Expanding Capacity to Believe

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Jesus said, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes” (Mark 9:23 GW). I come across people all the time that introduce themselves as “believers,” but adamantly refuse to believe, for whatever reason, truths and promises from the bible for their lives. If we refuse to believe that God can or will do something for us, even though there is biblical evidence for it, then we are simply cutting ourselves off from that possibility. Our lack of belief does not change God; it simply limits us from receiving from God in that area.

Look at Mark 9:23 again. Jesus said, “…everything is possible for the person who believes.” As we prepare for 2006, I believe this series will help us elevate our thinking towards God and our expectations for the New Year. In this series we will cover the following areas:

1. God has no limits – He cannot fail

2. God desires to overcome our limits with His limitless ability

3. What we believe determines what we are available to receive

4. We limit what our limitless God can do for us through our belief system

5. As we expand our capacity to believe, we release God to freely operate in our lives

Expand Your Capacity to Believe (Learning from Joshua)
God Sits on the Circle of the Earth
Do you Believe you can do what God said you can do?
Who said they were Grasshoppers?
God wants you to Believe!
Confidence and Courage
The Obedience Factor
Mastering Your Mouth
Keep God’s Word in Your Mouth
Keep God’s Word in Your Mouth (Part II) – Speaking Positive
Mastering Your Mind
Elevate Your Thinking
Elevate Your Thinking (Part II)
Mastering Your Methods
God Will Bless what you DO!
The Bible is a Life-Book to Live!
Success God’s Way
You are Setting Your Own Course
God wants you to Prosper
Is Your Success Good?
Learning from Mephibosheth
Who said you were a Dead Dog?
Don’t Judge Your Future by Your Past
Kings vs. Presidents
You have Access to the King of Glory
Partakers of an Eternal Covenant
From Rejected to Accepted
Learning from Gideon
God Declares the End from the Beginning
Do You Know What’s In You?
Don’t disqualify yourself if God has already Qualified You!
Dream Big Dreams!
Sweatless Victory
Start Where You Are
Your Experiences with God build Your Confidence in Him
It Doesn’t Take Long
God Wants Maximum Glory
Believers Overcome Fear
If it’s God’s will its God’s Bill
If it’s God’s will its God’s Bill (Part II)
Learning from Naaman
Belief can get you past your ‘but’
Natural Connections do not guarantee a Spiritual Blessing
Pride – the Silent Killer
Taking a Bold Step of Faith
Learning from Abraham
The Call of Abraham
Expressing Outwardly what you feel Inwardly
Faith vs. Fear: The Choice is Yours
Walking with God is a Process
Stress Free Living
What are you able to See?
Supernatural Boldness
Keeping your Priorities in Order
Building up you Belief System
Do you have time for God?
God takes Covenant Seriously
Consistency and Perseverance bring Breakthrough and Blessing
God’s Plan vs. Your Plan
Your Will, Your Bill
You will reap what you sow
The Power of Identity
You must receive the Promises of God by Faith
The God of the Spiritual Blessing
The Blessing of knowing The true God
God-part vs. Man-part
Blessed to be a Blessing
You’re Still Going to have that Baby!
Obedience unlocks Blessing
Is there anything too hard for God?
Don’t make fresh decisions based upon out-dated information
The Space between the Promise and the Performance
Don’t forget the Father once He gives you your Baby
Beyond Everyone’s Expectations
Do You Believe?
Break in Series – the Events Leading up to Jesus’ Resurrection:
Remember what Jesus did for You!
No Weapon formed Against you will Prosper
Total Death for Total Life
An Equivalent Ransom
Christianity is the Only Religion that touts an Empty Grave
Learning from Abraham (cont.)
Your Faith makes you an heir to the Promise of Abraham
You can do what Abraham did
Your Decisions can get your Past Your Limitations
Faith that Factors out Limits
What is the focus of Your Faith?
We Study the “Then” to deal with the “Now”
Your Outlook will determine Your Outcome
God’s instruction is always equal to His injection
Faith never sees Failure
The Greatest Heritage
Faith that gets past Feelings
Death and Life are in Your Tongue
Looking Back to Look Forward
Believers always Expect the Best
A Servant’s Prayer
Watch, Pray, and Listen
Words of Praise, Words of Faith
God can do more with you Once you get Started
The Spoken Blessing
From Abraham to You
Lessons from Abraham
Making the Messages Real
Learning from Isaac
Different person, Same Challenge
The Purpose of the Series
Don’t Judge Your Future by Your Past
Making Wise Decisions
New Method, Same God
Apply Your Faith to Your Famine
Apply Your Faith to Your Famine (Part II)
Believe the Blessing and Walk in Love
Because of Abraham and Because of Jesus
Remain Faithful, Believe in God, and Walk in Love
Tradition can make the Word of God of None Effect
Celebrating God for All Things!
Your Yesterday does not Dictate Your Tomorrow
The Power of a Spoken Blessing
Learning from Jacob
One Encounter with God can Change Your life Forever
Turning the corner from Lip Service to Action
Believe in yourself and in your God
Staying Focused and Remaining in Faith
One Idea from God can turn Your Financial Outlook Around
When God becomes Personal to You
Do Whatever God tells you to Do
Fear will lead to you make Poor Decisions
Believing God for His Benefits
Don’t expect Favor without Labor
Believe God is a God of His Word
Don’t wait for life to schedule your time with God
Admitting where you are and holding on for a change
God Can do what you Can’t
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Going back to God Forward
Believing for the best for Your Children
Personal Testimony
Real Challenges – Real God
Learning from Joseph
Dreaming Big Dreams!
The attack is against the Dream!
No attack from the world can stop a God’s plan for Your Life
There is No Limit to what God can do
Know Your Parameters
Your God is Bigger than Your Problem
Expect to be Blessed
Overcoming the Fear of Failure
Your Preparation will show up in your Performance
Walking in Fearless Confidence
Stepping out in the Realm of Faith
Crossing the Faith Line
Walking in Excellence with a Fearless Confidence
Your Faith sets God’s Plan in Motion
Both the Look and the License
God is a King, not a President
Perseverance in the Process
God can bless Your Work!
Letting Go to Lay Hold!
God did not bring You this far to Fail
Switching Systems
Applying Your Faith to Your Famine
Overcoming Fear
God is a God of Progression not Regression
Refuse to Abort Your Dream!
Your Actions Matter
Passing the Test, the Second Time Around
Look past the Pain and focus on the Promise
Both Kings and Priests
The Purpose of Your Prosperity
Holy Garments out of Flawed Material
God is Still in Control!
The Blessing is the Difference Maker
Learning at Every Level
Please God
Faith and Frustration
Believe the Love
Remaining Focused in Awkward Situations
A Feast in the Midst of a Famine!
Progressively Getting Better in God
Exposing the Love
It’s never too late in God!
September 11th Poem – Unstoppable
Guilt-Free Living
Seeing God’s Hand in Your Situation
Blessed to Offer and Alternative
Being Open to Receive
Getting to the point where you can Believe!
Believing without Seeing, So we can see what we Believe
The Blessing is Always Working
King Jehovah will make His Word Good!
Unshakable Confidence!
Old Testament Review
Old Testament Review Part I
Old Testament Review Part II
Old Testament Review Part III
Old Testament Review Part IV
Old Testament Review Part V
Learning from Mary
There are No Impossibilities in God – Period!
The Power of a Point of Reference
Agreeing with and Accepting God’s Word
Blessed is the Person who Believes
One Word from God can change Your Life!
Expanding Your Belief Through the Miracles of Jesus
The Healing of a Leper – The God of Compassion
The Centurion – Great Faith
A Paralyzed man and his friends – Is Your Faith Visible
Jairus and His Daughter
From Religion to Relationship
An Earnest Confession
Be Not Afraid, Only Believe!
Choosing Faith over Fear
Believing in spite of Logic, Reason, and Evidence
Creating the Right Environment
The Woman with the Issue of Blood
Battered and Bruised, But still Believing
The Audacity of Hope
Belief + Speech + Action = Results
Imitate Faith, not Methods
Two Blind Men
Do You Believe God Can
You will Become what you Believe!
Peter Walking on Water
Dare to be a Peter
If you lose your focus you will lose your Faith!
Consistent Faith
Steady!
Tailor Made Blessings
Faith that Causes God to Move
Internally Settled Confidence
Getting Your Hopes Up in God!
Believing God above natural Logic
Believing in the Goodness of God
Believing the Word by Faith
Seeking God’s face, not just His hand
Overcoming Excuses
Tell Your Story and Give God the Glory!
Developing a Thankful Heart!
Lessons from Lazarus
New Grounds for Believing
New Grounds for Believing – Part II
There is Nothing too hard for God!
Believing God to be a Difference Maker
Operating in Fearless Confidence
God is a RIGHT NOW God!
I Am a Believer!
Believing in a God that Cares!
Rolling Away Your Own Stone – in Faith!
If You Believe
Redirecting the Glory back to God
Believing God to be Alive and Free
It’s Never too late for a Turnaround
Protection from Haters
Connecting with a Point-of-Reference
Christmas Messages
Believing God to be Blessed to be a Blessing
The Gift of God
No Room
The True CHRISTmas Story

God Sits on the Circle of the Earth (top of page)

(Isa 40:22 KJV) It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” It is fitting that after traveling through several countries the Lord would lead me to this text for this morning. God sits on the circle of the earth. Think about that for a moment. Mankind may have traveled to the moon, sent probes to Mars, and have telescopes that can see throughout the Milky Way, but our life is limited to this planet. Everything humans do, we do within the confines of the earth. Students in the US are taught that there are seven continents, while students in Europe are taught that there are six (North and South America combined), but whether you count six or seven continents, it does not matter; God sits on them all. From the jungles of Panama to the deserts of the Middle East, the plains of Africa to the North Pole, God is still God. Isaiah says that all the inhabitants of the earth are as grasshoppers to God.

Kids, especially boys, like to brag on their Dads. One boy might say, “My Dad is great at basketball.” Another boy, without wanting to be outdone, would reply, “Well, my Dad is the greatest. He can dunk.” The first boy would come back with, “Well, my Dad can dunk one handed, from behind, with his eyes closed, using his left hand.” And this goes on and on. While much of this playground banter is an exaggeration between little boys, we can never exaggerate on God. The only thing that God cannot do is lie (Titus 1:2). Other than that, we can go on and brag on our God. He spoke to chaos and created order, to nothing and created everything. He flung the stars in the sky. He put the burning in the sun, the singing in a bird, the roaring in a lion, the fragrance in a flower, the swimming in a fish, and the buzzing in a bee. The beauty is that the same God that did all these things also put the dreaming in your heart. The purpose of this series is to remind us that God can do anything. Once we solidify this truth in our hearts we will elevate our thinking and dream big dreams.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that your dreams can never exceed God’s capabilities. Do you have plans for 2006? Are these your plans or have you prayed about them? If you have not spent time in prayer with God about 2006, then your plans are probably too small. When you allow God to truly lead, guide, and direct you, He normally takes us you far beyond your wildest dreams. Remember that our God, the one who sits on the circle of the earth, is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think (Eph 3:20).

Prepare for 2006 in prayer. Dream big dreams and watch God bring them to pass!

Confession for this day: Lord God. You sit on the circle of the earth. You have all things in and under control. You have all power, all dominion, all might, and all authority. There is nothing You cannot do. You are my God and beside You there is no other. I trust is in You. I believe in You so much that I believe You can cause me to go places I have never gone, to do things I have never done. Lead, guide, and direct me. Show me what You would have me to do in 2006. You not only give me big dreams, but You also give me the ability, grace, and favor to bring them to pass! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Do you Believe you can do what God said you can do? (top of page)

(Num 14:11 KJV) And the Lord said unto Moses, “How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be before they believe me…”

First of all, let me start off by sharing my desire for you for to have a Happy and Prosperous New Year. It is my prayer that God will elevate your thinking this year and that you will have the discipline to do your part in the manifestation of His will for your life in 2006.

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by looking at the nation of Israel when it was time for them to expand their capacity to believe. These people had been in bondage for 400 years and the Lord delivered them out from captivity with the wealth of the Egyptians. They were newly free, they had great possessions, and God wanted them to prosper even more by possessing the land He promised to Abraham to give them. This was the land of promise, the land flowing with milk and honey. God told Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites” (Num 13:2). There is the promise! The Lord was giving them this land. It was already a done deal. Moses was to pick out a leader from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and they were to collect intelligence about the people and bring back fruit from the land.

“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community… reported… showed them the fruit of the land.” They said, “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.” But, this is where their faith stopped. They did not have confidence in the promise (Word) the Lord had spoken to give them the land. They went on to say, “But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large…” Caleb believed God. He silenced the people and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” However, the doubting spies counter attacked and said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are… they are of great size… we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (see 13:26-33).

The people believed the 10 doubting spies and said, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt” (14:4). Moses was frustrated. Joshua and Caleb tried to tell the people that they could do it, but the people chose to believe the doubting spies. The Lord went ask, “How long will it before they believe me?” God wanted His people to walk into Canaan and possess the land. Canaan was God’s best for them. Canaan was His desire, but God’s blessings often require our participation and courage. Canaan was as good as theirs, but it was inhabited. The possession of the promise would require courage and belief in themselves and in God. God could not bless them, because of their unbelief. Joshua and Caleb were the only two men (out of millions) that believed and they were the only two to eventually take possession of the land.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must prepare yourself to receive the promises of God in 2006. No matter how big the promises may seem, if you can believe it, you can receive it!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe You and Your promises. I can have what You say I can have. I can do what You say I can do. I can be what You say I can be. I can go where You say I can go. I do not hinder Your blessing on my life, because of unbelief. I believe and I receive in 2006! This is the year of Total Fulfillment! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Who said they were Grasshoppers? (top of page)

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I feel led this morning to revisit yesterday’s story. 12 spies went into the land. Two believed they could take it and 10 did not. When Caleb said, “Let’s go… I know we can do it!“ The other men replied, “We can’t attack those people; they’re way stronger than we are.” If this was all they said it would have been bad enough, but they went on to spread scary rumors among the people, saying, “…everybody we saw was huge.. giants… alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers” (see Numbers 13:30-33). Let’s seek to glean a few golden nuggets that apply to our lives today:

1. Believing God will often put you in the minority: Many Christians today are so accustomed to participating in “religious activity” without any real manifestation of God that they criticize those that have the audacity to literally believe God and His Word. Those who believe they can receive and do what the Bible says they can receive and do are often labeled as fanatics, even within the Christian community. So just know up front that if you are ready to expand your capacity to believe God and to expect the blessings of God to flow in your life, you will probably be in the minority. In spite of the fact that 10 out of 12 were against them, Joshua and Caleb did not doubt. Even when the rumors spread and millions doubted God, Joshua and Caleb remained in faith. What was the result? Millions died in the wilderness without ever possessing the promise of God for them. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of that generation to receive that promise. Are you ready to believe even when it is unpopular?

2. Doubting God leads to fear: Doubt is the precursor of fear. Once you doubt God for one moment, you open the door to fear in your life. Remember, faith moves God, fear moves satan. Faith is having confidence in God and His Word. Fear is having confidence in satan and his word. God said the land was theirs, but they doubted when they saw the obstacle they had to overcome to receive the promise (the inhabitants). Once doubt was present, fear creeped right in. Successful Christians doubt their doubts and have faith in their faith.

3. Fear messes with your mind: Faith will cause you to look at a giant and say, like Caleb, “Let’s go… I know we can do it!” On the other hand, fear will cause you to look at the same giant and say, “we felt like grasshoppers.” Even worse, they went on to imagine that the giants saw them as grasshoppers as well. If you are going to receive God’s blessing and do great things for God in His kingdom you must overcome the grasshopper mentality. The grasshopper mentality looks at obstacles and looses heart. The giant-killer mentality (also remember David and Goliath) looks obstacles and sees an opportunity for God to manifest His glory through you.

4. Doubt and fear are the fruit, but unbelief is the root: When you operate in doubt and allow fear to overtake you, it is truly because you do not believe God. If you believed God and believed the Bible, then you would not believe the thoughts of doubt, fear, and failure. There are constants thoughts running through your mind; thoughts from God, satan, and you. You must sift your thoughts through the filter of faith – the Word of God – so you can know which thoughts to receive and which ones to reject (2^nd Corinthians 10:3-5). If unchecked, the wrong thoughts will lead to failure and will keep you from the promises of God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe You and I believe Your Word. No matter how many people doubt You, I am not one of them. I walk in faith and not fear. I walk in trust and not doubt. I sift my thoughts through the filter of faith. I am a giant-killer in Your kingdom. I overcome every hindrance, every obstacle, and every attack. 2006 is the best year of my life. Forward ever, backward never! The best is yet to come! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God wants you to Believe! (top of page)

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” For the last couple of days we have looked at the way Joshua and Caleb overcame the grasshopper mentality to believe God was able to give them the land of Canaan. Some 40 years later, Moses and his generation of Israelites were dead. Joshua and Caleb were still alive and Joshua was the new leader of the nation. The instructions given to Joshua at this critical time pertain to us as we prepare for our new year. Over the next few days we will investigate the first chapter of Joshua.

God started off my telling Joshua, “My servant Moses is dead. Now you must lead Israel across the Jordan River into the land I’m giving to all of you” (Jos 1:.2). Why is this important? Because it connotes timing. We live out our lives out in seasons and in increments of days. There are different seasons for different things. For planning purposes, most people seek to devise annual plans. I teach that we should seek God for an “annual vision” that, if followed, will incrementally take us towards His “overall vision” for our lives. That being the case, January is a critical month. It is a month where many seek God for clear vision, direction, and guidance for the year. So, As God helped Joshua know that it was the right time, I am encouraging you to expand your capacity to believe at this critical time in your life.

God further encouraged Joshua by saying, “Joshua, I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses, and no one will ever be able to defeat you”(v.5). What was God doing? He was expanding Joshua’s capacity to believe. By making this statement, Joshua began to think back over all the things God had done for Moses. God blessed Moses in many ways. No doubt Joshua thought of the time when they were sandwiched between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s Army. The nation of Israel was facing sure death; by sword or by water. All Moses had was a stick (his rod) and his unrelenting belief in his God. He stretched out that stick, God parted the Red Sea, the entire nation walked across on dry ground, and God then allowed the waters to collapse on Pharaoh’s army. Or what about the time when Joshua led the battle against the Amalekites? Moses was on the top of the hill with that same ole’ stick. Joshua and his soldiers were able to destroy the Amalekites, because Moses was holding his stick up towards God; as a symbol of their covenant with Him. And the list can go on and on.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that what the reminder did for Joshua, it can do for us. God has me to get up in the morning to send out messages over email to encourage you like He encouraged Joshua. God wants to flood your mind with thoughts of victory through the accounts of David vs. Goliath, Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal, Gideon’s 300 vs. three nations, Daniel and the lion’s den, the three Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace, and etc. God does not play favorites (Acts 10:34). What He did for them, He can do for you. So, if God could feed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves, He can provide for you and your household. If He healed a woman who was bleeding for 12 years, He can deal with your medical ailment. If He took twelve relatively uneducated and unpopular men and used them to change the course of history, He can use you to do great things. The message for this morning is simple:God wants you to believe!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe! I know You have done extraordinary things with ordinary people. I believe You will do great things in my life. I believe You will give me clear vision, direction, and guidance for this year. I believe this will be the greatest year of my life. I believe it will require diligence and hard work on my part, but I also believe that if I do my part, You will do yours. I am encouraged by what You did for others and I am excited about what You will do for me and through me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Confidence and Courage (top of page)

(Joshua 1:6 NIV) “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We left off yesterday at the fifth verse of the first chapter of Joshua and we look at the sixth verse today.

The possession of the Promised Land was no menial task. Joshua had to conquer the logistical challenge of moving millions of people across the Jordan River and the tactical challenge of overtaking the inhabitants of the land; inhabitants that were giants of men. In our text for this morning God gave Joshua two keys to ensure success: strength (confidence) and courage.

1. Strength: This was not a reference to physical strength. Joshua would no longer be required to lead the men with a sword. He was now a spiritual leader. The strength he now required was a complete confidence in God. Joshua had to be rooted and grounded in an overwhelming inner confidence that God would give them the land. Likewise, we must be equipped with this kind of strength; a strength that withstands the mental lapses of fear, doubt, and unbelief. Our strength comes from our confidence in God and His power.

2. Courage: 40 years earlier, Joshua believed that God would give them the land. His faith was strong, but he also had a different position. He had “follower” faith. He was simply one of 12 spies and Moses was their true leader. Some 40 years later, he was now the leader and he needed a different level of faith. The Israelites had not fought a battle in 40 years. The entire nation was under the age of 40. No one, except for Joshua and Caleb, had ever yielded a sword in combat. The entire Army was untested. Joshua needed exceptional faith and he needed exceptional courage, if his unproven soldiers were to destroy the giants of Canaan. Joshua could not really trust in his soldiers, but he could trust in His God. His courage came from his relationship with God and the confidence he had in the Word the Lord had spoken. He knew that God would stand behind His Word. Likewise, we must also have an unremitting and unrelenting confidence in God’s Word and the courage to look opposition in the face and remain unmoved. Even under seemingly impossible circumstances, if you believe God has spoken a Word to you – either in prayer, through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, etc. – then you must stand firm on that Word. If you have confidence in God and the courage to overcome fear, doubt, and unbelief, you will expand your capacity to believe God and you will experience great victories this year.

So what does this mean to you today? It means you must have confidence in God’s and the courage to overcome your inner doubts. Once you believe that God can and have faith that He will, you open yourself up for God to move mightily in your life. Confidence and courage help expand your capacity to believe God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am strong in faith. I have unrelenting confidence in You and in Your Word. I know You will do what You said You will do. You cannot lie and You cannot fail. No matter what it looks like, my confidence is in You. I also have courage to overcome every obstacle and every opposition. No matter what challenges I face in 2006, I know that I will come out victorious, because Your hand is upon my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Obedience Factor (top of page)

(Joshua 1:7 NIV) “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

This morning we continue our new series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We left off yesterday at the sixth verse of the first chapter of Joshua and we look at the seventh verse today.

The instructions the Lord gave Joshua in this verse should serve as a sobering reality for those that think that coming to God will mean automatic blessing without any substantial effort on their part. I call this “The Obedience Factor” because obedience is the key that unlocks the favor of God upon our lives.

God had already promised Joshua and the Israelites the land. God was obligated to His Word, but that does not mean that He was willing to overlook sin and disobedience. In addition to being strong (confident) and courageous, the Lord instructed Joshua to do “all the law.” Joshua could not pick and choose. He could not say, “Well, I like this verse, but I will ignore that verse.” He was to obey it all. Joshua was required to do everything right that he knew to do. If he obeyed God, he would receive the promises that he believed.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that sin will hinder God’s blessings from flowing in your life. I have heard many older believers say, “God does not bless mess.” I agree with that statement. You can expand your capacity to believe, read your bible every day, confess the blessings of God over your life, and go to church every time the doors are open; but if you consistently operate in sin and neglect the obedience factor, all that activity will be futile.

I know this is not my normal “You can do it” type message, but messages like this are very important. I am obligated to share the whole counsel of God. God wants you to believe. God wants to bless you. But God is not willing to turn a blind eye to sin and disobedience. The good news is that if you are obedient and you expand your capacity to believe God, our text says that you will be successful everywhere you go.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I obey You and Your Word. As I know better, I declare that I do better. I abstain from sin. I do not turn from Your instructions. My obedience unlocks Your blessing and Your favor upon my life. I declare, by faith, that I am successful everywhere I go, because I believe and do what Your Word commands me to believe and do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Keep God’s Word in Your Mouth (top of page)

(Joshua 1:8 KJV) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” As we prepare for 2006 we have been looking at the specific instructions the Lord gave Joshua as he prepared to enter the Promised Land. This was the most demanding endeavor of his life. He was in the support role for years, but Moses was dead and he was facing the challenge of leading an entire nation of young Israelites into “taking” what the Lord had said was theirs. I have taught many lessons from this verse. It is the only verse in the King James Version of the Bible that has the word “success” in it. God helped Joshua understand that he could literally “make” his own way prosperous if he did three things: spoke the Word (mastering your mouth), thought the Word (mastering your mind), and performed the Word (mastering your methods). We will break each of these keys down over the next few messages.

The first key God told Joshua in this verse was to keep the Word of God in his mouth. In other words, Joshua was to speak the Word constantly. His success was tied to his speech and the same applies to us today. I add a confession to the end of every message, because I believe you should confess (openly declare) the Word of God over your life. If you declare defeat, you receive defeat. If you declare victory, you receive victory. Solomon said, “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth… Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Prov 18:20,21).

Why is it important to align our speech with God’s Word? Because God is not obligated to perform our Word, but He is obligated to perform His. Jeremiah had a conversation with God and God said, “I am watching to make sure that my words come true” (Jer 1:12 GW). We can say, “I will be there at 3 o’clock” and then show up at 3:30. Or we can say, “Call me and I will come right over” and then never show up. We are human and are finite and frail. I can make mistakes, because I am a man; but God is not a man, He does not lie, and if He speaks something, He makes it good (Num 23:19). What do you think God does all day? He watches over His Word to make sure it comes true!

So what does this mean to you today? It means that, like Joshua, your success is tied to your speech. Speak life and your will receive life. Speak death and you will receive death. The choice is yours. If you keep the Word of God in your mouth you will position yourself for a blessed 2006.

Confession for this day: Lord God. The power of death and life are in my tongue. I reap what I sow. I sow Your Word and reap a renewed mind. My renewed mind will bring renewed thoughts. My renewed thoughts will bring renewed actions. My renewed actions will bring renewed results. I enjoy a good harvest this day and everyday, because I sow good seed. I speak Your Word and agree with Your opinion of me. I am not a failure; I am a success. My family is blessed, my children are blessed, my career is blessed, my body is healthy, my mind is at rest, and I am ready for this day; because You have made me ready! Lord, be it unto me, according to Your Word! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Keep God’s Word in Your Mouth (Part II) – Speaking Positive (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I mentioned three success keys that the Lord gave Joshua in this verse. The first one was to keep the Word of God in his mouth. I felt led to stay there again this morning.

Why was it so important that Joshua keep the Word (the promises) of God in his mouth? Because the nation of Israel was about to experience the greatest change of their lives. Joshua and Caleb were the only people still alive from the previous generation. They were born in slavery and did not know what it was like to experience “Abraham like” blessings. The stories were passed down from generation to generation, but all they knew was slavery, then the wilderness. The rest of the people (millions in number) were born in the wilderness. God fed them manna from heaven every day. Manna was all they had ever eaten. No matter how good of a picture Joshua and Caleb painted for them of Canaan, the “Land flowing with milk and honey,” they still did not really know what they were about to receive. They had never tasted a grape, or a fig, or a steak. This was a huge change. This is why it was so critically important for Joshua to speak success and not failure, victory and not defeat, faith and not doubt.

People don’t like change and when they think about change, they normally expect things to change for the worse. You get strange looks from others when you begin to speak positive and expect great things to happen. Let’s use my trip for an example. I got up early and prayed. I sent out Today’s Word and asked for your prayers as well. I expected God to honor my prayer and bring us home safely and quickly. We were not manifested on any flights and were basically looking to get on any US bound aircraft with available seats. This can be a great challenge, but I expected nothing but favor. I had already prayed and I knew that others were praying as well. We missed a flight that could have taken us from Iraq, to Kuwait, to Baltimore. Some of the people on the trip with me we speaking negative. I believed God. I expected my confession to outweigh theirs. I knew God would bless us. We were informed of another flight, but we did not have a lot of time to get out bags. Once again, some were speaking negative. I kept answering them back with positive words. No one is surprised when you say things like, “We are going to be stuck here for days,” but they look at you strange when you say, “We are getting out of here and God will give us the best possible itinerary.” Well, long story short. We got on a flight with few passengers from Iraq, to Spain, to Georgia. Guess what? I live in Georgia. Praise God!

So what does this mean to you today? It means that, like Joshua, whenever you prepare for great things to happen in your life, you will have to overcome the doubt and unbelief of nay-sayers. Don’t let the negativity of others weigh you down. Stand firm on the promises of God. Speak life and not death, blessing and not cursing, and success and not failure.

Confession for this day: Lord God. The power of death and life are in my tongue. I choose to expect to be blessed and I make my words line up with my expectation. I do not speak any negative over my life, nor the lives of my family members. I speak life and not death and I receive Your favor. I expand my capacity to believe and I expect to receive greater things in 2006! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Elevate Your Thinking (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” The Lord gave Joshua three success keys in this verse. We have discussed the first. For the next few days we will discuss the second: thinking about the Word day and night.

Why was it important for Joshua to constantly think about the Word? Remember, he was facing the greatest challenge of his life. He was to lead millions of people to a new land; a land they had never seen, with an army that had never fought. I am sure there were people doubting their ability to “take possession” of the land, while others were happy with the status quo; wandering around in the wilderness and eating manna from heaven. To be successful in both leading the people and possessing the land, Joshua had to keep his thought life in order. The success of Israel would not be determined by the strength of the infantryman or the skill of the swordsman, the battle would ultimately be won or lost in Joshua’s mind. If Joshua looked through the lens of his mind’s eye and saw himself defeated, then they would have been defeated before they ever got started. Joshua had to look through the lens of his mind’s eye and see victory and victory alone. That is why God told him to meditate on His Word (promises) day and night. If Joshua could elevate his thinking, he could lead the people to victory.

Some years ago I was in a military unit that prepared to receive our Commanding General as a guest speaker. In preparation for his visit, my commander had a sign posted with the word “Warfighter” on it. This is a common term in the military. Our Commanding General, however, was no common man. He came in, saw the sign, and immediately made reference to it in his introduction. He said, “We are not Warfighters, we are War-winners! If called upon, we are here to annihilate threat, blow things up, tear down governments, and leave nothing but a pile of rubble if need be. We are not here to fight wars, we are here to win!” This man is now a Four-Star General. I may not like his choice of words, but I do like his attitude. God was telling Joshua to think like a winner. Dr. I. V. Hilliard, a pastor of one of the largest congregations in the United States, said that one of his mentors (Dr. C. L. Jackson) taught him early in ministry that he was only limited by what he could believe God could do through him.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you are not here to fight, you are here to win! Does this mean that believers don’t face challenges? Absolutely not! Was it does mean is that God wants you to face every challenge with the mind of a winner. If you meditate on the Word of God day and night, you will never see a challenge and think “failure.” You will always look at a challenge and remember the promises of God. Elevate your thinking and get ready to make 2006 the best year of your life.

Confession for this day: Lord God. You have made me more than a conqueror in You. I overcome every challenge, obstacle, and hindrance. I am was not Born-Again to fight. I was Born-Again to win. I am a winner and not a loser. I am a victor and not a victim. My mind is set on success and I will not allow anything nor anyone to make me think otherwise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Elevate Your Thinking (Part II) (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we dealt with “thinking about the Word day and night.” This is a very important aspect of our success. The success of Israel was contingent upon the thinking of Joshua.

If you think you can or you think you can’t, either way, you’re right! Why is this the case? It is because your thoughts shape your decisions, your decisions dictate your actions, and God either blesses you or judges you based upon what you do or fail to do. It all starts in the mind. Our thought life is so important that I did an entire series onMastering Your Mind. Many Christian authors have approached this subject. James Allen said, “You are today where you thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where you thoughts take you.” Dr. Miles Munroe said, “You are a grand sum total of your decisions.” Since our actions are results of our decisions and our decisions are results of our thoughts, we can see why our thoughts are important. Dr. John Maxwell said, “One of the reasons people don’t achieve their dreams is that they desire to change their results without changing their thinking.”

Your thinking is directly tied to your success in Christ. If you come to God as a fool and don’t change the way you think, but you want God to bless you with a business; then all you will be is a fool with a business. You know what the result is going to be when a fool runs a business – failure! If you come to God as a womanizer and don’t change the way you think about women, but you want Him to bless you with a wife, then you will be a womanizer with a wife. You know what the results of that will be – failure! And I could go on. We must have the desire and the discipline to change our thinking if we are to experience the best God has to offer.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God will not force Himself upon you because He has limited Himself to work within the framework of your decisions. He will never override your human will. So then, there is a direct link between what you think, what you believe, the decisions that you make, and what you will be able to accomplish in life through the power of God. Elevate your thinking and you will elevate your life!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I walk in Your love and Your grace today. I fill my mind with things that are true, not lies; things that are noble, not naughty; things that are beautiful, not ugly; with the best and not the worst. I sow faith thoughts and reap faith actions. I sow faith actions and reap faith habits. I sow faith habits and reap my destiny!. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God Will Bless what you DO! (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We have identified three success keys in our text for this morning and we have already covered the first two: 1. Keeping God’s Word in your mouth and 2. Keeping God’s Word we in your mind. This morning we look at the third and possibly the most important: doing what the Word of God says.

