The Lord My Healer

Exodus 15:26 - “He [God] said, ‘If you will lisen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffere any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am Jehovah Raphe [the Lord who heals you].’”

This name of God comes when the Israelites are in the wilderness after God miraculously parted the Red Sea.  They went for three days without finding any water and finally came to Marah where there was water!  However, they soon began grumbling because they discovered the water was bitter.  Moses prayed to God and was instructed to cast a tree into the water and the water became sweet – He was the Lord who heald them.  There are many instances of God providing healing and restoration in both the Old and New Testament, but there are many times we doubt this applies to us – Why?

We all need healing at various times in our lives: physical, emotional, moral or relational healing.  If you need healing in any are of your life today, listen carefully to God by reading his Word, communicating with Him in prayer and seeking godly counsel.  Trust that he is Jehovah Rophe yesterday, today, and forever.  He never changes and if healed people in the Bible, He is able to heal you today regardless of your need.


The Lord My Banner

Exodus 17:14-16 - “After the victory, the Lord instructed Moses, ‘Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.’  Moses built an altar there and named it Jehovah Nissi (which means ‘the Lord is my banner’).  He said, ‘They have raised their fist against the Lord’s throne, so now the Lord will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.”

Moses used this name for God when the Israelites were fighting against the Amalekites in Rephidim.  When Moses had his hands raised, the Israelites were winning the battle, but if his arms began to drop, the tide would shift to the Amalekites.  So his friends, Aaron and Hur had him sit on a stone and they held his arms up for him when he was too tired to hold them up himself.  Finally at sunset, Joshua and the Israelites won the battle and Moses built an altar to Jehovah Nissi.
There are two things to take from this name for God.  First of all, God is our protector, a banner over us to protect us.  He charges his armies of angels to protect us.  I remember a time when I was driving my awesome purple Dodge Caravan minivan back to college and my dad was behind me in a separate vehicle.  My soda was in a cupholder and fell out and rolled under my feet.  I reached down to grab it and didn’t realize that in doing so, I had turned the wheel and when I looked up I was headed into the ditch on cruise control at 70 mph.  However, God’s perfect calm came over me and I just gently tapped on the brakes and crossed both lanes of the highway to come to rest on the shoulder.  The extent of the damage was just a flat tire.  That incident has stuck with me for 15+ years because I know without a shadow of a doubt that an angel literally “took the wheel” to protect me because God is a banner over me.

Another aspect to a banner is that it can signify a tribe, family, or unified group.  God is our banner that ties us together as a family.  If you are going through a tough time or notice a fellow believer who is, do not hesitate to reach out to those who are covered by the same banner.  While the battle was based on whether or not Moses’ arms were raised, he relied on Aaron and Hur to help him bring the Israelites to victory.  God has made us a family and we can not only lean on our Father but on one another.

Today, if you are scared or worried about coming persecution, remember that God is our protector, our banner.  If you are hurting or struggling in the battle, reach out to your fellow tribesman who congregate under that same banner.

The Lord My Peace

Judges 6:23-24 - “’It is all right,’ the Lord replied. ‘Do not be afraid.  You will not die.’  And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Jehovah Shalom (which means ‘the Lord is peace’).  The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.”

This name of God is used when God calls Gideon to stand up to the Midanites.  The Midianites had persecuted the Israelites for 7 years forcing them to hide in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.  An angel appears to Gideon (who is hiding in a hole) and calls him to rescue Israel from the Midianites despite the fact that he is part of the weakest clan in Manasseh and he is the lowest member of his family.  Gideon is scared spitless!  But this is the amazing part:  Gideon offers a sacrifice to the Lord and God reveals himself to Gideon which makes him even more frightened, but God comforts him and gives him supernatural peace.  This is a peace that passes all understanding such that Gideon then gathers his army (300 men) and successfully defeats the Midianites.

This year has been full of some very tense moments: pandemics, natural disasters, race riots, etc.  There have definitely been times where I have felt that bubble of panic start to rise up, but then I pray to Jehovah Shalom and I remember that He is ultimately in control.  His peace washes over us like a river.  The interesting thing is that our outward circumstances don’t necessarily change, but His spirit of peace washes over our hearts and minds.  If you are feeling that worry, anxiety, or fear starting to come over you, I challenge you to pray to Jehovah Shalom that His peach that passes all understanding would be a soothing balm to your soul.

The Lord My Provider

Genesis 22:13-14 - Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket.  So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.  Abraham named the place Jehovah Jireh (which means “the Lord will provide”).  To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.

