“Before there was Egypt, there was a promise!”

Many times when we discuss the land of Egypt within the confines of the Bible, our minds automatically track back to the time when the children of Israel were in bondage there.  We see them under the weight of the taskmasters, dealing with oppressive circumstances that are beyond their control.  They stand by and watch as some are beaten, others are killed; lack and degrading situations run rampant throughout their time there.  Fear, hatred, and jealousy by others drove them to the place where they are residing; a place where tough days seem like they will never come to an end.

Oftentimes, when people find themselves in a hard spot of life, or when they find themselves coming up short and just not happy with the way things are turning out at this particular time, they refer to that circumstance as their place of “Egypt.”  This is where heartbreak and troubling times lie.  This is the place where it seems everything is fighting against them, and no matter what one does, it just doesn’t appear that they will ever come out on top.  People may not have taskmasters’ whips to deal with, but other things just lash and lash out at them, making it hard to get back up again.

As hard as this may be to believe, I assure you your Egypt will not last forever.  I’m sure the children of Israel had doubts about this.  After all, their time there lasted about four hundred years.  Yet, even before this family of seventy ventured into the land and grew to the astronomical numbers we see in Exodus, God knew all about their time there before they were even there.

In Genesis 15:13 God told Abram, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.”  Outside of that prophecy God also said, “And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance,” (Genesis 15:14).  In this we see, there was a promise before they even set one foot in Egypt; before they even encountered a problem, God already had a blessing lined up for when they came out.

Today, we fight against so many unknowns.  We deal with all the this’s and that’s of life that simply weigh one down.  One might not find themselves in a literal state of captivity, but something just sits on them heavy, becoming an almost unbearable burden, and they just don’t know what to do.  With a feeling of exasperation, some just give up, content to go through the motions of life, without grabbing hold of the feeling of hope because of the fear of being let down again, just to drift back into that state of uncertainty once more.

But, I am here to tell you today, continue hoping and never give up.  Your “Egypt” is not lost on God.  God knows what you are facing.  He knows every disappointment you are dealing with.  He knows every struggle you are battling.  He knows everything that you are fighting through, and that’s fighting against you.

It may be hard to see the proverbial silver lining in a dark cloud at times or the light at the end of the tunnel, but we have something better.  We have a promise!  God told Abram that when his people came out, they would be coming out better than when they went in.  God was going to judge those who did them wrong, and God was going to bless them greatly.

Another promise Abram received was in a few verses before those noted above.  God told him, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be,” (Genesis 15:5).  Not only were they going to be blessed, but they were going to come out increased in the people they were.  To go from one individual to the millions they would come out to be, they were going to grow not only in number but in experience through their troubling times.  They would have to learn to endure some stuff to be the people who would eventually be fit to take on the Promised Land.

While it may at times seem like the hard times are breaking you, they may actually be making you.  So remember, before there was Egypt, there was a promise.  And, I don’t know about you, but I will take a promise of God over a so-called silver lining any day.  The promises of God are sure.  Through our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are told, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us,” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

In other words, no matter what you are facing today, Jesus has you covered.  No matter the obstacles or hard places that make you feel like you are in Egypt and you just want to give up, God has an unfailing promise of His love, grace, mercy, peace, and deliverance through even the most difficult circumstances.

Reposted from April 19, 2020

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Limiting God | Reposting Encouragement

Today, I am reposting encouragement. May you walk in the fullness of God’s unlimited blessings, because almost everybody wants to see a mighty move of God in their life.  But often, some things get in God’s way; obstacles that act as barriers to blessings.  There are two very specific items I want to deal with in this article that the Bible clearly shows us to be things that limit God’s power to work in an individual’s or a people’s life.

But, before I move any further in this article, I want to clarify a few things: 1) Just because one may be in the waiting process, it doesn’t mean these items that are going to be discussed apply to that individual or their situation.  Sometimes, for His own wise reasons, God just has us waiting for His right time to move.  And, 2) The two items that are going to be listed here are not the only things that form themselves as a blockade to one’s blessings.  A truly seeking heart will prayerfully peel back the layers of self for a close-up examination of the inner man to see if there is anything else that may be getting in the way.

