Burdens and afflictions.

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens" (Exodus 1:11 KJV). Young people are hurting themselves, and our eyes are closed to what they are bound up by. They cut themselves, then they wish and talk about freedom, love, and a hope out of the darkness. This spirit of self-mutilation is flooding many young hearts with depression and suicide, and it is taking every ounce of joy from their lives. Where are the parents? What are we trying to do to help the child? The enemy is not taking these souls lightly. He is grabbing a hold of them at a very young age. Sexual perversion is another spirit that is flooding homes. The streets, schools, television, music, and this young generation are lost in it. They are blinded by the images and the lyrics of music. There is so much evil in these last days, and it is so obvious what the devil is doing. We cannot afford to sit back and do nothing. Souls are being haunted, tormented, and chained up. When Pharaoh saw the multitude of Israel multiply, fear filled his heart. He had to do something to control them. Therefore, he set taskmasters over them that would afflict them with burdens. Pharaoh set out to destroy God's people. To be sure his plans worked, he took God out of everything. Today, we live among a society that is removing truth, honesty, purity, holiness, and love from the public. They are trying to take God, our Lord, out of just about everything. The devil's taskmasters are taking over. Children of God, keep fighting the good fight of faith, stand on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and do not be moved. Be cautious and watchful. God bless you. Amen

Stand still

"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever" (Exodus 14:13 KJV). The children of Israel looked ahead of them and saw a great body of water, and behind them they saw a cloud of dust from an enemy that was coming towards them. Satan doesn't easily give up his attempts to hold believers in bondage. He will continually try to weaken and break our faith. The children of Israel cried out in the wilderness in unbelief. Fear entangled the children of God as the army of Pharaoh marched closer. At this time, complaining becomes a common thing among the believer's heart. So many times we find ourselves speaking negatively and doubting God's great work when the enemy is breathing down our necks. Most Christians today compromise with the world and stay in slavery. They do not understand deliverance because they're looking for it in the wrong way. The children of Israel cried out to Moses saying, "Why would you bring us to die in the wilderness? Were there no graves in Egypt?" If unbelief and doubt has a hold of one's heart, then the wilderness will become their grave. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord today. The only fight we are engaged in is to fight the good fight of faith. God bless you. Amen

So He led them.

"He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy" (Psalms 106:9, 10 KJV). God never forgets His children. The Lord is always looking to give the very best to His children. He is always near to feed them, to guide them, and to shepherd them into eternal life. God promises that He will do mighty things for His children, for those who seek His face and are on their knees calling out to the One True God with hope and faith. It's not up to the pastor nor the preacher to continually feed us and lead us, but it is up to us to feed ourselves. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made the way, and it is so visible to the true believer. He has made a way by giving us the Holy Spirit to help us, to feed us constantly, and to keep us in tune with God the Father. Stop promising God promises that you continually break. Stop holding on to your own strength and will. God hasn't forgotten His children, and He is going to open up your own sea supernaturally. Just as He took the children of Israel through the Red Sea, He will also lead us away from all besetting sin and from all of the devil's opposition. God bless you. Amen

He shall feed his flock.

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" (Isaiah 40:11 KJV). There is only one way out of the spiritual drought that is upon the world in many places today. A soul must thirst for the righteousness of Christ Jesus in this late hour and be willing to do what it takes to serve Christ with all of their hearts. Sons and daughters are being led astray by the enemy day and night, and we are powerless to the enemy without the Spirit of God. Only God's spirit can stop him. When is it enough? Are you tired of fighting your own battle yet? God allowed the children of Israel to do as they pleased. They worshiped idols on every high hill, bragged about their riches, and did as their hearts desired. Yet, there were some people that were looking for the Word of God. They were searching everywhere for the Truth. When one is so thirsty for the righteousness of Jesus Christ, they will wait and seek, no matter how long it takes. Amos warned the people that God was going to bring a famine upon the land, and it would not be a famine of bread or water but of the Word of God. Today, we have Bible Book Stores that are filled with all kinds of helpful books, videos, and CDs. We attend conference after conference, yet we're in a spiritual famine. It takes a hunger and thirst to grow in Jesus and a people that will cooperate with the Holy Spirit. God bless you. Amen

Behold.

