local Daily Devotions

[04ctd]

Our Counselor


"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26

I was driving down the interstate feeling discouraged from an appointment I had just had. A former employee's company was seeking to displace me, and my company, as their source for our services. It had been one of many difficult events during those months. As I was driving, some words popped into my mind, No weapon formed against you shall prosper. I could not tell you where those words came from other than I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking them to me; I knew they were in the Bible. I knew they were in the Old Testament.

When I returned to my office that day, I searched for the key words in my concordance and found the verse. "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you" (Isaiah 54:17a).

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would remind us of the things He desires us to know. There are times in our lives when the Holy Spirit speaks into our spirit words designed to encourage us or give us what we need at the moment. That is just one of the roles of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The more you know God's Word, the more often you'll recall verses the Holy Spirit will bring to mind for a given situation.

Study God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of the things He desires you to know.

[04ctd]

How Would Jesus Impact Your Wedding Party


"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:4-5).

In Bible times, a Jewish wedding was a special celebration that could last seven days. It was a time of joy and celebration on behalf of the couple. Wine was an integral part of these weddings. Jesus, the disciples, and Mary, his mother, were invited guests to such a wedding. At some point during the celebration there was no more wine. Mary became concerned and turned to Jesus to solve the problem. But Jesus had not yet performed any miracles. However, His mother must have known that he was capable of doing so. Perhaps she had been waiting for the time for him to begin performing miracles.

When she proposed to Jesus that He solve this problem, he answered, "My time has not yet come." You can almost hear that motherly Jewish tone... "Yes, it has son. Please handle this emergency for me." Then she instructs the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do, seeming to know that He was going to solve the problem, but she did not really know how Jesus would. Jesus proceeds to respond to his mother's request.

Now, my western mind imagines what the headline would be the day after this wedding, in the politically incorrect Cana's Daily News: "Son of Mary turns water into alcoholic drink - 180 gallons!" What a way to begin a ministry! Thankfully, there was no negative press.

Now the quality of the wine that Jesus made was exceptional and would have cost a fortune. Imagine 180 gallons of fine wine! As in most miracles Jesus performed, He involved the faith and obedience of others. The servants were an important part of the miracle - as they did just what Jesus told them to do.

Have you ever asked Jesus to get involved in an unusual problem? No matter what problem you have, Jesus invites you to seek Him as the solution to your problem.

[04ctd]

Covenant Relationships


"But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you." Genesis 6:18

The Bible is filled with covenants made between God and people. Six of those covenants were made with Old Testament figures: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. The seventh was made with His own Son, Jesus Christ. God is always the strongest partner in a covenant relationship.

God made a covenant with Noah in order to preserve the human race. This covenant involved Noah's participation by building an ark. He'd never built an ark before. He'd never had a boat. It was a totally new concept to Noah and the rest of the world. Why would he need a boat in a dry land?

Noah did not have to invent the ark; God gave him the plans-in specific dimensional detail. He did not have to gather the animals-God led them into the ark. God even closed the door when they all came on board. God made it rain to prove why the ark was needed.

The covenant provided all Noah needed to complete his mission in life. When God spoke to Noah to do this thing, he needed only to respond to God's call to do it. Noah could rest in knowing the covenant made with God was going to be fulfilled if he fulfilled his part.

If you have entered into a covenant relationship with God, you too can be assured that God will uphold His part of the covenant relationship. He is committed to fulfilling His covenant with you and to fulfill His purposes in and through your life. It only requires one thing on your part-obedience. He will even provide grace and faith to you to help you fulfill your part of the covenant.

Each of us has a covenant with God. But we also enter covenants with others in our personal and business lives. How are you doing in fulfilling covenants to others? God has given us the example to follow. Ask God if you have any unfulfilled covenants you need to honor. He has called you and me to be covenant keepers. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

[04ctd]

GIVING THANKS
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20)
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

When my kids were young, one of the most important rules in our house was the ÔÇ£thank youÔÇØ rule.

I would venture to guess that your families and mine have this in common. Gratitude is something we learn as we grow, and expressing gratitude is just as important as feeling it.

Of course, in order to say ÔÇ£thank you,ÔÇØ you need to be thanking someone for something. You donÔÇÖt just sit around alone in your room saying ÔÇ£thank youÔÇØ to nothing and no one in particular.

Or do you?

For most Americans, Thanksgiving is a day set aside for us to give thanks to God for our many blessings. But many secularists and atheists have a problem with this.