I love to pray the Hebrew names of God – they remind us that there are so many aspects to who He is. So, over the next four days, I will focus on different Hebrew names for “God” that call out his wonderful character.  I wanted to start with “Jehovah Jireh” which means “God will provide”.  This name comes from Genesis 22 when Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son Isaac.  Although Abraham doesn’t understand this command and none of us would fault him if he tried to “reason his way out” of this situation – after all, God promised him this son and he is a miracle in their old age – why would God want him to be sacrificed?  However, Abraham obeys God’s command, but before he can follow through, an angel stops him.  When Abraham looks over, there is a ram caught in the thicket and Abraham is able to use this ram that God provided as his sacrifice in place of his son.  God will always provide for our needs.

When my husband was in Teen Challenge, he felt like God was prompting him to go on a missions trip to Africa that was taking place in a few months, but he needed $1000.  He definitely didn’t have that and neither did anyone in his family.  Because he was in Teen Challenge, he couldn’t work to get the money.  As he was praying about this, God reminded him that he had a car sitting in his parent’s garage so the next day he called his mom to tell her to put it up for sale and get whatever she could for it.  Before he could even say a word, his mom said “Your sister’s boyfriend wants to buy your car.  He’ll give you $500 now and the other $500 in 2 weeks when he gets paid.”  I love that story because William didn’t have to do anything – God provided the exact amount he needed with absolutely no effort on his part….and it was on that missions trip that the two of us met!

2023 was a challenging year and many lost their jobs or had reduced income, but God is our provider.  He may not provide all of our wants, but he has promised to provide all of our needs.  Matthew 6:25-34 tells us that God looks after the sparrows and the flowers in the field so he will definitely take care of you.  Do not worry about tomorrow, but pray to your Jehovah Jireh and he will take care of you.

Power for Living

James 4:7 - So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

It is not going to do us one bit of good to try to resist the devil if we are not going to submit to God, because the power to resist the devil is found in submitting to God. If you want to keep Satan under your feet, you have to walk in obedience. Don’t have any known disobedience, any purposeful disobedience in your life.

Do we ever disobey God? Yes, but we do not do it on purpose. We might lose our temper and say something that we shouldn’t. But as soon as God starts dealing with us about it, we do what He says. We need to have a reverential fear of God in our lives. God is God, and He means business. If He tells us to do something, He means it, and when He tells us not do something, He means it. Yes, we live under grace, but grace is not an excuse to sin; grace is the power to live a holy life. Disobedience is one of Satan’s favorite entrances by which to gradually draw us into a web of sin that is devastating for us in the end.

Prayer: Lord, I know that there is power for living today as I submit my life to You. Thank You for the grace that empowers me to walk in obedience. Amen.

Pray About Everything

Matthew 6:34:  So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

Someone once said that “Worry is interest paid on trouble before it falls due.” Trying to solve tomorrow’s problems today only steals the energy God has prearranged for you to enjoy today. Don’t waste your time worrying! It is vain and useless. Don’t be like the bassoon player who went up to his conductor and nervously said that he could not reach the high E-flat. His conductor just smiled and replied, “Don’t worry. There is no E-flat in your music tonight.” Many of our worries are like that – unfounded and unnecessary.

Worry is the end of faith, and faith is the end of worry. You can only be confident once you remove fear and worry from your life, and it starts with prayer. Prayer opens the door for God to get involved and meet our needs. The apostle Paul said we are to be anxious for nothing, but in all things, by praying, we will experience the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7). He didn’t say in “some” things; he didn’t say in “one” thing, he said in “everything.” Prayer must replace our worry.

Prayer: Lord, I open the door and invite You into all the affairs of my life. I have needs that only You can meet, and I know it’s useless to worry about them. Today, I commit my needs to You and will rest my faith in You. Amen.

It Is Good to Give Thanks

Psalm 92:1-5 - A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, Proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!

Have you ever wondered why the Bible repeatedly tells us to give thanks to the Lord? The main reason is because He deserves it. He created you and keeps your heart beating, so trying to claim your life as your own amounts to ingratitude. God created you to love Him, and He also sacrificed much to deliver you from your sin. Expressing thankfulness to the Lord honors Him by acknowledging all He has done.

Most of us would admit that our prayers are self-centered. We come with our requests, but how much time do we spend thanking God for what He has already accomplished? The psalmist in today’s reading advises us to begin and end each day by focusing on the Lord’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. Even if the past 24 hours brought pain or difficulty, we can still express appreciation for God’s presence as He carried us through.

This coming week, take time to remember what the Lord has done for you, and express your thanks. Be creative and try different ways to show gratefulness – sing, praise and joyfully worship Him. When we keep the focus on God, His goodness can sustain us all day long.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for all You have done in my life. The mountains and the valleys, You have been by my side. You deserve all of the glory for all that you have blessed me with and brought me through. Help me keep a thankful heart for You always. Help me show my gratitude to You for Your unconditional Love for me. Amen.