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of The Lord" (Amos 8:11 KJV). A spiritual famine is upon the land. I see people more aroused by materialistic things and greedy for the dollar bill than hungry for Christ Jesus. Spiritual idolatry is moving across our nations, and it is grabbing a hold of the young generation. It's grabbing them and leading them into selfishness, self gratification, and greed. So many people are lost in the things of this world, whether it be through material things, sexual things, or drugs. So many people are lost, and the church is sitting back in the pews pleasing themselves with a 30 minute watered-down message. Where are the men of God, the prophets , and the spirit filled believers? Our land is filled with immorality. Pornography is found in just about every store! Is there no hope? Teenagers live a life of confusion and bitter darkness. They are being tricked by the deceiver, lead astray by the devil's helpers, and bound up in darkness. Do we not see this? Where is God's remnant? Is there still a people that wait upon God? Are we thirsty? Do we hunger for God's righteousness and peace? Or are we content with the way life looks around us as we leave the church building? Spiritual famine is upon the land. God bless you. Amen

I will wait for God.

"Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me" (Micah 7:7 KJV). In the days of the prophets of the Lord, God used mighty men of God to get the attention of His children. Time and time again, God would speak through these great men and women to His children. He was trying to get them back on the right path, the light. The prophet Micah spoke against the sin of Israel and Judah. There was so much darkness and idolatry in the land that God brought a famine, not only a physical one but also a spiritual one. Evil had spread and the princes and judges took bribes to fill their desires of corruption. Friends were not to be trusted. Selfishness reigned everywhere in the land, and it began to sink spiritually within itself. Sons dishonored their fathers and daughters rose up against their mothers. The enemy lived within their own households. However, there was a remnant of a God-fearing and Spirit seeking people who waited on the Lord, the God of their salvation. Those days were no different than the days we live in. Our nations are being led by corruption, and selfishness is the leader of it all. Let's not look upon all the corruption because it only brings discouragement. Let us keep our eyes upon the Lord, for He is our Light when darkness comes. He is there to help us up when we fall. Seek His face, and He will bring you forth into the light. God bless you. Amen

Strengthen me.

"And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes" (Judges 16:28 KJV). Remember me, I pray you! Have you ever been in the place where you needed help immediately and the only people that surrounded you were the ones that got you to that place? Samson was a great anointed man of God. Yes, he had some issues, just like most of us, but the moment that he realized he needed God, he cried out. He knew there was no other way out of this life of chains and shackles. He was without strength, so he cried out to God. Sampson, the biggest and strongest man, was now powerless, weak, and broken. He was bound with his eyes gouged out. He was hopeless. The enemy was making a sport out of him. They were looking up to their gods and worshiping their gods, whom they believed brought Sampson into captivity under their authority. However, down in that dungeon, a fire began to arise in Sampson once again. His hair started growing back. He started believing as he once had before. A falling believer can come back if they just cry out once more to Jesus Christ. Sampson was not going to allow himself or God Jehovah, whom he served, be shamed. We cannot serve Christ on our own strength. It takes the strength of the Holy Spirit living inside of us to defeat the enemy. Remember me, Oh Lord. God bless you. Amen

Hath no man condemned thee.

"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee" (John 8:10 KJV)? The Pharisees brought Jesus Christ a woman that had been caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees were trying to test Jesus to find wrong in Him and to see what His sentence for the woman would be. However, it all turned upside down for the Pharisees and those who were in the temple court watching. This woman was finally caught in the act of her sin. She was taken to the temple court where many people gathered and socialized. It is possible that the closer the Pharisees brought her to the temple court the louder the people were. This got the people's attention as they called her adulterer, sinner, wicked woman, and some possibly saying to stone her. This lady's life was about to come to an end because of her sin. She had no say in this whatsoever. She was guilty. At this point, she was regretting doing what she had done, and soon her life would be over. I believe we can all relate to what she was going through. She stood in the center of the temple court lifeless. Just as Jesus Christ is always and will always be there for everyone of us, He made it clear that all are guilty of sin without Him. Jesus showed her God's grace and mercy upon the sinner, and He gave us all a look into His finished work at the Cross. There is freedom in Christ Jesus and the Cross. God bless you. Amen