You see, as many secular and atheist groups are aggressively arguing for the elimination of religion from the public square, they are taking away the very meaning of days like Thanksgiving.

They are fine with the idea of a day of giving thanks. They just donÔÇÖt want us to actually thank anyoneÔÇöespecially not God.

Does this sound confusing? Good. It should!

Suppressing the religious nature of holidays, and leaving only meaningless days off work, is a sure way to beat down natural human expression. Religion is part of what gives our country a vibrant, thriving culture.

No matter what the world thinks, I will keep on thanking God, and not settle for generically ÔÇ£giving thanks. I am grateful to God for all HeÔÇÖs done for me and my family and I can never thank Him enough for His love, grace, mercy, peace, protection, healing, faithfulness, blessings and for Everything.

This holiday, discover an even greater reason to be thankful. That reason is the freedom found in Jesus Christ. With Christ, we have hope and guidance, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day.
May your hearts overflow with gratitude to God for all He has done and is doing in your life.

[04ctd]

Thankfulness

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4)

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:57

Many years ago ten men were walking down the road. They each had an incurable disease. All ten men were instantly healed yet only one of the ten returned to say -ÔÇ£thank youÔÇØ You say, ÔÇ£I canÔÇÖt believe that.ÔÇØ ÔÇ£If I got AIDS, then someone gave me a miracle drug to permanently cure me, I would be forever grateful.ÔÇØ But donÔÇÖt be so fast to judge. All of us are basically selfish, ungrateful, and can see only our current ÔÇ£needsÔÇØ and desires. Everyday hundreds of others serve us and we only pause to complain to the one of 100 who did not perform up to our standard.

Have you said thank you lately to the fire fighter, law enforcement officer, store clerk, teacher, doctor, pastor, or the service person? Even more importantly what about the friend who is always there, that special grandparent, your brother or sister, your mom or dad, your mate, or even your children? Why are we so ungrateful to those who love us the most and are closest to us?

In a world bent on satisfying ÔÇ£selfÔÇØ with power, pleasure, and possessions the gracious thankful person with a smiling face and positive words is a rarity. America is one of the greatest nations on this earth, but even on Thanksgiving Day few will even pause between the turkeys and T.V. to offer a word of thanks to their creator. Billy Graham says, ÔÇ£Thanksgiving is a part of the intimate relationship that exists between us and God. Yet there are thousands today who are not thankful. We arenÔÇÖt thankful as individuals nor are we thankful as a nation.ÔÇØ

Robert Woods quoted in Forbes Magazine says, ÔÇ£We donÔÇÖt thank God enough for much that He has given us. Our prayers are too often the beggarÔÇÖs prayer, the prayer that asks for something. We offer too few prayers of thanksgiving and praise.ÔÇØ Just because most people we meet will be ungrateful does not mean that we should return in kind. ÔÇ£It is anotherÔÇÖs fault if he be ungrateful; but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful man, I will oblige many that are not so. I had rather never receive a kindness than never bestow one. Not to return a benefit is a great sin; but not to confer one is a greater.ÔÇØ ÔÇô Seneca

More than one hundred thirty times in the Bible we are called upon to give thanks to God. In the Psalms alone we are reminded of it thirty times. ÔÇ£Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.ÔÇØ (1) ÔÇ£It is good to give thanks to the LordÔÇØ (2) My favorite is in the New Testament when we are instructed to ÔÇ£thank God no matter what happensÔÇØ (3).

As we enter this holiday season may we form a life-long habit to be thankful to our family, friends, and everyone that we encounter. And let us all be thankful to God. He has given us all things. And remember, spiritually speaking, we are all born with an incurable disease, yet He has freely offered the cure.

May we all learn to be ThankfulÔÇôeven in the difficult times.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

May this day we all remember that God owns it all, and we are His steward, We should be Thankful for Everything, and I am thankful for You. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[04ctd]

Such a Time as This


"On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall." - Esther 5:1a

Esther was a woman who lived for a cause greater than herself. God used this woman to save the entire Jewish people from extermination. However, before God could use her, she had to come to a place of death in herself. It was not an easy decision. Her uncle Mordecai was the instrument God used to challenge her to measure up to the task.

Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13b-14)

Mordecai was telling it straight. For her to speak up meant great risks if the king did not receive her. It was automatic death if the king did not extend his scepter, which meant acceptance of her approach to the throne.

It was also a time to realize that God may have brought her to this place and time for this specific purpose. However, if she did not respond in faith, God would use another instrument to deliver the people. What would she do?

Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).