James 1:2-4 - Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

In 2017, my wife and I bought a melon tree. We took it home and immediately repotted it into a bigger pot and made sure it received ample sunlight. A few months later, Hurricane Harvey ensued. We moved our lemon tree off the back porch and into the garage, then proceeded to forget about it for over 6 months as we get our house damage under control and our feet back under us.

The look of the neglected tree was so sad – dead leaves fallen and collected in the pot, hardly any branches, only one solitary scrawny tree stem. I decided to put it back in its place and live on a prayer to get it to producing fruit. For the rest of 2018, all of 2019, and all this current year I diligently watered the tree twice a day. Two and a half years of diligent, consistent nurturing. We currently have 7 lemons hanging from the tree! No matter how bad our circumstances, there is always room for the Lord to work. Despite how badly things look on the outside, life will exist on the inside. It’s human nature to assume all hope will be lost when things start going poorly, but as we continue to stand firm in each test of our faith, our endurance or resilience will begin to mature through the Lord’s help that we will lack nothing. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us the strength we need to endure our tests of faith so that we may lack no good thing pressing into maturity.

God’s Plan from the Beginning

Genesis 3:21 (ESV) - And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

2020 was a year that reminded us all of the broken world we live in and the fallen nature of mankind.  Effort after effort, we have tried to solve the problems last year threw at us.  Some of our human efforts might have brought temporary relief, but at the core we are still a broken people in need of something bigger than ourselves to save us.  I’m reminded of that “Christian-ese” joke where we all just blame Adam and Eve for ushering death and destruction into the world through their disobedience. (See Romans 5:12)  When we read about the fall of man in Genesis 3, we see how everything was perfect and beautiful and then once Adam and Eve sinned, immediately following was relational conflict, hatred, discrimination, pain, pride, and a whole lot of other troubles that look too familiar to us today.  Their response is similar to ours as well.  Adam and Eve’s response to their problems and shame was to deflect responsibility and hide themselves with fig leaves.  Their makeshift clothing might have hidden their physical nakedness (temporary relief), but it did not solve their core problem-at all!  

Then comes Genesis 3:21! A verse that sheds hope like a bright light in the midst of such a dark passage.  A verse that foreshadows Jesus Christ- the eternal solution to our current problems too!  Genesis 3:21 says “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”  Let us pause and dwell on the beautiful concept unfolding in this verse.  God Himself, in an act of mercy, grace, and love initiates a bloodshed sacrifice of an innocent animal in order to cover the sins of humanity- a humanity who has just rebelled and deserves death.  God doesn’t just hide their problems with plants; He covers their problems by blood.  I pray this verse is speaking to your heart as much as it is mine.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is being foreshadowed here beautifully right when humanity least deserves it. Nothing can stop God’s good redemptive plan with his solution to our problems!

Let us rejoice in that redemptive plan!  No sin, no dilemma, no trauma, no trial, no pain, no suffering, nothing can stop God from initiating a way for redemption.  And that redemption is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  As we start off 2021, let us stop trying to produce our own efforts of temporary problem solving with fig leaves, but let us be assured in the gospel message that Christ’s blood clothes us and covers us eternally.  

Hope-Centered Glasses

Romans 8:18 (ESV) - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.

As Christians, we are promised eternal life and a future glory that outweighs anything this world offers us or throws at us.  Our hope is not in the promise of an easy life.  If it were, then countless people we read about in Scripture would have given up hope at the slightest inclination of trial, persecution, or suffering. With Christ, we can see suffering and trials through the filter of hope- hope-centered glasses if you will.   Hope-centered glasses are not to be confused with rose-colored glasses where everything is typically unrealistically optimistic.  Rather, looking at our suffering through the lense of the hope offered in Christ shifts our perspective away from the “here and now” trial and onto the eternal faithfulness of God. With the filter of hope in Christ, we are able to remember the faithfulness of God in the past, cling to the promises of God to be fulfilled in the future, and rely on God-given strength to endure the present.

Paul the apostle understood this concept and says in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.”  He anchored his hope in the gospel during circumstances of all shapes and sizes.  Whether he was hungry, imprisoned, or shipwrecked, Paul saw beyond his earthly suffering and kept his eyes fixed on the eternal hope of Christ.  I do not think it was a coincidence at all that Paul, before his conversion to Christ, witnessed Stephen’s suffering in Acts 7. From the outside looking in, we see Stephen surrounded by enemies with stones in their hands and an escape route seems bleak.  But Stephen has on his hope-centered glasses and sees beyond his present circumstance of suffering. Stephen remembers and declares out loud about God’s past faithfulness to some Sunday School favorites such as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites, David, and more.  Stephen shifts his focus away from his present surrounding persecutors and instead up to the heavens.  He knows his life might end within minutes and yet he places his hope in the future promise of eternal life in the presence of the one true God. I wonder if Paul, not full of guilt, but full of appreciation for the power of the gospel was inspired by the testimony of Stephen when he penned Romans 8:18.  