He counted me faithful.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:12-14 KJV). Saul, soon to be Paul, was a man that did not know Christ Jesus. He was just like the rest of us who once walked in ignorance, lost and blinded by his own self righteousness. However, God had a plan for Paul, and it was not a little plan but one of the greatest plans God has ever given to man. The Apostle Paul was on his way to bring the whole world the greatest message it ever heard. This message was the message of Christ and the cross. God gave Paul one of the greatest revelations of the New Covenant, which is still saving men and women today. God opened Paul's heart and eyes and spoke to him through the Holy Spirit to write down these great life giving words. The Holy Spirit showed him the grace of God and Christ Jesus' unfailing love towards all humanity. We might be a little bent up by sin or bound by a whole lot, but the grace of God and the message of what Jesus did at Calvary is just as powerful today as it was when the Apostle Paul brought it forth 2,000 years ago. It's for the lost sinner and the spiritual dying, those who are hung up by the temptations of the world. It's for us all. Open up your heart to the Lord and allow Him to be the King that He is. God bless you. Amen

Thy sins are forgiven.

"And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:48 KJV). A beautiful place to be is at the feet Jesus. It's beautiful to be able to bring all that unnecessary weight we carry all day long, or maybe even for years, and pour it out upon the feet of Jesus through our tears. Just like the young woman who went into the house of the Pharisees and began to wash Jesus' feet with her tears. She knew that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Nothing was about to stop her from receiving her forgiveness, even if she had to go to the house of the Pharisees. She might've been a notorious sinner, as the Amplified Bible states, "a social outcast, devoted to sin". However, when one is done with their life being ruled by sin time and time again, they are able to run to the feet of Jesus, to cry out, and to not let the tears stop. She brought an alabaster box with expensive ointment with her. She wiped the tears from Jesus's feet with her hair. She kissed His feet affectionately and began to anoint Christ. The smell of the perfume from that alabaster flask filled the room. What a beautiful sight that must have been! Then Lord said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace". I believe every true believer has been at the feet of Jesus. Maybe you need to get back to realize that He is still around us. God bless you. Amen

Teaching us.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11, 12 KJV). God's grace, His unmerited favor, is upon us. The struggling sinner has a place of refuge under the hands of the Lord. There is a place where we can run to when trials and temptations grab a hold of us. It is a place where the lost and lonely sinner can find their way home to everlasting life. This place is a powerful place. It is a place where we can allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify our hearts, souls, and minds. God freely gives all humanity an invitation into His grace. It is for everyone. It's for the addict, the murderer, the prostitute, the homosexual, the hurting, the spiritually dying, the fatherless, the backslider, the soul that wants to commit suicide, and those who just want out. Jesus Christ has made a way for all to be free from the evil and perversion of these last days. All we have to do is fall into His arms that are open to all who choose to come. The grace of God teaches everyone who has faith in Jesus how to live a life apart from the evil and the sin that floods the world today. It teaches us how to deny all ungodliness and to live soberly, righteously, and godly. This is the work of God's grace. God bless you all. Amen

Haughty spirit

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18 KJV). Pride is one of the greatest downfalls to believing. Just when we think we have made it by faith, sometimes we begin to look at ourselves and say, "I have been faithful and obedient or I have been serving Christ for many years". Hello! Maybe you haven't missed a day of church for several years. Maybe you get up every morning and pray. This is all great, and keep on doing it! However, beware! For the very second that pride steps in, our attitudes begin to change as if we are holier, more faithful, and a greater prayer warrior than all others. This is very common among believers today and even in the Old Testament. King Uzziah was just sixteen when he began to reign. He sought the Lord during the days of Zechariah, a godly man who had understandings in the visions of God. The Lord prospered Uzziah throughout his reign as king, but after 50 years of his reign as king, he became strong in his heart, which was his destruction. King Uzziah tried to become his own high priest, and leprosy broke forth upon his forehead. Jesus Christ is our High Priest and our Mediator. There's no other! If pride surrounds your heart, don't let it become your destruction, but instead run to the Cross of Calvary and cry out to Jesus, who is in Heaven interceding for you and I at the right hand of God. God bless you. Amen

If ye were of the world.