You can read the Bible every day, read Bible-based emails, pray all day long, and discuss the Word of God with your friends ‘till your blue in the face, but it does no good if you do not intend on “doing” what you read and discuss. Your learning must turn into living. The Lord told Joshua that his success was tied to his speech (keeping the Word in his mouth), his thoughts (meditating on the Word day and night) and his actions (observing to do all that is written therein). Joshua could have daydreamed about leading the people into Canaan, he could have talked about it with everyone he met, but he would have never experienced God’s best until he stopped talking and started acting.

This is January and most of you are making plans for the year. That is a good thing. You should pray and seek God for direction for this year; but after you have a plan, it will eventually come time for you to put your plan into action. You can theorize, hypothesize, strategize, and analyze all year long; but it will not get you anywhere unless you put some action behind your planning. Yes, God is looking for people to renew their minds, but He also expects renewed thinking to lead to renewed acting. James said it best when he said, “Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup – where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department; I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove” (James 2:14-18 MSG).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God is looking for you to put action behind your words. You can think blessed and speak blessed, but until you start acting blessed you will not see that favor of God move upon your life as you desire. Put some action behind your thoughts and you will experience the greatest year of your life!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I think about Your promises. I also speak Your promises over my life. However, I do not stop there. I allow my learning to turn into living. I live out what You have instilled in me. My actions line up with Your Word and I declare that You bless everything I do in Your name and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Bible is a Life-Book to Live! (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Part of expanding your capacity to believe God is expanding your relationship with His Word. We have learned thus far that we must speak and think the Word constantly. The focus of yesterday’s message was the matter of moving beyond mere thought and speech to action. Although we may frequent Bible Studies, the bible is not a textbook to study; it is a life-book to live. Our learning must turn in to living. The Bible is the #1 All-time best-seller. More people have read it than any other book in history; but reading it alone does not ensure a changed life. We must turn the corner from information to application if we expect to see the true power of God manifested in our lives.

Smith Wigglesworth said, “The Bible is the Word of God. It is supernatural in origin, eternal in duration, inexpressible in valor, infinite in scope, regenerative in power, infallible in authority, universal in interest, personal in application, inspired in totality. Read it through, write it down, pray it in…” If he would have stopped there many would fail to get the “total” picture. However, Wigglesworth went on to say, “… work it out, and then pass it on.” These last few words take us from mere rhetoric to life-changing action. To “work it out” is to apply it’s truths to your personal situations; thereby experience not just the Word of God, but the God of the Word.

The Bible is the sacred book that we read, study, and preach. More importantly, the Bible is also the sacred book that we follow, obey, and live. I often times say, “Everything is not in the bible” and I get funny looks. Well, the Bible does not tell us how to change a tire or load Windows XP on a computer. No, the Bible does not contain everything, but it does contain everything we need to live a victorious life in the earth.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God expects you to turn the corner from information to application. Why go to church every Sunday and Bible study every Wednesday if you do not plan on “doing” what you learn? If you fail to put some action behind the Word of God you will never experience the God of the Word. So, step out in faith. Attempt to do what you know cannot be done without God and watch Him show up. My Pastor (Bishop R.B. Peoples Sr.) often says, “God can do more with you, once you get started!”

Confession for this day: Lord God. I get started today. I move beyond just talking about all the great things I am praying and believing You for. I declare, by faith, that I will put some action behind my words. I step out in faith and I expect You to honor Your Word. You will never fail me, nor leave me without support. I expect 2006 to be the best year of my life, but I also know that nothing great will happen without me doing something. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I have great expectations. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You are Setting Your Own Course (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I trust that this series has been a blessing to you thus far. By now it is clear to us that Joshua is about to embark on the greatest endeavor of his life. In preparation for conquering Canaan the Lord instructed him to be courageous (v.6), obedient (v.7), to speak the Word (v.8), think the Word (v.8), and perform the Word (v.8). The next statement is very important. God went on to say, “For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous.” There are two words I need to focus on in that statement: “then” and “make.” The word “then” is a contingent clause. It is connector that is based upon the fulfillment of a requirement. There is an implied “If” to the beginning of this statement; meaning that “if” all the previous conditions are met, “then” the following is applicable. The previous conditions in this case are Joshua being courageous, obedient; and speaking, thinking, and doing the Word. If Joshua did all these things, “then” he would experience the following, “thou shalt make thy way prosperous.” The language God used is very interesting. God says that Joshua is literally making his own way prosperous when he meets the conditions for blessing set in the Word. If Joshua failed to meet the conditions, he would not conquer Canaan. It would be not God’s fault, because God had everything in place for him to do it. It still required Joshua’s action.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God does not force His will upon you. God made us all free moral agents. The Word of God is full of promises, warnings, and instructions. If we heed the warnings and follow the instructions we will enjoy the outcome of the promises. If we ignore the warning and reject the instructions we will not experience the manifestation of the promises. As a matter of fact, there are very specific promises for the unfaithful. When we ignore God’s instructions, we fall into that category and the outcome is not pleasant.

We have a choice, just like Joshua did. If we choose to live like heathen, walk in sin, and clothe ourselves in unrighteousness, we will experience the judgment of God. However, if we choose to abstain from sin, walk in the Spirit, live by faith, and clothe ourselves in the righteousness of God – made available to us through the blood of Jesus – we will experience God’s blessing.

The choice is yours. You set your own course. What will you decide?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I choose life and not death, blessing and not cursing, favor and not judgment. I am confident in You and in Your ability. I am obedient to You and to Your Word. I speak the Word daily over my life and my circumstances. I think the Word continually and it increases my capacity to believe You. I do the Word every day. My thoughts become my actions. I walk by faith, under the leadership of Your Spirit, and I declare that in so doing, I am making my way prosperous and will enjoy good success.. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God wants you to Prosper (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we dealt with the fact that if Joshua operated in courage (v.6), was obedient (v.7), spoke the Word (v.8), thought the Word (v.8), and performed the Word (v.8); that he would literally be “making” his own way prosperous. That being the case, we need to understand the word “prosperous.” This text was originally written in Hebrew. The Hebrew word used is “tsâlach.” This word means to push forward; to break out; to go over, be good, be profitable. In English we normally deal with Webster’s dictionary. Webster’s dictionary defines “prosperous” as: Having success; flourishing; well-to-do; well-off. Webster also defines “prosper” as: To be fortunate or successful, to thrive.

Why do I bring out the definitions? Because definitions are important when we are attempting to communicate concepts. If you and I have different understandings of the terms used, then we will have a misconception in the communication. It is the same with God. When you read the Bible you need to understand what God was saying, to whom, and for what purpose; before you attempt to relate it to yourself today. If not, there can easily be a misconception.

God wanted Joshua to succeed. Joshua’s mission was to lead millions of people across the Jordan River and into a land inhabited with giants. After coming into the land, Joshua was to lead the people in a series of battles where they would literally take over the land by force. This was no menial task, but God was clear to Joshua if he did his part, God would be there to ensure he succeeded.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God wants you to prosper. Yes, He still requires you to do your part. You must abstain from sin, study the Word, pray for direction, and develop an intimate relationship with Him. But the point is that you need not question whether or not God wants you to prosper. He desires for you to be prosperous in every area of your life. Don’t make the common mistake many make today and attempt to relate this to money. Of course, God does want you to be struggling to pay your light bill or to purchase food for your family, but prosperity is much more than money. God wants you to be healthy, to have a wonderful marriage, to be a great parent, to be the “go-to” person at work, to be an example in your community, and to be a light to a dark, dying, and decaying world.

Your light does not shine well if all people see in you is problems. God wants you to be successful in every area of your life so that you can bring glory to His Kingdom!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I do not struggle with whether or not You want me to prosper. I know You do. I now, by faith, declare that I will do my part. I abstain from sin and the very appearance of evil. I study Your Word and pray for direction. You lead, guide, and direct me this day and every day. I was Born-Again a winner and not a loser; a success and not a failure. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Is Your Success Good? (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We have been learning from this scripture for over a week now; this is one verse that you should seek to memorize. I call it “God’s formula for success.” Having stated that, it is interesting that this is the only verse in the Bible that contains the word “success.” If asked, most people will tell you that they are pursuing success, although many cannot define it.

Webster’s dictionary defines success as: the favorable or prosperous termination of any thing attempted; a termination which answers the purpose intended; properly in a good sense, but often in a bad sense; the gaining of fame or prosperity; the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence. Webster’s dictionary varies in its definition and so does the common person. The definition makes reference to the accomplishment of purpose, the attainment of wealth, and to both good and possibly bad outcomes. This vagueness promotes ambiguity concerning success in the world. Success can mean lots of things to lots of people, but God was not ambiguous in the text. In context, God clearly told Joshua that if he operated in courage (v.6), was obedient (v.7), spoke the Word (v.8), thought the Word (v.8), and performed the Word (v.8); that he would literally be make his own way prosperous and that he would enjoy “good success.” Good success comes from God. The quantifier “good” attached to success helps us understand that this success is attained God’s way. The combination of the words “good” and “God” are found in 129 verses in the Bible. Why? Because our God is a good God and He desires good success for His children.

What is the difference between good and bad success? I define good success as success that results from actions that are pleasing to God. I am often asked, “How do I know if what I am doing is pleasing to God?” I always answer with a reference back to the Word of God. If you are doing something that does not line up with the Word of God, then you are not pleasing God and whatever the outcome, it will not be good success.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God wants you to prosper, but He wants you to do it His way. He does not want you to lie, cheat, and steal to get to the top. He wants you to work hard at your assigned tasks, while operating in His principles and precepts. If you do this, you will make your way prosperous and you will literally achieve good success!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe I can achieve great things in life. I believe I will accomplish every assigned task in greatness. I believe I can succeed in everything I do. I make this declaration of faith, because I know that my actions are tied to the principles and precepts I find in Your Word. As I live a life that is pleasing to You and I seek to work hard at everything You allow me to do, I make my way prosperous and I achieve Good success. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Who said you were a Dead Dog? (top of page)

(2^nd Sam 9:8 CEV) Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I’m worth no more than a dead dog.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We dealt with the story of the Israelites taking possession of the Promised Land for the last three weeks. I could go on with that story, but I felt a release this morning to shift to another power-packed story. I will introduce you to the story this morning and we will then investigate it further.

David lived an interesting life. He was the youngest of eight boys and somewhat overlooked by his family. He was resigned to tending the sheep, but the Lord taught him many lessons in his years as a shepherd. While he was still a teenager a prophet came to his father’s house and anointing him king in front of all his brothers. The actual appointment as king would not come for many years and not after many trials. Many of those trials were imposed upon him by the previous king (Saul). David had an exceptional friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan. This friendship caused them to make a covenant with each other (see 1^st Samuel 20:16). This covenant was not just between the two men, but it also included their families.

God was true to His Word and eventually the trials passed, David became the reigning king, and things were finally going great for David and his family. It was at this point that he remembered the covenant he made with Jonathan. Although Jonathan was no longer alive, the covenant remained. David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family? If so, I’d like to show him some kindness in honor of Jonathan.” One of the older servants was there and told David that Jonathan had a living son; but that he was lame. It was a sad story. When the word came to the palace that King Saul was dead, everyone scattered. Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was under the care of his nurse. She grabbed the five year old boy and hurried to get out of the palace. In her haste she dropped the little prince and he was maimed in both his feet. He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he grew up and established a life in the city of Lo-debar. Interestingly enough, Lo-debar means “a place of no pasture,” “a barren place.”

As soon as David was told that Jonathan’s son was living in Lo-debar he commanded his servants to get him. When Mephibosheth, who was once comfortable around royalty, came before King David, he bowed deeply, abasing himself, honoring David. David said, “Mephibosheth.” “Yes sir,” he replied. “Don’t be frightened,” said David. ”I’d like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I’m returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you’ll take all your meals at my table.” This is where we get to our text and Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I’m worth no more than a dead dog.”

We will break down this story over the next few days, but for this morning think about Mephibosheth’s mentality. Who told him he was worth no more than a dead dog? He used to be royalty and he acted like it, but circumstances changed his outlook on life. So what does this mean to you today? It means that you are who you think you are! Never ever think of yourself as anything less than a child of the Most High God!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe Your Word. I believe I am a king’s kid, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, a chosen generation. I have been selected by You, because of Your covenant, to be a light in a dark, dying, and decaying world. I will let Your light shine through me this day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t Judge Your Future by Your Past (top of page)

(2^nd Sam 9:8 CEV) Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I’m worth no more than a dead dog.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we laid the foundation for the story of Mephibosheth. Even after the King told him that he would return all the properties of his grandfather and that he would be a guest at the King’s table, we see that he still thought of himself as a “dead dog” and a person unworthy of such treatment. Many Christians today have the same problem. They may not call themselves a dead dog, but they feel unworthy of the blessings and promises of God.

Why would a person who was once heir to the thrown make such a statement? Dr. I. V. Hilliard says that there are four main factors that shape our value and belief system. Let’s take a look at the four and how they apply to Mephibosheth’s life:

1. Social Environment: Mephibosheth was taken from the palace to live in Lo-debar. I already stated that Lo-debar was a dry and barren place. He went from the place of pleasure and plenty to the place of unrest and lack.

2. Credible Authority Figures: Mephibosheth’s father Jonathan and his grandfather Saul were dead. They were his connection to greatness and a faint memory of childhood bliss.

3. Repetitious Information: You eventually believe what you consistently receive. This is why it is very important to protect your “ear gate.” Mephibosheth was more than likely – because of his environment – exposed to conversations of failure, frustration, and disappointment. The people around him were associated with Saul’s regime and probably talked about the “good ‘ole times;” without any hope of future success.

4. Personal Experiences: Our personal experiences make the most impact on our belief system. Mephibosheth experienced a string of unfortunate events. He lost his royal grandfather at a young age, he was dropped and maimed at the same time, and he was taken to live in an unproductive and uncreative environment. Since the age of five, all he knew was struggle.

I know this all paints a pretty bad picture, but here comes the good news. The reigning King remembered that he had a covenant with Mephibosheth’s father. Even though his father was dead, the covenant remained intact. King David was obligated to fulfill the covenant. The King was willing to bless Mephibosheth and turn his life around. Although King David was obligated to fulfill his part of the covenant, Mephibosheth still had a role in the matter. He needed to look beyond his past and see hope for his future. Mephibosheth needed to do two things: recognize the authority of the King and receive the blessing from the throne.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God wants to bless you. There are hundreds of promises that pertain to you because of the covenants established in the Word of God. The promises will never change your life, however, if you are not willing to: 1. recognize the authority of God and the validity of the scriptures and 2. receivethe blessings by faith.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I do not let my past dictate my future. I look beyond disappointment, frustration, and pain. I look unto Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of my faith. I revamp my belief system through the Word of God. I look forward and not backward. Forward ever, backward never. The blessings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus are mine! I recognize Your authority and I receive Your blessings, by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Kings vs. Presidents (top of page)

(2^nd Sam 9:8 CEV) David said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I’m going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We have been dealing with the story of Mephibosheth for the last few days. This morning I feel led to deal with the fact that David was a King and not a President or a Prime Minister. Why is this important? Let’s see some key differences:

1. Establishment: Humans are elected President or Prime Minister, but one must be born into royalty. Normally the person(s) that established your authority have a say in how you carry it out. In the case of Presidents and Prime Ministers this role is executed by the people. If they people do not approve, changes are normally made. Since Kings are born and not elected there is no tie to external pressures for administration.

2. Rule: Presidents and Prime Ministers govern, Kings rule. There is a big difference. Presidents and Prime Ministers have checks and balances. Their word may not be final. They can be impeached for critical mistakes. Kings do not have checks and balances. They rule with absolute authority. Their word is final.

3. Tenure: Presidents and Prime Ministers govern for set terms of office. This is basically a “job” for them. When their tenure is over they must move aside and allow the next elected official to govern. Kings rule until they die. They never move aside and submit to another human’s rule while they are still living. Kings are born as royalty and they die as rulers.

4. Limitations: Presidents and Prime Ministers do not own the land. They simply govern and establish policies. Kings are referred to as Lord. Why? Because they own their kingdom. The more land they own, the bigger the kingdom.

Why is this important? Because David was a King and not an elected official. If a President or Prime Minister promises land to someone, they might wind up in prison. They can be investigated and brought up on charges of conspiracy and fraud. However, King’s can give away land because they own it. Mephibosheth was able to receive the offer, because it was made from a credible source – the thrown of a King.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. God owns all the silver and the gold (Hag 2:8) in the world, the cattle upon a thousand hills (Ps 50:10), and the entire earth for that matter (Ps 24:1). God is not an elected official. God’s cannot be checked or balanced. His Word is final. He has complete rule.

What this also means is that you can receive the Word of God and all the promises therein, because they come from a credible source. They do not come from someone who cannot carry out what He has promised. God is the King of Glory. Expand your capacity to believe Him and your life will never be the same.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I acknowledge Your reign and Your rule. Everything is Yours. You have complete authority, rule, and dominion. You have the power and the ability to execute every promise found in your Word. I believe You can and I have the faith that You will manifest Your glory, peace, power, and provision in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You have Access to the King of Glory (top of page)

(Ps 24:9,10 CEV) Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in. Who is this glorious king? He is our LORD, the All-Powerful!

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday I laid out some of the differences between Kings and Presidents or Prime Ministers and I pointed out that God is a King. I felt led to stay on this topic this morning and further emphasize why this is important in expanding our capacity to believe God.

Those that understand royalty understand why it is very difficult to get an audience with the throne. The average person cannot gain access to a King. The royal court ensured that access to a King was controlled, because whatever a King says has to be done and it was oftentimes irreversible. In Daniel, for example, those jealous of Daniel’s relationship with King Darius tricked the King into signing a decree that they knew Daniel would violate. Once Daniel did they brought to the King’s attention and he was obligated to have Daniel thrown in the lion’s den. He loved Daniel, but as a King, he could not go against his Word.

Those that truly understand a King’s position were very excited when given an opportunity to address one. They knew that the King could speak “one word” and change their lives for ever. Those of us that understand God to be the King of Glory know that God can speak “one word” to us, at any given time, and change our lives forever. That is why you must expand your capacity to believe. There are many Christians that are Born-Again, but they do not believe God can or will change their circumstances. They have no expectancy, anticipation, or hope. They have resigned themselves to a life of mediocrity. If these people truly understood the fact that they have access to the King of Glory everyday through prayer, they would elevate their expectations and believe that He can and will change their lives.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must believe. You must believe that God is the King of Glory. You must believe that He can speak “one word” to you – through prayer, the Bible, or someone else – and turn your life around instantly. If you really believe that the King of Glory is in you, on you, and with you, it is hard to walk around with low self-esteem and low expectations.

Increase your capacity to believe. Know that you have access to the King of Glory. Know that He wants you to be complete and whole in every area of your life. Know that He is greater than any force against you and that no one can stop His power from flowing in Your life, once you access it through your relationship with Him.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. You are greater than any attack, hindrance, or demonic force. You are the King of Glory. You are my righteous authority. You are my God and I ascribe to no other gods but You. I acknowledge Your presence and power this morning and I declare that Your hand and favor is in me, on me, and with me. I go forth as an emissary of the King of Glory and I declare that everything I do is blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Partakers of an Eternal Covenant (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Mephibosheth. King David called over one of his servants (Ziba) that used to serve Mephibosheth’s grandfather (Saul) and told him that he and his entire house (15 sons and 20 servants) would now work for Mephibosheth. They were to work Mephibosheth’s newly restored land and bring him the provisions from it. Mephibosheth himself would take all his meals at the King’s table (see 2^nd Sam 9:9,10).

This is one of the greatest stories of redemption in the Bible. Here you have a man that was born royalty, but lost his regal connection through a series of unfortunate events. Everything he lost was restored through a covenant that was established with his blood line. He lived beneath his means while he was ignorant of the covenant. However, once he was made aware of the covenant he was able to receive a complete restoration to his rightful place in a position of prominence and stature.

The same hold true for us. We are all born ignorant of the covenants established in the Word of God. God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make of him a great nation (Gen 12:2,3) and that the covenant would transfer to his seed (Gen 17:6,7). God blessed Abraham and made him very rich; everything he did was successful (Gen 24:1). God then extended and offered that same blessing to his descendants if they would hear His voice and obey His Word (Deut 28:1). This obedience would mean that their businesses and farms would be successful (Deut 28:3), they would have many children and would harvest large crops (v.4), they would have plenty of bread to eat and experience success in their daily work (vv.:5,6); they would overcome their enemies (v.7), their harvests would be so large that their storehouses would be full (v.8), they would have plenty of money to lend to other nations and would have no need to borrow any themselves (v.12), they would be leaders among the nations and followers, and they would be wealthy and powerful, not poor and weak (v.13). Paul went on to tell us that every Born-Again believer has been baptized into Christ and has put on Christ. In Christ, there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. We are all one in Christ Jesus. Our connection to Christ makes us Abraham’s seed and spiritual heirs to the promises established for Abraham’s descendants (Gal 2:27-29). Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews tells us that the covenant we have with Christ is a better covenant with better promises (Heb 8:6).

Mephibosheth’s life was changed when he was made aware of the covenant attached to his bloodline. His knowledge of the covenant opened him up to the possibility of receiving the benefits of the covenant.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God has established a covenant of blessings in His Word for you. Your knowledge of the covenant opens you up to the possibility of receiving the benefits of it. For it to change your life, however, you must believe that you are part of the bloodline and therefore and heir to a better covenant with better promises.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. Everything You promised Abraham and Jesus is for me. I am an heir and a joint-heir with Christ. The natural blessings of Abraham and the spiritual blessings of Jesus are all part of my inheritance. I receive them, by faith, and I declare that my life will never be the same. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

From Rejected to Accepted (top of page)

(2^nd Sam 9:13 NIV) And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Mephibosheth. Yesterday we discussed how King David restored Saul’s land and his servants to Mephibosheth. This was an example of God’s provision. Outward provision does no good, however, if your mentality is not also restored. Mephibosheth was born royalty, but he had not been around the crown since the age of five. His thinking needed to be elevated. Even though the King had given him land and servants, he needed to be changed from the inside out. What was King David’s answer for a crippled man with a low self-esteem? In the wisdom of God, David had Mephibosheth eat all his meals at the King’s table. Why? Because this would accomplish two things:

1. Cover his weakness: Mephibosheth’s greatest issue was his crippled feet. Although David was not anointed to heal him, he did the next best thing: he covered his weakness by having Mephibosheth to sit at the King’s table. Dignitaries that were fortunate enough to eat with the King would never know that Mephibosheth had a weakness, because the King’s table covered it. David was taking Mephibosheth’s troubled past and putting it behind him.

2. Elevate his thinking: Once Mephibosheth felt comfortable operating as an “equal” with royalty and dignitaries he could no longer feel sorry for himself. His weakness was hid under the majesty of the throne and his thinking was elevated to match his new position of honor. David changed Mephibosheth’s financial balance sheet when he gave him the land, he changed his level of responsibility when he gave him the servants, but he changed his life when he covered his weakness and placed him in a position of honor.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God wants to cover your weaknesses, give you a position of royalty, and elevate your thinking. Don’t focus on what you cannot do. Allow God to cover your weaknesses from your enemies and focus on your strengths in Him. I will close with the words of Paul. Please read these verses carefully, “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you – from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (1^st Peter 2:9,10 MSG).

Confession for this day: Lord God. I may have come to you damaged, but I am still destined. I may have come rejected, but now I am accepted. I cast my cares, anxieties, worries, and concerns upon You. You spread Your wings over me and keep me secure. Your faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall. You cover my weaknesses and present me faultless before the world. You empower me to prosper for You have made me a holy instrument in Your hands. I may have been nothing, but now I am somebody. I may have been rejected, but now I am accepted. I sit at Your table and I walk with my head held high. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God Declares the End from the Beginning (top of page)

(Judges 6:12 MSG) The angel of God appeared to him and said, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by transitioning to another Old Testament story that exemplifies the importance of believing. The book of Judges chronicles a turbulent time for the nation of Israel. They had righteous and unrighteous leaders and the state of the nation reflected the spiritual state of the leaders. Judges 6 opens with the Israelites disobeying the Lord. Their disobedience caused the Lord to remove His protection from them and the nation of Midian controlled them for seven years. This was a terrible time for Israel. The Midianites were so cruel that many Israelites ran to the mountains and hid in caves. Every time the Israelites would plant crops, the Midianites swarmed in, set up tents, and let their livestock eat the crops to the ground. The Midianites also stole food, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. There were so many Midianites that the Bible likens them to a “swarm of locusts.” After the Midianites took almost everything that belonged to the Israelites, the Israelites finally repented and asked the Lord for help. The Lord sent a prophet to them with this message: “I am the LORD God of Israel, so listen to what I say. You were slaves in Egypt, but I set you free and led you out of Egypt into this land. And when nations here made life miserable for you, I rescued you and helped you get rid of them and take their land. I am your God, and I told you not to worship Amorite gods, even though you are living in the land of the Amorites. But you refused to listen.” Even after this harsh prophecy, the Lord accepted their plea for help and sent an angel to a man He selected to lead the Israelites out of their oppression. Who do you think the Lord chose? Did he find the strongest, meanest, and most skilled warrior? Of course not. The Lord sent the angel to a man named Gideon. What was he doing when the angel met him? He was in a shallow pit, under a tree, threshing grain. This was an unusual place to thresh grain; it was normally done on a wood floor or a hard surface, causing it to be a noisy process. Gideon did it under a tree because he was hiding from the Midianites. So the Lord picked an unknown farmer who was hiding under a tree to lead a revolution. What’s the first thing the Lord needed to deal with? No question, it was Gideon’s mentality. Gideon needed to see himself as God saw him. So the angel of God appeared to him and said, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!“ We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you today? Let’s glean a few golden nuggets:

1. God still judges sin: Sin will cause you to live without the protection and favor of the Lord.

2. God still accepts repentance: If you earnestly repent before God, He will restore you.

3. God declares the end from the beginning: The angel did not speak to Gideon’s present condition. He did not say, “Gideon, you coward!” Or, “Gideon, you big chicken!” No, God looked at a scared farmer and spoke a fearless General into manifestation.

4. If must believe God’s opinion of us: We will see in this story that Gideon’s opinion of himself was literally transformed and he became the mighty warrior that God saw, because he was willing to believe God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe Your opinion of me. I am who You say that I am. I can do what You say that I can do. I can be what You say that I can be. You can turn weaklings into warriors and cowards into leaders. I believe You can elevate me into becoming the person that You desire for me to be. I accept, by faith, whatever You speak into my life and though my beginning may be small, I know that I will greatly increase. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Do You Know What’s In You? (top of page)

(Judges 6:14 NIV) The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Gideon. The Lord sent an angel to Gideon, a farmer, who was hiding under a tree and the angel said, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!“ Gideon’s mentality was not ready for that statement. If he was to become was God said, then he would certainly have to expand his capacity to believe. His first reaction was to complain. Gideon said, “But sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” Many of us can understand his complaining. We, like Gideon, would like to blame everything – good or bad – on God. As I stated yesterday, however, their plight was a result of their sin. God did not cause them to be in their situation, God simply removed His protection, because of their sin. This should serve as a warning to all. Stop blaming God for everything that happens and search yourself to ensure that you are free from blessing blockers.

I wanted to deal with the 15^th verse this morning, but the Lord stopped me at verse 14. The Lord’s answer to Gideon was powerful. Let’s break this verse down into two areas:

1. Your Ability: God said, “Go in the strength you have…” These words stopped me in my tracks this morning. It is a reminder that God knows everything about us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. Every hair on our head is numbered (Mat 10:30). He knows what we can do before He gives us the assignment. He is qualified to make statements like, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper” (Is 54:17), because he understands the weapon and He understands us. He takes both into consideration before He makes such declarations. This helps us understand His statement to Gideon. We cannot clearly see why God selected Gideon. When we look at Gideon all we see is a scared farmer, but God saw a mighty warrior. Why? Because God had already placed the mighty warrior in Gideon. God knew what was in him and what it would take to get it out of him.

2. God’s Ability: God also asked, “Am I not sending you?” This is a powerful question because it was a reminder to Gideon and it also serves as a reminder to us that God knows what He is doing. If He knows the end from the beginning – and He does – then we can trust Him to be accurate with every assignment. God was basically telling Gideon that He would be with him. The guarantee of His presence also meant a guarantee of His power.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must see yourself as God sees you. What do you see when you look in the mirror? While you are answering that, ask yourself, what does God see when He looks at me? What strength has He put down in you that you are not using? What ability has He blessed you with that you are not maximizing? The Word of the Lord for you this morning is: Go in the strength you have and I will be with you!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe Your opinion of me. You have blessed me with abilities that I have yet to use. I declare, by faith, that I maximize the abilities You have placed in me and I go forward today with the confidence and boldness that comes from knowing that You are in me, on me, with me, and for me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t disqualify yourself if God has already Qualified You! (top of page)

(Judges 6:15 MSG) Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Gideon. The Lord saw something in Gideon, told him to go in the strength that he had, and then promised to go with him. What a mighty setup! Think about that for a moment. Place yourself in his shoes. Imagine yourself as part of a nation that was birthed out of the promises of God. Your nation had a rich heritage of Godly blessings. However, because of sin, God removed His hedge of protection and your nation had been under siege for seven years. One day the Lord sends an angel to you, while you are somewhat hiding, and the angel speaks a direct Word from the Lord Himself. The Lord calls you a mighty warrior and tells you to go with the power that you already have and He promises to be with you. What would you do? Would you jump up and say, “Let’s go Lord. I am ready to take them all”? You would if your belief system would allow it. I have done many series on operating in faith, but you cannot even get to faith if you do not believe something is possible for you. Gideon’s belief system was not ready for God’s declaration. Many today find themselves in the same boat. They go to church Sunday after Sunday, but they do not really believe that they can do the exploits promised to us in the Word of God, through the power of God, for the glory of God.

Gideon’s reply was sad, but it is common. He said, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.” God had already expressed His opinion of Gideon. Gideon’s reply shows that He was still operating under “some other” opinion of himself. Some people see his reply and call it humility. I call it false humility. For example: I have observed several Pastors give assignments to members of their congregations where the members reply with statements like, “Who me, Pastor? I am not worthy. I cannot do that. Who am I? I’m just an ‘ole poor sinner, saved by grace.” God is not pleased with such statements. God gives us assignments for the same reason He gave Gideon the assignment; because He has already placed in us, all we need to eb successful. Furthermore, God has already expressed His opinion of us in His Word. We are ambassadors for His Kingdom (2 Cor 5:20); we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21); we are a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1 Pet 2:9); we are the people of God (1 Pet 2:10); we are joint-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17); we are more than conquerors (Rom 8:37); and I could go on and on. The Bible is chock-full of promises and declarations of who we are.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must believe God’s opinion of you if you are to maximize your purpose in life before you die. God is in the business of doing extraordinary things with ordinary people. God knew who Gideon was before He assigned him; flaws, failures, and all. God took all that into consideration before He qualified him for the assignment. Don’t be like Gideon and attempt to disqualify yourself.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe Your opinion of me. I activate Your presence, power, and peace in my life. I make myself available for Your use. You are bigger than anything that will come my way. You enable me to accomplish every task in excellence and victory. There is nothing too big for me, because You are in me and with me. You chose me when I would not choose myself. You selected me for service and equipped me for greatness. I am not a weakling, I am a mighty warrior! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Dream Big Dreams! (top of page)

(Judges 6:15 MSG) Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” God had great plans for Gideon, but look at the Gideon’s opinion of himself. Gideon was basically telling God that he was the most insignificant person in the most insignificant family in his entire tribe. For God to use Gideon to lead the people out of the bondage He would have to elevate his thinking. In follow-on messages we will see that God allowed Gideon to go through a series of tests before he could believe God to the point where he was ready to lead an Army into battle.