As I was reading my Bible, I came across Psalm 78:41, which states, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”  This psalm recites Israel’s history, and it highlights several of their rebellious moments.  Particularly, God’s deliverance of them from Egypt, and their provocation of Him in the wilderness, through sin.  The verse above brings out those same disobedient actions as limiting God.  Their sin made a mark or drew a line, prohibiting them from the fullness of God and what He had to offer.  Rather, they ended up provoking Him to anger.

Disobedience is one thing that will definitely limit God’s ability to work in you, through you, and for you.  Disobedience evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-11) when God’s blessing was for them to live in paradise.  Disobedience turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:17, 26) when God’s blessings wanted to deliver them from that city of sin.  Disobedience caused Jonah to end up in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:3, 15-17) when God’s blessing was for him to be a great witness to a great city.  And, there are oodles of more cases noted in the Bible.  Disobedience will always forfeit God’s best in one’s life.

As I was pondering this verse in the Psalm about limiting God, I was reminded of a time when Jesus wasn’t able to do great works in Nazareth, His hometown.  Matthew 13:58 tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”  He was limited by their unbelief.

Now, we all know by now Jesus’ ability to do absolutely anything.  One thing He won’t do is infringe, encroach upon, or overstep one’s belief.  Mankind is a creature made with free will.  It is His hope and desire that one would fully believe who He is and all that He says He can do.  But it is a choice that every individual must make, by faith, for himself or herself.

The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that, “Without faith it is impossible to please him:” (or, to agree with Him), “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” (Hebrews 11:6).

God is the God of all possibilities, but a lack of faith and belief will hinder those possibilities.  Unbelief caused the first group that attempted to enter the Promised Land to be made to turn back (Hebrews 3:19).  God’s best wasn’t for them to wander in the wilderness for forty years.  His blessing was for them to go in and possess it at that time.  Their own unbelief refused the blessing for them.  Going back to Psalm 78 in the recitation of their history, there are other noted instances where the unbelief of the people came to the forefront (Psalm 78:22, 32).

In the New Testament, if it had not been for Jesus on the boat with His disciples, they may have perished in the storm.  Jesus had already done miracles and even taught many powerful parables, but when the storm blew, they freaked out and asked Jesus, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).  But after Jesus stilled the storm He asked them this one question: “How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).  Faith matters.

Back to Jesus’ experience in Nazareth, in parallel verses found in Mark, the Bible tells us, “He marvelled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:6).

God, throughout the Bible, wants the best for His people.  God would rather add blessings to our account rather than subtract them.  If God blesses and takes care of the birds of the air and the grass in the field (Matthew 6:25-29), “shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith,” (Matthew 6:30).

But He says in Matthew, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33; emphasis added).  Go after a life of obedience and faith!  Reject those hindrances to the blessings.  The things that stand in one’s way and limit God’s moving in their life have to be put down so that He can raise His people higher.

We hear a lot of inspirational messages dealing with the subject of “No Limits.”  And, that’s wonderful!  But, in order to have a life of no limits, one needs to make sure God isn’t being limited in their life through disobedience and unbelief.

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“Forget, and Be Fruitful!”

While every day we have is a gift, admittedly, some days are harder to move past than others.  Hurts, disappointments, and pain can sit on people like heavy weights.  Past negatives can seem like an insurmountable mountain we may struggle to climb. So, I pray today’s devotion will help to lighten the steps on the path you are walking and encourage your heart to keep moving forward productively in faith.

And one person who can teach us that is Joseph. He was a man who suffered trials, unfair treatment, and affliction, and yet overcame them all.  His relationship with his brothers was filled with ridicule, lack of support, jealousy, and hatred, which caused them to look unfavorably upon him.