On the third day of the fast she came and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. She was like Jesus who stood in the inner court of Heaven on that third, resurrection day. She gave up her life, but God raised it up on that day and delivered an entire people from destruction because of one woman's willingness to give up her life for a greater cause. God has called each of us to a purpose greater than ourselves. Know that it will require death before life can be given to this purpose. It must be His life that lives, not ours.

[04ctd]

Stephen: A Marketplace Minister


"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people (Acts 6:8-9).

In the beginnings of the early church, the disciples were seeing God move in mighty ways. The disciples found themselves preaching the word of God all over the region. However, there became practical needs that arose among the people that the disciples were tending to. However, due to their preaching, these needs were not being met adequately. One of these needs involved food distribution to widows. There became an issue as to whether the needs of all the widows were being cared for. This brought pressure upon the disciples who felt their primary focus must be to preach the gospel. They now realized they could not do both adequately. This led them to appoint seven men whose lives qualified for service as leaders to serve these needs.

The first man named to fill this responsibility was Stephen, described as a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost; with a strong faith in Christ. He was full of courage, gifts and graces. He was an extraordinary man, and excelled in every thing that was good; his name signified a crown.

This was a time when the church began mobilizing other marketplace believers for ministry in the community. Stephen was the first chosen and interestingly, became the first martyred believer. One of the most interesting things one can notice when the disciples took this action is described in these passages. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). It is as though the Lord took the cap off and everything started happening. Even a large number of priests came into the faith.

Take an inventory of your life today and determine if someone could describe your life as a person "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power, and one who does great wonders and miraculous things." If not, begin asking God today to accomplish this in your life

[04ctd]

New Things


"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14

Our past can be a hindrance or a help in moving toward God's purposes for each of us. For some, the past has meant pain and heartache, and grace is required so that we do not let our past dictate our responses to the future. If we allow our past to make us a victim, then we have not entered into the grace that God has for us. If we live on memories of past successes and fail to raise our vision for new things, we again are victims of our past.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:19). Our past should only be viewed for what we can learn from it. We must move forward and avoid viewing the negative or the positive for more than what we can learn. Many have allowed their past to dictate their future. God is always about doing new things in our lives. He gives fresh revelation of His purposes in our lives. Do not live in the past. Do not hold onto bitterness that may hinder God from doing new and exciting things in your life. He turns our wastelands into streams of water to give life, not death.

How have you viewed your past? Has it hindered you in some areas of your life? Have you relied on past successes to dictate what you will do in the future? Put aside such thoughts and allow God to do a new thing in your life. Ask Him to help you see the new things He wants to do in and through you today.

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave"

[04ctd]

A Call to Worship

...but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage. - Exodus 6:9

It is very difficult to lead when those you are leading believe they have been mistreated and have lost all hope. Such was the case when God called Moses to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. They had lived under many years of oppression and slavery. Yet God heard their cry. He sent someone to bring them out of slavery "so that they might worship God" (see Exodus 8:1); Interesting that God didn't say, "To serve Him." Above all else, God desires our worship. A person cannot enter into true worship of God while still in slavery and bondage.


In Proverbs, the writer tells us "hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverb 13:12a). There is a place in life where life becomes so discouraging and hopeless that we lose all hope, and it can actually make us sick. I have been at this place; it is a scary condition. It brings you to the edge of despair.

The people would not listen to Moses. Yet God did not deliver immediately. In fact, it would be many plagues later before ultimate deliverance would take place. Why does God withhold deliverance at times? It is in order to bring greater glory from the situation. It isn't because He doesn't care. It is because His plan for mankind is resting in these events. It is a finely tuned plan that involves many people and situations - all operating at the same time. It can seem cruel at times. But God knows that His children cannot worship Him if they are in bondage and lose all hope. He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, so He has a plan of deliverance for each of us. This plan is not always the kind of deliverance we might think is best. It sometimes has pain surrounding the deliverance. When a mother gives birth, that child is delivered into this world through much pain.

But with that pain comes great joy on the other side. Every mother will say the pain was worth it because of the exceeding joy that child brought in the midst of the pain.

What are you in bondage to today? What keeps you from entering true worship? Work can keep us in bondage if we fail to enter into freedom in Christ during our workday. Today, ask God to show you the areas of bondage that you are living in so that you may worship Him.