As soon as I woke up this morning – and I get up early – the Lord reminded me of Gideon’s condition in the text and then reminded me of my childhood. I am a first generation American, born to immigrant parents, and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. For those of you that do not know, East New York in the 1970s and 1980s was one of the worst neighborhoods in the United States. In school we were often quoted demoralizing statistics and reminded how difficult it was, as minorities in the ghetto, to overcome the odds. Most of my friends believed the statistics and soon became them. We grew up around alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, crack-cocaine, PCP, heroin, murder, and etc. The opportunities to do wrong were plenteous and the motivation to do right was scarce. Amazingly enough, I have never even taken a puff of a cigarette; much less tried drugs. Why? Because God placed something down in me that made me dream of greatness and I have a mother that lived greatness before my eyes.

As children we attempted to live our lives as normal as normal could be. We played “tag” and “hide and go seek,” like other kids. The difference was that we played in abandoned buildings and empty lots full of broken bottles and broken dreams. I remember sitting on a stoop (front stairs) of an abandoned building and dreaming of still being alive when I turned 18. If I was still alive, I dreamed of getting out of the ghetto and doing something “great” with my life. Whenever I shared my dreams with my friends they laughed. They were blinded by the harsh realities of our environment. I did not know it at the time, but I was a dreamer who was born of a dreamer. My mother was also laughed at when she and her cousin told their friends and family that they were going to the United States someday. Somehow, they overcome the ridicule and made the journey to a new country and a new life.

In many ways I can relate to Gideon. I know it is hard to dream big dreams when you are surrounded by failure. But the Lord put something down in Gideon; just like He did with my mother and me. God took Gideon through a series of experiences before he was ready to truly believe God for greatness and God did the same thing in my mother and in me.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that it is alright to be honest with God. Tell God where you are and share your concerns with Him. He will take you through whatever you need to go through to expand your capacity to believe Him; so you can fulfill the dreams He has placed in you. When I left Korea on of my soldiers gave me a keepsake box with a placard on it that says, “Dream Big Dreams and make them come true!” That box sits on my desk and I smile every time I look at it. I remind you this morning, like it reminds me, to dream big dreams!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I dream big dreams. Your dreams in me help me overcome my background and my lineage. I see myself performing great things in Your Kingdom. I don’t have to understand how and when, but I simply believe and have faith that I will. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Sweatless Victory (top of page)

(Judges 6:16 GNB) The Lord answered, “You can do it because I will help you. You will crush the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Gideon. Yesterday I focused on how Gideon’s mentality had to change to lead a revolution against the Midianites. In this morning’s text we see something that is common in scripture; the Lord gave Gideon a promise of presence, provision, and power. Gideon questioned his own ability to carry out this great task for God. Let’s take a closer look at God’s response:

1. God is our source: God said, “You can do it because I will help you.” God was helping Gideon internalize the reality that the same God that parted the Red Sea, destroyed the Egyptians, and caused the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down for his ancestors was going to literally be with him and help him. The issue of God’s help is very important in our Christian walk, because God never gives us assignments that we can carry out without Him. God’s assignments are always too big for us and always cause us to be dependant on His power. Gideon knew that he could not defeat the Midianites, but he also knew that God could. When God promised Gideon that he would be with him it helped Gideon calm his fears and it was the first step in expanding his capacity to believe. God has made a similar promise to every Born-Again believer; He promised never to leave us, nor forsake us (Heb 13:5). The internalization of the reality of His presence is a critical step in overcoming fear and expanding our capacity to believe.

2. Sweatless Victory: God went on to say, “You will crush the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.” If Gideon attempted to assemble and army on his own and start a revolution the result would be catastrophic. The fact that God was involved, however, meant that the victory would come swift and it would come easy. Gideon did not have much confidence, but he did have enough to believe he could defeat one man. God met him where he was and painted a picture of an easy victory that would elevate his thinking and his capacity to believe. This notion of a sweatless victory reminds me of a story in Luke 5 where Jesus told Peter to launch his boat into the deep waters and to put his nets down for a catch. Peter answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” The word translated “worked hard” in Peter’s response is a word that literally means “to sweat.” Peter was an expert fisherman and he put all his human efforts into a full nights work, to no avail. However, after receiving a Word from Jesus, he simply did what Jesus said and he wound up catching two boats full of fish. What’s the point? The point is that your human efforts can only take you but so far and they will cause you to sweat and work hard, but when God is involved He can give you a “sweatless victory.”

So what does this mean to you today? Very simply it means that God is with you and His presence can bring you sweatless victories that far surpass anything you could have done on your own. Human ability is limited, God’s ability is infinite. Your obedience to His Word and your willingness to believe He can do great things in your life will open you up to possibilities you previously thought impossible.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I verbalize my confidence in You and in Your Word. I visualize myself doing great things for Your Kingdom and for Your glory. I internalize a sweatless victory and I receive it by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Start Where You Are (top of page)

(Judges 6:24 KJV) Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah Shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Gideon. This is an awesome story, because many of us can relate to Gideon’s quest towards belief and faith. Gideon did not just take what God said (Carte Blanche) and go out to destroy the Midianites. He had to expand his capacity to believe. The Lord’s angel had just promised Gideon a sure victory; but Gideon’s belief system was not ready to receive it and act upon it. Gideon told the angel, “It’s hard to believe that I’m actually talking to the Lord. Please do something so I’ll know that you really are the Lord; and wait here until I bring you an offering.” The Bible says that the Lord (not the angel) answered, “All right, I’ll wait.” At this point I believe that Gideon was not sure what to do. He knew that he wanted to present God an offering, but he was not clear on how to do it. Furthermore, he was not a priest and he did not have an altar; but he knew he wanted to offer God something. So Gideon went home, killed a goat, boiled the meat, made thin bread, and then placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a clay pot. He took the meat, the broth, and the bread and placed them under the big tree. God’s angel said, “Gideon, put the meat and the bread on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” Gideon did as he was told. The angel then touched the meat and the bread with his stick. Flames jumped from the rock and consumed the offering. Gideon was surprised at what he saw and before he realized it, the angel was gone. That’s when it dawned on Gideon that it was really God’s angel before him. He then thought that if he had really seen God’s angel face to face that he might possibly die. But the Lord spoke to Gideon – this time there was no angel and no question that it was God – and said, “Calm down! There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re not going to die.” Gideon – the same guy that was unclear with what to do before – somehow got real clarity after hearing from God directly. He built an altar and for worshiping the Lord and called it “Jehovah Shalom.” Jehovah Shalom literally means, “The Lord our Peace.”

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Don’t attempt to get anything from God without first having a relationship with Him. Before Gideon attempted to become the “mighty warrior” the Lord called him, he wanted to know for sure that it was God.

2. Sacrifice (offering) is a critical part of our walk with God. Gideon was unclear on what to do, but he knew that it was appropriate to offer something to God.

3. Worship is expected in the presence of the Lord. As soon as Gideon realized that he was dealing with God Himself, he built an altar and worshipped the Lord.

4. Start today, where you are, wherever that may be. Gideon did not have all the answers yet. He had never experienced anything like this before. He was not sure on what to do and how to do it, but he made and effort and God was pleased with it.

Expanding your capacity to believe God means that you are willing to start where you are. Once you allow God to help you to get to the point where nothing is unbelievable, nothing will be impossible!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I don’t have all the answers today. I don’t know everything I need to know to do all that You expect me to do, but I believe You. I start where I am and I believe that You will progressively take me towards Your expected end for my life. My journey of expanded belief starts today. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Experiences with God build Your Confidence in Him (top of page)

(Judges 6:39 CEV) But Gideon prayed to God again. ” Don’t be angry at me,” Gideon said. ” Let me try this just one more time, so I’ll really be sure you’ll help me. Only this time, let the wool be dry and the stone floor be wet with dew.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up Gideon’s story where we left off yesterday. After Gideon worshipped God, the Lord instructed him to destroy an altar that was set up to worship Baal (a false God). This is important because God will always require us to deal with the issues of sin,before He uses us for His glory. Gideon tore down the altar and it caused an uproar in the town. The people wanted Gideon killed because of it, but Gideon’s father told the people to let Baal fight his own battles. If Baal was truly a god he could deal with Gideon. This is important for us as well, because it gives us to know that if God is for us, we have nothing to be afraid of. Baal could not touch Gideon.

Then came the true test; the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern nations got together, crossed the Jordan River, invaded the land of Israel, and set up camp in Jezreel Valley. This was the last straw. The Lord’s Spirit came upon Gideon and Gideon blew a trumpet to tell the men in the Abiezer clan to follow him. This is important because Gideon did not attempt to move for God until the Spirit of the Lord led him to. He also sent messengers to the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, asking for the men to join his army. Before Gideon went any further he needed to expand his capacity to believe. He was making progress, but his belief system was still not where it needed to be if he was going to lead the revolution. He needed to be completely confident.

Gideon prayed to God, “I know that you promised to help me rescue Israel, but I need proof. Tonight I’ll put some wool on the stone floor of that threshing-place over there. If you really will help me rescue Israel, then tomorrow morning let there be dew on the wool, but let the stone floor be dry.” That’s exactly what happened. Gideon got up early the next morning and checked the wool. The floor was dry and the wool was so wet that he squeezed enough water out of it to fill a bowl. Gideon was building his confidence, but he was still not there. Gideon prayed again to God again, “Don’t be angry with me, let me try this just one more time, so I’ll really be sure you’ll help me. Only this time, let the wool be dry and the stone floor be wet with dew.” That night God made the stone floor wet with dew, but he kept the wool dry.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God will build your capacity to believe through your experiences with Him. I don’t advocate putting God through tests of wool and water, but I do advocate taking the time to recognize the ways that God has painstakingly overlooked our insecurities in an attempt to help us believe. Think back to the all questions you have had for God over the years and you will see your Gideon experience. Gideon needed to build his confidence in God and so do you. Once you sincerely believe God and His Word you will be able to be used of Him mightily and for His glory. Gideon went on to greatness and so can you. Are you expanding your capacity to believe?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I thank You for your grace and your patience with me. You have answered my questions and calmed my concerns. I look back and recognize all that You have done in my life. My experiences build up my confidence in You. I am fully persuaded that what You have promised, You will also perform in my life. I walk into this day and this weekend with confidence, boldness, and belief! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

It Doesn’t Take Long (top of page)

(Judges 7:8 CEV) Then Gideon gave these orders, “You three hundred men stay here. The rest of you may go home, but leave your food and trumpets with us.” Gideon’s army camp was on top of a hill overlooking the Midianite camp in the valley.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking where we left off with the story of Gideon. Friday we saw Gideon put God through a few tests as he was building up his capacity to believe. This morning we see a new Gideon. After his capacity to believe was elevated, we no longer see a coward, but a champion. Chapter 7 opens with Gideon getting up in the morning ready to lead his assembled army against the Midianites. He had not realized it, but 32,000 men responded to the call to war. So now the guy that was hiding under a tree a few days earlier was a de-facto Commanding General. What’s the first thing God did with his new General? He exposed the reason why he allowed Gideon to build his belief system. This would be no ordinary fight. God told Gideon that he had too many men, He said, “Gideon, your army is too big. I can’t let you win with this many soldiers. The Israelites would think that they had won the battle all by themselves and that I didn’t have anything to do with it. So call your troops together and tell them that anyone who is really afraid can leave Mount Gilead and go home.” Gideon did as God said and 22,000 left immediately. Would God be comfortable with 10,000? No. God said, “Gideon, you still have too many soldiers. Take them down to the spring and I’ll test them. I’ll tell you which ones can go along with you and which ones must go back home.” Gideon led his army down to the spring; the Lord told him, “Watch how each man gets a drink of water. Then divide them into two groups – those who lap the water like a dog and those who kneel down to drink.” 300 men scooped up water in their hands and lapped it, and 9,700 knelt to get a drink. Then the Lord said, “Gideon, your army will be made up of everyone who lapped the water from their hands. Send the others home. I’m going to rescue Israel by helping you and your army of 300 defeat the Midianites.” Then Gideon gave these orders, “You three hundred men stay here. The rest of you may go home, but leave your food and trumpets with us.”

Isn’t that awesome? The same guy that was a scared farmer a few days before was now acting like a confident General and it was all because he received a Word from God and he expanded his capacity to believe. If you read this story again you never see Gideon doubt. He did not question God one bit. He did not stumble in fear or unbelief. He sent 20,000 home on the first cut and then 9,700 home on the second cut and he was not concerned at all. Why? Because he had already experienced God in his life to the point where he was no longer a doubter; he was a believer!

So what does this mean to you today? It means that it doesn’t take long for God to transform you from a coward to a champion. All it takes is belief. Are you a doubter or a believer? I know you may call yourself a believer, but do you really believe? When you look back over your life, can you think of instances where God has been there for you? If so, then shouldn’t you be able to trust Him today in whatever you are facing? Gideon’s experiences transformed his capacity to believe and so should yours. If you can believe you will be able to receive!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I look back over the many times You have manifested Your glory in my life. My past experiences solidify my belief system. I do not and will not doubt any longer. I am not a doubter, I am a believer and nothing shall be impossible to me! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God Wants Maximum Glory (top of page)

(Judges 7:2 CEV) The LORD said, “Gideon, your army is too big. I can’t let you win with this many soldiers. The Israelites would think that they had won the battle all by themselves and that I didn’t have anything to do with it.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” This morning I led to go back to our text. God made Gideon send the men home was because his army was too big and there was a possibility that Gideon would give the army the credit for the victory and not God. God never wants His work confused with man’s, so He oftentimes sets up situations where we know we would fail without Him; causing us to give Him maximum glory!

About five years ago my wife and I were seeking God for direction. My wife was not satisfied with her job in the Army and wanted to be a nurse. She contemplated getting out and going to school or requesting one of two special medical programs the military offers to Enlisted soldiers to become Medical Officers. Everyone she spoke to told her that she would not be selected into the special programs because she was in the Supply field and did not have a medical background. She was discouraged. We fasted and prayed and the Lord spoke a Word to me in prayer that changed everything. The Lord told me that she would be selected to be a nurse and that she would serve in the Army Nurse Corps. He began to show me how she would minister to people in places that I (as a preacher) could not go. He showed me how she would have legal access to places that my Pastor could not go. I saw her laying hands on the sick and watching them recover and encouraging the downtrodden. I shared this with my wife and we believed God together that this would come to pass. The first step was to get the packet together. It required several letters of recommendation. One of my friends at the time offered to get a letter of recommendation from a retired Army Nurse Corps General he knew. He said this letter would guarantee her selection. My wife and I were very excited about the letter.

Around the same time I taught a series on Today’s Word from the Lazarus account. The emphasis of the series circled around the fact that Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead for four days before He raised him up, because God wanted maximum glory out of the situation. My capacity to believe was elevated in the series and God quickly gave me an opportunity to exercise my belief. I was in prayer one morning and the Lord told me not to get the letter. I immediately understood why. My wife and I had already placed our confidence in a letter from a retired General and God did not want His glory going to some letter. I told my friend that although I appreciated the gesture, I could not use the letter. He said, “Isabella will not get selected without it.” That was all I needed to hear. I knew God would get the glory now. Needless to say, she got selected, went to one of the best nursing schools in the country, and is currently serving as a nurse; where she ministers to the sick and God is using her mightily. Guess what? He gets all the glory for whatever He allows her to do in the hospital.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God wants you to expand your capacity to believe for a reason. Once you are able to believe God for the unbelievable, He is able to perform the seemingly impossible in your life. And always remember to give God the glory (credit) for everything He does in your life. Impossible situations are setups for maximum glory!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. The more I am able to believe, the more You will allow me to receive. I believe the seemingly unbelievable and I receive the seemingly impossible. I declare, by faith, in advance, that I will always give You the glory for everything You do in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believers Overcome Fear (top of page)

(Judges 7:15 CEV) As soon as Gideon heard about the dream and what it meant, he bowed down to praise God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Let’s go! The Lord is going to let us defeat the Midianite army.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Gideon. In the 8^th verse Gideon believed God enough to make the final cut and send 9,700 soldiers home. He was left with 300 soldiers and his trust in God. He had made great strides in believing over the last few days, but he was not completely convinced yet. That night, the LORD told Gideon, “Get up! Attack the Midianite camp. I am going to let you defeat them, but if you’re still afraid, you and your servant Purah should sneak down to their camp. When you hear what the Midianites are saying, you’ll be brave enough to attack.” Wow. Look at the grace of God. Even after all God had allowed Gideon to experience He knew that Gideon still needed a little more assurance. Sure enough, Gideon took God up on His offer.

Gideon and Purah worked their way to the edge of the enemy camp where soldiers were on guard duty. The camp was huge. The Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern nations covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Think about that for a moment. Gideon had 300 soldiers and they were about to fight the armies of Midian, Amelek, and several other eastern nations. Remember, nothing is impossible to them that believe. They looked out and the Bible says that it would be easier to count the grains of sand on a beach than to count their camels. This was no easy task. But remember, God promised Gideon that he would hear something that he needed to hear to encourage him. Gideon sneaked up close enough to hear the guards. One guard told another, “I had a dream about a flat loaf of barley bread that came tumbling into our camp. It hit the headquarters tent, and the tent flipped over and fell down.” The other soldier answered, “Your dream must have been about Gideon, the Israelite commander. It means God will let him and his army defeat the Midianite army and everyone else in our camp.” That was exactly what Gideon needed to hear. He bowed down and praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Let’s go! The Lord is going to let us defeat the Midianite army.”

What happened? God allowed Gideon one final experience that expanded his capacity to believe to the point where he could lead the men into battle without the hint of fear. This is important because fear is a paralyzing force. Fear moves satan just like faith moves God. Gideon was about to exercise faith and he also realized that the guards would spread the rumor about the dream and instill fear in their camp.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Your experiences with God should expand your capacity to believe.

2. Your belief system should enable you to operate in faith.

3. You must overcome fear, because fear is a paralyzing force that will cripple you from doing what God expects you to do.

4. Fear cancels out faith, but faith also cancels out fear!

5. Fear moves satan; faith moves God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. Every experience with You expands my capacity to believe. The more I believe the more I am able to receive. My belief system is being revamped by this series and I am now able to believe things I never thought previously possible for me. I believe and I do not doubt. I operate in faith and I overcome fear. I am Your child and I can do all that You expect me to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

If it’s God’s will its God’s Bill (top of page)

(Judges 7:22 CEV) And blew their trumpets again. As they did, the Lord made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Gideon. Yesterday we saw how God allowed Gideon one last experience that would elevate his belief system to the point where he could confidently lead 300 men into battle against the armies of several countries. His confidence solidified, Gideon was ready to put his trust in God and operate by faith for a victory.

The guy who was a scared farmer just days before his encounter with God was now an anointed commander that received insight from God on how to lead his 300 to victory. Gideon divided his little army into three companies of 100 men and he gave each soldier a trumpet and a large clay jar with a burning torch inside. Remember when he sent majority of the soldiers home? He instructed them to leave their trumpets behind; we can now see why. Gideon spoke to the men and said, “When we get to the enemy camp, spread out and surround it. Then wait for me to blow a signal on my trumpet. As soon as you hear it, blow your trumpets and shout, `Fight for the LORD! Fight for Gideon!’ ” Gideon and his group reached the edge of the enemy camp a few hours after dark; just after the guard’s shift change. Gideon and his soldiers blew their trumpets and smashed the clay jars that were hiding the torches. The rest of Gideon’s soldiers blew the trumpets they were holding in their right hands. Then they smashed the jars and held the burning torches in their left hands. Everyone shouted, “Fight with your swords for the LORD and for Gideon!” This tactic confused the enemy and fear overtook them; they started yelling and tried to run away. Gideon’s troops stayed in their positions surrounding the camp and boxed them in. This is where the supernatural took over. As they blew their trumpets again the Lord made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other. The rest, as they say, is history.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God’s way will always require the supernatural: 300 vs. several countries.

2. God’s way will always require you to believe the seemingly unbelievable.

3. If it’s God’s will its God’s bill. God is obligated to release provision where He has established vision.

4. God can do more with you once you get started. Gideon went through a series of experiences to elevate his belief system, but once it was elevated, he got started. You can analyze, theorize, hypothesize, and strategize all you want; but God is waiting on you to get started.

5. God will give you the wisdom you need to carry out the mission. Gideon knew about farming, not fighting; but that did not stop him. God gave Gideon the wisdom he needed to carry out the mission.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. My trust and confidence is completely in You. I will step out in faith on the things that You have instructed me to do and I expect the supernatural to show up and help me. I know You can do more with me once I get started, so today I declare that I will get started, by faith. Forward ever, backward never! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

If it’s God’s will its God’s Bill (Part II) (top of page)

(Judges 7:22 CEV) And blew their trumpets again. As they did, the Lord made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Last night I called my wife from the Atlanta airport. As part of our conversation I asked her if she had read Today’s Word. She had not because her normal routine was interrupted. I offered to read the message to her over the phone and she welcomed the request. She says that she prefers me reading it to her than reading it herself. I read the message and she was blessed.

My wife and I have different ministry gifts, but we are both called nonetheless. She often mentions her amazement that I am able to “come up with” a Word from the Lord every morning. Last night she told me that she prays for me daily to receive a Word and the Lord reminded that Today’s Word ministry is an example of the message from yesterday – “If it’s God’s will its God’s bill!” The Lord had me to start this ministry in 1997 with eight of my friends. I praise God that the list is close to 1400 now and I am believing for 2000 this year. The point is that I get up every morning, pray for and in several areas, and then sit down at my computer. I am never concerned about “coming up with a message” and I have never, not once, not been able to send out a message because I did not have anything to say. Why? Because I understand that I am not the manufacturer, but simply a distribution center.

What is the point? The point is that I, like Gideon, simply step out in faith every day. I did not start this ministry on my own. This was not my idea. This was God’s idea and thus His will. Since it is His will, then He has the bill and He will always takes care of it. I have oftentimes sat down in front of my computer and said to God, “Lord, I am present for duty. I don’t know what to say, but You do. What do you want to share with Your people today?” And guess what? He has never failed.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that there is a liberating force behind walking by faith. When you know you are doing what God told you to do – which will always require the supernatural – you are free from worry and anxiety, because your total trust and confidence is in Him.

What has God told you to do that you have been worrying about? If God really told you to do it, then He will make sure you have everything you need to bring it to pass. Stop worrying and start trusting!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I overcome fear, doubt, unbelief, and worry. I doubt my doubts this morning I release faith in my faith. My confidence is in You alone to bring every promise to pass in my life. I know it cannot be done without You, so I refuse to worry about it. I trust, I believe, I have faith, and I will receive! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Belief can get you past your ‘but’ (top of page)

(2^nd Kings 5:1 CEV) Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. The Lord had helped him and his troops defeat their enemies, so the king of Syria respected Naaman very much. Naaman was a brave soldier, but he had leprosy.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up a new story. 2^ndKings 5 tells the interesting story of this Syrian commander named Naaman. He was a great man in the sight of his king and his soldiers; having the respect of superiors and subordinates alike. He was a masterful military commander and a valiant soldier who had been used of God to lead his men into and win several battles. The text says that he was a brave soldier, but behind the armor, behind the façade, and behind the image; this man had serious problem. After the accolades listed in the text we find the word that plagued Naaman and plagues many of us today – the wordbut. Yes, he was a great commander; yes, he was a great military tactician; but he was a leper. His armor covered up his leprosy. Leprosy was a terrible disease that started in one area and gradually spread all over the body, crusting the skin with white scales, causing terrible sores and swellings. From the skin the disease would then eat inward to the bones, rotting the whole body piecemeal. This was a dreadful condition, especially for someone so highly regarded.

One day the Syrian troops raided Israel and took a young girl who later became a servant of Naaman’s wife. This girl must have seen Naaman exposed, because she approached Naaman’s wife and said, “If your husband Naaman would go to the prophet in Samaria, he would be cured of his leprosy.” Naaman was a man of stature and prominence; a man of position and power. Naaman took orders only from the king and could have had the young girl killed for meddling, but Naaman looked beyond his position, realized his problem, and jumped on this glimpse of hope. What was happening? Naaman was expanding his capacity to believe. He knew that his rank, reputation, and respect were great, but they could not deal with his issue. He may not have believed that he would ever be cured before he heard the message from the young girl, but he was then willing to believe it was possible. We will stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. People love to put a ‘but’ behind your name: Naaman was this, Naaman was that, but he was a leper. People state what they really feel behind the word but. Don’t allow people to label you and confine you into their box. If you can believe, you can get beyond your ‘but.’

2. Be willing to receive from anyone: Naaman swallowed his pride and receive a word from his servant. Don’t ever get too big that you cannot learn from someone you are positioned over.

3. You are who you are when no one else is around: It is great to get accolades from others. It’s an ego boost to be recognized for your efforts. It is wonderful to be regarded as one of the best in your field. But who people say you are and the person you really are, are seldom the same person. You are who you are when no one else is around. When you take off your armor and night, do you like what you see?

4. Belief can get you past your ‘but’: Being cured of Leprosy is not as easy as getting past a head cold. This was a debilitating disease with no known cure. All the evidence was against him, but Naaman was willing to believe one word from a servant of God and that one word was what he needed to begin to expand his capacity to believe.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I declare that I am not defined by the perceptions of others, but am rather defined by the Word of God. I am who the Word says that I am and I can do what the Word says that I can do. I will not allow pride to keep me from Your best. I strip myself of pride and allow you to show me my areas of weakness and I resolve to get past them today through belief and faith. Forward ever, backward never! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Natural Connections do not guarantee a Spiritual Blessing (top of page)

(2^nd Kings 5:5 CEV) The king replied, “Go ahead! I will give you a letter to take to the king of Israel.” Naaman left and took along seven hundred fifty pounds of silver, one hundred fifty pounds of gold, and ten new outfits.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Naaman. Naaman received a glimmer of hope and expanded his capacity to believe when his young servant told him that he could be healed of leprosy if he visited the prophet in Samaria. The mere fact that Naaman received the possibility proves that he was operating in belief. Being healed of leprosy was virtually impossible without the intervention of the supernatural. The problem was that Naaman approached the situation from the world’s system. Instead of submitting himself to the prophet and seeking a relationship with God, Naaman approached the situation like he would anything else in his life; through his connections. Naaman had a close relationship with his king and his military conquests must have made him a rich man. He decided to use money and politics as his means to his breakthrough.

Naaman approached the king of Syria and shared what his servant told him. The king decided to give Naaman a letter that he could hand carry to the king of Israel. The letter said, “I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Would you cure him of his leprosy?“ The logic was that they could experience a smooth transition if they kept this in political channels. They assumed the king of Israel would instruct the prophet to heal Naaman. The problem with this logic is that spiritual things do not always line up with politics. Naaman took the letter and he was so desperate to receive his breakthrough that he also brought along 750 lbs. of silver, 150 lbs. of gold, and ten new outfits. Just so you don’t overlook how much money this was, let’s do some math. I checked on the internet this morning and a once of gold currently cost about $550.00. At that rate, a pound would cost $8,800.00 and 150 pounds would cost $1.32 million. A once of silver is running about $10.00. At that rate, a pound would cost $160.00 and 750 pounds would cost $120,000. Then there are the ten new outfits; we don’t know how much they cost, but we can assume he did not get them from a thrift store.

What’s the point? Naaman wanted healing from a spiritual man, but he was attempting to receive it through natural channels. Although he had a letter from a king and almost $1.5M dollars, he would soon find out that the prophet was not interested in operating in his system. He would have to submit to the prophet’s system if he was to receive his breakthrough.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should never attempt to manipulate God’s system with worldly tactics. Things that seem logical in the workplace may be an insult in church. I appreciate the necessity of “networking” in the workplace, but you can’t network your way to a blessing. When you come to God you must come with outstretched hands and a pure heart. If you feel like God has not been answering your prayers, then maybe you have been coming the wrong way.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe and I expect to receive. I know, however, that I will not receive spiritual things with natural tactics. I don’t come to You with tactics, maneuvers, or schemes. I simply come with a heart of expectation, a mind that is stayed on You, and a life that is rooted in Your love and Your Word. I come through spiritual channels and I expect to walk in Your blessing today and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Pride – the Silent Killer (top of page)

(2^nd Kings 5:12 CEV) But Naaman stormed off, grumbling, “Why couldn’t he come out and talk to me? I thought for sure he would stand in front of me and pray to the Lord his God, then wave his hand over my skin and cure me.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Naaman. Yesterday we saw how Naaman tried to receive a spiritual blessing through his natural connections. He took the letter from the king of Syria to the king of Israel, but the Israelite king thought it was a setup. He knew he did not have the ability to heal Naaman and he thought this situation would escalate to a conflict. Elisha the prophet heard about the situation and sent word to the king saying, “Why are you so afraid? Send the man to me, so that he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” Naaman left with his horses, chariots, and small fortune. He arrived at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a servant out to say to Naaman, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River. Then you’ll be completely cured.” This was a Word from the man of God; a Word from God Himself. But Naaman let pride take over. He stormed off, grumbling, “Why couldn’t he come out and talk to me? I thought for sure he would stand in front of me and pray to the Lord his God, then wave his hand over my skin and cure me. What about the Abana River or the Pharpar River? Those rivers in Damascus are just as good as any river in Israel. I could have washed in them and been cured.”

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Offence will stifle belief. Naaman was offended because Elisha did not come out to address him directly. He thought – by virtue of his position, connections, and wealth – that he deserved better treatment. The same guy that was seemingly ready to believe the impossible (being healed of leprosy), allowed offense to change his demeanor and his expectation. You must be careful to not allow yourself to be easily offended. Once you are in offense, you will not believe God for your breakthrough.

2. God’s ways do not always line up with your expectations. Naaman had a picture of the way “he wanted” to get healed. He said, “I thought for sure he would stand in front of me and pray to the Lord his God, then wave his hand over my skin and cure me.” It is good to have great expectations and even an anticipatory mental picture of what you are believing God for; but never allow your expectation to limit God. Expect God to show up in your life, but know that He may not do it exactly the way that you expect.

3. Pride is the silent killer. His offence caused him to question the Word from God, saying, “What about the Abana River or the Pharpar River?” Naaman allowed himself to place his opinion and his thinking above God’s opinion and God’s thinking. Unless he humbled himself and released that pride he would never receive from God. I call this the silent killer because pride is something hinders many believers in secret. You may operate in pride for a long time without others noticing, but rest assured that God notices. He expects you to always honor His Word and to never have the audacity to place your opinion above His.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe, I expect, I anticipate, I look forward to Your glory being manifested in my life; but I do not allow my expectation to hinder Your manifestation. I have high expectations, but I am always willing to receive the manifestation of Your grace in whatever way that You bring it. Your Word is above my word. Your opinion is above my opinion. Your decisions are above my decisions. You sit on the throne of my life. It is You that have made me and not me myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Taking a Bold Step of Faith (top of page)

(2^nd Kings 5:14 CEV) Naaman walked down to the Jordan; he waded out into the water and stooped down in it seven times, just as Elisha had told him. Right away, he was cured, and his skin became as smooth as a child’s.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking where we left off in the story of Naaman. Naaman had allowed pride to set in and he got offended. While he was in offence one of his servants went over to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. So why don’t you do what he said? Go wash and be cured.” The servant was right. Naaman was prepared to give over a million dollars for his breakthrough and he came with an incredible expectation, but his offence almost made him miss out on his blessing. The prophet gave him a Word from the Lord. Sure, Words from God do not always make sense. God does not have to make sense, because God is spiritual, not sensual. Faith requires you to operate without any sense-realm evidence (Heb 11:1 AMP). So now Naaman had a decision to make. Would he humble himself and obey the Word the Lord spoken through the prophet or would he continue in pride and return home a leper? This is important because it was Naaman’s decision. God will not force you to be blessed, just like He does not force you to be cursed. Your life – in many ways – is a grand sum total of your decisions.

Naaman made the right decision and chose to obey the Word of the Lord. He walked down to the muddy Jordan River, waded out into the water, and he dipped seven times. Remember that God can do more with your once you get started. Naaman would not have done this if he did not believe something was going to happen. His belief intact and his obedience in action, Naaman was supernaturally healed. We are not sure when, but while he was performing what the Lord told him to do; he was healed of an incurable disease. He had the audacity to believe that something virtually impossible was possible for him, so he was able to receive what he believed. God renewed his skin to the point where it was like a baby’s.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Nothing is impossible for the person who believes (Mark 9:23). If you can believe the unbelievable, you can receive the impossible.