The same source of hope that Stephen and Paul and countless of other godly men and women from the Bible held onto in the midst of trial, persecution, and suffering, is the same hope set before us in the person of Jesus Christ.  Our immediate circumstances might seem hopeless, but let’s go into 2021 with hope-centered glasses.  God’s track record is impeccable.  May we continually shift our focus onto the past, present, and future faithfulness of God.

Hope in the Nearness of God

Psalm 73:28 (ESV) - But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge that I may tell of all your works.

I’ll never forget a random youth camp game where we were given a quote about love and had to guess if it was a bible verse from Song of Solomon or a Taylor Swift song lyric. It’s a lot harder than you think! While biblical poetry is profoundly more beautiful, powerful, and holy than any secular pop song, that silly game reminded me that the Bible is not just some high and lofty book full of un-relatable passages.  Rather, Scripture has the ability, generation after generation, to meet us where we are.   Even though it was written thousands of years ago, the Bible has raw passages where real life humans deal with real life problems and conflicting emotions.  Biblical passages can look a lot like our own 21st century journal entries and prayers to God. The Bible doesn’t just tell us about other humans who struggle so that we don’t feel alone; it goes even further and is rich in explaining the attributes of God so that we can know for a fact that we are not alone.  

Take Psalm 73 for example.  I encourage you to pause and read it.  We read the writer struggle as he wrestles with his faith (Psalm 73:2), wonders why the wicked are prospering (Psalm 73:3-12), and expresses how he feels that living for God is all in vain (Psalm 73:13-15).  Doesn’t that sound familiar?  The writer has so many confusing, conflicting emotions and it is not until he draws near to God that he finds refuge and clarity. (Psalm 73:16-17)  In the presence of God, the writer’s focus shifts away from his surrounding trials and onto who God is.  The impact of the psalmist’s worries fade away in light of knowing that God is good, holy, wise, attentive, just, almighty, and faithful.  The writer’s desire changed from wanting immediate circumstantial change to desiring God alone. Verses 23-26 say, “Nevertheless, I am continually with you, you hold my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel and afterward you will receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire beside you.  My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Notice the scripture doesn’t say that all his problems magically vanished, but rather it says that when he drew near to God, he had renewed hope in God’s plan and God’s timing for deliverance.

Let us not be afraid to bring our doubts and confusion and worries to Him.   The same God who brought strength and clarity to the writer of Psalm 73 is the same God who will bring us strength and clarity.  As we enter the new year and live in the aftereffects of 2020, let us continually draw near to God.  In the nearness of His presence, our hope is renewed because of who He is.


Stoppable Goliath, Unstoppable God

1 Samuel 17:47 (ESV) - All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.

“Watch this! And then tell me if you think Goliath even had a chance against David.”  I watched as a quirky archeologist took a replica of an 11th century BC slingshot and flung a rock away from us at about 55 mph.  I had never seen anything like it!  For some reason, I had grown up thinking David was a mere shepherd boy who made a miracle shot with a makeshift sling toy, (all with God’s help of course!)  But there I was in 2014, standing in a tucked away valley in Israel, the same valley where David likely fought Goliath and it hit me: Goliath never had a chance at winning the battle.  David had years of slingshot practice protecting his sheep against lions and bears.  His slingshot accuracy and speed were as powerful as a bullet.  David brought a gun to a knife fight and Goliath was basically a dead man before David even started swinging.

As we look more into the story, we see David knew about something even more powerful than his choice of weapon that solidified Goliath’s inevitable demise.  King Saul tried to get David to wear a fancy coat of armor to the battle, but David declined because he was confident in something much stronger than armor, swords, and slingshots.  David was fully assured that the battle was already won because God is faithful to His covenant promises.  David knew that anything or anyone that would defy the one true God could not stand, including Goliath, the uncircumcised Philistine who regularly blasphemed the LORD. And sure enough when David gets ready to make his battle move, it is not his awesome slingshot skills that he calls upon, but rather he says to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45 “You come against me with a sword and spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” David knew that Goliath had no chance, not because of his years of sharpening his slingshot abilities, but because the battle was the LORD’s and the LORD’s plans for the Israelites was unstoppable.  Even if David was the puny boy I envisioned all those years, the battle was and is still the LORD’s.