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19 KJV). Jesus makes it clear that being His disciple wouldn't be easy. People will hate us because they hated Him first. Jesus also mentioned they would persecute us just as they persecuted Him, and let me tell you every second is worth it. The more we put our trust in the Lord, the easier our walk becomes and the more fulfilling it is. Some may say, "it's too hard to be a Christian". It does get a little hard because those whom we once trusted and saw as our friends are now looking at us from a distance as if we were diseased. It's usually the ones that are closer to us that reject us the most. However, when we truly lay ourselves aside and boldly confess Jesus Christ as our High Priest, then we can look upon those who persecute and hate us as souls that only need Christ. They are helpless, just like many of us were at one time. It's easy to become bitter when one is being rejected by another, but it is greater if the rejected learns how to love the rejecter. This can only come to pass when we are not in the way of God's true grace and mercy, which we don't have. It's going to take God's Spirit to love those who persecute and hate us. It's going to take the Holy Spirit living within us. We cannot and do not have what it takes to love someone who rejects us, only Christ can. We have been chosen. God bless you. Amen

The Lord will not.

"For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance" (Psalms 94:14 KJV). Sometimes family can get in the way of our choice to serve the Lord. Sometimes they'll call us names and possibly say, "let's see how long this is gonna work out before they fail". Let me tell you, Jesus is with us all the way, and we will never be forsaken by Him. Families today have many problems, for there are many choices that surround us, and some family members make bad choices. Bad choices usually end up with consequences. Then, we have families that fall into problems, whether it be through alcohol abuse, drug abuse, domestic violence, or breaking the law. At this point, it's so easy for the whole family or house to be bombarded by stress and anger. Everyone will feel the repercussion from the issues at hand, and it will even try to grab a hold of the believer's hearts. It might squeeze out our faith, plant a little bit of doubt, or maybe even put some fear within us. At this point, it may look hopeless to us, but this is the time when the Lord needs us to take action and to find a quiet place to cry out to Him. It may not look okay immediately afterwards, but don't stop crying out. Let me tell you, the Lord is working up something great. Just have faith! Don't let your family's problems become your problems. Their problems can easily attach themselves to us. Let God be God and be our intercessor. Let His will be done. God bless you. Amen

Unrighteousness.

"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God" (Romans 6:13 KJV). There is no way any of us can stop the sin nature on our own. The sin nature has been something that we were all born with, and it wants to be in charge. Many times we find ourselves trying to control it and another times it is uncontrollable. Why do so many christians try to fight the battle with the sin nature on their own, not knowing they are only going to lose? The victory is only found in Jesus Christ. When we don't place our faith every day in what Jesus did at calvary, we will begin to walk in our own strength and desire to place our faith on something other than the cross. However, when Christ was lifted up to heaven, He gave us His Holy Spirit to come and have dominion inside of our lives. This should give the believer hope. The Holy Spirit brings faith, trust, and love. He is our guide to get us on the right track each day. With the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, the sin nature can do nothing but move aside. How beautiful is that? Stop trying to fight a battle you and I cannot win, but fight the good fight of faith in Jesus Christ. God bless you. Amen

Us all.

"All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6 NKJV). There's nothing as precious as our Lord Jesus Christ. He came and died for us. He gave His life so that we could have a new one. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. He surely bore our sorrows, and by His stripes we are healed. Jesus is the life giver, and He gives life to everyone who has simple faith in Him. He has saved us from all sin, corruption, infidelity, and all perversions that are so freely in the world today. However, one can only be free if he or she is sick and tired of sin and is hungry for Christ's freedom. Jesus saw the need, and He understood that we could not, as human beings, survive on our own, as far as living a sin free life. So, God the Father sent His only son to redeem us back to Him, our maker. Along with being redeemed back to the Father by the blood of Jesus, we were given a comforter, the Holy Spirit, to walk with us, to live in us, to convict us, and to lead us back to the mercy seat each and everyday. God the Father sure had a plan, and it was to fulfill both our needs and His own. What a wonderful maker! God bless you . Amen

Greater love.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends" (John 15:13 NKJV). Jesus Christ has made it possible for you and I to have eternal life in heaven. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other way to heaven but through Him. We might hear this a lot, and I know I have spoken about it quite a few times. Jesus Christ and Him crucified is truly the only way to freedom, as we live here upon this earth. Jesus died on the cross, and through His death everyone's sin debt was paid. Total freedom was given to all humanity, and it comes just by having simple faith in Jesus Christ. We can never repay our Lord for what He did at the cross for you and I, but we sure can start by putting faith in Him and becoming a little more faithful. It's going to take more intimacy with Him to grow faithful and to begin a greater relationship. Seek His face every day, and be watchful to not be led astray by seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, that are very visible to the spiritual eye. Run to Jesus Christ, grow in Him, and He will grow within you. God bless you. Amen

The Door.

"Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7 NKJV). There is no other way to heaven but through Jesus Christ. Salvation can be met at the door. Jesus is the door, and there is no other entrance into heaven but through Jesus Christ. Man's psychology and philosophy can never bring a soul to the doorsteps of heaven. It takes faith, trust, and believing in our Lord and Savior. For many years, man has been devising another way to get to heaven other than through the Door, through his psychology and through its' principles, but none of these things brings holiness or true repentance. It's all emptiness, falseness, and a waste of time. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly"(vs10). Be aware for there are many people professing other ways to salvation, but the true source of life and freedom is through Christ Jesus. He is the Door. God bless you. Amen

They cried to You.

"They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed" (Psalms 22:5 NKJV). The cry of freedom is heard in heaven, and it has been heard for many years. God hears the groaning and the sighing of His children. Just like the Lord set the Israelites free thousands of years ago from the bondage of Egypt, He sent His Only Begotten Son to set us free from the bondages, the lusts, and the perversions of this last hour. The Spirit of God came upon this earth to bring freedom to the believer, and not only to the believer but also to those who have been stuck in sin and who want out. It's time we allow the Holy Spirit to move among us, through us, and in us. We must once again allow God's sweet Spirit to move in the church house, just as He once moved 2,000 years ago at Pentecost and many times afterwards. It's time we, as believers, begin to trust in God's promises. We are hopeless and helpless without God's presence living in us. We need to Spirit of Truth to guide us, to lead us, and to continue convicting us. We will not be ashamed. God bless you all. Amen

God heard their groaning.

"And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob" (Exodus 2:24 KJV). The Lord our God is always able to make a way for each and everyone of us. The children of Israel were in slavery for over 400 years, and many, if not most, had forgotten about the covenant God the Father had made with Abraham years ago. God remembered! He heard their cry, saw their pain, and did something about it. Deliverance! He is never late, but always on time. If we continue to cry out, soon enough He will hear our cry, just as He heard Israel in the land of Egypt. God's children were under bondage. They were slaves under hard task masters. We are no different in this world today. Today many are bound by lusts and deceptions, by spiritual powers of darkness, blinded by yesterday's perversions, and held captive by today's chains. God remembers the covenant He made with His Son Jesus Christ. Do we remember what Jesus did at the cross for you and I? "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament" (Hebrews 7:22 KJV). The victory has been won at Calvary. Just believe! God bless you. Amen

Lifetime subject to bondage.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14, 15 KJV). Eighteen years ago I faced the greatest fear of my life. It was unexpected and something that I did not want to face. I wish I had never done what I did or had to be where I was, but unfortunately we cannot turn back time. I had to stand up to the truth, knowing that it was all my fault and that my life was no longer my own, but in hands of men. Great fear and trembling was all over me from the inside to the outside. There was nothing that I could find to stop it. Fear is a powerful presence, one that is not easily shaken off. Fear will keep us from standing in the truth, and it'll lead us in the opposite direction. Fear will keep us all from succeeding in life and hide us inside of our own darkness. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:" Prov. 23:7. Fear is a killer, and it has kept so many people living in defeat, only wishing to be free. That night, eighteen years ago, I cried out for help from inside the jail cell, and no one came except the love of Jesus Christ. He let me know that all would be just fine, and if I trusted in Him then all fear would be gone. It takes the presence of God's Spirit to set a person free from fear and all other bondages. Cry out! God is willing. God bless you. Amen

Everlasting covenant.

