great thing about believing in God and trusting Him with your life is that He does not struggle with the same things you and I do. He never gets stressed, anxious, or worried. We will fail. He never does. We will make mistakes. He never does. We will make a mess of things. He never does. He can be trusted.

I know what it’s like to have your dreams and God-designed assignments smothered and snuffed out by the cares of life and the need for provision. I know what it’s like to lose sight of who you are. I know what it’s like to be so busy chasing after money to pay your bills that you don’t have time to pursue your destiny. When you’re a slave to your wallet, it hinders you from being obedient to God. Money is supposed to be a tool to serve you and your assignment, not the other way around. God has a plan for your life that is beyond the earth curse system of slaving after money. God didn’t design you to spend your whole life chasing after money. Your life is about so much more than a paycheck, a bigger house, or a fancier car. God didn’t create you to survive through life—He created you to THRIVE in your assignment! You don’t have to live in survival mode any longer. You don’t have to put your dreams on hold while you struggle living paycheck-to-paycheck. God created you with a specific purpose for your life, and when you tap into the laws that govern His Kingdom, you can unlock the tools to live in a place where your needs are more than met. Jesus broke the earth curse so you could unlock the power of rest in your life. When God showed me that He had a plan to meet my needs that didn’t involve me working longer and harder hours, I was free to discover my purpose in Him. The principle of rest helped me overcome the exhaustion, stress, and oppression of the rat race, and it can do the same for you. It’s time to unlock the freedom to prosper in your purpose through the laws of God’s Kingdom!

We read in the Bible, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) What is worrying you today? Is it your financial situation? Your academic achievement or performance in school? Your health or the health of your children? An uncertain future? As for me, for a long time I was very worried about others’ views and what they thought of me… Now I have another question for you: what would your life look like if you didn’t worry about anything? I’m not talking about being reckless, immature, or passive, but rather living a life in which you totally let go of what you can’t control. As Jesus says so well in His Word, “...“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. [...] And which of you by worrying can add one minute to your life? [...] But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”” (see Luke 12:22-31) While difficulties are often exterior, worries attack us on the inside. And if you’re like me, you tend to believe what your thoughts are telling you…! We take worries for what they’re not—instinct, intuition—when in fact, they’re only distortions of reality. I ask God, day by day, to free me from all worry. I need Him for this. And here’s what I choose to do: I do what’s possible for me to do: I turn to Him and do what I can concerning my situation. Then, I release the impossible into His hands: what I cannot do, humanly speaking. My prayer for you today is that you may be able to do your part (what’s possible) and let God do His (the impossible)...!

What’s your worry? What are your concerns at home or at the office? What is in your heart that you need to lay down to Him and say, “Lord, I want to give this to You, so that I can trust You with it”? Matthew 6:30 says, “And if that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you — you of little faith?” In this passage, Jesus is telling us two things. Number one, He wants you to believe that God will provide for your needs. Not just your clothes and food, but He will provide the deepest needs of your heart and soul. That’s the good news. The bad news is what you and I think we need is not always the same as what God knows we need. We may be pleading to Him, “God, please provide this very need,” and the Lord is saying, “Wait a minute, you don’t really need that. You think you need that rescue at this moment, but you actually need to go further into the trial so that you can learn something greater about Me.” In our walk with God and as followers of Christ, it can be challenging to trust that He knows our needs more than what we believe our needs are. His Word says, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask.” The truth is that you and I don’t even understand the depths of our needs. There are things that you and I need that are so deep within the soul, groanings too deep for words, that we must surrender, believing God will provide. Number two is believing you are valuable to God. If God dresses the fields with flowers, aren’t you more valuable than that? Doesn’t He love you more? Won’t He do more for you then? God provides your needs because you are so much more valuable than anything He’s ever planted on the earth. He’s planted His very own Spirit in your heart. He doesn’t just love you, He likes you! He’s not just interested in you, He’s come for you. He doesn’t just listen to you when He doesn’t have anybody else praying. He’s listening to you at every single moment. Do you want to move from worry to trust in God? Then begin to believe and trust that God will provide your needs because you mean everything to Him.

Every day you will have a new opportunity to start another day or week with the right mindset. When you have the right mindset about prayer it allows you stay on track with your day. Even when you feel that your day is not starting off right you can go into a strategic prayer focus and get it back on track. Have you ever woken up and said, “I got up on the wrong side of the bed,” when things aren’t going well? Well, today you have a chance to frame the kind of day, even the week, that you want to have. Keep your mindset on your prayer strategy for the day. Remember your mindset makes a difference.

Speak what you seek until you see what you’ve said.

Every positive change in your life begins with a clear, unequivocal decision that you are going to do something or stop doing something.

You never know what battles people are fighting. Be kind, gentle and nonjudgmental.

A month from now you will either have a month of progress or a month of excuses why you didn’t. Use your time wisely.

Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who pray while they wait.

God didn’t add another day to your life because you needed it. He added it because someone out there needs you.

Let’s pray and thank God that He will be our guide through life. He is not a God who keeps us guessing but will reveal His way so that we can walk in it. Holy God, you always provide a light for me; to direct me and guide me on the path which you have chosen as the best way for me to go. I lift up your name in praise, knowing that I can depend on you to show me your way. I thank you for your wisdom, which stretches even into the future in order to guide and direct me toward my best possible outcome. I love you, God, and I want to know how to follow you better. May your glory and goodness overshadow my doubts and confusion. Break through all my questions and show me the path toward life, peace, and love. I praise you that you have always given me more than I deserve, and that you offer a love that guides me every step of the way. In Jesus' name, amen. What are you thankful for today?

Jesus was with his disciples giving them some final words before he would be arrested and crucified. The disciples finally realized Jesus would actually be heading to his death. They realized soon, it would just be them and the other disciples left to fend for themselves. Put yourself in their shoes. What would be running through your mind? “I can’t do this without him.” “I’m not ready.” “I’m not good enough.” Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever had a time where you just felt really discouraged? It could be a time like the one we’ve been in where nothing seemed to go the way you planned and you’re struggling to find some semblance of “normal”. You start thinking all kinds of negative things and it just continues to cause you to spiral. Or maybe there’s something from your past that continues to be brought up—something you did or something that was done to you. You can’t seem to outrun your mistakes and all of those words and feelings flood your mind. Maybe you’ve been called something or labeled something that just hurts. We all have seasons where the words we use to describe ourselves or our current situation are filled with negativity, self-doubt, or shame. Can I just let you know? None of that is from God. Knowing the disciples would feel discouraged, Jesus told them, “But I will send you the Advocate”. The original word that’s translated “advocate“ literally means “one who comes alongside to help or encourage”. God has given you and me the Holy Spirit to encourage us and speak words of life into us. The Holy Spirit will never discourage you. The Holy Spirit will only encourage you. Take time to thank God.