2. God’s instructions will not always make sense and oftentimes require us to take bold steps of faith; without any sense-realm evidence to support our actions. God is a Spirit and does not necessarily communicate with us through our senses.

3. Pride can keep you from your blessing, just like obedience can get you to it.

4. The choice is yours. If you choose to obey God you will be blessed. If you choose to disobey you will miss out on the blessing. Either way, God will honor your decision.

5. God can do more with you once you get started. Take your bold step of faith today.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe what others call unbelievable. I believe what some even call impossible. I believe that You are able to do great things in my life and my belief unlocks Your possibilities for me. I walk by faith and not by sight. I do not allow the lack of sense-realm evidence to keep me from expecting my breakthrough. I have high expectations and I believe they will become manifestations in my life. I receive whatever You tell me to do and I take bold steps of faith to bring it to pass. My life is shaped by my decisions and I decide to walk in belief, faith, and obedience. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Call of Abraham (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” This week we start our journey through the life of Abram (later known as Abraham). Genesis 12 opens with the Lord speaking to Abram and making him a great promise. The Lord said, “Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you” (12:1-3 CEV).

All we know about Abram at this point is that he was a 75 yr. old man living in Haran without any children. The people of Haran were known for being idol worshippers and praying to many gods. God selected a 75 yr. old barren man in a spiritually and morally corrupt environment to start a legacy that still lives on today. I oftentimes say that God is in the business of making holy garments out of flawed material. Let’s take a closer look at Abram’s call:

1. Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation: In a previous message I mentioned four key contributors to your belief system. One of them was your environment. God knew that He needed to get Abram out of his environment if he was to become the man He needed him to be. Leaving family and friends is difficult and would be a great sacrifice for Abram, but God promised to recompense the sacrifice by making a great nation out of him. He would sow his nation in order to reap a nation of his own.

2. You will become famous and be a blessing to others: The second portion of the promise deals with two opposites: self and selflessness. God promised to make Abram’s name famous. We don’t know if Abram needed to hear this for his own self-esteem, but it is quite possible, being that he was barren at 75. In biblical times your children were your legacy and his chances were getting slimmer and slimmer every day as his age progressed. The second portion of the promise deals with being a blessing to others. This let Abram know that he could really make a difference in someone else’s life and that this journey was not just for him.

3. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you: Asking a 75 yr. old man to leave everything he knows for an unknown place can be unnerving. The desert is unforgiving and has there are many dangers inherent to desert travel; but God promised Abram protection and favor.

4. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you: If everything up to this point was not enough to make someone doubt, look at this statement. God promised and unknown and untested man that every single human being on the planet would be blessed because of him. Wow! That certainly caused Abram to have to expand his capacity to believe.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should never judge your future by your past. It means that you should trust God to meet you where you are – speaking what you need to hear. And it means that you should believe you will reap a harvest for every sacrificial seed you sow into the kingdom of God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I know You can make holy garments out of flawed material. I believe I can overcome my past to do great things in Your kingdom, by Your grace. I step out in faith today and I believe that I will reap whatever I sow. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Expressing Outwardly what you feel Inwardly (top of page)

(Gen 12:7 CEV) But the Lord appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your family forever.” Abram then built an altar there for the Lord.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with the story of Abraham. Yesterday we saw how God called Abraham to leave his nation for a land that He would show him. In the fourth verse we see that Abram was able to receive the call of God in his heart to the point where he got his wife and they gathered up all their possessions and departed Haran. Just like that. Abram had an encounter with God and he mustered up the faith required to leave everything he knew behind, because he now believed that a God he could not see was going to lead him to a place he did not know. However, he did make one mistake; Abram brought along his nephew Lot. It would cost him later, but not to the point where it would endanger him from receiving the promise of God. So this 75 yr. old man, his wife, nephew, servants, and possessions started out on a journey of faith and belief. Abram went as far as the sacred tree of Moreh in a place called Shechem. The Canaanites were still living in the land at that time, but Lord appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your family forever.” This was it. This was the land that God promised to show him. What would Abram do? I can imagine him looking around and thinking, “This is the land that the Lord will give me. I came out here not knowing where I would go and I somehow showed up at the right place. Wow. He is giving me all this land. He will make a nation out of me here. What should I do for Him? What can I do for my God?” It was there, in the land of Canaan – the Promised Land – that Abram, a man from a land of many gods and a people that worshipped idols, built and altar to the Lord. What was he doing? He was solidifying his resolve to worship only one God and expressing outwardly what he was feeling inwardly.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Your walk with God will always require faith. You cannot release faith in something that you do not believe. Abram believed and he stepped out in faith. If we expand our capacity to believe we will be more prone to operate in faith. You cannot please God without faith (Heb 11:6) and God expects us to walk by faith and not just our physical sight (2 Cor 5:7).

2. Don’t beat yourself up about mistakes: Recognize your mistakes, repent, and move forward. Abram several mistakes and you will see the same in the lives of most of the great Bible characters. This does not mean that you have license to be irresponsible, but it does mean that you cannot move forward while you are looking back. Forward ever, backward never!

3. Express outwardly what you feel inwardly: Abram was a man that was completely new to God and His ways. All he knew was what he had just experienced, but he had experienced enough to know that he should express his gratitude to an invisible God in a tangible way. He built an altar to worship the Lord. If Abram was prepared to worship the Lord at this stage in his walk with God, how much more should you? How long have you been walking with the Lord? How many times has He showed up in your life? Should you not have something inwardly that you want to express to God outwardly? Express your gratitude in praise and worship!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I believe in a God that I cannot see and I believe that You will lead me to places that I do not know, to do things that I have not done. I walk by faith and not by sight. I am completely submitted to Your leadership in my life. I move past my mistakes and I move forward in belief and faith. I worship You in all that I do and express outwardly what I feel inwardly. This day and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Faith vs. Fear: The Choice is Yours (top of page)

(Gen 12:13 CEV) “Please save my life by saying that you are my sister.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. Yesterday we saw how Abram arrived in Canaan and built an altar there to worship the Lord. Abram left there and traveled to the hill country east of Bethel and camped between Bethel and Ai. Guess what he did there? He built another altar and worshiped the Lord. He was learning to express his gratitude towards his newly found invisible God in a real and tangible way. Some time later Abram took off again and headed toward the Southern Desert. This was not a very fertile place so Abram led his group of people to Egypt and decided to live there for a while. At this stage Abram was attempting to walk by faith, but he was still relatively new to God and since he was the “Father of Faith,” he had no point of reference. He did not have a Bible to read or a preaching tape to listen to. He was blazing a new trail and still not completely confident in his unseen God. Just before they got to Egypt Abram looked at his wife and said, “Sarai, you are really beautiful!” That is very nice to say and it would have been even nicer if he stopped there, but he went on to say, “When the Egyptians see how lovely you are, they will murder me because I am your husband. But they won’t kill you. Please save my life by saying that you are my sister.” What was he doing? He was asking his wife to lie because he was afraid and his trust was not yet solidified in God. He was expanding his capacity to believe, but it was not at the level that God needed it to be yet.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Doubt is the forerunner for fear: Abram had recently received a mighty promise from God; a promise that included protection. That single promise caused him to leave his family and everything he knew. He stepped out of his comfort zone by faith and started his walk with God. He even began to worship and unseen God and things seemed to be going great. At some point Abram allowed doubt to creep in. He considered his wife’s beauty and he also considered what he knew of the Egyptians. He allowed doubt to convolute his belief and he was quickly on the path to doing something wrong. See, if the enemy can get you to doubt God’s promises, then you will eventually succumb to fear.

2. Fear and faith are reciprocal forces: Just like faith pleases God, fear pleases satan. Just like faith is having confidence in God and His Word, fear is having confidence in satan and his word. God had already spoken to Abram and told him that he would be protected. I believe satan later spoke to Abram and told him that he would be killed in Egypt. Abram had a choice to make. If he put his confidence in God’s Word he would operate in faith. If he put his confidence in satan’s word he would operate in fear. The ultimate choice was his. Likewise, it is the same with us. The exact same thing happens every day. God speaks to us via His Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, other people, circumstances, and etc. Satan then speaks to us and tells us something opposite to what God said. The choice is then ours. If we believe God we will operate in faith. If we believe satan we will operate in fear. That’s why we must expand our capacity to believe. Faith cancels fear, just like fear cancels faith.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I declare that I walk by faith and not by fear. No fear here! You are the Lord of Lords and I release my faith to the point where I take the limits off of You today. I expand my capacity to believe You. There is nothing You cannot do and I know it is Your will that I operate like You in the earth. I will walk in consistent faith and I overcome fear in every area of my life. Nothing and no one can stop me when I believe and operate in consistent faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Walking with God is a Process (top of page)

(Gen 13:4 CEV) Where he had earlier camped and built an altar. There he worshiped the Lord.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. Yesterday we saw how Abram told his wife Sarai to say, “Please save my life by sayingthat you are my sister.” The key there was that Abram was looking to Sarai and not to God for protection. His focus was misguided. He allowed fear to enter his heart. Fear opens a door for the enemy. So sure enough, as soon as Abram and Sarai arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how beautiful she was. The king’s officials told him about her, and she was taken to his house. What was happening? The same thing that Abram feared had come upon him. The king treated Abram well because of Sarai, and Abram was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels. He received material things, but he was out of the will of God. The true promise of God would come through Sarai and she was no longer with him. The Lord intervened – by His grace – and suddenly the king and everyone in his palace were diseased. Somehow the king knew that this had something to do with Sarai so he sent for Abram and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me Sarai was your wife?” The king went on to tell Abram and Sarai to take their possessions and leave. Abram and Sarai took everything they owned and went to the Southern Desert. Lot went with them. By now Abram was very rich. He owned many cattle, sheep, and goats, and had a lot of silver and gold; but he was a bit confused. Abram moved from place to place in the Southern Desert. Finally, he went north and set up his tents between Bethel and Ai, where he had earlier camped and built an altar. There he worshiped the Lord.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Fear opens a door for satan to operate in your life. The same thing that Abram feared came upon him. This also happened to Job (Job 3:25) and others. You must resolve to cancel out fear.

2. Thank God for grace and mercy: Grace is God giving you what you do not deserve and mercy is God not giving you what you do deserve. We see both in operation in the life of Abram at this point. We ought to thank God continually for both His grace and mercy.

3. Establish some altars in your life: In biblical times an altar was a place of worship and sacrifice, but it was also a physical place of remembrance. They established altars to remind them of what God had done. After Abram made a mistake in Egypt – although the Lord turned it around for his good – Abram went back to the place where he had established an altar and he worshipped the Lord there. God has done so much for you. You should establish some altars, some places of remembrance in your life, that you can go back to in your mind. These places help you get refocused enough to worship the Lord, in order to move forward.

4. Walking with God is a process: Abram made mistakes and we all do. Expanding your capacity to believe means that you will submit yourself to the growth process with a resolve to overcome mistakes and move forward.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I denounce fear in my life. No fear here! I thank You for Your grace and mercy in operation in my life. I thank You for the many times You have blessed me and I establish altars in my heart and in my mind that will help me to find clarity when I am confused. I submit myself to the process of growth and I expand my capacity to believe. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Stress Free Living (top of page)

(Gen 13:9 CEV) “There is plenty of land for you to choose from. Let’s separate. If you go north, I’ll go south; if you go south, I’ll go north.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Abraham. After Abram returned to his place of worship he realized that the combination of his sheep, goats, and cattle; along with Lot’s, were too much for the land to handle. Remember, God never told him to bring Lot along. That was his decision and now he had to deal with it. Additionally, the men who took care of Abram’s animals and the ones who took care of Lot’s animals started arguing. Abram said to Lot, “We are close relatives. We shouldn’t argue, and our men shouldn’t be fighting one another. There is plenty of land for you to choose from. Let’s separate. If you go north, I’ll go south; if you go south, I’ll go north.” Wow. Look at the boldness and the confidence that Abram had after worshipping the Lord. He knew that the hand of the Lord was upon him and that he would be blessed anywhere he went. He was expanding his capacity to believe and he had the confidence to allow Lot to choose. Lot jumped on that opportunity. He looked around and realized that there was plenty of water in the Jordan Valley and that the land was green and plush all the way to Zoar. He made his decision based upon what he could see; Abram was making his decisions based on what he could believe. Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and as he started east. Lot did not know it, but he was heading for the area surrounding Sodom and his decision would wind up being and unwise choice. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God’s will, God’s bill: I have taught this principle already in this series. When you are doing what God told you to do, then God is obligated to bless it. If it is His will, then He will see it as His bill. However, the opposite is also true. God did not tell Abram to bring Lot along and Abram chose to do that on his own. When we make decisions outside of God we have to live with them, good or bad. Abram’s decision caused him to have to deal with a logistical (not enough land) and social (fighting) problem. Our will, our bill.

2. Where is your trust?: Abram left his time of worship with an increased boost of confidence in his newly found God. He was expanding his capacity to believe. His confidence was not in Lot’s decision, but rather in God. When you truly trust God you live a stress-free life. You don’t have to worry about the decisions that others make, you simply believe that the blessing of the Lord is upon you and that you will be blessed everywhere you go; no matter where it winds up being. I have been to Iraq twice and Kuwait once in the last year. I also do lots of traveling in the US. I am never concerned. I know God has purpose for every trip. I simply go with confidence and boldness and I trust that the blessing of the Lord is upon me no matter where I may go. I jokingly tell people that wherever I sit is the head of the table; even if the table happens to be round. They get a laugh out of it, but I believe it’s true. When you know who you are in Christ you walk around with an inner confidence that exudes greatness every where you go. That confidence enables you to make every environment a stress free environment for you!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I denounce fear, doubt, and unbelief. My confidence is rooted and grounded in You. I have no need to worry about what man can do to me. No matter what decisions are made in my workplace or in my family, I know that I am still blessed and will continue to be. I cast my care upon You and I live a worriless and stress free life. I declare that this day is stress free and ease filled. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

What are you able to See? (top of page)

(Gen 13:15 CEV) I will give you and your family all the land you can see. It will be theirs forever!

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Abraham. After Abram and Lot went their separate ways, Abram was in the position God originally intended for him to be in. Now alone, God spoke to Abram and said, “Look around to the north, south, east, and west. I will give you and your family all the land you can see. It will be theirs forever!” Think about that for a moment. God told Abram that He would give him all the land he could “see.” I don’t believe this was limited to physical sight. Although Israel is one of the smallest nations on the planet (only about 8,000 square miles), I do not believe Abram was physically able to see that far. This was a matter of his belief system. What was Abram willing to believe God for? Remember, I started off this series with the words of Jesus in Mark 9:23 where he said, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.“ There are no impossibilities in God, but our ability to tap into God’s ability is limited by what we are able to believe.

Abram would be able to receive whatever he was able to believe and see through the lens of faith. God went on to say, “I will give you more descendants than there are specks of dust on the earth, and someday it will be easier to count the specks of dust than to count your descendants.” What was God doing now? God was expanding his capacity to believe. God was giving Abram a mental picture of abundance. He was explaining a supernatural blessing in a natural way. Abram understood dust so God came down to his level so that he could understand the magnitude of the blessing. After getting Abram to “think big,” God said, “Now walk back and forth across the land, because I am giving it to you.” What was Abram supposed to do now? He was to walk back and forth across the land and envision himself – a 75 year old man without any children – becoming a leader of a nation whose descendants would eventually become as the specs of dust on the ground. Can you see him? There he was, walking around, seeing beyond where he eyes could look. That is the power of belief!

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. If you can believe, you can receive: There are no impossibilities in God, but we oftentimes limit God by our limited capacity to believe. God is limitless. There is nothing God cannot do. However, most Christians puts limits on a limitless God and then attribute their inability to receive to God by making statements like, “Well, this must be God’s will.” No, God’s Word is God’s will. Stop putting limits on a limitless God, search God’s Word, expand your capacity to believe, and you will see God do great things in your life.

2. You must be able to see beyond your sight: Abram had to be able to see beyond his physical eyes. He had to look through the lens of faith. Likewise, we will not be able to do great things in God if we are limited in our ability to see; not physically, but spiritually. What do you “see” yourself doing this year? If you are able to believe it, you will be able to receive it!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I see beyond where my eyes can look. I take a few moments today to look into 2006. I see myself doing things I have never done and I do them all by faith. I am an instrument of Your anointing and a vessel of Your love. I expand my capacity to believe and I therefore expand my ability to receive. 2006 will be the best year I have ever experienced. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Supernatural Boldness (top of page)

(Gen 14:14 CEV) that his nephew Lot had been taken away. Three hundred eighteen of Abram’s servants were fighting men, so he took them and followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off on yesterday. After hearing a mighty promise from God Abram took down his tents and went to live near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar in honor of the Lord and worshipped there. It looked like everything was coming together for Abram, but remember Lot decided to go live in Sodom. Just about this time the kings of Babylonia, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim attacked the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela. This was a conflict involving 9 nations. Several battles were fought and the culminating battle occurred in the Siddim Valley. All 9 armies converged in the valley. The Siddim Valley was full of tar pits and when the troops of Sodom and Gomorrah attempted to run away, many fell into the pits and were trapped. Others escaped to the hill country. Their enemies took everything of value from Sodom and Gomorrah, including their food supplies. They also captured Abram’s nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. They took him and his possessions and then left.

At this time Abram was doing well and still living near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron. By this time he had befriended Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner. Someone who had escaped from the battle came to Hebron and told Abram that his nephew Lot had been captured. What would Abram do? He knew he was in the will of God. He was doing well, prospering and worshipping the Lord. He did not have an army, much less “armies” like the enemy. But Abram had the supernatural confidence that comes from knowing that God is with you. He rounded up his male servants that were of fighting age and they numbered 318 men. He led them as they followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan. That night Abram, the farmer, acted more like a military General. He divided up his forces into groups, attacked the enemy from all sides, and won a great victory. Some of the enemy escaped to the town of Hobah north of Damascus. Abram could not find his nephew Lot so he went after the fleeing troops. Sure enough, Abram caught up to them, found Lot, and brought back Lot, Lot’s possessions, the women and everyone else who had been captured.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that when you foster your relationship with God and you expand your capacity to believe, you will receive a supernatural boldness to attempt things you would have never attempted previously. Several armies fell in the Siddim Valley, but Abram did not allow that to deter him. He simply believed God was with him and he believed that he would win. Guess what? He received exactly what he believed! What enemy is standing against you this morning? Are you seemingly outnumbered? It does not matter. You + God = Victory! If you can believe you will be able to receive.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I foster my relationship with You daily through prayer, study, praise, and worship. The closer I get to You, the more I know that there are no impossibilities in You. The more I believe in Your ability, the more I trust You can release Your ability on my ability, causing me to be able to do what I could not do with my ability alone. I trust Your supernatural ability and I therefore take bold steps of faith to accomplish all that You have me to do this year. 2006 is the best year of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Keeping your Priorities in Order (top of page)

(Gen 14:22,23 CEV) Abram answered: The Lord God Most High made the heavens and the earth. And I have promised him that I won’t keep anything of yours, not even a sandal strap or a piece of thread. Then you can never say that you are the one who made me rich.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how Abram had the boldness to lead 318 servant into a mighty military victory. After Abram returned the king of Sodom was waiting for him in the Shaveh Valley, which is also known as King’s Valley. Abram had done with a small group of farmers what Sodom’s trained army could not do. King Melchizedek of Salem was also there. This man was a priest of God Most High. He approached Abram and said, “I bless you in the name of God Most High, creator of heaven and earth. All praise belongs to God Most High for helping you defeat your enemies.” That is interesting, because Melchizedek’s statement is proof that God was the reason for his victory. Abram and the 318 men could not have done what they did without the favor and the hand of God. Melchizedek made sure he knew that it was God that gave him the victory. What would Abram do in acknowledgement God’s work in his life? Abram gave Melchizedek (the priest) a tenth of everything he received from the battle. This is the first instance of the practice of tithing in the bible.

The king of Sodom was standing by and wanted to express his appreciation. He said to Abram, “All I want are my people. You can keep everything else.” But Abram answered, “The Lord God Most High made the heavens and the earth. And I have promised him that I wouldn’t keep anything of yours, not even a sandal strap or a piece of thread. Then you can never say that you are the one who made me rich. Let my share be the food that my men have eaten. But Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me, so give them their share of what we brought back.” Here is another interesting statement. Abram now exposes a conversation that he had with God before he entered into battle. His primary purpose was to get his nephew back, but God is not in the business of doing things “small scale.” Getting his nephew back would also mean getting a lot more with him. Abram now let’s us know that he promised God up frontnot to take anything for himself. All he would do was honor God with a tenth of everything, ensure his servants were physically (food) taken care of, and ensure his friends (Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre) were paid for their services. This is very important, because it shows that Abram’s priorities were in order. Right after this, chapter 15 opens with a new blessing.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that expanding your capacity to believe God means that you keep your priorities in order. People get “funny” when you talk about money; especially in church. This should not be the case. If you truly trust God and want to honor Him with your life and living, then you should want to show your honor to Him in every area of your life. If you don’t honor God in the area of your finances then you really need to expand your capacity to believe. Arbam received a mighty victory, but it was because he expressed to God up front that his priorities were in order and that he trusted God to be his source. Do you look at God as simply another resource or do you truly trust Him as your source?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I trust You with every area of my life. I seek You first, Your kingdom and Your righteousness. I don’t chase after things. I chase You and I keep my priorities straight. When I chase You with a pure heart, then things chase me, I don’t have to chase them. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Building up you Belief System (top of page)

(Gen 15:6 AMP) And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how Abram had his priorities in order and had the proper perspective on his wealth. Chapter 15 opens with the Lord speaking to Abram in a vision. The Lord said, “Abram, don’t be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly.” Abram was pretty comfortable in that area. He was wealthy and the Lord had just given him a supernatural victory. Abram did have a need in one area, he said, “Lord All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children. And when I die, Eliezer of Damascus will get all I own. You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything.” Abram was sharing his heart, but he was also sharing his doubts. God had already said that his descendants would be as the dust of the earth. Like many of us, Abram needed a little help. The Lord replied, “No, he won’t! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his.” To help Abram expand his capacity to believe the Lord took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That’s how many descendants you will have.” What was God doing? He was giving Abram a mental picture of an abundant heritage. Abram’s concern was that he might die without leaving a lineage. God spoke a Word to him and promised him a lineage and then helped paint the picture for him. Why? To build up his belief system. Can you see Abram out there? He is looking up at the stars, amazed at how many there are and even more amazed that God was going to make his lineage so great. This was exactly what Abram needed. He had enough. He was ready. Abram believed (trusted in, relied on) the Lord and it was counted to him as righteousness.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God desires to protect us and reward us greatly: God told Abram, “Abram, don’t be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly.” This was and still is God’s desire. Some people walk around with the notion that God somehow wants them to suffer, or to be sick, or to go through struggle after struggle. We need to get past this. We are His children. God is a good God and He desires good things for us. Like Abram, however, we must have the capacity to believe and receive His blessings by faith.

2. It’s OK to share our heart with God: Abram expressed his concern that his servant would get everything and he was specific when he told God that he wanted children. We can also come to God in prayer and share our concerns with Him, but we must be willing to hear and receive whatever He says.

3. God will help expand our capacity to believe: God did not get upset with Abram for not having the capacity to believe His first promise. God even took it further by showing Abram the stars and helping him to believe he would have children and leave a lineage. If we would allow God the time He would speak to us through Bible study, worship experiences, our Pastors, emails like this, and etc. God is speaking, are you listening?

4. The more we believe, the more we are able to receive: The problem was not God’s promise, but rather Abram’s belief. Many Christians today suffer from the same problem. If you are not able to believe, you will not be able to receive.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I know You will protect and reward me today. I have no doubt that Your hand is upon me and it causes me to prosper. I share my concerns, but I do it with an expectation to hear something that will enable me to get past them. I believe and I declare that I will receive. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Do you have time for God? (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how God helped build Abram’s belief system by having him to look up at the stars. This morning I have come to a passage in the text covers several verses. If I give you the verses in small chunks it might be confusing. I feel led to share the entire event, but then take my time (over a few messages) teaching several things the Lord wants me to bring out from this passage. The following are verses 7-20 from the 15^th chapter of Genesis (Contemporary English Version):

The LORD said to Abram, “I brought you here from Ur in Chaldea, and I gave you this land.” Abram asked, “LORD God, how can I know the land will be mine?” Then the LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove, and a young pigeon.” Abram obeyed the LORD. Then he cut the animals in half and laid the two halves of each animal opposite each other on the ground. But he did not cut the doves and pigeons in half. And when birds came down to eat the animals, Abram chased them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and everything became dark and frightening. Then the LORD said: Abram, you will live to an old age and die in peace. But I solemnly promise that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that doesn’t belong to them. They will be forced into slavery and abused for four hundred years. But I will terribly punish the nation that enslaves them, and they will leave with many possessions. Four generations later, your descendants will return here and take this land, because only then will the people who live here be so sinful that they deserve to be punished. Sometime after sunset, when it was very dark, a smoking cooking pot and a flaming fire went between the two halves of each animal. At that time the LORD made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River. They will possess the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. God is a God of Progression: Our walk with God should be progressive in nature. When we come to God we will not know everything we need to know about Him, but if we progressively seek Him, He will incrementally reveal Himself to us and we will find ourselves growing more and more confident. Even after all he had been through and after clearly hearing from God several times, Abram said, “LORD God, how can I know the land will be mine?” He wanted to believe, but he still did not have the clarity he was looking for. Likewise, many of us want to believe, but we are seeking clarity. Do what Abram did. He kept asking and God kept answering. If you are diligent, you will grow and expand your capacity to believe.

2. We must make time for God: This was a two day ordeal. God pointed out the stars to Abram on the first night and then spoke to him in a vision during the second night. Throughout this two day encounter Abram freed himself of all distracters; he spoke with God, offered a sacrifice, saw a vision, and received clarity. That would not have happened if he had not made the effort and the sacrifice to get away from people to spend time with God. You say you want clarity in your life. Are you willing to make time to spend time with God?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I make time to spend time with You. I free myself of all distracters and I dedicate some time for You. I need clarity in my life and I declare that I will receive that clarity as I spend time with You. In this time You will expand my capacity to believe; therefore expanding my ability to receive! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God takes Covenant Seriously (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Last Friday we ended off by sharing a couple of nuggets from Genesis 15:7-20. We will continue in this same passage for the next couple of days:

Cutting the animals in half, spreading the carcasses, and walking in between them was a custom of time that was practiced between those entering into covenant; signifying that a similar fate would come upon whomever broke the covenant. This case is obviously a bit different. God Himself would not come down and walk through the carcasses with Abram, but He did it symbolically. The smoking pot symbolized the fate of those that would come against Abram’s descendants. The flaming fire symbolized the presence of God upon Abram’s descendants as they moved forward with Him. God also used fire as a symbol of His presence at the burning bush (Ex 3:1-3), Elijah’s fire (1 King 18:38), and the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). This vision was not to serve as a warning to Abram, but rather was an encouragement. God was showing him how both he and his descendants would receive deliverance from their enemies and direction from their Lord. This helped him expand his capacity to believe. This is important to us because Moses said, “God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises” (Num 23:19). Paul also explained in the New Testament (a.k.a. New Covenant) that if we are in Christ we are also part of Abraham’s family, and heirs to the covenant promises made to Abraham (Gal 3:29).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God is a God of covenant. He promised deliverance and direction to Abraham and his descendants. If we are in Christ, we qualify! We can believe God to provide us both deliverance from our enemies and direction towards our destiny; this day and every day.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am in Christ and therefore Abraham’s seed. My relationship with Christ makes me and heir according the promises You made Abraham. The writer of Hebrews also told me that I have a better covenant with better promises. I enter into this day with deliverance, direction, and so much more! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Consistency and Perseverance bring Breakthrough and Blessing (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We have been on Genesis 15:7-20 for a couple of days. I feel led to bring out two more nuggets from this text before we move on.

“… I solemnly promise that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that doesn’t belong to them. They will be forced into slavery and abused for four hundred years. But I will terribly punish the nation that enslaves them, and they will leave with many possessions. Four generations later, your descendants will return here and take this land, because only then will the people who live here be so sinful that they deserve to be punished. Sometime after sunset, when it was very dark, a smoking cooking pot and a flaming fire went between the two halves of each animal. At that time the LORD made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River. They will possess the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. God is capable of providing specifics: When God originally called Abram out of his country He did not give him any specifics. He said, “”Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” This has caused many preachers to preach a variety of sermons on the act of “stepping out by faith.” I also teach that God requires us to take bold steps of faith, but our text also let’s us know that God does reveal Himself to us in many levels. God told Abram the exact number of years his descendants would have to wait before they took possession of the land, the names of 10 tribes that they would have to conquer in the process, and the geographical borders of the Promised Land. This helps us know that God will some times require us to take bold steps of faith without much information and other times He will specifically tell us the outcome. In either case, faith is required.

2. We may not always understand God’s timing: There were several contributing factors involved in God’s timing in this case. God promised the land to Abram, but only because He foreknew of the wickedness of the inhabitants of the land (Deut 9:1-6). He also gave them a 400 year opportunity to repent. It was only after this that the Lord would allow Abram’s descendants to take possession of the land. God later explained through Solomon that “the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” Believers today read scriptures like that and get excited, but that also connotes that your blessing may be tied up with someone else for the moment. The timing of you receiving is dependant upon your faith and God’s patience with the other people. The point is that you may not always understand everything when it comes to God. Furthermore, God may not give you the specifics all the time; but God does require you to operate in faith in every area of your life. To do this you must expand your capacity to believe and move forward, by faith, daily. Know that your labor is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58) and that you will reap when the time if right, if you don’t give up (Gal 6:9).

Confession for this day: Lord God. I thank You for the revelation that You have given me. I walk out, by faith, in accordance with what I know. The more I know the more I do. I declare that I will take bold steps of faith in my life, with specifics or without specifics. Either way, I walk by faith and not by sight. I have an inner confidence that my labor is not in vain and that I will reap if I do not give up or quit. My consistency and perseverance brings my breakthrough and blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God’s Plan vs. Your Plan (top of page)

(Gen 16:2 MSG) Sarai said to Abram, “GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her.” Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Genesis chapter 16 opens by letting us know that Abram and his household had been in Canaan for 10 years and Sarai still did not have any children. This means that he was now 85 yrs. old and she was 75 yrs. old and they were still waiting on the promise of God. Sarai, like most believers today, got frustrated in the space between the promise and the performance. She could not take it any longer. It looked to her as if God’s plan was not working, so she came up with a plan of her own. She approached her husband and said, “GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her.” Let’s break this down:

1. GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child: This was a big mistake. Sarai was plainly speaking against God’s promise. She was disqualifying herself from having what God had already qualified her for. Your tongue has the power of death and life (Prov 18:20). Never speak against the promises of God for you. Just like belief opens you up to the possibility of success and enables you to operate in faith, doubt opens you up to the possibility of failure and enables you to operate in fear. It had been 10 years and Sarai doubted God. Never allow doubt to creep into your life. No matter how long the space between the promise and the performance is, stand in belief and faith; not doubt, fear, and unbelief.

2. Sleep with my maid: God does not need us to make up alternate plans. Sarai dismissed the plan of God and conjured up a plan of her own; a recipe for disaster. Listen, I understand that living your life by faith and standing on the promises of God is not always easy. While you are boldly waiting on the manifestation of the promises in your life, people (even well-intentioned) may approach you and say things like, “Well, you just never know. Maybe this is not God’s will for you. Maybe God will bless you some other way.” And the list could go on. The problem is that Abram had received a promise from God and God cannot negate His Word (Num 23:19). So stand on the promises of God by faith. No matter how long it takes, keep on believing and remain in faith. In due season you shall reap, if you do not give up or quit (Gal 6:9).

3. Maybe I can get a family from her: God’s plans have words like “surely, certainly, and definitely” associated with them. Man’s plans have words like “maybe, possibly, and perhaps” associated with them. Which group of words do you want to deal with? I refuse to live a life full of maybes. Standing on the promises of God brings confidence, boldness, and certainty. Making up your own plans, apart from God, always leads to uncertainly, reservation, and doubt.