[04ctd]

IDK about you guys, but in all my reading & daily devotions, Glenn is the only guy to focus on work, business, and how you conduct yourself at work.

a buddy and I were discussing something similar to this lesson, a mutual friend wants us to recommend him for a job, and we are both like..... "nah, I'm good...." because some stories of what he did at his last job.

the below is basically saying, if you lie steal & cheat, God can't expand your business, because everyone who REALLY knows you will wonder how you call on God in one breath, then cheat someone in the next?

and if you think about it, CHP is the same way, we all know "of" each other, and usually, if you meet someone in town, they know "of" someone you know, and they dang sure know if that person is a cheat or a liar.

how many of you guys have had to go back a long time in to the past & make amends?

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The Causes of Failure


"You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it." Joshua 7:13b

The first battle for the people of Israel traveling from Egypt was at Jericho, once they crossed the Jordan River. God had given them a great victory at Jericho, and Joshua was now ready to move to their next battle at Ai. After they spied out the enemy camp, they determined they needed only a few thousand men to gain victory.

They went up against Ai only to fail miserably. They lost 32 men in a battle that should have been an easy victory, but instead they were forced to retreat. Joshua was devastated. "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Josh. 7:7a)

In this case, the people fell short because they failed to uphold the standard God had set for them. God had told them not to take any plunder from their first battle. However, Achan hid some forbidden treasures, and God was now judging the entire nation for one man's sin.

Whenever we act without God's complete blessing on our activity, we can expect God to thwart our plans. God's word to Joshua was that he could not stand against his enemies as long as there was disobedience among his troops.

Whenever we launch a business endeavor, we should make sure there are no unclean things in our dealings that would allow us to be vulnerable to a failed effort: unpaid vendors, disgruntled employees who were not treated fairly, lawsuits, dishonesty. Many of these things can hinder God from blessing our enterprises. These things can remove the shield of protection from our workplace, which God wants to bless, but cannot because He is committed to upholding righteousness. His name is blemished when unrighteousness is allowed to permeate our lives.

Is the Lord able to bless your enterprises today? If not, you may need to go back and clean up a few things before He can do so. Take whatever steps are needed to ensure the blessing of God today

[04ctd]

Trusting in the Lord

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3: 5
Today people are trusting in everything but the Lord. They are placing their trust in their money, 401k, Stocks and bonds, in property. They are placing trust in people and even their own abilities. It is for this reason that so many people have lost hope and are at rocks bottom. The fact of the matter is this, there is nothing else that one can place their trust in EXCEPT Jesus! We have no control over the matters of our future, nor our present. People have placed false hopes in Government, only to come up discouraged. If people by faith, will place their trust in the Lord, they will come to find out that Jesus is the only one that we can have faith in that HE WILL COME THROUGH FOR US!

If we are going to Trust in the Lord, we must do it with ALL our heart, not leaning to our understanding, because in Isaiah 55:8-9 the Word of God tells us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

The only way is by faith, without faith no man can please God. It is by Faith in believing in the Lord for guidance and help that we are given all things. It may not have made sense to the other disciples for Peter to get out of the Boat, but to the World, trusting in the Lord goes beyond all understanding.
Try it, and you too can walk on Water!

[04ctd]

Having a Great Number Two Man


"Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent" (Exodus 33:11).

An organization cannot grow without a trusted and skilled second in command or "number two" man or woman. Joshua was Moses' "number two" man. He could trust him explicitly in all matters. He came to Moses as a young man and demonstrated his devotion to Moses early. A situation arose in the camp in which Joshua felt others were seeking to usurp Moses' leadership.

"Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!" But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp (Num 11:28-30).

His loyalty is an example of what is required of a "number two" man. Joshua never sought to elevate himself. He served Moses until the day came when God promoted him to be the leader. He was a model of servant-hood.

When a friendÔÇÖs ministry began to expand, God sent him a great "number two" man. He was living in Florida with his wife and their three small children. He learned of their need through their prayer letter. God spoke to him and his wife before they ever talked. They could not pay him what he was worth. He came by faith. God honored his faith and has enabled their work to grow and allow him to be away from the office to minister around the world.


Do you need a "number two" man? Ask God to bring him or her to you.

[04ctd]

From Adversity to Destiny

"The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position" (James 1:9).

Most of us avoid pain. We keep our medicine cabinets loaded with pain relievers. We couldn't imagine major surgery without an anesthetic. We are so averse to pain that we think God must desire that we will experience pain-free lives. After all, a loving God surely wouldn't want us to suffer pain, would He? Although God takes no pleasure in our pain, we have to acknowledge that He sometimes allows painful circumstances to occur in our lives in order to shape us and make us more like Christ. Sometimes our times of despair turn out to be a much needed light into our soul.