As I type this, I face my own battles; as you read this, you might have yours.  The same God who delivered David from Goliath, is the same God who will deliver all of His covenant people from sin and death.  Through Christ that includes you!  The battle is already won.  We do not have to wonder how the story will end.  We do not, (and should not) rely on our own skill and strength for victory.   I encourage us today  to call upon our covenant-keeping, ever faithful God who’s plans are unstoppable.  The battle is the LORD’s and His victory is yours.

I am God’s Agent of Change

Acts 5:15 - As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

Three months before the end of the school year, a school principal met with one of his assistant teachers to inform her that she was going to be immediately transferred to another classroom.  The new classroom had a very difficult teacher and low performing students.  The assistant teacher became concerned and upset about this decision.  She labored so hard throughout the years and this was not the first time she was abruptly moved at the last minute.  She felt unappreciated, undermined, used, frustrated… she thought the principal’s decision was inappropriate and unfair.  During the meeting, while going through all these emotions and thoughts, she chose to take the time to silently call upon the name of Jesus for help, understanding and wisdom in what do say and do at that moment (Matthew 7:8).   While the principal was still talking, the Holy Spirit revealed to her that she was harboring erroneous assumptions and judgments and reminded her that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  She decided to calmly ask the principal why the last minute change (2 Corinthian 10:5).  The principal responded that throughout the years he has observed her peculiar way of positively impacting the students’ lives and the classroom environment (Matthew 5:16).  He admired her patience, dedication, humility, respect to his decisions, professional ethics, kindness, knowledge, teamwork attitude, and love for her job and the students (1 Corinthians 13).  He further stated that these were some of the reasons why he has been using her as an agent for classroom changes.  

Like the assistant teacher, challenges and difficult times will come and go but our response to those temporary times will make long lasting changes and impacts in our lives and the lives of those we should serve and love.  Jesus took the time to align His response to challenges and difficult times with what the Father said and did in heaven (say and do).  As we continue to be God’s agent of change in this world, we have to be careful with our thoughts, emotions and desires.  They can drive erroneous responses, attitudes, actions, assumptions and judgments.  We should constantly ask God to search and test our minds and heart and to establish His truth, will, and perfect plan in our lives.  We should not forget that our heavenly Father is good and faithful to keep us from falling into temptation, erroneous judgments and assumptions.  He can make a way where there seems to be no way and has the power to bless and care for us.  He can help us clear our minds from ungodly thoughts and desires.  He desires to use us as a vessel for His glory.  One word from the throne of love and mercy can change the destiny and history of a person.  As we continue to be transformed to the image of Christ and be used for God’s changes in this world, we must surrender to the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom.

Mighty things will happen in our surroundings as we trust and obey.  It does not mean that our situation may change to what we want and/or desire, but if we are in His perfect plan and obey Him, all things will work together for our good.  As His children and ambassadors, let us take the time to seek God’s truth and guidance before responding to challenging and difficult times knowing that no matter what the outcome will be, He is good and faithful to help you through the process.

Prayer: Dear God, I ask for forgiveness in this hour.  Holy Spirit, thank you for being my counselor and helper in the moments of need.  In Jesus name, I pray that you continue covering my heart and mind not to sin against you.  I desire your perfect will to be done in my life and to be used to serve as your agent of change in this world.  Align my heart and mind to Yours, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

I Am a Citizen of Heaven

Philippians 3:20 - But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One day, Jesus was walking through towns and villages teaching and a person asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” (Luke 13:23).  Jesus response was “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, Sir, open the door for us. But he will answer, I don’t know you or where you come from” (Luke 13: 24-15).

Based on this verse, it is critical for us to know where we are from.  God knows all things and He knows where we are from (1 John 3:20, Heb 4:13, Rev 1:8).  This passage is not referencing the place where we were born, were raised or live in the flesh but the place where we have been born through the Spirit (John 3:6, Eph 2:19).  Our actions, behavior, way of speaking, the laws that we follow, the authority we represent, the commands we execute… determine where we are from.  If we are newborn Christians, we are ambassadors of Christ, representatives and citizens of the kingdom of God (2 Cor 5:20, John 17:16).  We should cling our affections and have our mind not on earthly, temporary things but on the heavenly places where we belong (Eph 2:6, Col 3:1-4).  As such, others should easily identify where we are from because of the laws we follow, the way we speak, the culture, society and principles we live-by, the festivities we celebrate, the religion we profess, the behavior we exercise, the negotiations and impacts we make on behalf of our Savior and King (Rev 21:2).