So what does this mean to you today? The message this morning is simple. Stand on the promises of God, no matter how long it takes, and refuse to allow doubt to enter your mind. Doubt your doubts and have faith in your faith!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I never disqualify myself from something that You have already qualified me for. I stand on Your promises by faith and I believe I receive when I pray. I know there is oftentimes a space between the promise and the performance and I declare that I remain in bold faith in that space, no matter how long it takes. I do not come up with my own plans, but I rather stand boldly upon Yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Will, Your Bill (top of page)

(Gen 16:6 MSG) “You decide,” said Abram. “Your maid is your business.” Sarai was abusive to Hagar and she ran away.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how Sarai became impatient with God and came up with her own plan for having children, since it had been 10 years and God’s promise had not manifested itself. One thing that I did not mention yesterday was the latter part of the 2^nd verse. It says, “Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.” It was bad enough that Sarai conjured up this plan, but we see that Abram (the father of faith) agreed with it and slept with Hagar. Guess what? As soon as he slept with Hagar she got pregnant. So what do you think would happen now? Do you think they would live happily ever after? Did everything work as planned? Did Hagar happily and quietly have her baby and then give him over to Sarai? NO! Why? Because God was not in it.

Earlier in this series I shared a lesson entitled, “God’s Will, God’s Bill.” The premise of that lesson was that if God tells you to do something, then He is obligated to bless it. The problem comes when we ask God to bless something that He had no part in. If you do something that is clearly your will, then it will also be your bill; meaning that the result, good or bad, will be on you.

As soon as Hagar found out she was pregnant she started looking down on Sarai. Sarai took this hard. She went to her husband and said, “It’s all your fault that I’m suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she’s pregnant, she treats me like I’m nothing. May GOD decide which of us is right.” See, she was not concerned about God when she was making her own decision, but as soon as things started going badly, then she wants God in it. Abram said, “You decide, your maid is your business.” Abram wanted nothing to do with the situation, although he had everything to do with it. Sarai blamed Abram, Abram blamed Sarai, and neither one was willing to take responsibility. Sarai took her frustrations out on Hagar and treated her so badly that she wound up running away.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you will reap what you sow. If you allow God to lead, guide, and direct you; you will live a life peace and prosperity. Will you have challenges? Or course, but you will also have the assurance that comes from knowing that You are doing the Lord’s will and since it’s His will, it will also be His bill. He will grace (empower) you to overcome every hindrance and conquer every challenge. However, if you choose to make your decisions without the counsel of God (His Spirit, Word, Pastors, etc.), then you will not have His grace upon you when the challenges come and you will have a much harder life.

What decisions have you made without God that have caused you problems? You can repent today and ask God to lead you from this moment forward.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I don’t allow frustration to lead me into making the wrong decisions. I declare that my decisions are decisions that line up with Your Word, decisions that are birthed out of prayer, and/or decisions that are a result of the leadership of the Holy Spirit or Godly leaders in my life. My life is the grand sum total of my decisions and my decisions, from this point forward, will be God-based and God-blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You will reap what you sow (top of page)

(Gen 16:15-16 CEV) Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to their son, and he named him Ishmael.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we discussed the problems that arise when we choose to make plans without God; plans that are not based upon His wisdom. We discussed the rift that arose between Hagar and Sarai and how Hagar wound up running away. Hagar stopped to rest at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur. While she was there the angel of the LORD came to her and asked, “Hagar, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from Sarai, my mistress.” The angel said, “Go back to Sarai and serve her. I will give you a son, who will be called Ishmael, because I have heard your cry for help;” Ishmael means “God hears.” The angel went on to say, “Later I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all.” This is interesting, because this was not so much a blessing of her womb, but rather of Abram’s seed. Even though Abram made a mistake, God had already promised to bless his seed and cause it to multiply. The angel continued, “But your son will live far from his relatives; he will be like a wild donkey, fighting everyone, and everyone fighting him.” And so Abram was 86 yrs. old when Hagar gave birth to their son, and he named him Ishmael.

I will walk softly through this text, as I do not seek to offend anyone, but I feel led to bring out a point. Abram and Sarai made a mistake. They should have never doubted God and attempted to have children another way. Their mistake produced a child. This child, in accordance with the text, would be a child that would fight everyone and everyone would fight him. It is common knowledge that Muslims (Islam) are the descendants of Ishmael. God’s Word, spoken through the angel in the text, has come to pass. Furthermore, looking back through history we see that the descendants of Ishmaels have been staunch enemies of Israel and continue to be so. Yes, we can have peace summits and political forums, but the strife between the Jew and the Muslim started with two women in a tent in Canaan and the end is not in sight. It’s been several thousand years and the descendants of Abram are still dealing with the repercussions of his decision.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God expects you to stand on His promises by belief and faith. When you allow doubt, fear, and unbelief to cause us to make ungodly decisions you will have to deal with the repercussions. Our life is a grand sum total of our decisions. Good or bad, we will reap what we sow.

If you have not been making the right decisions then you know it is time to make some changes. Expand your capacity to believe God, make Godly decisions, decisions based upon and rooted in the Word of God, and you will experience the best year of your life.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Power of Identity (top of page)

(Gen 17:4,5 CEV) I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That’s why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” 14 years transpire between the end of chapter 16 and the opening of chapter 17 and Abram is now 99 yrs. old. It had been 24 yrs. since he took his bold step of faith and left Haran to walk with the Lord. He had experienced many victories and was abundantly blessed, but the promise of becoming a great nation had not yet come to pass. The only child Abram fathered came from Hagar and he was still waiting to have children through his wife Sarai. The Lord appears to Abram says, “I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.” Abram did what most would do if God manifested Himself before them; Abram fell flat on his face. God went on to say, “I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That’s why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham.”

In biblical times your name was very important. Names were representative of your character, attributes, and nature. Abram meant “exalted father.” At this point Abram technically fit that name. He was a father and he was blessed. God added one Hebrew letter to Abram’s name and changed it to Abraham. This name is more specific and it means, “Father of many nations.”

The Jews have given God many names, one of which is the most sacred. The name that we use in English as Yehovah (or Jehovah) is also referred to as the Tetragrammaton, (or word of four letters. In Hebrew Yehovah (YeHoVaH) is spelled without the vowels; hence having only four letters. It was one of these letters that God added to Abram’s name. Some scholars believe that it was added for the sake of dignity, God associating Abraham more closely to himself, by thus imparting to him a portion of his own name. Whatever the reason, this was a clear departure from Abram “doing” to Abraham “being.” God had blessed Abram with many possessions to this point, but now the greatest blessing came; the blessing of identity.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that the greatest blessing is the blessing of knowing who you are in God. You can seek God for “things” all you want, but the possession of material blessing is only a partial and lesser blessing. The true blessing comes when you understand your identity in and with God. Once you know who you are, you don’t pursue the blessing; the blessing is already on you. Everything you do is blessed when you understand your covenant with God, His covenant with you, and your righteous inheritance.

Do you know who you are? If not, spend time with God in prayer and ask Him to show you your true identity in Him. If you know who you are, then you should walk into this day with your head held high and with an overwhelming confidence that comes from understanding your relationship with God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I know who I am and whose I am. I graduate from doing to being. I get beyond religion and step into the reality of my relationship with You. I have a spiritual heritage, a spiritual covenant, and a spiritual inheritance. I boldly accept my identity in You and I will not allow anyone to influence me into believing that I am anything less that whom You have made me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You must receive the Promises of God by Faith (top of page)

(Gen 17:5 KJV) “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” In stead of moving forward this morning, I felt led to stick with the fifth verse of the 17^th chapter this morning. We discussed the name change yesterday and this morning I want to cover the latter part of the fifth verse. God said, “For a father of many nations have I made thee.”

God changed his name to be the father of many nations and declared that He had already made Abram this, without Abram having any children of the promise. To Abram this had not happened yet, but to God it was already a done deal. See, we live in time, but God lives in eternity. God is not confined by time. Paul said, “As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed” (Romans 4:17 AMP). Paul attempts to explain the way that God operates and says that God speaks of nonexistent things that He has promised, as though they already exist. The reason why this is true is because God is not limited by time. If God promised to do something and He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), then in His realm the thing is just as good as done. That’s why God speaks in the past tense in this verse and says He had “made” Abram – as if it was already done – the father of many nations.

Romans chapter 4 also tells us that 99 year old Abraham had to look beyond his old age and the deadness of Sarah’s womb and believe a seemingly unbelievable thing. In spite of the fact that it had been 24 years since he received the promise and he did not have any children of the promise, in spite of the fact that Sarah was 90 years old and had never had a child, and in spite of the fact that no one else was having children at that age at the time,Abraham still believed God.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that the promises of God must be received by faith. Hope says, “I will have it next week.” Faith says, “I have it right now.” Abram had to receive this promise in his heart so strong that he would literally go around telling people, “Hello, my name is no longer Abram, but Abraham.” By doing this he was introducing himself as the “Father of many nations,” even though everyone knew that he and Sarah did not have any children yet. What am I saying? I am saying that faith receives a promise steps out on that promise like you already have it!

What promise have you received from God that you have not boldly stood upon? The longer you take to receive it by faith (without any sense realm evidence) the longer it will take to manifest.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I receive Your promises by faith. I am whom You say that I am. I can have what You say that I can have. I can go where You say that I can go. I can do what You say that I can do. There are no impossibilities in You and there will be no impossibilities in me, because of my belief. I can believe and all things are possible for me. I stop limiting my limitless God. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The God of the Spiritual Blessing (top of page)

(Gen 17:7 KJV) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” You have seen thus far in this series that God spoke to Abram, led him away from his family, and promised to bless him with land and with children. It has been 24 years, Abram is now 99 yrs. old (his wife 90 yrs. old) and by this point he is very rich in material things, but he does not have any children of the promise. In Genesis chapters 12 through 16 we see the God of the material blessing, but in chapter 17 we see the God of the Spiritual blessing. We have already discussed Abram’s name change to Abraham, but there is a lot more we will cover in this chapter. We will discuss Sarai’s name change to Sarah, the sealing of the covenant with a physical sign (circumcision), and the promise of Spiritual blessing to Abraham’s seed. This morning we will focus on the latter.

After changing Abram’s name to Abraham, God told Abraham that He would make him exceedingly fruitful. He assured him that nations of people would come out of him, but this time God was a bit more specific and told him that some of those people would also be kings. This is where it gets good. God not only promised to bless Abraham with nations and kings, but that the covenant He established with Abraham would be passed to his descendants. Abraham – the man who was concerned about having children; because he had money, but no lineage – was now promised by the same God that had changed his life that he would not only have children, but that his lineage would experience his God. God promised to be a God to Abraham, but also to his seed after him and that this covenant would be an everlasting covenant.

This was no small promise. Remember that Abram, back in chapter 15 told God, “Lord All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children.” Having children was Abraham’s burning desire, but we also have to remember that Abraham lived in a time where people worshipped thousands of gods. Abraham’s father was an idol worshipper. So having children would not mean much if his children went back to idol worship. What good would it be to experience God in the way that Abraham did, if his children would not experience the same blessing? God answered that for Abraham and promised to not only be His God, but the God of his descendants as well.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things: 1). It means that God knows our concerns before we express them. 2). It means that God is not a God of the temporary. 3). It means that God does not do anything small scale. 4). It means that there is nothing too hard for God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. You exceeded Abraham’s wildest expectations. You are still blessing people today because of what You told Him. Paul told us in the New Testament that You are able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. I release Your hand over my life. Your hand comes for judgment and for blessing. I pray that You judge my enemies and bless all that I put my hands to do. I walk in Your favor and I know that You will cause me to prosper and to do it in such a way that will exceed my wildest dreams. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Blessing of knowing The true God (top of page)

(Gen 17:7 KJV) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” This morning’s message flows in the same vein as yesterdays. The God that sought out Abram, blessed him, and changed his name to Abraham, also promised to be the God of his descendants. To fully understand this we must put ourselves in Abraham’s position. He grew up in a time where most people either worshipped idols or other people. Jewish history tells us that his father actually made idols. So think about that for a moment. Abraham saw his father make idols out of wood or other materials and then watched as people purchased them, carried them around, and worshipped them as their god. For Abraham to now have a relationship and a covenant with the one true and living God was no small ordeal. His life had significantly changed since he came in contact with God and his God had also promised to make him a father of many nations and kings. The promise now to “be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee,” was a big deal. God was saying that Abraham’s descendants would experience the same intimacy, security, favor, and blessing that he had experienced and more importantly, they would not be a people without a God.

Have you ever had an in-depth conversation with a person that does not believe in God? Sure, they may seem outwardly polished and secure, but when you start probing and asking deep questions their stability starts to falter. Many have told me that they secretly desire the peace, confidence, and inner-certainty that believers possess. I have been a Christian for 10 years now and I cannot, nor do I want to, imagine my life without God. That is why it is so important for us to share Christ with a dying and decaying world. We are not Godless, we are God’s people and He is our God. We are in Christ and are therefore Abraham’s seed; making us heirs to the promises and blessing of Abraham (Gal 3:29). We are also partakers of the New Covenant that also gives us access to the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew writer says that this is a “better covenant” with “better promises” (Heb 8:6).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you can face this day with the confidence of knowing that you are not a Godless person. You have a relationship with the only true God and He has a relationship with you. He knows you by name. Every hair on your head is numbered. He spends time thinking about you (Ps 8:4) and He has plans for you (Jer 29:11). You are a child of covenant, a child of promise, a child of favor, a child of blessing, a child of God!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am not a Godless person. I know You and You know me. I am an heir to the covenant promises of Abraham and I am also a joint-heir with Jesus the Christ. I have both the natural and spiritual blessings operating in my life. I am covered by the blood of Jesus, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and called according to Your plan and purpose for my life. I cast away uncertainty and I walk with the boldness, confidence, and assurance that comes from knowing that You are my God and I am Your child. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God-part vs. Man-part (top of page)

(Gen 17:13 NLT) All must be circumcised. Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Today we get into Abraham’s part in the covenant. God said, “Your part of the agreement is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: each male among you must be circumcised; the flesh of his foreskin must be cut off. This will be a sign that you and they have accepted this covenant. Every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family, but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. Anyone who refuses to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for violating the covenant.”

Abraham had been through a lot in 24 years with God. He had received a new name, lived in a new land, won many victories, was significantly wealthy, healthy, and blessed. Now he had to expand his capacity to believe to physically mar his body. Men understand that this is not an easy thing. For a grown man to cut the foreskin of his penis – himself – takes serious commitment. The commitment was required because God was shifting Abraham from a “good life” of natural blessings to the “God life” of spiritual blessing. The removal of the foreskin was a symbol of the removal of the old man and the breaking forth of the new. Unlike the covenant with Noah, where God made a rainbow appear, man would have to seal this covenant. Noah could not make the rainbow appear, but Abraham and every male of his household had to physically seal the covenant themselves. Making the decision, sealing the covenant, making the sacrifice, Abraham would now be ready to father the holy seed.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you always have a part in God’s provision. Abraham had to choose to seal the covenant and we must also choose to obey God. Once again, it all comes down to our decisions. It is God’s will that every man be saved, but He will not force anyone to accept Him. After salvation the same holds true. God wants His children to be healed, healthy, blessed, and prosperous; but He will not force you to live that way. You can choose to ignore the principles and precepts of His Word and live beneath your spiritual covenant, just like you can choose to observe them and walk in blessing, favor, and increase.

Abraham had to believe that there was a blessing in “choosing” to circumcise himself. Likewise, you must believe there is a blessing for you if you choose to deny your impulses for sin and walk in accordance with the Word of God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe. My belief enables me to make proper decisions. Even when my natural impulses go against the principles and precepts lined out in Your Word, I declare that I will override my impulses and choose to obey You. I fulfill my part. I live a life that is pleasing to You. I walk in Your Word, will, and way. I fulfill the man-part and I believe You will fulfill the God-part. I enter into this day with great expectations. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Blessed to be a Blessing (top of page)

(Gen 17:12 CEV) From now on, your family must circumcise every baby boy when he is eight days old…

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Friday we closed out the week by discussing the circumcision. Before we move on from this very important event I feel led to bring out a few quick nuggets I did not mention last week. Abraham had to:

1. Make a decision for himself: It is obvious that Abraham had to circumcise himself and I pointed out Friday that this was no easy task for a grown man. Nevertheless, at the instruction of God, Abraham marred his body as a physical sign of a spiritual covenant.

2. Make a decision for his household: Abraham was also commanded to have every man and boy of his household (hundreds of them) to be circumcised. This meant Abraham had to expand his capacity to believe to become a spiritual leader to everyone under his influence. To this point he led them naturally, but he would now also become a leader in spiritual matters. God was blessing Abraham to be a blessing to those in his household. Who has God given you influence over? Who has God blessed you to be a blessing to? Are you doing it? Are you providing the spiritual insight the Lord has imparted to you? Wanting to be blessed is a selfish desire if the purpose of the blessing is not to impact the lives of others as well.

3. Make a decision for his children: This is a big one. Abraham and every man of his household had to make a voluntary decision to circumcise themselves, but the commandment to circumcise eight day-old boys meant a greater responsibility fell on the parents. The child became a passive recipient of the decision of the parent. Herein we find the lesson of parental responsibility. There are many scriptures that teach us, as parents, to educate our children in the way of the Lord. Every parent has a responsibility from God to make an impartation of righteousness into their children. What have you been teaching your children?

4. Walk by faith: Although Abraham did not have any children from Sarai, he still had to instruct the men of his household to circumcise their children. In effect, while he was being a blessing to them he was also sowing a seed in his area of need. He was being a blessing to their children and in turn he would reap blessed children himself. Always sow seeds in your area of need. You will always reap what you sow (Gal 6:7).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that expanding your capacity to believe God enables you to make spiritual decisions that will impact others. It takes the focus off of merely seeking God for a blessing (selfishness) and puts the focus on seeking God to become a blessing (selflessness). What has God given you that He expects you to pass on to others? Are you passing it on? The blessing of the Lord is too good to keep to yourself. Realize you have been blessed to be a blessing and share the goodness of God with someone today.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe to the point where I now make decisions that will not only impact me, but also all those You have blessed me to be a blessing to. I train my children in the way that they should go and I believe, by faith, that they will grow up to be the children You have destined for them to be. I also submit myself to be a blessing to everyone You need me to be a blessing to; today and every day. You lead me to those You want to impact and I declare that I will be used of You to touch others for Your glory. I am blessed to be a blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You’re Still Going to have that Baby! (top of page)

(Gen 17:17 MSG) Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We have covered a lot in the 17^th chapter of Genesis thus far; Abraham received a name change, another reassurance of the promise, and instructions on how to seal the covenant (circumcision). God did not stop there. He went on to change Sarai’s name to Sarah. Sarah means princess and it is a befitting name because she would become the mother of many nations and kings. At this point the reality of everything the Lord said began to sink in. It was almost too much for Abraham to process. What he longed for was finally going to come to pass. It was almost unbelievable. Abraham fell flat on his face. He began to worship the Lord. The reality of the goodness of God was overwhelming. He thought, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?” The goodness of God was so strong in his heart that all he could do was laugh. Picture that. Can you see him? He is a wealthy old man (100 years old), lying face down before an invisible God, worshipping and laughing. God’s goodness was almost too much to bear.

Abraham was not a super-hero. He did not have a cape or any super-human abilities. He was simply a man like everyone else, but he had the ability to believe God, even when it did not make sense. If God had called Abraham out of his country and blessed him with a promised family in a couple of weeks it would not have required Abraham to believe the way that He did. God always wants maximum glory out of every situation. Just like when Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead for four days (see John 11) and his body was stinking before He raised him from the dead. God oftentimes waits until the situation is right, until the setting is beyond human ability, until the person can no longer do it themselves, before He manifests His glory and turns hopeless situations around. There is no evidence that Abraham did anything to hinder the promise for 25 years. It just simply worked out that way. 25 years later, when he was beyond physical ability and Sarah’s womb was seemingly dead, God still promised to give them a baby.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. You’re still going to have that baby: Delay does not mean denial. If God promised you something, then stand on His promise, no matter how long it takes.

2. Believe the unbelievable: It if is common then it will not require faith. If Abraham was 30 yrs. old and Sarah was 25 yrs. old, then we would not be discussing this promise this morning. The fact that a 100 yr. old man had a baby with a 90 yr. old barren woman is the point. Nothing is impossible to them that believe. If you are able to believe it, you will be able to receive it. You are only limited by your belief system. That’s why you must expand your capacity to believe.

3. God will make you laugh: Get this notion out of your head that God wants to make you suffer. God is a good God and He wants to bless his children. His desire is for you to be blessed to the point where you can do nothing but laugh!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe to the point where I receive the seemingly impossible. I resurrect my dead dreams this morning. I will not allow the enemy to make me abort them any further. I am still going to have my baby and I stand on Your promises to bring them to pass. Thinking about Your promises makes my heart glad and I laugh with excitement, joy, and expectation this morning. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Today Might be Your Day (top of page)

(Gen 17:21 CEV) “But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Abraham left his country with a barren wife 24 years prior to this encounter with God. The only child he fathered to this point was a child of his servant. God finally gave him the specific promise he longed to hear – he was going to have a baby by Sarah. In the middle of all of this, with the many things that were probably racing through his mind, Abraham pleaded for Ishmael; he wanted Ishmael blessed. The Lord said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.” This is where we get to our text. The Lord said, “But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.”

Imagine that. Abraham woke up that morning like every other morning. He did not know that he would hear the words he was waiting on for 24 years. God changed both his and his wife’s names, gave him specific instructions on how to seal the covenant (circumcision), pronounced a blessing over his living son (Ishmael), gave him the name of the son of the promise (Isaac), and then told him that Isaac would be born “about this time next year.” Wow! What a day. What a blessing. What a turn-around. God showed up and turned Abraham’s seemingly hopeless situation around in one fell-swoop and He did it all by simply speaking words.

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. You never know when your breakthrough is coming: You should face every day with great expectations. If you are standing in faith for something from God, keep on believing and remain in faith daily. Face every day like it will be your day for your turn around.

2. Never underestimate the power of a Word from God: All of this happened with “words.” God changed Abram’s name with a word, gave him the instructions for the circumcision in words, pronounced a blessing over Ishmael with words, named the son of promise with words, and told him exactly when Isaac would manifest with words. No, Abraham did not physically have Isaac in his hands yet, but that made no difference. As far as Abraham was concerned, he could already see Isaac running around. That is the power that comes from expanding your capacity to believe God. Once you do you are able to receive a Word from God and walk in it as if you already have it. God may not speak to you like He did to Abraham, but you might receive your “Word” from God while reading your bible, sitting in a bible study, hearing a sermon, while in prayer, in one of my messages, or from another Christian. No matter how it comes, never underestimate the power of a Word from God. One Word from God can turn your hopeless situation around.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I enter each day with great expectations. I expect to be blessed. I expect You to make Your Word good. I expect the manifestation of Your promises in my life. I expect favor to shield me. I also know that Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” I live by Your Word. I stand on every Word I receive from You and I know that one Word from You can turn any hopeless situation around. There are no impossibilities in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Obedience unlocks Blessing (top of page)

(Gen 17:23-27 CEV) On that same day Abraham obeyed God by circumcising Ishmael. Abraham was also circumcised, and so were all other men and boys in his household, including his servants and slaves. He was ninety-nine years old at the time, and his son Ishmael was thirteen.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I pray this series is blessing you to see that you can do what biblical characters did. They did not have superhero suits with superhuman power. They were simply men and women that believed and obeyed God. It is very important to point out that they did both (believe and obey). It does you no good to expand your capacity to believe if you are not willing to obey what God enables you to see. The obedience factor is the key that has unlocked blessing, favor, and increase in the lives of biblical characters and subsequent believers through the centuries. We have been exploring Abraham’s life over the last few weeks. Let’s take a quick recap of his obedience.

We first hear Abram in Genesis chapter 11. Chapter 12 opens with God saying to him, “Leave your country…” (v.1). What was Abram’s response? The fourth verse says, “So Abram left, as the Lord had told him.” In chapter 15 the Lord revealed Himself to Abram in an illustration that required natural animals. The Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon” (v.9). The very next verse says, “Abram brought all these to him…” In the 17^th chapter the Lord reiterated the promise of children through Sarah and wanted to seal the covenant through a physical sign. The Lord said, “Every male among you shall be circumcised” (v.10). Our text tells us that Abraham circumcised himself, his son, and every man and boy of his entire household on the SAME DAY. Do you see a pattern? What was the key to Abraham’s walk with God? Why was he the father of faith? Why are we still discussing him today? Because he believed an invisible God would bless him in a tangible way and he obeyed what the invisible God told him. Furthermore, he did it without any point of reference. Meaning that Abraham did not have a bible to read, a pastor to talk to, a church to worship in, or fellow believers to count on.

Thus far in this series we have discuss Joshua, Mephibosheth, Gideon, Naaman, and Abraham. What was the key to their success? It was simply believing God and obeying what God said. Dr. Mike Murdock says, “Obedience is the only thing God has ever required of man.” My prayer is that this series will help you expand your capacity to believe so that you will have the propensity to obey. The point being that you will probably not obey something you do not believe in.

So what does this mean to you today? It simply means that you must obey God if you expect His blessing, favor, and increase to flow in your life. God does not expect you to do anything that He has not already equipped you to do. If you can simply believe and obey you will experience the favor of God. Have you been obeying God? If not, today can be your day for a turn-around!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. As my ability to believe increases, my tendency to obey will increase. I train myself to obey my invisible God, with expectations that He will manifest Himself in a tangible way in my life. I believe and obey and I do it by faith. My obedience unlocks God’s blessing over me and my household. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Is there anything too hard for God? (top of page)

(Gen 18:13,14 MSG) God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Genesis chapter 18 opens with a hot summer afternoon where Abraham was sitting by the entrance to his tent near the sacred trees of Mamre. The Lord appeared to him. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground, and said, “Please come to my home where I can serve you. I’ll have some water brought, so you can wash your feet, and then you can rest under the tree. Let me get you some food to give you strength before you leave. I would be honored to serve you.” It is obvious that Abraham was a courteous and generous host. The men accepted the offer. Abraham did not know it, but he would receive a word from the Lord through one of these men.

Abraham quickly went to his tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get a large sack of flour and make some bread.” He then rushed off to his herd of cattle and picked out one of the best calves, which his servant quickly prepared. He then served his guests some yogurt and milk together with the meat. While they were eating and the men asked, “Where is your wife Sarah?” “She is right there in the tent,” Abraham answered. The Lord then spoke through one of the guests and said, “I’ll come back about this time next year, and when I do, Sarah will already have a son.” Sarah was behind Abraham, listening at the entrance to the tent. Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was well past the age for having children. Sarah laughed and said to herself, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, will I really know such happiness?” This is where the Lord asked, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God?…” That is the question for this morning. Is there anything too hard for God? The obvious answer is NO!

Expanding your capacity to believe enables you to take your mental and traditional limits off of an unlimited God. The bible is full of impossibilities becoming reality. That is why I preach and teach the way that I do. I don’t hold back. God expects us to preach and teach the fact that impossibilities are possible in Him. There is absolutely nothing too impossible for Him. God can revive a dead womb; just like He can heal a broken marriage, redirect a wayward child, restore a backslider, cancel cancer, override AIDS, resurrect lifeless situations, and turn hopeless situations around.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that your situation still has hope. The mere fact that you are still living – that air is flowing in your lungs and blood is flowing in your veins – is evidence that God is not through with you. If you are still living, then God is still able. There is nothing too hard for Him. Stop limiting a limitless God. Expand your capacity to believe and you will expand your capacity to receive!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I know there is nothing too hard for You. I look at every situation through the lens of faith and I receive the reality of Your presence, peace, power, and glory. I do not give up. I stand in belief and faith and I expect to walk in blessing, favor, increase; in every area of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t make fresh decisions based upon out-dated information (top of page)

(Gen 20:13 MSG) When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father’s home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I’m your brother.’

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I pray this series is being a blessing to you. As you can see, most biblical characters were just ordinary people that God enabled to do extraordinary things. In Abraham, for example, we have learned both what to do and what not to do. This morning’s lesson is an example of what not to do.

Back in Genesis 12 we saw how Abram feared the Egyptians and told his wife (and half sister) to say that she was his sister (conveniently leaving out the wife part). He was operating in fear and not in faith. Abram said, “Please save my life by saying that you are my sister” (Gen 12:13). We fast forward about 25 years and we Abraham make the same mistake again.

In Genesis 20 we find Abraham in Gerar. Abraham told everyone there that his wife Sarah was his sister. Just like what happened in Egypt, King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. God came to Abimelech in a dream and revealed to him that Sarah was a married woman. He had not slept with her and pleaded before the Lord that nothing would happen to him. He did not take a married woman on purpose. He was going off of wrong information. God told Abimelech, “I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sleeping with Sarah and doing anything wrong. Her husband is a prophet. Let her go back to him, and his prayers will save you from death. But if you don’t return her, you and all your people will die.” Early the next morning Abimelech sent for his officials and told them what happened. He then called in Abraham and said: “Look what you’ve done to us! What have I ever done to you? Why did you make me and my nation guilty of such a terrible sin? What were you thinking when you did this?” Abraham answered: “I did it because I didn’t think any of you respected God, and I was sure that someone would kill me to get my wife. Besides, she is my half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father’s home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I’m your brother.’”

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. Don’t live in the past: I understand how Abram made the mistake he made in chapter 12, but in chapter 20 he had been walking with the Lord for almost 25 years. God is a God of progression. If you know better, God will expect you to do better. Abraham made a decision based off of a statement he made to Sarah 25 years earlier. Don’t make the same mistake. Don’t make fresh decisions based upon out-dated information.

2. Fear will cause faith failures: In both chapters 12 and 20 Abraham was afraid. Fear and faith are reciprocal forces; they cannot operate at the same time. Fear cancels faith, just like faith cancels fear. Fear will cause your faith to fail, just like faith will cause your fear to fail. Which one will you choose today?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe and the more I move forward in You, the more I am able to make proper decisions. I do not make today’s decisions based upon out-dated information. I use the latest information and revelation I have received in You to make the best possible decisions; thereby causing my way to be prosperous. I overcome fear and I operate in faith, in every area of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Space between the Promise and the Performance (top of page)

(Gen 21:1 NIV) Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” and we arrive at a much anticipated segment of the story of Abraham. In the 21^st chapter we find the birth of the promised son (Isaac). Our text says that God did for Sarah what He promised to do. It is also worth mentioning that this was also a fulfillment of the promise to Abraham.

It all started with a call and a promise to Abram in chapter 12. It has taken us five weeks (25 messages) to cover the span between chapters 12 and 20. These chapters chronicle 25 years in the lives of Abraham and Sarah. Think about that for a moment. It is always great when God gives you a promise in the morning and makes it manifest in the afternoon. Even if it does not come the same day, most of us can wait a few days; maybe even a week. But what happens when your promise takes a lot longer than you expected? Will you give up? Will you stop believing? Will you throw in your faith towel?

Over the last 25 messages I have pointed out the several times that God reiterated the promise to Abraham. Time after time, God reassured him that he would be the father of many nations. Sure, it did not always look like it. As a matter of fact, things were seemingly getting worse. Sarah’s womb was apparently dead. She was past child bearing age. He was almost 100 years old. They had been walking with God for over 20 years. The average person would have given up. But that is why we call Abraham the father of faith. Without a bible to read, a pastor to counsel with, a choir to sing him happy, or a fellow believer to keep him encouraged; Abraham believed. All he had was God and a promise. Sure, he had his ups and downs; but he kept believing that God would do what He said He would do. He might have been delayed, but he was not denied. 25 years later, at 100 years of age, God did what He had promised to do!

This is how it normally is with us. Of course, God can immediately provide the manifestation of every promise, but that is not the norm. There is oftentimes a space between the promise and the performance. It is in this space that we must remain faithful and firm. I call this the “grace for the space.” God can give us the ability to remain in belief and faith while we are expectantly awaiting the manifestation of His promise.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must never give up on a promise from God. No matter how long it takes and no matter how bad the situation seemingly gets, continue to stand on God’s promise and continue to believe that He will bring it to pass. I will close with the words of Moses this morning, “God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does He speak and not do what He says? Does He promise and not come through?” (Numbers 23:19 MSG).