I once came across the following poem written by an anonymous Confederate soldier, a devout young man who fought in the American Civil War. The lines of this poem express the soul of a man who has learned to view his times of adversity from a different perspective:

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.*

Do we trust God to lead us even though we can't see the pathway in front of us? Do we trust Him to be all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful? Do we believe He does all things well? As Paul wrote, "Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). That's why God leads us through the dark places.

Only in the darkness do we learn to walk by faith

*"Prayer of an Unknown Soldier," quoted in Austin Pryor, "Trusting God to Answer Our Prayers," Crosswalk.com. http://www.crosswalk.com/family/finances/1386973.html (accessed April 24

[04ctd]

how often do you guys share your faith (evangelize)?
I used to all the time, but I have not really lately.


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Sharing Your Faith with Others


"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 6-7).

There is a strong correlation between those who publicly share their faith with others and an increase in spiritual growth for that individual. In my own journey I've discovered that when I stop sharing my faith with non-believers I begin to see dryness in my walk with God.

Sometimes we justify our lack of verbal witness by saying we don't have the spiritual gift of evangelism. Or we conclude that because we have an introvert personality we leave witnessing to others who we deem as more qualified. As a well-qualified introvert myself, I've often wanted to use that excuse. Then, the Holy Spirit reminds me of a few instructions Jesus said to EVERYONE:

"But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:33). "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15-16). There is not much confusion about what Jesus is saying in these verses. And it relates to all of us.

When we share Christ with others God allows us to gain a deeper and greater understanding of every good thing in Christ. Do you see the direct correlation between sharing your faith and your own spiritual growth? Paul says it's actually a prerequisite to spiritual growth.

One of the great ways to turn a conversation to faith is by asking someone if there is anything you can pray for them about. You will be surprised how easily this will transition you into a conversation about their faith lives.

Ask God for boldness today to offer to pray for someone.

[04ctd]

Completing the Work


"I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do" (John 17:4).

Have you ever had a big project to do and felt great when you'd finished the job and it was a big success? The Lord has revealed to us that the number one thing we are to do is love the Lord our God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. His desire is for us to know Him and the power of His resurrection. These mandates deal with our relationship with Him. The fruit of this relationship must then result in our glorifying Him by completing the work He has given each of us to do. It will become a by-product of this relationship, not an end in itself.

What is the work God has called you to do? Jesus never did anything the Father had not instructed Him to do. He lived in such communion with the Father that He knew when to turn left and when to turn to the right. Is it possible to have such a relationship with our heavenly Father? I think that if it weren't, He would not have given us such an example.

"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3). What has He called you to do? Perhaps you are called to be the best lawyer in your city or the best advertising executive or the best office worker or assembly line person in your company. Whatever work He has called you to, He will use you as His instrument to accomplish something that He has uniquely prepared you to do.

When our life is complete, what a glorious day it will be if we can each say, "I have completed the work You gave me to do." This will have brought great glory to Him.

[04ctd]

No More Reproach

..."Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you".... - Joshua 5:9

Joshua and the people had just crossed the Jordan River. They were camped at Gilgal. But before they could proceed they were required to circumcise all the males, because a whole new generation had grown up while living in the desert. This is where Israel, like a worm in a cocoon, was transformed.

Circumcision is bloody, personal, and it exposes all that you are. God was saying that before you can become His army, you must roll away the reproach of the Egyptian way of life. You are no longer a slave to the ways of Egypt. It is a time to put aside the old way of life. Many are walking around as goats in sheep's clothes, practicing a form of religion without the true source of truth and power.

Sin in our midst testifies against us. It keeps us in Egypt and never allows us to enter the Promised Land. Our lives must be circumcised in order for us to come out of Egypt into our own Promised Land of spiritual blessing with God.
This transformation marks the first time Israel begins to taste the fruit of the Promised Land. No more manna from Heaven. The manna stopped the day after they were circumcised. There was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate produce from Canaan.

God is turning our plowshares into weapons of love to usher in a new generation of workplace warriors. But we will not be effective if we have the reproach of sin in our lives. Ask God to show you what needs to be confessed this day so that no reproach exists. The cross of Jesus takes away all reproaches. Enter the Promised Land with power.

[04ctd]

May It Be


"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her (Luke 1:38).

Have you ever had a boss come to you and give you an assignment which had rules never before used? Not only were the rules different, he was asking you to agree to them not knowing the outcome or impact it would have on your life. That must have been the way Mary, the mother of Jesus felt.