Our perspective of where we are from should be changed.  We need to seek the Holy Spirit to help us live in this world understanding that we are not of this world (John 17:16).  We also need help in walking and living in the Spirit (Gal 5:25).  We need His help to fight the battle of our faith not with weapons that are carnal but those that belong to the Kingdom of God (2 Cor 10:4).  As citizens of heaven, we must be focused on the things from above, not allowing the distractions and voices of this world to deceive us (Rom 8:25, Phil 1:27).

As a citizen of heaven, we should set our hearts on the things above (Col 3:1), conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27), set our hope in what is not seen, in God’s promises (2 Cor 4:18), live a Christ like life (Eph 2:6), live in the truth of where we belong without boasting (2 Cor 12:2-5), knowing that one day we’ll be going to our eternal city (Heb 13:14, 1 Cor 15:52-55).

Prayer: Father God, I ask for forgiveness.  Help me walk and live in the Spirit and be a good representative and ambassador of Christ.  Help be refocus my attention in the things of above, remember where I am from, and live as a citizen of heaven.  Please align my heart and mind to Jesus’, in His name I pray, amen.

God’s Promise Requires Understanding and Patience

Genesis 21:1-2 – Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

Abraham was about 70 years old when he was called by God (Gen 11:27-32) and about 75 years when he received the promise that he was going to be the father of multitudes (Gen 12:1-3).  In the process, he made many mistakes, repented, was in the middle of various fights and wars… but God’s plan and promises remained because of His faithfulness, mercy, love and mighty power.  Abraham’s lack of patience and understanding led him to make decisions outside God’s will.  After waiting for many years, Abraham was convinced by the person he trusted, respected and loved, to purse a decision based on the circumstances and assumed understanding of how God was going to accomplish His promise.  This person was his wife Sarah, a woman who was chosen by God to be the vessel through which the promise was going to be birthed.  Abraham disobedience to God caused him pain and impacted his past and present generations.  But God’s promise remained and was established in Abraham’s life during a time of impossibilities. God made it supernaturally possible for Abraham and Sarah to have the promised son 25 years later (Gen 21:1-6).  

Genesis 21:1-2 help us understand three of the many principles of God’s promises: (1) God will speak the promise, (2) God is specific about His promise and how it will be accomplished, and (3) God’s promises have a time of completion.  As the recipient of God’s promises we are required to seek understanding and exercise patience during the waiting.  

Seek Understanding: We need to know and understand what God is saying and how it will be accomplished in our lives.  In order to acquire understanding we must listen and pay careful attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying, otherwise we can drift away from God’s promises and purpose for our lives (Heb 2:1).  God has gifted us with intelligence for us to use the cognitive to understand (Psalm 49:3-4), but the fact that we can hear and read about His promises is not an assurance that we have understood (Dan 12:8).   God is not a God of confusion, He alone knows all things and desires for us to have understanding of His promises and each word contained in His Book of truth and life (Dan 2:21, Job 28:12, Job 28:20, Job 28:23).  It is our responsibility to seek, learn and obtain understanding from Him, otherwise we’ll be stepping into the danger of assuming and/or self-interpreting God’s promise which can lead to disobedience and sin (Job 28:28, Psalm 119:34, Psalm 119:104, Psalm 73:17, Proverbs 4:5 Proverbs 4:7, 4:1, 23:23).  

Exercise Patience: God’s promises have a time of completion.  His time is perfect, He is time.  If we go ahead or before His perfect time, we’ll fail.  The wait might be sacrificial, painful, lengthy, tiresome, but as we patiently wait, we’ll see His mighty power and hand remove the impossibilities and establish the supernatural.  His promises and blessings will be manifested as we patiently wait on Him (Psalms 37:7).  We were not meant to wait alone, this is why patience is gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthen us during the wait (Gal 5:22, Col 1:11).

The Power of Love

1 John 4:8 – God is love.

My nephew has a passion for superheroes.  Nothing excites him more than superheroes presents, movies and conversations.  When he was about nine years old, during one of my visits, he had all his characters lining-up on a table because he wanted me to learn about each one and their powers.  For about 45 minutes, I heard the most passionate, intelligent, detailed, convincing, energetic and thoughtful lesson.  When he was finished, he picked one toy and explained why it was his favorite character; it was mostly about his superpowers.  Then he picked another superhero and told me that he knew who my favorite superhero was.  I was expecting him to mention the name of the character he had on his hand but instead he told me “Titi your superhero is Jesus.”  That was a Godly moment! During our conversation, I was praying for an opportunity to talk about Jesus as a superhero.  As soon as he said that, I asked him about Jesus’ powers.  His response was that Jesus had all the superpowers.  I told him that he was right, Jesus had many superpowers, but He also had one special power and that was love.  He looked puzzled while telling me “oh, cool.” He wanted to hear more about it but his sister turned on the TV and that was the end to our conversation.  He picked up his toys, told me that we were going to speak later, and left.  