Eventually, their hostility toward their brother led them to do the unthinkable and cast him away by selling him into slavery. The sting of their betrayal was with Joseph as his new life began as a slave in Egypt. But thankfully, this would not be the end of his story, nor would his heart rest in bitterness here.

Though in his land of affliction he originally found favor, unfortunately, there he was also lied about and mistreated, adding salt to the open wounds he had already suffered, eventually finding himself thrown in prison.

And although he was held in prison, prison didn’t have a hold on him. Joseph’s character never changed. In prison and alone, he was still willing to help others by working, being faithful, and using the gift that God instilled in him in revealing dreams.

Unfortunately, once again, he was overlooked and forgotten and left to deal with life alone.  The awesome thing about his story (and ours) is that even if he felt like it at times, Joseph was never alone.  God had a great plan for his life.

Many of us are familiar with how God elevated Joseph from his affliction and blessed him with a position of great honor in the palace after revealing the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream.  Eventually, he became governor over all Egypt, where everyone bowed to him except Pharaoh.  What a change of life and position!

After coming to power, Joseph married and had two sons: “And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.  And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction,” (Genesis 41:51-52). 

His story shows that when stepping into new days, we do not have to carry the unwanted baggage of days before. We can declare, as Joseph did, that we are ready to move on and be fruitful in the place God has us in right now, for that’s what his declaration in naming his sons meant.

Every day, God has opened a world of opportunity for us to forget the past and move on into something greater.  We may not be the governor of Egypt, but I don’t believe God has allowed us to see this new day for naught.  We were designed to make the most of our time here and now and be fruitful right where we are.

Fruitfulness is a desire of God for His people: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” (Psalm 1:3). 

Therefore, today is the time to venture forward in faith and be productive.  Today, we can release the weight, lay down the heaviness, and walk confidently and abundantly into where God has us for this season. This is your time. Today is the day of new beginnings!

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What the Enemy Meant for Evil…

The disciples of Jesus were to know the tragedies of tragedies soon, for it is taught that it was on the Wednesday of Holy Week when our Lord was officially betrayed by one of His own. A disciple, Judas Iscariot, called to walk alongside Him for the past three years, turned on Jesus and sold Him for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).

What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn it for good. We’ve all heard it quoted before, and may have even made it our declaration at times.  It comes from the book of Genesis, where Joseph declares the same thing due to the previous actions of his brothers after they feared retaliation for selling him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37:28; 50:20).

Little did Joseph’s brothers or Judas know that the pain they would cause would eventually lead to a glorious future. While silver was exchanged from hand to hand, the setup to have a life exchanged for life was underway (compare John 11:50). Joseph was set up to save a people from famine and preserve a posterity for God’s people in this world. Jesus was set up for the saving of souls for all eternity, preserving a people for God’s Kingdom to come.

Rest assured, no matter what the tragedy may be, God always has the final say. In that, it is His plan that will prosper and win. The enemy may come at people in a myriad of ways, but everything must be filtered through the hands and plan of God. Just ask Job (see Job 1-2). In the end, we see God always has the last word in the matter (see Job 42:1-10).

Friend, not many of us are called to carry the burden of Joseph or Job. And none of us will ever know what it is to bear the burden of Jesus. But one thing we can be assured of is that if God had a plan for the pain they experienced, whatever tragedy one may face, God can make the painful produce something advantageous for us as well.

Take time through this Easter Week to remember all the Lord has done to secure your salvation. We are blessed because He was betrayed. We receive new life because His was taken away. And one day, we will rise because HE IS RISEN.

Nobody can flip the script like God can! What the enemy meant for evil, God can work it for our good. Because of what Christ has done for us, our hope for a better future will never be lost.