God was about to do something so extraordinary that it required a face to face meeting with the subject, Mary, and His key angel, Gabriel. What God was about to do was so foreign that it needed detailed explanation.

Mary had been handpicked to give birth to the Christ-child. Can you imagine!? However, in order to do so she was going to be pregnant while yet unmarried, something totally taboo in her culture. In fact, women were stoned to death if found to be fornicators. So, when Mary heard the assignment and responded by saying, "May it be," this tells us what a courageous woman of faith she must have been.

She did not understand the implications of what she was about to do. However, she placed her total trust in God and knew that if God chose her for such an assignment, she could trust the outcome to Him. She would even have to trust the explanation to Joseph, who was not going to understand. In fact, when he discovered Mary was pregnant, he immediately considered divorce proceedings.

However, when God saw Joseph's response, He sent an angel to explain the situation through a dream. I am sure the time between her telling him and his dream must have been difficult to explain. She did not know God was going to solve the problem. This is another example of her faith and courage. I would imagine most women might have responded to the angel like this, "I won't do it unless you tell my husband!"

Do you have an assignment from God that seems impossible on the front end? Is God calling you to trust Him for the outcome? Take a lesson from Mary and release the outcome to God

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WHO or WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST?

Luke 14: 26 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."

Ask yourself, "How much do I love the Lord?" The above verse will have some totally confused when they read this verse. They will not understand the Word of GOD saying that anyone should hate their parents or their children, brothers or sister, even our own selves.

The word "hate" here does not instruct anyone to dislike someone with a spirit of hatred, but what Jesus was saying here is that a Born Again Child of God should love the Lord more than anything else in their life,

YES, including their father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, and yes, children and grandchildren. Many say, "I love the Lord," but their actions does not show it. Jesus said in this verse that if we don't love him more than any other thing we have, then we cannot be his disciple. WHO or WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST?

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ÔÇ£WATCHÔÇØ

Matthew 25: 13ÔÇØWatch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
One of the greatest events is about to happen! In the History of the World, there have been HUGE events that has ROCKED the whole Earth, affected ever person on earth. Well, another event is about to happen, the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH! This event will affect every life on Earth, no matter where people are. Christians will suddenly be missing and it will cause a great ALARM around the world. Question is, are you ready? Have you been Born Again? The first word in the devotion verse is "WATCH." This word conveys the thought of being ready for something to happen. It conveys the thought that those that are Born Again should be living a life of preparation and looking forward to THAT DAY. My prayer is that we will heed the warning from the Word of GOD to get ready, the Bridegroom is coming!

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How God Makes Fishermen


"Come, follow Me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." - Matthew 4:19

Our calling has three distinct stages, which we can see in the lives of many called before us, to become mature fishers of men who greatly impact God's Kingdom. First, there is the gestation period. This is the development stage of our lives.

It may involve years of normal work experiences. You may be a Christian during this time, or you may be following after worldly success as a non-Christian. Paul spent years in religious and political training, persecuting believers most of his early life. Moses spent years in the court of Pharaoh and 40 years tending flocks in the desert. Jesus spent 33 years living at home and working in His father's carpentry business. However, all these years were part of their preparation.

Next is the crisis stage. Sooner or later, God calls you into relationship with Him. For many, like Paul, it comes through dramatic encounters like being knocked off a horse, blinded and spoken to personally by God. Some people are more difficult than others to reach and so require this level of crisis. This is a time when God requires major changes so that you follow Him fully. It can be a time in which God harnesses years of experience for a new life purpose.

Paul's earthly experiences would be used in his calling to the religious and political leaders of his day. For Moses, the burning bush experience would begin his journey in which he would discover his ultimate calling after years of preparation.

For Peter, it was his denial of Jesus three times that allowed him to face his shallow commitment to Christ.

For Jesus, it was the cross. These were the benchmark turning points for men who made an impact on their world.

Last is the fruit-bearing stage. In it, God's power is manifested in your life like never before. God takes all your experiences and uses them to build His Kingdom in and through your life. Your obedience to this final call results in fruitfulness you could never imagine without the long preparation process. For Abraham, it resulted in becoming the father of many nations. For Paul, it resulted in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. And for Peter, it meant becoming a foundational leader for the early Christian Church. For Jesus, it was salvation for the entire world.

What does God want to achieve through your life? God has a plan that is so incredible you cannot comprehend it. It requires only that you love Him and follow Him. Then you will become fishers of men like the world has never known.