Unfortunately, like my nephew, for some of us learning about who Jesus is and God’s love is just “cool.” At times we are more interested and spend more time learning about fictitious characters and other’s lives rather than knowing more about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Often, we are fascinated and pursue our new interests and desires with so much passion and dedication, but have little interest about Jesus’ qualities, the power of His love and how I can be more like Him.  It is time for us to take the time to learn about God’s love and how we can live a life loving God first and others (Mark 12:30-31). It is time for us to go back to the first love (Rev 2:4; 1 John 4:10, 19; Rom 5:8).  

Everything that God does departs from love, He is love.  He loves us (John 3:16; 1 Tom 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).  Jesus showed His love for us when we did not deserve it!  He forgave us and sacrificed Himself so we can freely live in His love, being loved and loving others (Phil 2).  One of the many ways in which we can define and exercise love in our lives is following the instructions provided in 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 states “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Prayer: Father God, we ask for forgiveness. Today, I am reminded that your  love is not fiction is a reality. Thank you for loving me and for creating me with the capacity to love like you.  Help me and teach me to love you, love myself the way you love me, and others.  I desire to know you more and go back to my first love. In Jesus name I pray, amen. 

Aligning My Priorities to Jesus’

Matthews 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The Bible teaches us that Israel’s possession of the promised land was a process that took several years.  As they advanced towards God’s promise, they had to overcome the self, the world, spiritual and physical enemies.  In the process, they saw, heard and experienced God’s power, love, mercy… The Lord miraculously delivered them, fought their bottles, blessed them beyond the curse, turned-dawn high walls… and delivered them from slavery.  Throughout the process, the priorities and character of the people were revealed.  Several of His chosen people went after their hearts’ desires, were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous.  Many repented and God forgave them.  Others remained faithful, having Jehovah God as their number one priority.  Through it all, God’s faithfulness, love and promises remained.

The same loving and mighty God of the old testament is our God today and forever.  He shows no partiality and has no favoritism (Rom 2:11-16, Eph 6:9, Col 3:25).   An example is Ruth, a Moabite who decided to align her priorities to serve God.  Moabites were closely related to the Israelites; they were Lot’s descendants.  They knew of God but were prideful, arrogant, and idolaters.  Moab’s priorities and trust were in their deeds, riches, strength, leaders, their gods… (Jeremiah 48).  Ruth had an opportunity to continue living the Moabite life but chose to make a firm decision to live a Godly life.  She was persistent, consistent and insistent in obeying God and the guidance she received.  Her priorities and obedience inserted her in Jesus’ blood lineage.  

Like Ruth, our past does not determine our future (Rom 12:2, Lk 12:34).  It is time to make a radical decision to refocus our priorities and align our desires to God’s will for our lives.  It is time to make a firm decision to live a life surrendered to Jesus.  He is faithful to helpful us live and walk prioritizing the truth and a life in the Spirit (Gal 5:25, Psalm 46:1-3, Deu 31:8; Psalm 55:22, John 14:26, Rom 8:26).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I repent of my sins and thank you for your faithfulness and love.  Today, I ask that you please search my hear and test my mind and if there are any priorities that are not aligned to yours, or any sin, please show them to me and give me the strength and courage to accept them and the guidance to change.  I need your help Holy Spirit, I want to desire and live a life surrendered to God.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Romans 8:26 | 2 Chronicles 7:14 | Psalms 145:18 | Psalms 34:19

The Power of the Holy Spirit

Sometimes life takes a toll on my confidence. I get overwhelmed, stressed, and tired of dealing with all the ups and downs. Yes it is true I am not happy go lucky all the time, but then I remember that when I am down God is there to listen. Prayer is one of the most powerful and fundamental aspects of the Christian life. We cannot expect growth in times of troubles without time in prayer. Prayer will free you from bondage. It will strengthen, guide and protect you. Prayer is our spiritual life line. It is powerful because it is our direct access to communicate with God and receive his power.

Be careful not to fall victim to feeling as though you have to be perfect to communicate with God. Give yourself grace because we are not perfect. Do not let shame, guilt, or sin be the reason you decide not to talk to the only person who can truly help, which is God. The enemy would love to talk you out of spending time with God by condemning you and telling you how horrible you are.