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

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Standing on the Edge

Sometimes you may come to a place that seems impossible to pass.  This is a place that edges the border of what we have been delivered from to where we are being brought to.  It is in situations like these when God shows up, there is no doubt that His hands have been working something extraordinary through it all.  The waters may crash on the shores before and the enemy’s army may be rolling behind, but God sees you, standing there on the fringe, in a world where these two impossibilities meet, yet in Him, there is nothing impossible.  In Him, there is always a way.  In Him, you are not in a helpless position.  In Him, the victory is already won.  Before you ever came to this place, He already knew what He would do.  So rest, weary one, in His sovereignty.  Rest in His plan.  You may not understand it, but He does.  You may not know how it will work out, but He does.  This will be performed by His strength, His wisdom, and His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6), not by anything we say or do.  In getting past this place, all glory, honor, praise, and credit go to God.  He is the one who will get you to the other side in peace and wholeness, with singing and rejoicing (Exodus 15:1-21).  To you who are standing on the edge, in Him, you are not standing alone.

 “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.

The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.” Exodus 14:13-18

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Originally Published October 26, 2022

The Infighting Must Stop

 

There is an old hymn written by Joseph C. Ludgate titled “Friendship with Jesus.”  In this hymn, the refrain sings out the sweetness of being in fellowship with the Savior:

“Friendship with Jesus!
Fellowship divine!
Oh, what blessed, sweet communion!
Jesus is a Friend of mine.” (©Ludgate,1898.)

But what about our fellowship with one another?  How often have the hands of division ripped away the core foundation of our Christian faith by seeking to tear apart what Christ has established: fellowship among those who are recognized as being of Him; that blessed, sweet communion with one another?

Unity among the body of believers was so important that Jesus prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me,” (John 17:21).  Jesus knew that if His disciples would ban together as one they could positively impact the world, helping many believe in Him.  Vice versa, if divisions and contentions prevailed it would not work to draw people to Himself, to His kingdom message; rather, it would repel.

How often are we fighting amongst ourselves, in our congregations, or even with different denominations because they serve differently than we do?

John, the disciple of Jesus said one day, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we fobade him, because he followeth not with us.  And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us,” (Luke 9:49-50).

Instead of rebuking the one who was accused of: “he followeth not with us,” Jesus set the record straight among His own disciples that they should not be focused on a reason for division. Jesus said, “For he that is not against us is for us.”

Too often great emphasis is put on how one group may do things differently as opposed to another group, or how one may work the gift that God has given them over another.  One may not care for the way another does something for God’s kingdom but Jesus Himself said, “For he that is not against us is for us.”  If someone is working to build up the kingdom of God, do not forbid them just because they are not following what you are doing.  Don’t forbid them just because they are not in your clique.  Don’t forbid them because they worship differently than you do.

There is no room for division in the body of Christ.  There is no room for infighting among the members of God’s family.  The Apostle Paul put it like this by saying, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

In 1 Corinthians 1:12-13, attempting to squash division, Paul said, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”

Over and over again we see the Bible proclaim unity among God’s people and division to be put away with. While we may have differing doctrinal beliefs, love must be the motivator for addressing those differences because Jesus also said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” (John 13:35; see also 1 John 4:20-21).  

Remember Jesus’ prayer that I quoted above, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me.” Is this why the world can’t see the Christ in us and believe because there is too much infighting?  Does our rejection of another who “followeth not with us,” push the world away from believing in the Christ we proclaim and follow?

Regarding the Scriptures, and seeing Jesus’ prayer, I would have to conclude that it can play a part.  Let us learn from our Lord and say, “For he that is not against us is for us.” Let us work to build up God’s kingdom together.  We are all fighting in the same war.  Let’s edify one another and not tear down.

Disagreements Don’t Need To End In Disaster

Text Free Image by Brian Merrill from Pixabay

 

“Heavenly Father, take my hand…”

Heavenly Father,
take my hand,
and lead me through
this desert land.

Where hope seems dismal
and love fades.
But, You are my shelter.
Your heart is my shade.

Each step I walk,
I am found with You.
You hold me, You guide me.
You carry me through.

No matter the dreariness
of the land ahead.
I have no reason
to fret or dread.

My hand in Yours,
we keeping walking through.
Til I arrive in that City
whose destination is true.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:4

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  I and my Father are one.”