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I know that delay does not mean denial. I stand in belief and faith, no matter how long it takes. I stand on Your promises and I do not lower my level of expectation. I enter into this day with great expectations and consistent faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t forget the Father once He gives you your Baby (top of page)

(Gen 21:3,4 CEV) Abraham named his son Isaac, and when the boy was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, just as the Lord had commanded.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off yesterday. Abraham was 100 years old when his promised son was born. With the first mention of the manifestation of the promise we immediately find out two things: Abraham named his son Isaac and he circumcised him on the eighth day. Why is this important? Because in Genesis 17:12 God commanded Abraham to circumcise every eight day-old male child and in 17:19 God told him that Sarah would have a baby and that the boy’s name would be Isaac. This seems like a small thing, but it is not small at all. As soon as Abraham received the manifestation of the promise He did exactly what God told him to do. He did not deviate or digress. He simply did what God said.

This series is about learning to believe God at a greater level in your life. Many people are aggressive in their belief while they are standing in faith for the manifestation of the promise. The mistake that is oftentimes made, however, is that they get overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment when they finally receive the fulfillment of the promise and they focus so much on what they just received that they forget about God. I have seen it happen many times. People say they need transportation and they are believing God for a vehicle, but when God blesses them with the vehicle, they focus more on the vehicle than on God. The same can be said for a job, a promotion, a house, a spouse, or etc.

We learn a very important lesson from Abraham this morning. He and Sarah waited 25 years for their baby. I am sure they were overwhelmed with emotions and exceedingly glad. However, they did not allow their emotions to cloud their judgment. Abraham named the boy Isaac, just as God instructed him to; and on the eighth day he circumcised the boy, just as God commanded him. What is the point? Abraham did not allow his baby to keep him from his God. His priorities were still in order.

So what does this mean to you today? It means God wants to know that your priorities are in order. Can God give you your baby (whatever that may be) without a concern of you losing your focus? If God gives you your baby, will you set all your attention on the baby and forget about Him? If so, you may never see the baby until your priorities are in order.

Many wives are overwhelmed with the joy of having a baby. They focus so much attention on the newborn that their husbands are neglected. But if they ever want another baby, they will have to go back to the person that enabled them to have the baby in the first place. Don’t forget the Father once He gives you your baby!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I have my priorities in order. I trust You to manifest Your glory by blessing me with what I am standing in belief and faith for and I declare, in advanced, that I will not allow what You bless me with to keep me from You. You are bigger than any thing or anybody in life. I put nothing before You. No baby You bless me with will ever keep me from honoring my Heavenly Father. I honor You in all things and at all times. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Beyond Everyone’s Expectations (top of page)

(Gen 21:7 GW) “Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off yesterday. Now that we know how Abraham reacted to the birth of his son (obedience), let’s see how Sarah reacted. Sarah said, “God has blessed me with laughter,” Isaac means laughter and this is the name God gave him because both Abraham and Sarah laughed in joy at the possibility of having a baby in their old age. She went on to say, “… and all who get the news will laugh with me!” In other words, she was so overwhelmingly glad that she expected her delight to spill over to all those who heard the good news. Sarah’s next statement seems to crystallize the magnitude of the blessing. She said, “Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.” This was Sarah’s way of saying that her blessing (having a baby at 90 years old) was beyond human logic or reason. No one around her would have predicted it to happen. No one she knew expected her to ever have a baby. Everyone that knew Sarah knew her as a blessed, but barren woman.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God has no limits: There are many things that God does that are not logical, rational, or reasonable; but with God all things are possible to them that believe (Mark 9:23).

2. God has a plan for you: God said in Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (29:11). He had a plan for Abraham and Sarah, He had a plan for Jeremiah, and He has a plan for you. When you expand your capacity to believe, God is able to reveal His plan to you. Once you find it, you will need the discipline to follow and finish it. Along the way, however, you will encounter people who might say things like, “Who would have thought that you….?” Or, “I never thought you would amount to…” That is basically what Sarah was saying. No one around her would have ever imagined her life to work out the way that it did. Her society had low expectations of her, but God’s plan for our lives will oftentimes exceed everyone’s expectations. So don’t get bogged down by the low expectations of those around you. Believe God, dream big dreams, and God will enable you to exceed everyone’s expectations.

3. Celebrate every victory: Sarah did not have a nonchalant attitude about having this baby. This was a big deal. This is what she longed for all her life. She celebrated. She laughed, and she expected those around her to laugh with her. She expressed her gratitude to God. Likewise, we should do the same. When God blesses us we should not overlook His goodness and fail to praise Him. Share your testimony. Tell your story! Tell others of the goodness of God in your life. Are you ashamed of what God is doing for you? If you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe and my belief enables me to elevate my level of expectation. I do not live my life based upon the expectations of others. I trust You and I believe that You will do great things in my life. I believe Your Word where You said that You are able to do exceedingly abundant above all that I could ask or think according to the power that works in me (Eph 3:20). I expect Your goodness to exceed everyone’s expectations, even my own. Your blessing upon my life is so good that it makes me laugh. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Do You Believe? (top of page)

(Rom 4:2,3 KJV) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by crossing over to the New Testament this morning. In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome he explained how God was made available to all people through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and was no longer limited to the Jew. Paul also went to great lengths to drive home the point that we are justified by faith and not works. In the third chapter he explained that if we could be justified by works, then we would have something to brag about; but we can’t. We must come to God in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; nothing to brag about there. All we can do is glory in what He did and thank God that we are made right (righteous) through His blood.

It is in this light that Paul arrives at the fourth chapter. He brings up Abraham as an example. He explains that if Abraham were justified by works, then he would have really had something to brag about. However, Abraham did not have that testimony. As we have seen over the last few weeks, Abraham made mistakes like all of us. He never performed one miracle. He never raised anyone from the dead. He never healed anyone of leprosy. He never walked on water. So what did Abraham do? He had the ability to believe God! He believed a God he could not see would give him a visible baby and make him the father of many nations. Let’s go back to Genesis chapter 15 to see the text that Paul is quoting. God led Abraham outside one evening and said, “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. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (verses 5 and 6). Just like that. God gave Abraham a promise, Abraham believed it, and God counted it to him as righteousness. In other words, God was pleased with Abraham because of his willingness and capacity to believe.

So what does this mean to you today? A couple of things:

1. The relationship between work and faith: Many believers today misunderstand the relationship between work and faith. They think that they can work their way to heaven; thinking they should work to build their faith. First of all, if we could work our way to heaven Jesus would not have had to die. Second of all, our works should be a manifestation of the reality of our faith. We should do Godly works because of our relationship with God, not to attain it.

2. The relationship between belief and faith: I list belief and faith separately. Belief is opening yourself up to the possibility of something in your life. Faith is an expression of confidence in God and His Word. Belief says it can, faith says it will. Belief says it is possible, faith says it is done. You need both in operation in your life in your walk with God. The bible teaches us, in four different books, to “live by faith” (Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38). However, you will never release your faith for something you do not believe. The purpose of this series is to expand your capacity to believe so you can increase your ability to live by faith.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe and my belief system enables me to operate in faith in every area of my life. I know that I am not justified by works. I do not seek to do good to have a relationship with You. My works are birthed out of my relationship with You. I, like Abraham, believe in an invisible God and I believe my invisible God will manifest Himself in a tangible way in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Remember what Jesus did for You! (top of page)

(John 18:22 MSG) When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, “How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!”

The vision of Today’s Word is to instruct, inspire, evangelize, and encourage. I felt led to take a break this week from our current series to instruct and inspire you concerning the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This upcoming Sunday is what the world calls “Easter” and the church calls “The Resurrection.” I can’t cover it all in five days, but I will give you a short recap of the events leading up to the most important event in history.

Jesus prayed his well known prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Mat 26:39). He left the garden and walked into the betrayal of Judas. Peter tried to stop the arrest and cut a man’s ear off. Jesus suffered it to be and gave himself over to the authorities. Jesus was arrested without a charge or a witnesses. They took Him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. Peter, who had already denied Jesus to a little girl, stood outside in the cold with the authorities. They started a fire and stood around it to warm themselves as the interrogation began inside. Annas interrogated Jesus regarding His disciples and His teachings. Jesus answered, “I have spoken freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our meeting places and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have not said anything in secret. Why are you questioning me? Why don’t you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said.” When He said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, “How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!“

Let’s be honest. When we think of Jesus we think of the miraculous Jesus. We think of the God-man that stopped a funeral precession and raised a widow’s only son from the dead. We think of the God-man who looked out at a vast crowd (5,000 men, not counting the women and children), had compassion upon them, and fed them all with a little boy’s lunch (2 fish and 5 loaves of bread). We think of the God-man who showed up at His friends’ house (Mary and Martha) after their brother (Lazarus) was dead for four days and whose body was already stinking. He had so much compassion for them that He cried with them before He raised their brother back to life. We think of the God-man who walked on water and met the disciples in the fourth watch of the night (3am-6am), when they were tired, frustrated, and fearful. We think of the God-man who met a woman in church who wanted to straighten herself up, but she couldn’t. She had been bent over for 18 years, but Jesus healed her that day. Yes, we often times think of the miraculous Jesus, the powerful Jesus, the water-walking Jesus, the wonder-working Jesus. But what about the Jesus that was whipped for us? What about the Jesus that was beaten for us? What about the Jesus – in our text – that was slapped in the face for us?

So what does this mean to you today? It means that this week we take some time to remember the Jesus that was battered, beaten, and bruised for us. He died so that we could live. Remember that today when you face something you think is unbearable.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I thank You for sending Your Son to die that I might live. I acknowledge the life of Jesus and I acknowledge it all. He stepped down from glory and bore my pain that I might step up from my pain and bear His glory. I remember what Jesus did for me and I honor Him in all that I do. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

No Weapon formed Against you will Prosper (top of page)

(John 18:32 CEV) And so what Jesus said about his death would soon come true.

This morning we continue our short recap of the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Yesterday we left Jesus with Annas. Annas sent Jesus to his son-in-law (the other High Priest), Caiaphas. After being questioned by Caiaphas Jesus was taken to the Roman governor’s (Pilate) house. By this time it was early in the morning. Jesus had been erroneously tried and found guilty, in the middle of the night, and all the while not one charge or one witness had been brought against Him. Pilate came out and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” They answered, “He is a criminal! That’s why we brought him to you.” Pilate told them, “Take him and judge him by your own laws.” But the Jews knew that they were not authorized to have anyone executed. They wanted blood. They wanted Jesus dead. They wanted to get back to their normal lives – as they thought. The Jews replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” This is where we pick up our text. And so what Jesus said about his death would soon come true. Jesus gave his disciples fair warning of his death. Jesus would hang on a tree to become sin for us and to fulfill prophecy.

Let’s briefly recap the life of Jesus. He was born in Bethlehem and was then taken to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill Him as a baby. This was an attack to destroy Him before He ever got started. After Herod’s death He was brought back to and raised in Nazareth. We don’t hear anything about Him between the ages of 12 and 30. He shows up and 30 yrs. old, is baptized, and immediately led into the desert to be tempted of satan. Satan tried to stop Him before His ministry ever got started. Jesus comes back and starts preaching the Kingdom of God. Before you know it, the blind can see, the lame can walk, the death can hear, the dumb can speak, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Satan is furious. He works through the religious leadership of the time and manipulates them through their pride to finagle a way to kill Jesus. They tried Him in the middle of the night without a witness, a charge, or a testimony. They were doing all they could to kill Him, but once again, satan’s plan would backfire. Paul later said that if he knew better he would have never had Jesus killed (1 Cor 2:8). Jesus was at peace the entire time because He knew that He would still come out on top of this situation.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that when you walk with God, no weapon formed against you will prosper (Is 54:17). It does not mean that the weapon will not be formed. It does not mean that there will not be attacks against you. What it does mean is that the enemy will not be successful in his attempts. It all worked out for Jesus and it will all work out for us, if we continue to walk with God and in accordance with His Word.

Jesus faced many attacks and still came out victorious. He is our example. No matter what you are facing this morning you can have peace in knowing that when you are walking with God you will always come out on top!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I thank You for solidifying Your peace in my heart this morning. I realize that many weapons were formed against Jesus, but they did not prosper. I also realize that I have the same favor. No matter what comes my way today or any day, I have the confidence in knowing that You are with me, in me, on me, and for me. You are greater than anything I will ever face! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Total Death for Total Life (top of page)

(John 19:34 MSG) One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

This morning we continue our brief recap of the events surrounding Jesus’ death by moving past the mock trials and fast forwarding to the cross. After the erroneous conviction they beat Jesus and flogged Him 39 times with a cat of nine-tails. Each lash felt like 9 lashes. The lashes had bits of metal and stone sewn into them. The pieces of metal and stone sunk into Jesus’ back with each lash and they ripped pieces of His flesh off as the skilled torturer pulled the whip back. They made a mock crown out of thorns and pushed it down into His head so that they thorns drove into His skull. In this battered and bruised condition they made Him carry His own cross up Golgotha’s hill and then nailed Him to it. Think about that for a moment. Look at your manicured hands and pampered feet. Now picture a railroad tie and imagine it being thrust into your hands and feet with a sledge hammer. If that were not enough, they took His beaten, bruised, and nailed body and erected it as they elevated the cross. Can you see Him? The hole for the cross was already prepared. The weight is now painfully shifting between His upper and lower bodies. They then locate the prepared hole and let the cross drop into it, rattling Jesus’ bones as it fell into place. He tries to support Himself with His legs, but the position of His nailed feet makes it almost impossible. He tries to lift Himself up with His arms, but His nailed hands make this excruciatingly painful. For three hours He hung on the there (from noon to 3pm) in total darkness. The sun refused to shine while the Son was shining. Around 3pm, after enduring this brutal procedure, He cried “It is finished!” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

The next day was a special Sabbath and the Jews could not touch anything dead during this time. They knew they only had three hours to get the bodies off of the crosses and into the tombs. They asked Pilate to have the legs of the men broken and the bodies taken down. This would ensure that all three men were dead. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified with Jesus. However, when they got to Him they believed that He was already dead, so they did not break His legs. They did need to verify His death. So one of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that Jesus was completely dead. His death was no hoax and His blood was surely shed. Yes, He completely died a horrible death, but He also completely rose on the third day in a glorious resurrection! He conquered death so that we could do the same. Paul said that part of his aim in life was to know Jesus in the power of His Resurrection (Phil 3:10). This Sunday is not about colored eggs or bunny rabbits, it’s about a Savior who died for our sin and rose for our life. He conquered death for us. So no matter how dead your dreams, goals, marriage, career, etc.; may seem, know that through Christ, you can bounce back and experience Resurrection Power! Jesus was totally dead, but He came back from total death to provide total life.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to die that I might live. Jesus was completely dead, but You resurrected Him to complete and total life. I flow in that same vein this morning and I speak to every dead issue in my life and pronounce resurrection. I speak to darkness and pronounce light, I speak to chaos and pronounce order. I walk by faith and not by sight. I believe You can turn my hopeless situations around and I receive my breakthrough by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

An Equivalent Ransom (top of page)

(Eph 1:7 KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

This morning we continue our brief recap of the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Yesterday we discussed Jesus’ death and this morning we take a glimpse at what his death gave us access to.

A few years ago Mel Gibson starred in a movie entitled “Ransom.” It was a thriller where a rich man’s son was kidnapped and kept by his captors until a large sum of money was paid. The tagline to the movie was ‘Someone is going to pay!’ The movie took a twist and Mel Gibson’s character decided not to pay the ransom to the captors, but to rather offer it as a reward to anyone who would turn them in. In our real life drama, we were all born captured, in need of a ransom to be paid. It is not that we had freedom and that our freedom was taken away at some point, but rather that we were born as bound to sin as the child was bound to his captors in the movie. We were born with a death sentence, because of what Adam did in the garden. We needed someone to pay our ransom before we could receive our freedom. The problem is that our ransom could not be paid with money. Our payment would involve the shedding of blood. Our text speaks of “redemption through his blood.” The person referenced in this text is Jesus. Webster defines redemption as the repurchase of captured goods or prisoners; the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent ransom. The key words are “equivalent ransom.” The blood of an animal was shed in the garden when Adam sinned. This served as a “ransom” for sin, but the blood of the animal was not equivalent to the blood of the transgressor. This pattern was repeated every year, under the law, with the sacrifice of an atonement lamb, as a covering for sin; and the PASSOVER lamb, as a covering for death. In both cases this ritual had to be repeated annually, because the ransom was not equivalent to the transgressor.

The only suitable payment for our life would have to be another human life. Someone would actually have to trade their life for ours before we would be able to escape the clutches of sin and death (our captors). Luke told us (Acts 20:28) that Jesus purchased (redeemed) us with His own blood. Jesus became both the atonement lamb (offering for sin) and the PASSOVER lamb (offering for death) at the same time. He was our equivalent payment! Glory to God. Our ransom has been paid. We now have redemption and freedom through His blood!

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. All human beings were born captured by sin and satan because of the actions of Adam in the garden (Eph 2:1-3, Ro 3:23).

2. The blood of lambs, goats, and calves served as a temporary solution to a permanent problem (Heb 9:12).

3. God sent His own Son (the Last Adam) to die in our stead, paying an equivalent ransom and delivering us from the power of sin and satan (Gal 3:13, 1 Jn 1:7, Rev 5:9).

4. The Ransom is paid, the captor has been defeated and the captured have been released – Hallelujah! That’s what this Sunday is all about!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am covered by the blood of Jesus. Jesus paid the price that I could not afford for a debt that He did not owe. He died that I might live. He laid down His righteousness and clothed Himself with my sin that I would lay down my sin and clothe myself in His righteousness. I enter this day as a cleansed, delivered, purified, and set apart warrior in the Kingdom of God. I do not entangle myself again with sin and satan. I am redeemed and have been bought with a price. I honor You with my life and actions! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Christianity is the Only Religion that touts an Empty Grave (top of page)

(1 Cor 15:22 MSG) Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ.

This morning we conclude our brief recap of the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. I know these kinds of messages are not very exciting to many people, but without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we would have no hope. There would be no Christianity. There would be no Born-Again experience. There would be no gospel. Remember that this Sunday while TV commercials are full colored eggs and bunny rabbits, and while churches are full of new suits and colorful hats. Beyond the misconceptions and pageantry, Sunday is about remembering Jesus and how He conquered death by rising from the dead on the third day in fulfillment of the scriptures.

Paul summed this all up nicely in 1^st Corinthians 15. He said, “Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it – if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ – sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection. If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ wasn’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries. There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ“(1 Cor 15:12-22 MSG).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that Christ did die, the Father did raise Him from the dead, we do have eternal life in Christ once we are Born-Again, death has no dominion over us, satan is defeated, and our efforts as believers are not in vain. This is no joke and no hoax. Jesus Christ is the only religious figure – of all the world religions – that claims to still be alive. Mohammed, Buddha, Gandhi, and etc. are all in the grave, but Christ is not. Christianity is the only religion that touts an empty grave. That’s why you can be a Muslim without ever meeting Mohammed and you can be a Buddhist without ever meeting Buddha, but if you are going to be a Christian, you have to meet Christ for yourself! Once you meet Him, He washes your sins with his blood and makes you a king and priest in the earth (Rev 1:5,6). Enter this day and this weekend with your head held high and your heart solidified in the reality that Jesus is alive and you are alive in Him! He has made you royalty. Act like it!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am convinced that Your Son Jesus died and was raised from the dead. I have no doubt. My faith is rooted in His resurrection and the fact that He conquered satan, hell, and the grave gives me a renewed strength today. You made me a king and a priest in the earth. I conquer as a king and I hear from the Holy Spirit as a priest. I provide both strength and wisdom for my family. I do not take the resurrection lightly. Jesus, your dying for me was not in vain. I honor You with my life and living. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Faith makes you an heir to the Promise of Abraham (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. We have shared many truths concerning Abraham’s life thus far. Let’s do a short recap:

1. Abraham started out as a man who did not know much about God, but simply believed that a God he could not see would bless him in a tangible way.

2. He made mistakes, like most people, and his mistakes proved that he was no super-human; but simply a man that believed God and sought to operate by faith.

3. He kept believing that God would do what He said and make him the father of many nations, even though it took 25 years for the first child (Isaac) of the promise to be born.

4. He did not allow the blessing of the baby to keep him from the Daddy (God), the source of the blessing.

We fast-forward into the New Testament (Romans 4) and we find Paul speaking of Abraham. Paul explains that Abraham was circumcised, but that his acceptance with God did not come because of a physical act. Abraham was accepted by God because of his faith. This makes Abraham the father of all who operate in faith, whether circumcised or not. This includes you and it is a big deal; because Paul explains that if Abraham is your father, then you are in his lineage and you have a right to walk in the promise given to him and his descendants. God promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them the world. This promise wasn’t made because Abraham obeyed a law, but because his faith in God made him acceptable. Paul explained that if Abraham and his descendants were given this promise because they had obeyed a law, then faith would mean nothing, and the promise would be worthless (v.14). This gives us to know that the promise of Abraham is not tied to the Jewish law, but rather to those who operate by faith.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must expand your capacity to believe, so you can walk by faith and accept the blessing of Abraham. Belief says “It’s possible.” Faith says, “It’s done!” We see both in operation in Abraham’s life. Likewise, we must operate in both. You will never operate in faith for something you cannot believe. Once you believe it, then you can release faith for it. Abraham started in belief, but ended up in faith. Where are you this morning? Are you a believer who walks in faith? If so, then you should realize that the blessing of Abraham is yours, by faith.

Confession for this day: Lord God. You made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make of him a great nation. You promised that he would be blessed to be a blessing (Gen 12:2,3). You promised that nations and kings would come out of him. You established Your covenant with him and his seed and promised to make this everlasting covenant (Gen 17:6,7). You blessed Abraham and made him wealthy and successful (Gen 24:1). You extended and offered that same blessing to his descendants if they would hear Your voice and obey Your Word (Duet 28:1). I hear your voice and I obey Your Word. I am a Born-Again believer. I believe and I have faith. I was baptized into Christ and have put on Christ. In Christ, there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. We are all one in Christ Jesus. I belong to Christ and am therefore Abraham’s seed and a spiritual heir according to the promise. (Gal 2:27-29). The Promises of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus are mine! I walk into this day knowing that You are my God and I am Your child. Like Abraham, I believe a God I cannot see will bless me in a tangible way. I am blessed in every area and facet of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

You can do what Abraham did (top of page)

(Rom 4:17 MSG) We call Abraham “father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn’t that what we’ve always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, “I set you up as father of many peoples”? Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Abraham. What made Abraham special? What made him the father of many nations? Paul says here that it was not that Abraham got God’s attention by living like a saint. He did not become a monk and lock himself up in a monastery. He did not pray 24 hours a day on a holy mountain. He did not shave his head, wear special robes, or do anything to look different. If he had done any of these things then we would probably not be able to identify with him. If you are reading this message then chances are that you live a pretty “normal” Christian life. You probably associate yourself with friends and family, are more than likely a member of a local church, and you are seeking to live a life that is pleasing to God. That’s why you and I can identify with Abraham. We are like he was and we can tap into what he tapped into to live an extraordinary life in God.

Paul says that God made something out of Abraham when he was a “nobody”. Is that what you are secretly hoping for? Don’t you want a closer relationship with God? If you are a regular reader of Today’s Word, then I think you do. You want more from God and you want to give more to God. That being the case, this text has something for you.

What was Abraham’s secret to success? Our text says that he dared to trust (believe) God to do what only God could do. He believed that God would raise his dead situation (no children) back to life and he believed it all based on a Word! He believed that with one Word God could make something out of nothing. He believed that with one Word God could turn his hopeless situation around. He believed that with one Word God could put a “Yes” where the world put a “no.” He believed that with one Word God could change what “was” into what “should be.” He received a Word from God and he had the audacity to believe it. Even though it did not make sense, it was not natural, and it was not the norm, he believed God anyway!

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God can do the same for you. Abraham did not have anything you do not have. He was a common guy, but he learned to believe the uncommon and to have faith in the unseen. He believed a God he could not see could bless him in ways that he could. What about you? Do you believe? You are only limited by your capacity to believe. What situation is seemingly dead in your life? No matter what it looks like, know that one Word from God can turn your hopeless situation around.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I take my limits off of my limitless God. There is nothing too hard for you. I believe You can turn my seemingly hopeless situation around. As a matter of fact, I extend past belief this morning and I start releasing my faith for it. Belief says it is possible, faith says it is done. I declare, by faith, that I have what I have been waiting on for so long. Like Abraham, I believe and like Abraham, I will receive. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Decisions can get your Past Your Limitations (top of page)

(Rom 4:18 MSG) When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. Paul’s commentary on Abraham’s actions helps us clearly see what he did and how it applies to our lives. Let’s take a closer look at this text:

1. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway: I have oftentimes said that God wants “maximum glory” out of every situation. How much glory would God get if He only did what humans already had the ability to do? It makes no sense to ask God to do – for you – what He has already equipped you to do. God’s work begins where our work ends. His limitless ability is often released when we have reached our limits. We do what we can and God does what we can’t. Now we can better understand Paul’s statement. Everything was hopeless from a human perspective, but Abraham knew that God was not limited to human ability. Abraham had to ability to believe and his belief took him past his limitations. What limitations are you facing this morning? Just because you cannot do it, it does not mean that it cannot get done. There is nothing too hard for God. Why not look your circumstances in the face and believe God anyway?

2. Deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do: Belief and faith are choices. Belief is you choosing to consider that God can. Faith is you choosing to establish in your heart that God will. Doubt is you choosing to consider that God might not make it happen. Unbelief is you choosing to establish in your heart that it will not happen for you. In every case, the choice is yours. Our life is a grand-sum-total of our decisions. Now we can better understand Paul’s statement. Abraham’s secret to success what that he simply “decided” to live his life upon the basis of what God said and not upon the basis of his limitations. We can do the same thing. Many believers today do not have an audible promise from God to stand on, but they do have the written promises in the Word of God. God is as obligated and committed to His written Word than He is to any spoken Word. We all have the ability to choose to live our lives upon the basis of what God said and not our limitations. God’s promises or your limits; which one will you choose?

3. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!” God did it. God was true to His word. God said what He meant and He meant what He said. God remained true to His word to Abraham and He will remain true to His word to us. God will always back up His promises.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you can choose to operate in belief and faith or you can choose to operate in doubt and unbelief. Either way, your life will be a result of your decisions. If you choose to operate in belief and faith, your decision will catapult you past your limitations.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I choose to operate in belief and faith. I believe You can and I have faith that You will. My belief gets me past my limitations. I declare that l will do all that I can and trust You to do what I cannot. I look at hopeless situations head on and I choose to believe anyway. There is nothing too hard for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Faith that Factors out Limits (top of page)

(Rom 4:19 MSG) Abraham didn’t focus on his own impotence and say, “It’s hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.” Nor did he survey Sarah’s decades of infertility and give up.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. I trust you have seen by now that what separated Abraham from his contemporaries was his ability to believe in a God he could not see and his resilience to keep on believing, even when the circumstances looked hopeless. Can the same be said of you?

Think about Abraham’s situation for a moment. He is about 100 yrs. old and his wife is about 90 yrs. old. Abraham is well past the “normal” child producing age and Sarah has never had a baby in her life. Both sides of the equation were flawed and the probability of this couple producing a baby was slim-to-none; if not impossible. Get the picture? Understand the equation? Now, add to it a promise from God. God not only promised that they would have a child, but that they would become the fathers of many nations and kings. When you factor in a promise from God you must also factor out the limiting dynamics that were previously considered. Paul says that Abraham did not focus on his limitations, nor did he focus on the limitations of Sarah. Humanly speaking, Abraham was unreasonable, his expectation was unnatural, his hope was unusual; and it all stemmed from a capacity to believe that was (and still is) uncommon.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God can do for you what He did for Abraham. God does not play favorites. God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), but He is a respecter of faith. If you want Abraham-like results you will need Abraham-like faith. However, you will never exercise Abraham-like faith, until you expand your capacity to believe and you take your limits off of your limitless God.

What limits have you factored into your faith equation? The message for you this morning is to remove the limits from the equation. Stop factoring in what God has already factored out. What you see as a hurdle, God sees as a greater aspect of your testimony. When it is done you will be able to say, “In spite of…,” “God did…” But you will never have that testimony, unless you expand your capacity to believe!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I choose to believe You and Your Word over any hindrances, obstacles, or limitations in my life. I factor in Your Word and I factor out limits. My faith gets me past my flaws. No matter what it looks like, I refuse to say my situation is hopeless. Like Abraham, I have uncommon faith and I receive uncommon results. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

What is the focus of Your Faith? (top of page)

(Rom 4:20 KJV) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off in the story of Abraham. Let’s take a closer look at our text:

1. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: There is a difference between a nonbeliever and an unbeliever. A nonbeliever does not believe something at all. They have not developed any capacity to believe in a particular area. An unbeliever has the capacity to believe, but they make a “decision” not to. Abraham made his “big” decision when God led him away from his family. That proved that he had the capacity to believe God. In this series we have seen how he made mistakes along the way, but Paul tells us that he never – at any point – threw in the towel on his belief. He never stopped expecting to become the father of many nations. He did not know how God was going to do it, but he did not it was going to happen. Application: If you are reading this message you are more than likely a Born-Again believer. You believe in your invisible God that blesses in visible ways. Never allow yourself to get to the stage of unbelief with God. If you know that God can, but you simply fail to believe that He will, you will never receive from God (in that area). If God promised it, He will do it. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

2. but was strong in faith: I have defined faith as an expression of confidence in God and His Word. Abraham definitely fits that definition. There are different levels of faith and Abraham was at the top. He stood on a Word for over 25 years. He refused to accept any thoughts in his mind that God was not going to do what He said He would do. Sure, we have seen that he had to expand his capacity to believe, but we have also seen that he exercised his faith to the max capacity of his belief, at every level. The more he was able to believe, the more he stood in faith. Application: It is the same with us. We don’t all start out at strong faith, but we are all dealt “the measure of faith” (Rom 12:3). Our faith should grow as we expand our capacity to believe God.

3. giving glory to God: This is the key. Abraham was not standing on his ability, but rather God’s ability; and he was not looking to be blessed just for himself, but God had promised that he would be blessed to be a blessing. God said that all the families of the world would be blessed through him (Gen 12:3). Abraham wanted to bring glory to God by being a blessing to others. Application: What are you expecting God to do in your life? Now, what are you going to do with it when you get it? Is your motivation to bring glory to God or to bring glory to yourself? Pride will keep you from receiving from God. James said, “Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons” (4:3). Remember to keep the proper perspective when exercising your faith. Your focus should be to bring glory to God and His kingdom, not just to get money or fame.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that the more you can believe, the more you can stand in faith for. The more you stand in faith, the more God will do in your life. The more God does in your life, the more glory He expects to get from it. The focus of your faith should be to bring glory to God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I do not stagger at Your promises through unbelief. I am strong in faith and not doubt. I stand on Your promises and I believe that You will make them good in my life. The focus of my faith is to bring glory to Your name! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

We Study the “Then” to deal with the “Now” (top of page)

(Rom 4:24 CEV) They were written for us, since we will also be accepted because of our faith in God, who raised our Lord Jesus to life.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Some may question the relevance of studying the life of Abraham. There are many believers that ignore the Old Testament altogether; claiming that New Testament believers should simply focus on studying New Testament principles. However, you cannot truly understand the New Testament without the Old. We must study the entire truth to live entire lives before God.

Paul points out a great benefit to studying the life of Abraham. He says that Abraham’s uncommon capacity to believe that God could revive the deadness of Sarah’s womb and the deadness of his own body was imputed to him as righteousness (v.22). Meaning God accepted Abraham as right because of his ability to believe in the God of the impossible. “But these words were not written only for Abraham.” Paul goes on to say, “They were written for us, since we will also be accepted because of our faith in God, who raised our Lord Jesus to life. God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God.” Get the picture? Just like Abraham was made acceptable to God because of his capacity to believe and operate in faith, we also become acceptable to God because of our capacity to believe and our faith. The difference is that Abraham’s righteousness came because of what he believed God would do (future), but our righteousness comes as a result of believing what God has done (past).