There have been times when I knew I needed to talk to God. I tried to speak, but I just did not know what to say. Yes believe it or not I have been speechless.  If you do not know what to say to God about a specific area of your life that is okay. My mind often times can become overwhelmed, I’ll feel heartbroken, and I won’t even know why. So, I just sit and listen. Eventually, I begin to change my perspective on prayer and I stopped worrying about how it sounded and just prayed in spirit and in truth. When I felt weak I let the Holy Spirit himself intercede in prayer for me. Immediately, I felt stronger, wiser, grateful, and free.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 | John 8:30 | John 14:26 | John 14:17

An Encounter with God versus Abiding in God

We are made to be inspired and to want an encounter with God.  Let’s be honest, all of us love an inspirational moment, or sight, or music, or movie, or sermon. We all love times when we can feel God’s presence in our lives. However, inspiration and encounters with God are not all we should live off of. If we live only on past encounters with God we will inevitably become worn-out. As humans we thrive to have those inspiring moments with God, but I believe He wants more than just a few inspired moments of your life.

During this time of prayer and fasting, grow closer to the Holy Spirit. God gives us His spirit to befriend us, guide us, convict us, protect us, strengthen us. The Spirit will reveal to us our potential—‘what God has prepared for those who love him.’ While you are praying today ask the Holy Spirit how can you partner with Him to transform your mind and your thoughts to grow closer to Him. Are there opportunities during your days to be still and meditate on scripture? Can you take a moment at the beginning and end of every day and center yourself on God? If you are honest with yourself there are many opportunities in our daily lives to become more aligned with the mind of Christ. Having an encounter with God is great but abiding in God is better. Take today to align your mind with God’s.

Daniel 9:3 | Colossians 2

Power of Prayer

Daniel was a leader whose heart was for his people. Knowing that Israel would be taken captive by Babylon for seventy years, his first response was to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting. As he gave up food and set aside time to pray, he humbled himself and magnified God. He repented for the sins of Israel, and cried out for God’s deliverance.

When we fast, we abstain from food and direct our attention to God. We choose to seek Him with greater focus and commitment. We demonstrate that we desire spiritual things more than natural things, and are willing to forgo something important to us because God is more important. We humble ourselves and align our hearts and motives to His, and invite him to speak to us and move in our lives.

When we fast and pray, we make God bigger than everything else. We turn our eyes to Him rather than our problems, and believe that He is able to bring breakthroughs in our lives. Like Daniel, there are situations that are beyond our control where we need God to intervene. Fasting and prayer magnifies God above all of these situations and raises our faith to believe that nothing is impossible for Him.

As you fast and pray over these 21 days, choose to deny the flesh and live by the Spirit. If you haven’t decided what to fast yet, make that decision today! Start with one meal a day and use that time to seek God in prayer. As you intentionally pursue God, He will build your faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. As you empty yourself, He will come and fill you up with every good thing, and as you make Him bigger in your life, God will work on your behalf and open up heaven over your life!

Matthew 6:5-18 | Psalms 63:1-2

We believe that without prayer, a fast is no more than a diet. So as we start this 21-day journey of prayer and fasting, believe that God wants to speak to you through your prayer time. We must begin with a desperation for God Himself. He is the one who opens heaven over our lives, and we need an encounter with Him more than anything else.

As a starting guide, pray how Jesus taught us to pray!
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

• Begin praying by declaring “Father, you are HOLY!”
• Pray for God’s perfect will to be done in your life. “God, not my will, but yours!”
• Tell God what it is that you need. He is our provider!
• Repent. Lay down your sins before God, and ask for forgiveness.
• List out by name those you need to forgive, and ask God for help!
• Grace is a gift we all have access to, open the gift and accept God’s grace to overcome sin.
• Declare “no spirit but the Holy Spirit” is welcome in your life!


As for WHAT to pray, here is a list to get you started. Don't forget to add your own specific daily prayer points!

• Your Family
• Your Friends and any person that comes up in your spirit as you pray
• Your Job/Work
• Your City
• Your Church & Church Leaders
• + add your own

Get Desperate for God
When David wrote Psalm 63, he was running away from someone who wanted to kill him. Anyone would be desperate to get out of those circumstances, but instead of asking God to deliver him from his situation, David cried out in desperation for God Himself! David recognized his need for God, and knew how important it was to search not just for deliverance, but for the One who could deliver him.

Like David, we must seek God earnestly. Put aside other things to make time to read His Word, pray, and be in His presence. Be aggressive about not letting urgent things crowd out what is most important - an encounter with God. God promises that those who seek Him will find Him, so decide today that you will stay the course over the next 21 days to seek His face.

Like David, we must long for God. Ask God to stir up a fresh hunger and thirst for the things of God. Choose to deny your flesh through fasting and ask God to give you a renewed desire for spiritual things. We believe that this year that God has greater thing instore for our lives, but it begins with us getting desperate for God. Make Him your greatest desire and your greatest pursuit this year!