Depend on it: God keeps His Word Romans 3:4

Paul writes: "What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way unto them were committed the oracles of God?" (Romans 3:1-2). God has spoken certain things concerning you. Those things are His will and His purpose for your life. Your job is to recognize them, believe them, carry them within you and speak them often, because they give you a tremendous advantage. Then Paul adds: "For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid?" (Romans 3:3-4). Get over the idea that the majority have to agree with you or believe what God said about you. Your dream must be independent of outside support. This is a difficult concept, especially in a democracy where others vote and the majority rule. The kingdom of God is a theocracy where only one vote counts: God's! Refuse to put your dream on hold, waiting for everybody to get on the same page with you. Not only do they not have to support you, they do not even have to believe what God has told you. You cannot wait until others become comfortable with your dream before you pursue it. They can misunderstand you, talk about you, laugh at you, spit on you, ostracize you, alienate you, not invite you over, refuse to support you, and you can still get there without them! Why? Because your God is a covenant making, covenant keeping God, and what He has spoken over your life He will surely bring to pass: "Depend on it: God keeps His word" (Romans 3:4).

It is God which worketh in you Philippians 2:13

If God is the source of your dream, He will also become the resource for it. Do not try to 'get in' with certain people thinking they will open the right door for you, only to become resentful when it does not happen and develop a 'You owe me' complex. Look here: "These are the words of Him Who holds the key: What He opens no one can shut!" (Revelation 3:7). God holds the key to your future, not others! Once you understand that, God will challenge you to look within yourself. Why? Because you always have enough to create what you need! You may not recognize it yet, but it is there just waiting to be tapped. Stop saying, 'I don't have what it takes.' God has given you everything you need to get you where you ought to be! Start looking in the mirror! Go ahead, hug yourself and announce, 'I'm full of untapped potential.' Until you pull out what God has placed within you, you will live like a spectator envying the success of others. It is not who has the most who wins, but who knows how to use it. With all due respect to some of the world's greatest singers, there are folk washing dishes who could sing them under the table. The 'biggies' only got big by identifying what they had, and making the most of it! So get rid of your false piety. Stop talking about what you do not have and begin using what you do. Look here: "It is God Which worketh in you..." Today pull out the 'God element' that is within you, and put it to work!

Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing Luke 5:5

Things were not going well for the disciples. What worked before, was not working now. Check this out: "...we have toiled all night and caught nothing..." Does that describe you? 'Lord, I tried so hard but look at my situation, my finances, my career. I've been mistreated and overlooked. Perhaps they're right about me; maybe I'm not supposed to be blessed.' Notice: Peter, John, and James were washing their nets; that is the last thing fishermen do before they give up and head for home. They saw no point in trying again. The Lord often waits until we have been humbled by defeat, then He steps in with a life-changing word. At first it is a word that is hard to accept, because we are dealing with the spirit of failure. We become defensive and think, 'You don't know what I've been through.' When God speaks, it is your "make-or-break" moment. If you go with your feelings you will miss what He has got, but if you go with your faith, the place of your greatest failure can become the place of your greatest success. Fortunately, Peter decided to respond in faith. Check this out: "...nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5). That changed everything! Today you may be hurting, or doubting, or afraid, but if you will only look to Jesus and say "Nevertheless at thy word I will", He will turn things around for you. That morning the disciples caught more fish than they ever had before. The truth is, the blessing God has in store for you is greater than anything you can imagine.

Master because You say so, I will Luke 5:5

When your back is to the wall and you feel like you are out of options, always keep these two things in mind: 1) It is okay to tell God how you feel! Check this out: "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything" (Luke 5:5). Our greatest discoveries about God generally take place when we have reached the end of our rope. Jesus could have shown up the night before and prevented their disappointment, but He usually shows up just when we need Him most and when we are ready to learn! Jesus had bigger things in mind. After the miraculous catch we read, "They left everything and followed Him" (Luke 5:11). 2) The word 'Master' changes everything! How was such a miracle catch possible? Because Peter spoke a word that changed everything - Master! It is an expression of worship. It is also an acknowledgement that He is in control of every circumstance you are facing today. The student has tried and failed, now he invites the Master into the situation. Master over weakness. Master over fear. Master over lack. Go ahead and say it - 'Master, take control of things; or better still, take control of me'. Notice what happened next: "...they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat and they came and filled both boats" (Luke 5:6-7). On the other side of your decision to obey and make Jesus Lord, waits a blessing so great it will also touch those around you.