John 10:28-30

Reposted from July 2, 2018

Conversations of the Heart

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Conversations of the heart. What is your heart speaking or what is speaking to your heart today? What inner dialogue is taking place? Is it a place of questioning? Is it a pondering some great point? Is what is being spoken there offering you peace and comfort for the days you are facing?

There, in the deepest recesses of your being, in the only place God and you know of, is an exchange of ideas, intentions, thoughts, opinions, and beliefs.

It’s where we form a picture of our lives. It’s where we store wisdom to draw from, love to explore, feel, and give, and it is also where we find encouragement for those less-than-perfect days.

Our hearts need a constant filling of the things that will nurture the inner man. For the soul of a man is fed from the fruit thereof.

Today, I offer you encouragement that will help strengthen the conversation of your heart. May the voice and power of Scripture speak where you need it most.

Blessings~

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Psalm 73:26

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” Psalm 119:2

Text Free Image (Top) by Sophia from Pixabay

 

“Indulge in Nostalgia!”

“And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.  And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?  Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Joshua 4:20-22

One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice is to open up all my windows and to put a fan in my bedroom window.  Why the bedroom particularly?  For some reason or another, no matter where I live, when there is a fan in my bedroom window, it makes the air smell just like my grandma’s house when I was growing up, particularly her upstairs and bedroom.  Sometimes, I long for weather not too hot and not too cold, just so that I can have a fan in the bedroom window that blows out that smell.  And when it does, I look for reasons throughout the day to visit my bedroom, to inhale deeply and to let my mind wander to another time.

Smells have that effect on me, nostalgically letting me remember times past.  While the fan smell is my favorite, another smell is stuff burning.  Not like a house catching fire or anything, but rather a pit-beef joint cooking or a log in the fireplace.  This smell reminds me of my paternal grandparents.  They live in the South and during the summer we would visit.  There I witnessed something I hadn’t seen before.  In the evening, they took their trash to a heap outside and set it on fire.  No trash trucks to pick it up twice a week.  They just light it up and watch it go.

It’s good to indulge in a little bit of nostalgia once in a while, especially when it comes to remembering God’s deliverance.  After a certain amount of time goes by, whether it becomes a time of prosperity or a time of hardship, it’s so easy to forget.  The daily grind and routine schedules tend to overshadow what previously occurred.  That can be a good thing when someone is trying to get over hurtful things, but when one wants to remember a glorious time it can be dangerous.

The danger of forgetfulness can leave us with a warped outlook on life.  “Why does this always happen to me?”  “Things never turn in my favor.”  “It’s useless for me to even try!”  Words such as “always, never and useless” denote negativity when used this way. This negative browbeating overshadows the good.  We use words so lightly, but what would the true outcome be if I were to really question, do things really never ever turn in your favor?  Is it really useless for you to try?  The answer, most likely, would be no.

Through times of hardship and prosperity, our perspective on life can get blurred.  That’s why God mandated for these stones to be set up as a memorial.  These stones would stand as a physical reminder of God’s deliverance; of a time when He altered nature and did the impossible just so that His people could gain their promise.

We may not have physical stones, but I do believe we have “markers” in our memory that can transport us to our time of deliverance.  Things that help us to remember that no matter what state one may find themselves in now, God is still on the throne and He is still working it out on our behalf.  Things that help us to remember, He is the one that saved me, and He is the one that ushered deliverance in my life and yours.

That’s why it’s good to indulge in nostalgia.  It opens the door to the good old days.  The thought of it can instantly put a smile on my face when I think of memories past.  Now, imagine doing that with God’s deliverance.  Sometimes we need to remember, on purpose, where He brought us from and how He brought us through.  Set that up as a “marker” to help you remember His goodness no matter what life may bring.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

Who are you going to listen to? | Words to Live By

Many will try to speak verbally or non-verbally and suggest that you can’t. But when God is leading you and He puts His stamp of approval on your destiny; nobody, and I mean nobody, can reverse what God has ordained over you. Your job is to determine who you’re going to listen to.

“For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” Isaiah‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬

“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

‬”Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6