The event that separates Jesus from every other religious figure in history is the resurrection. If you do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then you are not a Christian. We study stories like that of Abraham to solidify in our belief system in knowing that there is no too hard for God. Just like He put life in the deadness of Abraham and Sarah’s bodies, He put life back into Jesus’ body after three nights and three days. If you can believe that, then you should be able to believe that God can deal with whatever you are facing this morning. Our issues seem to pale in comparison. We serve a God of no limits. Surely, He can do what we need Him to do in our lives. Remember, He is only limited by our capacity to believe.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God has gone to great lengths to provide us the 66 books of the Bible, so that we could expand our capacity to believe to the point where we can face every day with a fearless confidence in our limitless God. If you believe what God did for Abraham and you believe God resurrected Jesus from the dead, will you not believe that God will turn your situation around?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer. I believe what You did for Abraham. I believe what You did for Jesus. I believe what You have provided for us in Your Word. I believe every miracle, every story, and every account. My belief in what has happened helps elevate my belief for what will happen. I face this day with fearless confidence. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Outlook will determine Your Outcome (top of page)

(Gen 22:5 CEV) “He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We leave Romans and head back to Genesis to deal with the final Abrahamic episode in this series.

We know that it took 25 years of waiting and believing for Abraham and Sarah to have Isaac. We don’t know anything about Isaac’s childhood, but it is safe to imagine that he was raised well. Surely Abraham taught him about God and told him what God had done for them. Some time later, when Isaac was probably a teenager, the Lord tested Abraham’s faith. The Lord spoke to Abraham. “Here I am, Lord” he answered. The Lord said, “Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love! Take him to the land of Moriah, and I will show you a mountain where you must sacrifice him to me on the fires of an altar.” Where did that come from? Seemingly out of the blue the Lord asks Abraham to sacrifice the thing he loved the most. Surely, Abraham was rich in possessions, but nothing compared to Isaac. Isaac was his son of the promise. Isaac was the reminder of God’s faithfulness. Isaac was the object of his love; and now God was asking Abraham to kill the son He had given him.

What would Abraham do? Would he attempt to reason with God? Would he cry out before the Lord and ask for mercy? Would he deny God’s request and put Isaac above God? Abraham did nothing of the sort. The text does not even hint of a hesitation. Abraham simply got up early the next morning and chopped wood for the fire. He put a saddle on his donkey and left with Isaac and two servants for the place where God had told him to go. It took three days to get there. When Abraham finally saw the place afar off he was ready to leave his servants behind and take his son to do what the Lord had commanded him to do. But remember, this test was a faith test. James tells also teaches us in the New Testament that our faith will be tested (James 1:3). This is where we see Abraham’s level of faith in operation. He looks at his situation through the lens of faith and speaks the language of faith. Read Abraham’s words carefully. Abraham said, He says to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey, while my son and I go over there to worship. We will come back.” Did you see it? God plainly commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son. The instructions were clearly understood. Abraham had the knife for the sacrifice and the wood for the fire with him. But none of this mattered. Abraham’s capacity to believe was so high that he had a fearless confidence (faith) that the two of them would go up the mountain and the two of them would return. He did not know how God was going to do it, but he knew it would happen. Abraham was sure that this would not be the end of Isaac. Wow! That is faith in action.

So what does this mean to you today? We will break this verse down tomorrow, but for today, I will simply say that your outlook will determine your outcome. Abraham looked at his situation through the lens of faith and his perspective enabled him to overcome it. How do you see your situation? Do you see it as impossible or doable? Either way, your outlook will determine your outcome.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer. I look at every situation through the lens of faith. I know there are no impossibilities in You. No matter how impossible a situation may seem, I release my faith that You will enable me to come out victorious. My outlook determines my outcome. I see faith, speak faith, live faith, and overcome by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God’s instruction is always equal to His injection (top of page)

(Gen 22:5 CEV) “He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off yesterday. We know that Abraham reacted in faith, but why? Abraham had walked with God for over 40 years and was able to make decisions of faith, based upon what he already knew about God. What did he know? Let’s think about that for a moment:

1. Abraham knew God to be faithful: Abraham knew a God that was faithful to His Word, to the point where He kept a 25 year old promise for a son. He knew God had protected and provided for him for about 40 years. God never lied to him and in all the years he knew God. God always said what He meant and He meant what He said. Why was this important? Because Abraham was over 115 years old by now and unless God was going to bless him with more children at this juncture in his life, Isaac would have to carry the bloodline of promise. God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but Abraham’s faith was telling him that Isaac could not see the end on that mountain. Even if Isaac died, Abraham believed that God would raise him back up. No matter what, Abraham knew too much about God to believe Isaac was die and not live.

2. Abraham knew God required obedience: Abraham had learned this lesson many years earlier. He knew not to question God. As soon as God said go, Abraham went. He did not debate, dispute, or murmur. Abraham knew that obedience was the key to blessing with God and he simply obeyed, believing that he would find in a blessing in this weird situation.

3. Abraham knew God required faith: Abraham had also learned that God requires faith (confidence in Him). Abraham had already passed the faith test by believing God for Isaac for 25 years. Faith was no problem for him now. He gathered the wood for the sacrifice in faith, started out on the journey in faith, and spoke faith the entire way. He told the servants that he and the boy would go up and that he and the boy would come back. He had no doubt.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God’s instruction will always be equal to His injection. Let me clarify. God will never expect you to do something that He has not already equipped you to do. God gave Abraham a mind-blowing task, but it was only because He already knew what Abraham could handle. He knew that Abraham knew what to do with such an unreasonable request. God knew that Abraham would react in faith, because He had helped him to develop his faith level over the years.

How much do you know God? The more you know, the more God will expect you to do. Just like Abraham had to make decisions based upon what he knew, will have to do the same. God will expect us to do what He has already equipped us to do. His instruction will always equal His injection. So if you are facing something seemingly impossible this morning, know that God trusts you to handle it! You can do it. You can make it. Believe. See faith. Speak faith. You will come out victorious.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer. I look at every situation through the lens of faith. If I am facing it, then I know I can handle it. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I look back over what I know of You, God, and I make decisions based upon that knowledge. I see faith, speak faith, live faith, and overcome by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Faith never sees Failure (top of page)

(Gen 22:8 NIV) Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off yesterday in the story of Abraham. Abraham and Isaac left the servants behind; they took the wood, the coals, and the knife and continued on. It is obvious that Abraham had trained Isaac to worship the Lord with sacrifices, because Isaac was familiar with the process. The teenager looked around and said, “Father, the coals and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Isaac was no fool. He knew that you could not properly worship the Lord without offering Him anything. Little did he know; he was the offering. Abraham’s faith at this point is outstanding. Some believers mistakenly think that faith is a New Testament phenomenon; but faith is all throughout the Old Testament and Abraham is a great example of it. Not only had Abraham already told the servants that he and the boy would return, but he now makes another bold declaration of faith. He knows quite well that God told him to sacrifice the boy, but he releases words of faith again and declares that “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” God had not promised that to Abraham, but that was Abraham’s expectation. His capacity to believe was so strong that he did not allow himself to think failure or death at any point. He believed nothing but success and life and that is exactly what he and the boy experienced. Tomorrow we will see that Abraham received exactly what he said he would.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that if you truly believe God you will never look at any situation and see failure. There is no failure in God. We can examine the text over and over and we will not see Abraham doubting or crying. He did not operate in fear at all. Those of us that have children understand how grave of a request this was. Sacrificing your only son? This was no easy task, but Abraham knew enough about God to believe that somehow this would work out alright. He thought positive and spoke positive the entire time. Now, I am not teaching mere positive thinking. Abraham’s positive attitude was birthed out of his relationship with God. This was more than merely positive thinking, this was faith and faith does not see failure.

Are you facing a challenge this morning? If so, what do you see? How do you see yourself coming through it? Do you see failure and defeat or success and victory? Oftentimes, what you see will determine what you receive.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer and I continually expand my capacity to believe. My belief is solidified in my relationship with You. I know, from experience, that You are a good God and that You will never lead me the wrong way. Therefore, I face every challenge with a fearless confidence that I will come out on top. My faith does not allow me to see failure. I see victory, success, and triumph in everything I do and my attitude will determine my altitude. I can do all things through Christ and everything I do is blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Greatest Heritage (top of page)

(Gen 22:9 CEV) When they reached the place that God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and placed the wood on it. Next, he tied up his son and put him on the wood.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Abraham. We closed out last week by pointing out that Isaac was familiar with the worship practice of animal sacrifice. He quickly realized that they had all the elements for the sacrifice, except the important sacrifice itself. When he asked his Dad about it, Abraham spoke faith and said, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.“ They continued on to the place God led Abraham and quickly prepared themselves for the sacrifice. Our text tells us that Abraham built an altar, placed the wood on it, and then tied up his son and put him on the wood. This easily overlooked text tells us many things. Remember, Abraham was about 115 yrs. old at this point and Isaac was a teenager. What does it tell us?

1. Abraham taught Isaac how to properly worship the Lord: As previously stated, Isaac was familiar with the practice of animal sacrifice. This was part of their worship experience. Sons learn a great deal (by instruction or by association) from their time with their fathers. Fathers that expand their capacity to believe God are fathers that can teach their sons (or daughters) to properly worship the Lord. It may not sound manly, but teaching your children to worship your God is one of the manliest things a man can do.

2. Abraham taught Isaac about faith: Isaac had to know about faith, because it took faith for him to allow his elderly father to tie him up. He willingly participated in the process. He learned about faith from his Dad and this gives us an example of what to teach our kids.

3. Isaac had faith in God and his father: Isaac undoubtedly saw God show up in seemingly impossible circumstances for his father. Time after time, even though Abraham did not know how something was going to happen, he believed God and he stood in faith. Isaac did what most boys do and imitated his father. He flexed his own faith muscles. Isaac displayed trust, not only his God, but also in his father.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that the greatest heritage you can pass down to your children is a heritage of faith. Some things are taught and others are caught; meaning that your children will learn from both your words and actions. They are watching and listening to you. What will they hear and see? Will they learn to operate in fear, doubt, and unbelief or will they learn great lessons of belief and faith? By expanding your capacity to believe, you are affecting much more than just you!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer and I expand my capacity to believe. My children see great things in me. They hear me speak the language of faith. They see me look at every challenge through the lens of faith. They watch as I face every obstacle with an unrelenting belief that You will see me through it. I leave a heritage for my children and it is a heritage of faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Faith that gets past Feelings (top of page)

(Gen 22:10 MSG) Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Abraham. Yesterday I commented on how Isaac operated in faith to the point where he participated in the preparation of his own possible sacrifice. The next verse proves that Abraham was ready and willing to do the unthinkable. Abraham looked down at his tied up son, the son he waited 25 years to receive, and had to decide between faith and feelings. His feelings told him that he could never harm his own flesh. His faith told him that the same God that gave him Isaac would raise Isaac back to life if necessary. His feelings told him that he loved his son to much to do it. His faith told him that his love for God was proven by obedience. The text does not say it, but I am sure there were several thoughts flowing through his brain. This was no easy task, but his faith overrode his feelings and he displayed one of the greatest acts of faith documented in the bible. Abraham reached out the knife and prepared to kill his son. Several thousand years later the writer of the book of Hebrews commented on this event and said, “Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:17-19 CEV). The Hebrew writer attributes Abraham’s act of faith to his inner confidence that God could raise Isaac back to life.

Our Christian walk is a walk of faith. The Bible teaches us to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7), live by faith (Ro 1:17), fight by faith (1 Tim 6:12), pray by faith (James 5:15), and overcome by faith (1 Jn 5:4). We are to do everything we do by faith, in faith, and through faith! But the purpose of this series is to point out that you will never exercise faith in something that you do not believe. Abraham exercised faith, because he believed that God was able to restore life to dead situations; which God had proven to him by giving him Isaac at such an old age.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. The more you know about God the more you will be able to believe.

2. The more you believe the more you will be able to exercise faith for.

3. The more you exercise your faith the greater your faith will be developed.

4. The more you develop your faith the more you will be able to overcome the feelings of fear, doubt, and unbelief.

5. Once you overcome the feelings of failure, you are on your way to overcoming failure altogether!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer and I expand my capacity to believe. As I increase my capacity to believe, I am also increasing by ability to operate in faith. I develop my faith walk and I therefore live a life that is pleasing in Your sight. My faith enables me to get past feelings of fear, doubt, and unbelief. As I overcome feelings of failure I overcome failure itself; and I do it by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Death and Life are in Your Tongue (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we left off with Abraham raising the knife to kill his only son. All of a sudden, the Lord’s angel spoke from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. ”Don’t hurt the boy or harm him in any way!” the angel said. ”Now I know that you truly obey God, because you were willing to offer him your only son.” Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the bushes. He immediately knew why the ram was there; because back in the 8^thverse Abraham said to Isaac, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” Perceiving that the ram was a manifestation of what he believed God for and what he spoke with his own words, Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it in place of his son.

I could address this text from several different angles, but I feel led this morning to focus in on what Abraham said. God could have blessed Abraham in several different ways, but He chose to bless Abraham according to what Abraham spoke with his own words. Abraham said that God would provide a sacrifice and God did exactly what he said. It is very important for us to understand the power of our words. Solomon taught us that, “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov 18:21). Jesus further explained that if your words and your belief are coupled together, you can have what you say. He said, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:23,24). This pattern is repeated all through the bible and it is clearly seen in Jesus’ miracles. Jesus healed people in many different ways, but if you look closely you will see many of the people received exactly what they said they would. In other words, God moved in accordance with their own words. A centurion came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant who way lying home sick. Jesus was about to go to the man’s house to heal the servant when the centurion said, “speak the word only and my servant will be healed” (Mat 8:8). Guess what Jesus did? He healed the servant by speaking a word only. Another time a man named Jairus asked Jesus to come to his house and lay hands on his daughter so that she could be healed and live (Mark 5:23). Jesus could have merely spoken a word, but that is not what Jairus declared with his own mouth. So guess what Jesus did? Jesus went to Jairus’ house, laid hand on the girl, and resurrected her from the dead. Why did He do it that way? Because that is what Jairus said. The same can be said of Abraham. God provided a ram for Abraham, just as Abraham believed and declared with his own mouth.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should learn to choose your words wisely. The power of death and life are in your tongue. I have done a couple of series on the website about this topic (Mastering Your Mouth and The Revelation of Your Confession). This is no small matter. Speak life and receive life. Speak death and receive death. Speak faith and receive success. Speak fear and receive failure. What will you speak today?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe Your Word and I choose to line up my words with Your Word. I speak life and not death, blessing and not cursing, success and not failure, faith and not fear. I do not allow any corrupt communication to proceed from out of my mouth, but only that which is good, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Looking Back to Look Forward (top of page)

(Gen 22:14 CEV) Abraham named that place “The Lord Will Provide.” And even now people say, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we learned that God provided an animal for the sacrifice, just as Abraham had previously declared in faith. Our text for this morning states that Abraham named the place where this happened, “The Lord will Provide,” also more commonly known as “Jehovah-Jireh” (Hebrew). This is interesting because “Jehovah-Jireh” is commonly listed in the redemptive names of God. I included it in my series on the names of God. But a closer look at this text reveals that Abraham did not give that name to God per say, but rather to the place. This was a sort of memorial established remember a special place that the Lord led Abraham, where he acted in faith, and where the Lord responded to his faith with supernatural provision. Let’s see how we can learn from Abraham’s actions:

1. We should have some memorials in our lives: When I say memorials, I don’t mean that we should live in the past; but I do mean that we should be able to point out the memorable things that God has done for us. The Israelites established altars in the Old Testament to remind themselves and their descendants of the great things God had done for them. We all face challenging times and when difficulties come, it is good to be able to go back to a point in our lives where God showed up and showed out. The reminder of what He did helps us remain in faith for what He will do. Remembering what God has done for you will help you expand your capacity to believe.

2. We should understand our places of provision: Abraham named that place “Jehovah-Jireh.” That was a place where God responded to His faith, spoke to him from heaven, and provided for him. Looking at it from that light, I can ask, do you have any places of provision in your life? Do you have a place where God responds to your faith, speaks to you from heaven, and provides? It could be your church, a certain ministry, a certain place of prayer, etc. Whatever the case, you should have a place (or places) in your life that you can turn to and know that you will hear from God and receive provision (spiritual or natural). Never underestimate or under appreciate the places of provision the Lord has provided for you.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you can expand your capacity to believe by remembering the great things God has done for you. No matter what you are facing this morning, if you take a few moments to think back and remind yourself of the great things God has already done for you, it will energize and revitalize your expectation for breakthrough. God is the God of the past, present, and future. He is the God of the already, the God of the right now, and the God of the not yet. The God of your previous victories will be the God of your future successes!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I do not take Your provision and Your grace lightly. I establish altars and memorials in my mind and heart. I remember what You have done for me and the places where You have done it. I honor You as my God and I also respect the places of provision You have established in my life. I don’t look back to go back, I look back to go forward. Forward ever, backward never. The best is yet to come. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believers always Expect the Best (top of page)

(Gen 24:7 CEV) “… When you go back there, the Lord will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” In Genesis 23 Sarah’s death is recorded; she was 127 yrs. old. Abraham attempted to purchase a burial plot for Sarah, but the Hittites did not want to take his money. The favor of the Lord was so strong that although he had the money, they wanted to bless him with the plot. Abraham persisted and purchased the lot for his wife and buried her. Genesis 24 opens by telling us that Abraham was now a very old man and the Lord had made him rich and successful in everything he did (v.1). He sensed it was time to get Isaac a wife. The custom of the time was to arrange marriages. Abraham called in his most trusted servant and said to him, “Solemnly promise me in the name of the Lord, who rules heaven and earth, that you won’t choose a wife for my son Isaac from the people here in the land of Canaan. Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives.” The servant asked, “What if the young woman I choose refuses to leave home and come here with me? Should I send Isaac there to look for a wife?” “No!” Abraham answered. ”Don’t ever do that, no matter what. The Lord who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the Lord will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son. If the woman refuses to come along, you don’t have to keep this promise. But don’t ever take my son back there.”

So what does this mean to you today? Several things:

1. Walking with God will cause favor to operate in your life: God can raise up people to use their power, ability, and influence to help you. That is the favor of the Lord. It was in operation in the life of Abraham and it can be in operation in your life, if you obey God and walk according to His Word. I oftentimes say that favor can do more in a minute than labor can do in a lifetime.

2. We have a part in the matter: Abraham wanted a wife for his son, but he did not wait for God to drop a wife out of the sky. He did his part. Even when his servant was skeptical (what if the young woman refuses), Abraham was confident. Abraham believed the Lord would send and angel ahead of the servant to prepare the way. Abraham also relied on God to the point where he admitted that if the woman refused to come along, the servant was free. What was he doing? He was believing God to favor the situation and admitting that if God did not do His part, it would not get done. However, he only said this after making sure he was fulfilling his part of the matter. So it is with you. You must do you part and expect God to do His. Do what you can do and expect Him to do what you cannot. Don’t sit around thinking your blessing will come to your bedroom; do everything you can to prepare yourself to be blessed and God will favor the rest.

3. What do you have to lose? It costs you nothing to believe, to expect great things, to dream big dreams. Abraham believed the best. He expected everything to work out well and guess what? They did! They did because he believed and nothing is impossible to them that believe (Mark 9:23). We are now Abraham’s seed (Gal 3:29) and we can experience the same blessing.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I dream big dreams. I have great expectations. I believe You will favor me today and everyday. I declare that You are raising up people who will use their power, their ability, and their influence to help me. I do what I can and I expect You to do what I cannot. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

A Servant’s Prayer (top of page)

(Gen 24:12 CEV) The servant prayed…

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Last week we left off with Abraham giving instructions to his most trusted servant to go back to his home land to find a wife for his son Isaac. This morning we see that Abraham’s servant quickly loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with valuable gifts and set out for Aram-Naharaim (a city in northern Syria) where Abraham’s brother Nahor lived. When he got there he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. The scene was set. He had a plan. He was going to position himself and the camels near the water and see if any of the women would be kind enough to get water – which represents life – for both he and the camels. The plan in place, the servant did something that many believers today neglect; he prayed. Listen to his prayer, “You, Lord, are the God of my master Abraham. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today. The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water, and I’ll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I’ll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.”

What can we learn from this prayer?

1. It was in conversational tone: Prayer should not be canned or ritualistic. There are no examples of effective prayer in scripture where people prayed the same words every day and received results. Jesus said that we should not use “vain repetitions” (Mat 6:7) in our prayers. This was an average guy. He was a servant of Abraham. He was not famous and was no miracle worker, but he knew to pray to God in a conversational tone. Read his prayer. It was not fancy, it was not overly religious, but it was effective. Have conversations with God in prayer.

2. It was based on what he knew to be God’s will: He knew God had already promised to create a great family through Abraham and his seed. He deemed this act to line up with the promise and he reminded God of what He already established to be His will. We can do the same thing when we pray in accordance with the Word of God; which is also the will of God.

3. It was based on a devised plan: The servant was not lazy. He gathered the camels and the goods, traveled the distance, devised a plan, and asked God to favor it. God is not the in business of blessing laziness. Don’t expect God to do everything for you.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that expanding your capacity to believe will enable you to devise creative plans through your relationship with God, to hold conversations with Him (in prayer), and to expect Him to perform in accordance with what He has already promised (His Word). Have you had a conversation (prayer) with God today? If not, it’s not too late. Pray and ask God to favor your day and what you must get done, just as this servant did.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I converse with You daily in prayer and I now come boldly to Your throne, standing on Your promises. You said in Joshua 1:8 that I should never allow Your Word to depart from my mouth and I speak Your Word constantly. You said that I should think about Your Word day and night and I meditate on it continually. You said that I should observe to do all that is written therein and I live my life in accordance with Your commandments. You finally said that in so doing I would make my way prosperous and I would enjoy good success. I expect a prosperous way and good success today. Release Your favor. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Watch, Pray, and Listen (top of page)

(Gen 24:21 AMP) The man stood gazing at her in silence, waiting to know if the Lord had made his trip prosperous.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Last week we dealt with a seasoned old man (Abraham) that had walked with God for over 40 years and had elevated his capacity to the believe to the point where he was willing to kill his own son, because he believed the Lord would raise him back to life. I know many believers today are not at the point where they can relate to the faith level of Abraham, but yesterday we discussed Abraham’s servant; with whom many can relate. He received a mission to go back to Abraham’s homeland to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant was not a faith giant. We don’t know anything about him prior to this, but the servant did what we must all do when we don’t know what to do; he prayed. He asked God to reveal to him which young lady would be the one and he devised a plan to approach a well around the time when the young ladies would come out to get water. He was going to ask a young lady for water and see if she would provide water for both he and his camels. Water was both a symbol and a requirement for life.

Before the servant even finished praying Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. Part of Abraham’s instructions to his servant was to pick a young lady from his household. The servant had no way of knowing that Rebekah was part of Abraham’s family, but that is how God works. She was a very beautiful young woman; a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. The servant made his move. He approached her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.” “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar and gave him a drink. Then, without the servant saying anything, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for not one, but all his camels. Don’t you love it when it works out that way? Even then, the servant was not sure. He did not want to assume anything. Our text tells us that he stood there “gazing at her in silence, waiting to know if the Lord had made his trip prosperous.” What was he waiting for? He was waiting for some sort of assurance: an inner peace, a still small voice, an internal witness; something. Can you identify with him? Have you ever been there? Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to know for sure that God was moving? Most of us have and we can learn from this situation.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that like this servant, we should remain silent and prayerful when we are not sure if something is of God or not. The more we walk with God, the more we will hear His voice (an inner witness, a still small voice, a revealed knowledge, etc.), and the more we will be able to believe and exercise faith in; but we all have to start somewhere. This servant was not a “super-saint.” He was an average guy that was simply attempting to be led of God. Learn from him. Watch, pray, and listen. God will lead you as He led this servant.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am learning to walk by faith and not by sight. I am learning to expand my capacity to believe. I learn from this servant this morning. I have an advantage over him. I am a Born-Again believer and Your Holy Spirit lives in me. I ask that You lead, guide, and direct me today. When I am not sure about something I will watch, pray, and listen; with an expectation to hear and know. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Words of Praise, Words of Faith (top of page)

(Gen 24:27 CEV) “I thank you, Lord God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We know Abraham’s servant was on a mission to find Isaac a son. He arrived in Abraham’s homeland and was led to a young lady that he believed was an answer to his prayer (providing water for both he and his camels). While the young lady was still watering the camels the servant decided to give her some gifts. He gave her expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets that he brought along for the girl he expected to find. Then he said, “Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?” She answered, “My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels.” This sort of hospitality sounds a bit out of place in today’s dangerous society, but it was more commonplace in their time. The important part of the girl’s response was the family names. The servant recognized the names, which he probably learned from Abraham, and his response to finding a girl from the right family is our focus for this morning’s message. Remember, Abraham was the father of faith and this servant was simply learning to walk by faith. The servant takes a step of faith before he even gets to Rebekah’s house. He takes a moment to bow his head and say, “I thank you, Lord God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him.”

The servant did something we can all learn from. He praised God for leading him to the right family. This is very important, but it is common. Many people praise God for what He has done (past tense) in their lives. Anyone can praise God after the fact. This is not to say that we should not praise God for what He has already done. That is absolutely appropriate, but this servant takes it a step further. Without meeting the girl’s family, without knowing what they will say, without even knowing if she was willing to leave her country to take a husband in a far away land, the servant praises God in advance what favoring the situation. He prayed, “You have led me to his relatives,” but he did not stop there. He went on to say, “and kept your promise to him.” This servant praised God in advance for the expected outcome. That is faith. Remember, however, that he would have never spoken those words of praise and faith if he did not believe God. He believed it, he spoke it, and we will see that he received it. The awesome part of this portion of the story is that this guy was merely a servant. He did not have a title or a super track record of walking with God. What he did have was a capacity to believe and a willingness to speak words of faith in advance with an expectation that God would bring the manifestation.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should speak words of praise and words of faith daily. This is what I call “Pre-Performance Praise.” Get in the habit of praising God before He does what You expect Him to do. Your praise will be an expression of your trust and confidence in Him. What are you expecting from God this morning? Why not praise Him in advance? If you really believe God, you don’t have to wait to you see it to say it!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I speak words of praise and words of faith daily. I praise You in advanced for the things I am expecting in my life. I don’t have to see it to believe and say it. I believe and say it to see it. I express my confidence in You by the words I speak and the praise I give. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

God can do more with you Once you get Started (top of page)

(Gen 24:50,51 NIV) Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” We know Abraham’s servant was on a mission to find Isaac a son and he believed he was on the right path. He ran into a beautiful young woman, gave the girl gifts and asked if he could stay with her family. Rebekah took the stranger home and her brother Laban came out to meet him. The first thing Laban said to the servant is interesting. He said, “The Lord has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There’s no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there’s also a place for your camels.” Wow! Talk about favor. The servant did not have to do anything. Laban was already talking about the “Lord” and welcoming him in. Laban and his father Bethuel sat down to hear the servant. The servant told them everything: how the Lord blessed Abraham, Abraham’s instructions to him, his prayer at the well, Rebekah’s answer to the prayer, and etc. After laying it all out, the servant came to the point and said, “Now please tell me if you are willing to do the right thing for my master. Will you treat him fairly, or do I have to look for another young woman?” That’s it. He did all he could do. He was at the end of his ability. If this thing was going to work out, God would have to favor the situation. He did what he could and he depended on God to do what he couldn’t. So what do you think happened? Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

The servant had no way of knowing that this family would speak of the “Lord” upon his arrival. He had no indication that people from Abraham’s homeland worshipped the Lord. When Abraham left, some 40 years earlier, they were idol worshippers. He also did not know how easy or difficult the negotiation was going to be. All he knew was that the God of Abraham was on his side and that he simply had to do his part. Once he did, everything else fell in place. That’s favor.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that God can do more with you once you get started. Solomon said, “When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand” (Prov 16:7 MSG). Paul said, “So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?” (Rom 8:31 MSG). I could quote several other scriptures that connote victory and favor for those that walk with God and seek to fulfill His will in the earth. The point is that God does not need to favor you if you are not doing anything. This servant did his part and you will have to do yours. What have you been waiting for God to do for you that requires your action? Unless you do your part, He will not do His. He can do more with you once you get started! Do your part and He will favor it.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I come to you in the name of Your dear Son. Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest over my profession, and what I profess is the Word of God concerning favor over my life. I operate in integrity and seek to do good in Your sight daily; as a result, I obtain favor from You. Your favor is life and it endures for a lifetime. I declare that I will stop procrastinating over things I know I have a part in. I do my part I trust You will favor me with Your part. You being for me, who can be against me? In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Spoken Blessing (top of page)

(Gen 24:60 KJV) And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, “Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how God favored Abraham’s servant and everything seemingly fell into place. Abraham’s servant took the opportunity to give gifts to Rebekah. her brother, and mother. The next morning the servant told Rebekah’s mother and brother that he wanted to go, but like any family, they were not ready for their little girl to leave. They asked if Rebekah could stay an additional week or ten days. The servant pleaded with them to leave. So they asked Rebekah and she agreed to leave with the servant. So they agreed to let Rebekah and an old family servant woman leave immediately with Abraham’s servant and his men. However, before they allowed her to leave, they did something that we can learn from today; they blessed Rebekah. You may be wondering what that means. Whether or not they anointed her with oil, or bowed down before her, or performed some sort of ritualistic ceremony, or laid hands on her, or etc. No. They simply spoke words over her; words that would eventually come true.

Think about that for a moment. This was well before what people call today “name-it and claim-it;” before any teachings on confession for possession; before any religious practices established by the Catholic or Protestant churches; before any of the rituals set in place by Moses and the Levitical priesthood; even before the ten commandments; we see an example of a person speaking words over another in the form of a blessing. To bless means to “empower to succeed” or “empower to prosper.” Walking in the blessing means that you are walking in that empowerment. Rebekah’s family spoke words of empowerment over her for her success and the success of her unborn children and those words came to pass. Before the veneer of religion we see a pure biblical principle that has been practiced for thousands of years and we would do well in practicing the same in our lives. Before we do, let’s think about how this applies to your capacity to believe. Simply put, Rebekah’s family would have never spoken the words of blessing over her if they did not believe the words would make a difference. They believed and they spoke. Paul flows in this same vein in the New Testament when he said, “We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe” (2^nd Corinthians 4:13, Paul quoted Psalm 116:10).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you would do well to learn to speak blessings over your children, household, marriage, career, and etc. However, the words you speak mean nothing if you do not believe them. The best way to couple belief with your words is to speak the Word of God over your life. You believe the Word of God, so speaking the Word over your life, in belief with faith, will enable you to receive what you believe. This is no gimmick. The power of death and life is in your tongue (Prov 18:21). That’s why I close each message with a confession. Make this confession over your life.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I received Jesus as my Lord by simply speaking words and believing what I said, in accordance with Your Word. I use that same principle in my life in every area. I declare that my children are blessed and prosperous. They grow up and flourish in everything they put their hands to do. My marriage is wonderful. My affection is towards my spouse and no one else. My career is excellent and promotion comes from you. Everything I put my hands to do succeeds and I pass that blessing on with words. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

From Abraham to You (top of page)

(Gen 25:7 NIV) Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” This is the 49^th message on the life of Abraham; one message short of 10 weeks. I trust you have learned a lot about the “Father of the faithful” and that you have been able to apply some of principles from his life to yours. This morning we see how Abraham died an old and fulfilled man. Abraham’s servant brought Rebekah home, Isaac married her, and his mother (Sarah) died shortly thereafter (Gen 24:67). Abraham went on to take another wife and have six more children. So he had Ishmael before Isaac and six others after Isaac. The bulk of his inheritance went to Isaac (God’s chosen), but while he was still living he made sure his other children were aptly taken care of.