"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:40 KJV). Jeremiah says, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me". We cannot work up a holy fear on our own. This holy fear can only be accomplished in us by God's Spirit. If we all had reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord, this world would be a greater place, a place filled with peace and rest. However, our fears are in something else other than the Lord, and that's the problem. We fear more of what man can do to us rather than fearing God and what He can do to us. There are some godly men that have lost the fear of the Lord, and the result is that the church is lukewarm. When there is no fear of God anymore, the allowance of the world begins to control the atmosphere of the church. In other words, men have the fear of losing people in their church rather than the fear of losing the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So, they preach a watered down message to suit their liking. Some men become afraid to offend their sheep with the true message of God. There's no time to fear man and what he's going to think. We need to fear the Lord with all of our hearts. It is the only way we can receive the truth through the Holy Spirit. God bless you. Amen

You have received

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:15, 16 KJV). When we allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our lives, we no longer are under bondage or fear. We are the sons and daughters of God the Father. The Holy Spirit is what makes our walk with Jesus more enjoyable and definitely a whole lot easier. Without the Holy Spirit, we have nothing but ourselves to rely on and those old familiar ways that weigh us down with condemnation and shame. Without the Holy Spirit, discouragement becomes our friend once again, along with misery and loneliness. So many people in the church today walk around with the old baggage over their shoulders, their hearts broken, and their minds darkened by the past. It is only through the Holy Spirit, a powerful move of God's presence, that people are set free. Programs are not working. Entertainment in the church is not bringing freedom. It's going to take more than that. We need the presence of God, the third person of the Trinity, to bring liberation to God's children. As long as the church is content with their lives and the way things are going, they will miss out on true freedom. However, with the Spirit of God, that He has given to us, we are able and more than able to conquer. God bless you. Amen

Led by the Spirit of God.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14 KJV). The Holy Spirit brings great help to our lives. He helps us with the separation from all ungodliness and helps us stay on the right path, the path that our Lord Jesus Christ so dearly paid on our behalf. The work of the Holy Spirit is to make our walk more genuine with Jesus Christ . He brings sanctification and clarity to our lives, and He is there to help us at all times. He keeps us in contact with God the Father and God the Son. With conviction, He makes sure that we do not get off the path of life. He makes sure that we keep going forward to the glory of God. He's our teacher. No man nor book can teach as the Holy Spirit teaches us. He gets directly to the spirit of things. He's our counselor. He knows who we are and what we are going though. He sees clearly into our hearts. Our Lord knew that this walk and life in this world would have some difficulties. He knew that there would be many struggles along the way. This is why God freely gives us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. He is our help, and I sure can use all the help that He has for my life. Give God praise for the work on the cross and the great gift of the Holy Spirit. God bless you. Amen

Be dead indeed unto sin.

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Romans 6:11, 12 KJV). We all have a choice. Are we going to let sin continually reign in our mortal bodies? When is enough? Is there not a way out of this sin nature that hinders us so many times? This sin nature, also known as the natural man, has to become dormant in one's life in order for one to live a victorious Christian life. However, it also narrows down to our faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. What Jesus Christ did at the cross shows us and gives us the answer over the sin nature. Sin was paid for at Calvary, and the believer who has faith in Jesus Christ crucified has also been baptized into death. When they put Him in the tomb, they put our sins in the tomb as well. We have been redeemed and set free by Jesus Christ. So, reckon yourself also dead to sin and alive unto God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Don't let sin, that was defeated long ago, reign over you anymore. We need Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit to guide us, for we are all powerless to the sin nature. God bless you. Amen

These words spake Jesus.

"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:1-3 KJV). Great and mighty works are done under the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. His Word shall live forever and those who abide in it shall also live forever. He has set the sinner free. He has ridden us of sin once and for all, and He remembers it no more. What He has done for you and I is unimaginable to a prideful person or to one who thinks they can do it on their own. He came and loved, taught, and brought many out of darkness. Then, He was crucified and died a sinner's death on the Cross of Calvary. He rose from the grave, because the grave could not keep Him down. Christ Jesus brings you and I the greatest gift, a gift that money cannot buy, and that is eternal life, freedom, and rest. He has placed every true believer on a firm foundation, unshakable, immovable, and forever standing. He brings us into unity with God the Father so that we may stand as one, one in communion, purpose, and glory with Them forever. Give God the praise for He sure is worthy. God bless you all. Amen

Trust in The Lord.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5 KJV). What do we have to lose when we make up our minds to follow Jesus Christ? The disciples did not get a hold of this truth until they were without the Lord. Then, on that blessed day, the Holy Spirit came down upon all of those that were in the upper room. Our homes and bank accounts cannot go with us and neither can our cars. The disciples dropped their nets and began to follow the Lord. They took nothing with them. They began a journey with Christ, and they were being shown how to trust in God the Father and the Word of God. For three and a half years, they did not trust in money or try to find out what clothes they were going to wear or what bed they would sleep in. They just followed. So many things can get in our way and keep us from our journey with the Lord, whether it be money or our personal lives. The journey with Christ starts with us giving our hearts up into His hands and trusting in our Lord and not the works of this world. Let's follow with a whole heart. God bless you. Amen