I saw the holy city...like a beautiful bride...The One on the throne said: I am making all things new! Revelation 21:2

The Book of Revelation is like God's Book of Homecoming. There John paints a detailed picture of what heaven will be like. He says, "I saw the Holy City...like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband; there will be no more death, sorrow, crying pain; the old world and its evils are gone. The One on the throne said: "I am making all things new!" A bride represents the purest beauty the world has to offer; she embodies love, faithfulness, hope for a new beginning. The world we live in is a far cry from that! Daily we are bombarded with news of corporate scams, tragedy, terrorism, abuse, and fear. That is why some of the most hopeful words in Scripture are found in God's promise, "I am making all things new". God does not just camouflage the old, He remakes it. He does not just reform, He renews. He pulls out the blueprints and rebuilds the house to the original specifications. What would you give up to have a home like that? Is it not worth sacrificing all the lesser things you prize and cling to? Today you can be assured of a home in heaven by accepting Christ as your Savior, and having your name "written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Revelation 21:27). How about it? Are you ready for Homecoming? If not, you can be today!

Live one day at a time Matthew 6:34

There are two thieves that will always steal your peace: yesterday and tomorrow. Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34). Why? Because He knew you would have enough to handle today! God will not give you grace for tomorrow until tomorrow comes. Do you ever have an attack of the "what ifs? What if the stock market does not bounce back? What if the medicine does not work? What if? What if? What if? Look out, you are about to be dragged off into worry. The other area in which we get into trouble, is living in the regrets of yesterday. Everybody makes mistakes; even those we think are so great and never make mistakes. Check this out: "Every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:5). We each have our own little load of oppressive faults and struggles. We all say and do things we wish we had not said or done. 'So what can I do?' you ask. Trust God to make it all work out right. He is able. He can help us clean up our mistakes. When you say something you should not, instead of worrying about whether or not you offended someone, ask the Lord to let them know your heart was right, even though you put your foot in your mouth. Trust God to work on them and to give you favor. That way you do not have to spend the next several days worrying, or cringe when you meet them. God is not the great I was, or the great I will be. GOD IS THE GREAT I AM! So live in today and enjoy His goodness.

Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land Numbers 14:24

Caleb had 'a different spirit,' one that dared to defy the enemy and say: "We will swallow you up; you are just bread for us" (Numbers 14:9). Instead of intimidating you, the enemy's threats should nourish you and make you say, 'Bring it on: when the dust settles I'm coming out of this stronger than I was when I went in.' Have you ever seen jet fighters being refueled in mid-flight? Our God does that too! Just when you are thinking, 'I don't know how much longer I can take this, the Holy Spirit comes beside you, hooks you up, refills you and makes you an even bigger threat to the enemy. It is time you understood how much the enemy fears you, and stop backing down, hiding, or trying to negotiate a truce with him. Before Joshua's armies conquered Jericho, Rahab told his spies, "We have heard how the Lord turned the Red Sea into a red carpet and drowned the entire Egyptian army before your eyes" (Joshua 2:10). Your reputation precedes you! The enemy knows you are marked for blessing. He fears your every move. That is what the battle is all about! Just keep fighting. When God is on your side, obstacles become growth opportunities! Look here: (a) "God will soon crush satan under your feet" (Romans 16:20) (b) "I give you power over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19) (c) "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1st John 4:4). And there are a whole lot more promises where those came from!

The Lord is with us: Fear them not Numbers 14:9

Modern Israel is still fighting over the place God gave them four thousand years ago - a place of permanent provision, of covenant blessings, of such influence that they stay on the front page of every newspaper. Also, what was a physical place in the Old Testament is now a spiritual place where every redeemed child of God has been called to dwell. But it is still a fight! 'The devil isn't bothering me,' you say. Maybe that is because you are no threat to him!

The moment you get serious about God, you are in for a fight! Did you think the devil was going to send you a congratulatory message? No. But look here: "As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying and yet we live on; beaten and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything" (2nd Corinthians 6:4-10). Go back and re-read those words several times. Why? Because they are basic requirements for every citizen who wants to enjoy the benefits of God's kingdom.