Blog Articles (Page 17)

Christ gives us sufficient warning in the Scriptures of the coming age of deception. He says in Matthew 24:4-5, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” This post won’t be an effort to prove that we are in a time of deception; that subject can be treated at a later time. However, suffice it to say that we live in a time of confusion and…

God offers us the Spirit of God offers us the Spirit of Joy. It’s one of the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Joy, I believe, goes beyond circumstances or feelings. It’s all about perspective. I am not saying circumstances or feelings can’t add to the experience of joy but did you know you…

I’ve failed in many areas in my life: my money, my time with God, being able to maintain a clean house, etc. It’s so easy for us to get hard on ourselves when we don’t live up to the expectations we have set for ourselves. The world tells us that failure is a bad thing, but true success in life comes through failure. The business world does embrace failure, but they always rely on self-will and self-improvement to get out…

“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;’” – Matthew 25:21a [NKJV] As 2021 unfolds, I believe that servants in His church are on the heart of the Father. God’s servant people have always been the force that turns the wheels of the church. I speak of the people who are most deserving of our recognition but seek it the least. They are God’s under-recognized remnant that glorifies the Father by serving His people. They may do…

I just saw this quote on Facebook that says, “A blessing delayed isn’t a blessing denied.” The quote really moved my heart because I have been struggling for months. I have been praying for God to do a miracle in my life, but it hasn’t happened yet. God has shown me throughout this process that His timing will often disappoint our expectations, not to hurt us but to grow us. If God gave me everything I wanted when I wanted…

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” – Jeremiah 29:11 KJV The past few days were some of the most emotional times of my life. I had to say goodbye to a place I called home for 13 months and was forced to move back to North Carolina. It was heartbreaking having to leave Jacksonville even though I had done it…

I’m going through a storm right now, but by God’s grace, I can say I’m coasting through it. By coasting, I mean I’m going through without complaining, without worrying, and without rushing God. I know God’s timing is perfect, and it’s only a matter of time before my breakthrough arrives on my doorstep. I say this to encourage those facing hardships right now that you can have peace during storms. Peace may seem distant when we’re in a crisis, but…

If I asked you to get a piece of paper and something to write with and make a numerical list of all the things you would be willing to die for, what would those be? I have asked this question to some of my friends, and you know what their answers were? They told me genuinely that they would be willing to die for their children, family members, country, and land. I understand because people in the past have been…

One of the biggest benefits we have as Christians is Jesus being our high priest. In the Old Testament, people had to go to an actual priest to forgive sin while watching a Lamb get killed. Jesus did away with that so we can talk to Him directly. “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands…

Human logic is a gift, but it can also be a curse. The Bible tells us to trust God and not lean on our understanding, but too often, we do the exact opposite. Trusting God requires us not to think about “how this will work?” or “when this will happen?” Trusting God says, “Thank you, God, for hearing my prayers. I have this need, but I already know You got it taken care of.” Human reason is good, but when…

A scribe angel in Daniel 12:4 told Prophet Daniel, “But Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal it up so that it will not be understood until the end times, when travel and education shall be vastly increased!” [TLB]. It’s crazy how much travel we do on a mass scale, even in the middle of a pandemic. Travel is a beautiful thing—a way to connect with loved ones and friends and relax and unwind. But I hear people tell me…

Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Have relations with your father’s concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” – 2 Samuel 16:21 NASB Young Absalom did just as he was advised (2 Samuel 16:22). David’s sin with Bathsheba came back to haunt him. We all know the story of David and…

Now, one would ask from the previous post: What would give the mower the certainty needed to ensure he would not stumble or make errors in darkness? The answer is light. The Sun shining would give the mower all he needed to guarantee he didn’t miss a leaf. So in speaking about faith, many have the idea that faith is the opposite of sight because of the declaration that it is “evidenced in things not seen.” However, the contrary is…

Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire. [1 Thessalonians 5:19 GW] William Borden, after he graduated from high school in 1904, was called to be a missionary. At different points in Bordon’s short life, he wrote in the back of his Bible, “No reserves, no retreats, no regrets.” Though he came from a very wealthy family, wealth did not possess him. Early on in his life, a friend expressed that he was throwing his life away by becoming a missionary—he wrote…

I often wonder, when watching sports, what happens when both teams pray to God for victory.  Does the team with the most faith or those closest to God with the least amount of sin in their life have their prayer answered?  It’s also interesting to hear when someone is interviewed after a sports win that they give credit to God, however, do they recognize God as well when they lose? God gives us strength and abilities; in fact, the very…

Now that I’m 25, I want to reflect on the things I learned at age 24. Year 24 was a year of peaks and valleys for me. It started strong in the first few months with receiving my mom’s life insurance check of twelve grand; but as the months progressed, I tried finding ways to advance my poetry career while enjoying the benefits of living on my own in Jacksonville, Florida. Unfortunately, things quickly went south as I bit more…

God is there all the time for you! Just look at the story of Jonah. He disobeyed, but God still took him out of the belly of the fish! You may have been disobedient to God, but if you know Jesus as your savior, He will never leave you. Romans 15:15-17 NIV says, “Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many…

God will never tell us to do something that He won’t prepare us for. God always has a way of teaching us and equipping us in doing whatever He called us to do. “God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT God won’t leave us hanging. He won’t leave us guessing. God will give us tools in how we are able to accomplish what He has called us to accomplish. When God…

I just listened to a great sermon from my pastor yesterday on holiness. The word “holiness” is often misinterpreted as “legalism”, but true holiness is being set apart from the world, and conformed and transformed by God’s Word. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of…