Let not mercy and truth forsake you;

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:3, 4 NKJV). You will make a way through this dry and weary land, Oh Lord, when there is no other way. When all seems impossible and nothing is clear at all, we will put our trust in You, dear God. For You are holy and faithful, Oh Lord, and You will make a way. When all seems to fall apart, God is able to make a way if we give Him our heart. He is able to get us through anything. When sin covers us, we decide to give it up because conviction has a hold of us. In the hot fire, where cleansing and sanctification takes place, we come to the point where we cannot do anything anymore to help ourselves because we're so powerless, but Christ is able. Just when all seems to be falling apart, Christ Jesus is waiting for us to give up and cry out. He is able to take care of us. It's time we trust Him more. It's time we jump out in faith into the arms of our Lord. Let Him be our Covering, Strong Tower, and Rock of Salvation. Let the Lord be everything to the fullness of our hearts. God bless you. Amen

The Word.

"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel" (1 Samuel 15:26 KJV). We are looking for trouble when we reject the Word of God. King Saul understood the command that came from the Lord, but he chose not to follow it. He had desires of his own, and they were not to follow our Lord. King Saul was told many times to do what the Lord commanded, but he failed to do so. So, God raised up a new king, and the spirit of God departed from King Saul because Saul no longer wanted God. The Holy Spirit was not wanted, thus giving right for an evil spirit to come in to take His place, filling Saul's soul with furious anger, murder, bitterness, and jealousy. This is the result of rebellion. If one has rebellion in their heart, they push away everything that is good and true. They become their own idol, only to find themselves falling away from the truth of God. When one rejects the Word of the Lord, the end result is to be rejected by the Lord. When one does not trust in the Word of the Lord, the enemy sees that individual as easy prey. Saul could not battle with the Philistine giant because all he had was his own strength, and a man in his own strength cannot fight the spiritual giants that surround them. It takes the anointing from God, the Holy Spirit within us to defeat the spiritual giants. God Bless you. Amen

I counted loss for Christ

"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Philippians 3:7 KJV). Do you count all things but dung that you may win Christ, knowing that there is nothing righteous in you or about you? The Apostle Paul knew he could not get any closer to Christ or make it all the way until he let go of all that he once cherished. The knowledge from the Pharisees and the traditions as a Jew, all had to be given up for Christ. Christ is worth all that we give up and a thousand times more. The Apostle Paul wanted to gain a greater experience and a deeper intimacy with our Lord. So, Paul, driven by the Holy Spirit, got to the point of renouncing all that he once hoped in. All that he saw as gain to his own life he counted as loss, that he might win Christ. This was a beautiful place where the Apostle Paul was called to stand. This was the place where Christ was able to move through him in a powerful way and where Christ brought him into a deeper revelation of the new covenant. The Lord was able to move through the Apostle Paul, and he wrote most of the epistles found in the New Testament because God saw that Paul counted on nothing else but Christ crucified, and that's the message. It might take years, brothers and sisters, but Christ wants us to look at this world as dung, in order that we may win Christ. God bless you. Amen

Dead in your trespasses.

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:13-15 NKJV). Nothing but the Cross of Christ! When I look at the Cross of Christ, I see a sacrifice that man could not ever imagine and one that man could never do. God sent His only begotten Son to this world because He saw a need. A need for help and a need to step in and save what He so dearly prized and loved, which was a world filled with lost souls going no where but into darkness. At the cross, our sins were defeated and paid for. Sin was nailed and hung to the cross because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, carried everyone's sin, lust, adultery, perversion, murder, and every deceiving lie and hung it to the cross. Darkness was defeated that very day. As it surrounded Jesus Christ it looked upon Him as if it had defeated Him, but Christ was the victor that day and was even before and has been ever since. He disarmed all principalities and powers so that we may walk freely in unity with Him into everlasting life. The Way, the Truth, and the Life has been paved by Christ crucified. God bless you. Amen