Abraham is honored today by Jews, Muslims, and Christians all over the world; billions of people. What did he do to deserve this? He simply believed God for a family. He did not heal the sick, raise the dead, cause the blind to see, or the lame to walk. He did not kill giants, overthrow governments, conquer kingdoms, or lead a revolution. He did not write any books, declare any prophecy, or operate in any spiritual gifts. He simply believed in a God he could not see and he did it without any point-of-reference. He did not have the bible to read for instruction, a hymnal to reference for worship songs, a church to go to for fellowship, or a Pastor to sit under for guidance. Without the testimony of the stories of the bible, like Daniel and the lion’s den, David and Goliath, the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, Elijah’s showdown at Mount Carmel, the woman with the issue of blood, the man possessed with a legion of demons in the land of Gad, Lazarus raised from the dead, and etc.; Abraham had a capacity to believe that a God he could not see would bless him in a way that he could. Living in a time of idol worship, in a place of idolaters, and raised in a family that made idols, Abraham heard a Word from God and had the audacity to believe it, respond to it, and leave his country and everything he knew at the age of 75. He stepped out by faith and we are still honoring him for it today.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you can do more than Abraham did. You have a clear advantage. As a Born-Again believer you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. Moreover, you have the written Word of God (you probably own several bibles), a church to attend, a Pastor to consult with, members to fellowship with, and the testimony of thousands of years of believers. If Abraham did what he did without any of these things, then what is impossible for you? The Word is now available in your email box, streaming on the internet, on podcasts, CD, cassette tape, etc. What are you doing with the access you have to God’s instruction? If you know better, God will expect you to do better. Two questions: 1. Are you learning the Word through means God has made available for you? 2. Are you turning your learning into living? You must turn the corner from information to application if God’s Word is going to make a true difference in your life.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I take advantage of the time that I live in. I have access to Your Word and Your instruction like no else in history. If Abraham could do all He did without any point-of-reference, I declare that I will seek to do all that I can in You, with all the advantages and opportunities You have presented to me. Your work in my life is not in vain. I will learn and I will turn my learning into living. I will give You a return on Your investment in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Lessons from Abraham (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” and we wrap up our section on Abraham. I trust you have learned a great deal about and from Abraham over the last 10 weeks. A thorough recap would take several days, but I felt led this morning to simply share a few thoughts about this pioneer of faith and how it applies to us:

1. One person can make a difference: In the midst of a godless and immoral time God selected one person (Abraham) to change the earth. God promised to bless all the families of the earth through one man and guess what? He did. What will you allow God to do through you?

2. God wants to be personal: God led Abraham away from the worship of inanimate objects so He could foster a personal and intimate relationship with him. God took the time to listen to Abraham, understand his concerns, and meet his needs and He is looking for the same with us. God is a not a neither distant nor despondent God. He is an intimate, loving, and caring heavenly father. He will draw close to you if you will draw close to Him.

3. God is in it for the long haul: It took 25 years, but God came through with Isaac. God was committed to Abraham for the long haul and He is the same way with us. Paul taught us to be certain that since God was the one that started the work in us, He will continue to work on us and in us until the work is complete (Phil 1:6). It may look like God gave up on you, but rest assured that He never will. Call upon Him and He will answer.

4. God’s blessings are not limited to the spiritual realm: We live in a time where some have taken advantage of the supposed “prosperity gospel” and others have demonized it. The fact is that God is our source. Bottom-line. He is not just our source for spiritual blessings, but for natural ones as well. God made Abraham a rich man in this earth and promised to pass that blessing to his descendants. Paul said that if we are in Christ, that we are Abraham’s seed and an heir according to the “promise.” The “promise” given to Abraham also included natural things. Prosperity is not limited to money, but it does include it. I was raised on welfare and I know first hand that being poor does not make one more or less spiritual. You don’t’ have to be poor to honor God, nor do you have to be rich, you must simply seek to honor God in every area of your life and know that He will bless you for it: spiritually, physically, professionally, socially, and financially.

5. God wants us to be different: This is one theme that is all through the bible. God’s people were not like everyone else. Abraham was called away from his family to develop his relationship with God. If he would have stayed in his old environment it would have been difficult to change into the person God wanted him to be. You cannot grow without changing and your change will oftentimes require a separation from your old environment; a separation that will promote your transformation. When you say you have moved for change, be careful not to hang out at your old address. The more you hang out there, the less likely you will be to change.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I learn from Abraham and I know that one person can make a difference. I declare that I will become a difference maker in my generation. Use me for Your glory. I have a personal and intimate relationship with You, Lord. I draw close to You and You draw close to me. You are committed to me and I am committed to You. You bless me in every area of my life and I walk in that blessing without reservation. You call me to be different and I declare that I am. I am light in a dark, dying, and decaying world. Your light shines through me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Making the Messages Real (top of page)

This morning we take a break from our normal format. I am reading a book on the call of Oral Roberts. It is an old book (published in 1971), but it has blessed me greatly. Let me share a few words I read this morning about Roberts’ sermons that made me think of ministry:

“He never talks above their heads. He talks to their eyes. He probes their hearts… He is down to earth. They understand his language. He never bores them with theological hairsplitting. With him, salvation is being saved. Healing is being healed. Holiness is getting right and living right. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Our God is a good God, and the devil is a bad devil… What the man preaches is faith in God… His style of preaching is pointed and positive. Only a minimum of time is spent preaching against things. He preaches for something… His sermons are not sensational, but they are dramatic. He can assemble a group of people on the platform, put them through the paces of conversation and action, and make you see the thing he is talking about. His dramatic description of the dice game at the foot of the cross is an example of this. There is no cross there; there are no gambling soldiers there. And yet you see them all. The characters come to life and you see them clearly.”

In those few words I see myself, my ministry, and my call. When I preach and teach I seek to paint a picture upon the canvas of the minds of the people; a picture they can understand and identify with; a picture too real to ignore, to clear to distort, and too true to dismiss. So it is with this ministry. I don’t hold a microphone in my hands every morning, nor do I stand behind a pulpit and in front of the people. I simply get up, get before God, pray for you, sit in front of a computer, and seek to paint the picture of the bible text in your mind’s eye in such a way that it will impact your day. In this series alone we have discussed the mentality of the 12 spies on a recon mission into Canaan; the thought pattern of a new leader (Joshua) as he prepared to lead the people in to the Promised Land; the mind of man (Mephibosheth) whose royal life fell apart, but who God restored through David; the transformation of a man (Gideon) from a wimp who did not believe in himself into a warrior that led a revolution; the humbling experience of a man (Naaman) who seemed outwardly impressive to everyone, but who was hiding an issue behind his armor; and finally a man (Abraham) who at the tender age of 75 ventured off from everything he knew for a land he could only imagine because he believed in a God he could not see.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that this ministry is for you. It means that these messages are designed to instruct, inspire, and encourage you. It means that the bible is relevant for today. And it means that you can learn from the world of “then,” and apply your learning to your living for “now.”

I don’t write to impress, but to impact. It is my prayer that the text comes alive to you and that the experience you have for a few minutes in front of a computer screen will change your day for the better.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I have learned that the bible is not a textbook to study, but rather a lifebook to live. It comes alive to me as I read it in these messages, as I read it in my personal quiet time, and as I hear it taught and preached. I lose myself for a few minutes as I delve into the bible stories and I come out with a renewed vigor, drive, and determination for each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Different person, Same Challenge (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” and we transition to another biblical character: Isaac, the son of Abraham. We know that Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Isaac. He was the son of promise and he received the bulk of the inheritance of Abraham. We also know that Abraham arranged for Isaac to be married before he died. Isaac was 40 yrs. old when he married Rebekah.

So the stage is set. Abraham and Sarah are dead. Isaac is heir to the promise of God. He is recently married. What will we learn about him? What does the bible document of his life? What is the first thing we find out? We read that Isaac had to face a challenge his father faced. He and his wife tried year after year to have children, but to no avail. Rebekah was barren. So here he is. He is heir to the promise to give birth to nations of kings and priests, but he and his wife try for almost 20 years and they cannot have any children. The Bible does not say anything about Isaac’s relationship with God during this time. It does not document whether he worshipped, prayed, fasted, etc. We don’t know. What we do know is that around the 19 year mark Isaac prayed to the Lord for Rebekah to have children. He knew what God could do. He was the product of a barren womb. He was the product of a miracle of God. He was living proof that God could bless his wife with children. The bible says that Isaac prayed and the Lord answered his prayer. Isaac was 60 years old when his wife gave birth to twins.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God does not have any grandchildren: This means that Isaac had to have his own relationship with God; he could not live off of his father’s relationship. It does not matter who your parents are. They could be the most powerful instruments in the Body of Christ in the earth, but their relationship will not grant you a pass to heaven. You have to foster a relationship with God for yourself. God is a loving and caring heavenly father to His children; but that is the point. You have to be His child (directly), not his grandchild (indirectly).

2. Knowing God does not exonerate us from challenges: Isaac was the heir to the promise that started it all. We can call him the “prince of the promise.” But regardless of his status in God, he still faced challenges. Like us all, he had to believe God, stand in faith, and expect God to enable him to overcome his challenge. Don’t think that becoming a Christian means you will be exonerated from every challenge in life. It simply means that you have the ability, in Christ, to overcome every challenge, hindrance, and obstacle; by faith!

3. We should learn lessons from those that have gone before us: Isaac did well by learning from his father. We can do well by learning from those that have gone before us. Paul looked back at the events of the Old Testament and said, “Now these things were for an example to us…” (1 Cor 10:6). Learn from the lessons from the bible and from the Christian examples around you. Learn how they overcame a challenge. Exercise like faith and you will receive like results.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I know that I cannot live my life off of my parents’ relationship with You. I foster my own intimate and personal relationship. My relationship with You enables me to overcome every challenge, hindrance, and obstacle. I also learn from those that have gone before me, both the biblical and living examples. I learn from what they did and I walk in like precious faith. I enter into this day knowing that I have a relationship with You, I am empowered to prosper, and I equipped with the knowledge of those that have gone before me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Purpose of the Series (top of page)

(Mark 9:23 GW) Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” and before we get into the life of Isaac I feel led to reiterate the purpose of this series. I believe it is healthy for all believers to experience a level of dissatisfaction from time to time. Let me explain. It is far too easy to get complacent; especially for those of us who live in the Untied States. Comfort promotes laziness and if we are not careful, we can get stagnant.

This series is designed to remind you that all things are possible for those of us who believe. If we can believe it, it is possible that we can receive it. If we don’t believe it, it is simply impossible for us. Case in point: by the 1950s, track and field running times had been documented for hundreds of years; dating back to the Greek games. There was no record of anyone ever running a mile in under 4 minutes. Dating back to the beginning of all recorded athletic history, not one human being had accomplished this feat. It was considered humanly impossible. Why? Because no one believed they could do it. On May 6th, 1954, the Englishman Roger Bannister did the seemingly impossible and ran the first sub-four-minute mile in recorded history (3 min. 59.4 sec.). Wow! He did what no had ever done. In hundreds of years of runners not one person had done it. How long do you think his record stood? Not even two months. Six weeks later, John Landy, an Australian, ran a mile in 3 minutes and 58 seconds and broke Bannister’s record. Why? Because once Bannister did it, he believed he could. Since 1954 over a thousand runners have followed suit. Once they expanded their capacity to believe they were able to receive the seemingly impossible.

Being reminded of how God enabled Naaman to overcome an incurable disease (leprosy), how He empowered Gideon to rise above insurmountable odds (300 vs. several armies), and how He blessed Abraham with a baby after both he and his wife were past the child bearing age (100 and 90 respectively), should revitalize our dreams, desires, and beliefs. Like John Landy, once I realize what is possible, I am able to expand my capacity to believe and reach out to achieve bigger, better, and greater things. This series has invigorated my desire to do great things in God and it has helped elevate my expectations in life. Sure, I send out encouraging emails, teach and preach the Word of God, and know I will Pastor a church some day; but I am no longer satisfied with that. In this series God has expanded my capacity to believe for an international ministry that will teach the Word, but will also feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and minister to the sick in several nations. Like Abraham, I don’t know how it is going to happen, but I believe that it will.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you are only limited by your capacity to believe. God is a God of no limits. You limit Him when you fail to believe what He desires for you to receive. Take the limits off. Expand your capacity to believe. What God has done for and through others should help you realize what is possible in your life.

Confession for this day: Lord God. Teach me. Show me. Lead me. Guide me. Direct me. Speak to me. I want to know what You want to do in my life and I declare that as You reveal it to me, I am able to receive it and launch out in it. I will no longer limit Your work in my life by my inability to believe. You enable me to dream big dreams and You empower me to bring them to pass. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t Judge Your Future by Your Past (top of page)

(Gen 25:27 BBE) And the boys came to full growth; and Esau became a man of the open country, an expert bowman; but Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” The last time we discussed Isaac I pointed out that he and his wife had to overcome a similar challenge to that of his parents – the barrenness of Rebekah’s womb. Isaac and Rebekah were married for 19 years before the Lord answered Isaac’s prayer for children. When God answered He did so with twins. Before Rebekah gave birth, she could feel the twins fighting in her belly. Finally, she asked the Lord why her twins were fighting and the Lord told her, “Your two sons will become two separate nations. The younger of the two will be stronger, and the older son will be his servant.” Remember this statement; it will be important later on in this message.

Rebekah went on to carry the twins full-term. The first baby to come out would be considered the older of the two. He was covered with red hair and was named Esau; meaning reddish. The second baby grabbed on to his brother’s heel and was named Jacob; meaning trickster. Jacob and Esau grew up and developed their individual characteristics. Esau loved the outdoors and became a strong avid hunter; an expert with the bow. Jacob on the other hand, was a quiet man, a man who preferred living indoors. Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob. Esau prepared the meat of wild animals for his father and his father loved him for it. Jacob was his mother’s favorite son. He was more of an indoors-type of man and he spent a lot of time with his mother. In modern terms he was a sort of “Momma’s Boy.”

Now, you may be wondering why I am taking the time to point these things out. Why is this important? It is important because God – who knows the end from the beginning – had already told Rebekah that the younger boy (Jacob) would be stronger than the older (Esau) and that the older would serve the younger. At this stage in their lives no one would guess it. It seemed as though Esau was a man’s man and Jacob was just an average guy. We will see later on in this series that God would go on to use Jacob to give birth to the twelve tribes of Israel.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should not judge your future by your past; nor the future of anyone else for that matter. From the outside looking in it looked like Esau would go on to do great things for God and that Jacob would go on to live a life of mediocrity. Naturally speaking, Jacob had several things going against him: he was not the first born, he did not have overwhelming strength, and he was not favored in the sight of his father. Humanly speaking, the odds were against him, but thank God that He does not play the odds. God had a plan for Jacob and He has a plan for you. No matter who you are and no matter what you have done (or failed to do); don’t judge your future by your past. Dream big dreams, seek God for big things, and watch Him turn your seemingly mediocre life into an extraordinary journey.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe You. I will not judge my future by my past. I look forward ever, backward never. I am determined to become the person You have destined me to be. No matter who may have counted me out, You have counted me in. My future looks great and I step into it with great expectations. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Making Wise Decisions (top of page)

(Gen 25:34 GNB) Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we discussed how Esau and Jacob grew up and became identifiably different. One day Esau, the hunter, came home from the field starving of hunger and Jacob, the homebody, was at home cooking lentil stew. Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starving to death! Give me some of that stew right now!” Jacob said, “Sell me your rights as the first-born son.” It is obvious that Jacob understood the blessing that came with being the first born. He was born disadvantaged, but he did not allow his position to keep him from dreaming. He wanted the blessing badly and he jumped on an opportunity to get it. What do you think Esau did? Did he appreciate his position enough to value it? I guess not. Esau said, “I’m about to die, what good will those rights do me?” Jacob said, “Promise me your birthrights, here and now!” That’s exactly what Esau did. Our text says that Esau ate and drank and then got up and left; not truly caring about his rights as the first-born son.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Never make permanent decisions based on temporary conditions: It is unrealistic to think that Esau was literally going to die of starvation. He was simply very hungry, but he allowed his temporary condition to shape a permanent decision. Don’t be like Esau. Think of the long-term ramifications of your decisions. I stress this point when dealing with our youth. Decisions to have pre-marital sex, to get tattoos, or to have shotgun weddings are often decisions that are made based upon temporary conditions, but they are decisions that have long term ramifications. Be led of the Spirit, spend time in prayer, and think through big decisions. This way God will expose many of your conditions as temporary and enable you to choose wisely.

2. Value your position: I bring this point out when I am talking to people who are third, fourth, firth, etc. generation Christians or third, fourth, fifth, etc. generation Americans. There is an overwhelming excitement that is birthed in the person has never heard of Jesus and then accepts Him as Lord and Savior. This excitement sometimes eludes those who were seemingly “born” in the church. The same holds true for the person who scratches and claws their way through the bureaucracy of the immigration process and is granted access to the United States. My mother was one of these people. I am a first generation American and I was raised by a mother who valued the opportunities this country affords its citizens. I saw a glimmer of hope in eye every day. Even though I was raised on public assistance I knew we were living better than many in the world. Why? Because my mother valued her rights as a new citizen. Like those that don’t value the benefits of their citizenship in the Kingdom of God, or the US, Esau devalued his position as the first born. Don’t make the same mistake. Understand your position and value it.

3. Never accept defeat: I don’t condone Jacob’s methods, but I appreciate his tenacity and ingenuity. He did not grow up with a, “I am second best” mentality. He did not grow up with a chip on his shoulder because he was the second born. He had a desire to receive the blessing from his father and he jumped at the opportunity when it came. Don’t make excuses for the life you have been given. Make the most of every opportunity.

Confession for this day: Lord God. You enable me to choose wisely. I never make permanent decisions based on temporary conditions. I also value my citizenship in the Kingdom of God. I understand the benefits that come along with my position and I do not disregard them. I never accept defeat. I have a hunger and thirst for big things and I am ever-looking for Godly opportunities to bring them to pass. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

New Method, Same God (top of page)

(Gen 26:6 MSG) So Isaac stayed put in Gerar.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” and move our attention back to Isaac. Genesis chapter 26 opens by letting us know that Isaac was facing a famine in the land, similar to the famine his father (Abraham) faced in Genesis 12. Isaac was living in Gerar. Although his father faced his famine before Isaac was born, the text leads us to believe that Isaac knew what his father did to deal with his famine. God led Abraham to Egypt during his famine stage. However, God appeared to Isaac and said, “Don’t go down to Egypt; stay where I tell you. Stay here in this land and I’ll be with you and bless you. I’m giving you and your children all these lands, fulfilling the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I’ll make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky and give them all these lands. All the nations of the Earth will get a blessing for themselves through your descendants.” What was God doing? God was expanding his capacity to believe. Other than God blessing Isaac and Rebekah with children, we don’t know much about Isaac’s relationship with God. We don’t know where his faith level was. Surely we can conclude that he was not at the same level of faith that Abraham was at when he died. Isaac was on his own and he had to learn to trust God for himself.

Isaac was facing a famine. What did he know? He knew that his father faced a similar famine and that God blessed his father by providing for him in Egypt during the time of the famine. God now comes to Isaac and tells him not to go to Egypt and to stay in place. He then promised to bless him in the midst of the famine. Lots of things were probably going through Isaac’s head. But what God went on to say is the kicker. God explained why Abraham was so blessed. He said, “Because Abraham obeyed my summons and kept my charge – my commands, my guidelines, my teachings.” What was God doing now? He was helping Isaac realize that the blessing his father enjoyed was not tied to a location (Egypt), but rather to an attitude of obedience. If he obeyed God he would be blessed. So what do you think Isaac did? He was a quick learner. Our text says that he stayed put in Gerar.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. Don’t marry the method: Isaac had to learn that he did not have to go down to Egypt during his famine, just because his father did. The lesson here is that God is not tied to one method. This is a big issue for church folk. They get so accustomed to a ritual or routine in the church that they think it sacrilegious to change. Remember the purpose and the principle behind what you are doing and allow God to lead you to new methods of accomplishing the same purpose.

2. Understand the role of obedience: God helped Isaac understand the true reason for Abraham’s success – he simply obeyed God. If we learn this simple lesson we will enjoy the blessing of God.

3. Learn from previous examples: As soon as Isaac learned that Abraham’s blessing was tied to his obedience, he obeyed. He learned the lesson and that is what this series is all about. As you learn how Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and etc. expanded their capacity to believe, you will have the opportunity to learn from their example and do the same.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe. I know I am not the only person to face a personal famine. Others have conquered dry seasons and I will do the same. I don’t marry a method, but I keep my focus on the purpose behind what I do. I am open to new methods and new things. I learn from those that have gone before me and I declare that my obedience unlocks Your blessing in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Apply Your Faith to Your Famine (top of page)

(Gen 26:12 GW) Isaac planted crops in that land. In that same year he harvested a hundred times as much as he had planted because the LORD had blessed him.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with Isaac. Yesterday we discussed how Isaac faced a famine, just like his father did. He knew the Lord blessed his father (Abraham) in the midst of the famine. He was learning to trust God for himself and to develop his own relationship with God. God told him to stay in Gerar during the famine and not to go to Egypt as his father had done. Isaac operated in faith and stayed put. He believed the Lord would keep him through the time of famine, although I am sure that he did not know how. I have heard people say that we must trust God, even when we cannot trace Him. Meaning that we don’t know how He is going to do something, but we simply believe that he will. I believe Isaac was in this position. Everyone was facing a famine. The land was not producing. It was probably not raining. No one was receiving a harvest on planted crops. It was a time of barrenness.

So what do you think Isaac did in the midst of the famine? Did he factor in the fact that everyone was experiencing lack? Did he give up all hope because of what the economy looked like? Did he wait in his tent and expect God to drop blessings out of the sky? No. He did none of these things. He knew that he could not factor in what God had already factored out. He knew that he should not give up hope, because he was doing what God told him to do. And he also knew that he could not just sit around and expect blessings to fall out the sky; knowing that faith requires work. So what did he do? Isaac planted a crop in the midst of the famine and expected God to bless it. Guess what? God did. God caused Isaac to receive a hundredfold harvest on the seed sown and God did it in the midst of a famine. The next verses say that Isaac continued to be successful in that land and became very rich. He owned so many flocks, herds, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. This not only served as a witness to the Philistines, but it also served as a boost for Isaac. This helped expand his capacity to believe.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God is your source: Those that are familiar with living the life of a farmer know that enduring a famine is not small matter. Humanly speaking, the land was their source, but Isaac had to learn to trust God more than he trusted the land. Likewise, we must learn to rely on God as our source. Fluctuating economies drive people to make erratic decisions, but as believers, our trust, belief, and faith must be in God as our source.

2. Your faith must be coupled with action: Isaac did not just sit around. He did something and God blessed his doing. The blessing of God is not an excuse for laziness. We must all couple our faith with action. James told us that faith without works is literally dead faith.

3. God is not opposed to wealth: There are several examples in scripture of people that God made wealthy. The issue is not having things, but rather the things having you. Keep the proper perspective. Put God first and use what He blesses you with as a witness and as a tool in the Kingdom of God.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I apply my faith to my famine. I trust You more than I trust the economy or anything else. I seek You for wisdom concerning what to do and I step out in faith and action to do those things. I also declare that I honor You in every area of my life. I don’t allow things to keep me from You, but I rather use everything You bless me with as a witness and as a tool to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Apply Your Faith to Your Famine (Part II) (top of page)

(Is 43:19 KJV) Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

This morning I felt led to piggy back off of yesterday’s message. The fact that Isaac was able to receive a hundredfold harvest on his crop in the midst of a famine is directly applicable to my current road trip. I am at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California. This post is literally in the middle of nowhere. It provides an optional training location for desert scenarios, but for a person who is out here for a few weeks, it can make for a desolate place. I am accustomed to being on the road, but my travels are normally limited to weekdays and I am normally home for the weekends. Being away from my family and my church for a few weeks could make for the proverbial “dry season.”

I have taken this time to work on my first book, which is coming along, praise God. I have also asked God to reveal to me the purpose for this trip. Of course, I have a military obligation, but God never sends me somewhere where He does not have a greater purpose. While here, God has used me to minister to several people one-on-one. The Lord used me to lead one young man back to Him in a prayer of rededication. He is using me to minister to a brother that has allowed the flame of his relationship with Christ to burn dim. God is using me help a young minister expand his capacity to believe. And God also used me yesterday to encourage and pray with two sisters that were frustrated with their present situation. I was able to share with them what Isaac did. Isaac was not happy that he was in a famine, but he could not leave because God told him to stay. The point being that since God told him to stay; God had purpose wrapped up in Isaac’s problem. God then caused Isaac to reap a harvest in the midst of a famine and used it as a witness for Him. I was able to share with them that God could bless them in the midst of their circumstances. Their part was to apply their faith to their famine. After praying with them the Lord reveled to me that He was doing the same with me. I did not want to come out here. My wife is almost 8 months pregnant and I did not want to leave her for two weeks. The location made it worse. But God has blessed me in this desert place. Not only has God used me to get back to one-on-one ministry with several people, but He has also allowed me to fellowship with a brother I had not seen in several years. This brother gave his life to Christ the same day I did (August 27^th, 1995), in the same service (Camp Doha, Kuwait Gospel Service). He lives out here and I have been able to fellowship with him and meet several of his co-workers who have received Today’s Word for many years. They were excited about meeting me in person and spending time with them was a true blessing for me.

Why do I share this with you? Because God wants you to know that your faith can turn any famine around. Isaac was blessed in the middle of a dry place and I have experienced the same. God can provide rivers in the desert, if you would only believe.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should enter every day with great expectations. You are not always going to be where you desire to be (physically or spiritually), but God can reveal His purpose for everything He permits you to experience. We serve a God that can make rivers flow in a desert. Can He not bless you where you are this morning?

Confession for this day: Lord God. I apply my faith to my famine. I may not always like where I am, but I will always enter each day with an attitude of gratitude. I expect great things and I am looking for rivers to flow in every desert place in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believe the Blessing and Walk in Love (top of page)

(Gen 26:22 CEV) Finally, they dug one more well. There was no quarreling this time, and the well was named “Lots of Room,” because the LORD had given them room and would make them very successful.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking up where we left off with Isaac. In the last message I shared about Isaac I pointed out that he found himself in a middle of a famine, God told him to stay put, and God blessed him with a hundredfold harvest. Isaac became very wealthy in the midst of barrenness. In fact, the Philistines grew jealous of the large number of Isaac’s sheep, goats, and servants. Their envy boiled over to the point where the Philistines kicked him out Their king, Abimelech said, “Isaac, I want you to leave our country. You have become too powerful to stay here.”

Isaac left and settled in Gerar Valley. He had his servants dig out the wells that his father Abraham dug; wells that the Philistines had filled in because of their envy. They were what our young people today call, “haters.” While his servants dug in the valley they found a spring-fed well. This is the best water. Guess what happened? The shepherds of the Gerar Valley came out and quarreled with Isaac’s shepherds and claimed the water belonged to them. So the well was named “Quarrel,” because they had quarreled with Isaac. Isaac’s servants dug another well, and the shepherds also quarreled about that one. So that well was named “Jealous.” Our text for this morning tells us that Isaac had his servants did one more well. Finally, there was no quarreling. This well was named “Lots of Room,” because the Lord had given them room and would make them very successful.

Now, think about Isaac’s attitude through this experience. He was in a famine and he believed God enough to stay there. God blessed him in the midst of a famine. He got kicked out of Philistine, but he believed God would bless him in the desert, so he ordered his servants to dig a well. There was an argument over the first well. No problem. Isaac did not fight or fuss. He knew his God was bigger than a spring-fed well. So he went on to another location. That too, was disputed. Once again, Isaac’s faith was not in any specific location, it was in His God. He got to the third location and finally, no one contested it. This well was in the optimal location. The Lord had given them lots of room and Isaac knew the Lord would make them very successful.

So what does this mean to you today? Expanding your capacity to believe means that you believe God and You believe His blessing is upon you, no matter where you are and no matter the circumstances. Wherever Isaac went he knew that he took the blessing with him. Likewise, we must believe the blessing upon our lives and we should expect to be blessed, no matter where we physically are. It does not matter if I am at home in Georgia, in California, Kuwait, Iraq, or any place else. I know the blessing and the favor of God is upon my life and I believe I will walk in that blessing where ever I go. I jokingly tell people that where ever I sit is the head of the table, even if the table is round. I say that jokingly, but what I mean is that I believe the blessing of God is upon my life. Do you? If you do, you will face each day with an attitude of excellence.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I enter this day and every day with the proper attitude. I know that Your blessing is upon me and it is not limited to a physical location. Not matter where I go, I take Your blessing with me and on me. I am blessed and highly favored. No matter what people attempt to do to me, they cannot stop Your blessing upon my life. I walk in love, even if attacked. I move forward and I trust in You. I am blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Because of Abraham and Because of Jesus (top of page)

(Gen 26:24 CEV) Where the Lord appeared to him that night and told him, “Don’t be afraid! I am the God who was worshiped by your father Abraham, my servant. I will be with you and bless you, and because of Abraham I will give you many descendants.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking where we left off yesterday with Isaac. We know that Isaac was blessed in spite of the numerous attempts to keep him down. He found lots of room and a well to provide his household plenty of water. Isaac then went on to Beersheba and encountered the Lord there. The Lord spoke to him and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the God who was worshiped by your father Abraham, my servant. I will be with you and bless you, and because of Abraham I will give you many descendants.” I want to focus in on something very important that God told Isaac. He said that he would be blessed with many descendants “because of Abraham.” Although Isaac would attempt to do his best and although Isaac wanted to please God, God reassured him that the blessing and the favor upon his life was because of something bigger than just him. God was blessing Isaac because of the covenant He established with Abraham. Talk about expanding your capacity to believe. This helped Isaac breathe a sigh of relief. Not that he would or could use this as an excuse to live a life unpleasing to God, but knowing that he was a smaller part of a bigger purpose relieved some of the pressures of his life. As soon as God said this to Isaac he built and altar and worshipped the Lord. What was he doing? He was thanking God for being so good to him, especially when the blessing and favor were upon his life because of his heritage, more than his righteousness.

Why is this important to us? You may be thinking, “I have nothing to do with Abraham. I was born in Brooklyn, or Alabama, or Jamaica, or etc.” The point is not where you were born or the family you were born into. The point is whether or not you are Born-Again. Once you are Born-Again by the Spirit of God you are in Christ. Paul said, “Since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises” (Galatians 3:29 MSG). Your connection with Christ also connects you with the promises given to Abraham. Furthermore, in addition to the promises of the old covenant (Abraham), being Born-Again also connects you with the promises of the new covenant (Jesus the Christ). The writer of Hebrews said, “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Think about that! You are an heir of a better covenant that is based upon better promises.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that the reality of your new found heritage in Christ should cause you to dream bigger dreams and expand your capacity to believe. Maybe you were born into a family or into circumstances that caused you to think small, the minute you were Born-Again you were connected with a new family and a new heritage. God wants to bless you and it is not just because you are so righteous. He wants to bless you because of Abraham and because of Jesus! But you have to be willing to believe you are part of this new heritage and to walk in it with confidence and boldness. Not because of who you are, but because of “whose” you are!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I now better understand who I am and whose I am. I may have been born one way, but I was Born-Again a better way. I am in Christ and my relationship with Christ connects me both with Christ and with Abraham. I walk in the blessings of Abraham and in the blessing of Christ. You bless me because of something much greater than just me and I worship and praise You for that today and every day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Remain Faithful, Believe in God, and Walk in Love (top of page)

(Gen 26:33 MSG) Isaac named the well Sheba (Oath), and that’s the name of the city, Beersheba (Oath-Well), to this day.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking where we left off yesterday with Isaac. We know that the Lord assured Isaac that he would be blessed because of the covenant He established with his father Abraham. Isaac thanked God for that reassurance and expressed his thanksgiving by building altar from which to worship the Lord in the middle of the desert. Remember, he was in the desert because King Abimelech kicked him out of Gerar because he was so blessed. To make matters worse, Abimelech had his men fill in the wells that Abraham dug in the desert before kicking them out. Earlier this week I explained how Isaac overlooked this challenge, kept he right attitude, and ordered his men to dig new wells.

The bible says that after Isaac worshipped the Lord at the altar his servants started digging another well. While they were digging King Abimelech, his advisor (Ahuzzath), and his army commander (Phicol) showed up. Isaac was surprised and asked, “Why are you here? Didn’t you send me away because you hated me?” They answered, “We now know for certain that the Lord is with you, and we have decided there needs to be a peace treaty between you and us. So let’s make a solemn agreement not to harm each other. Remember, we have never hurt you, and when we sent you away, we let you go in peace. The Lord has truly blessed you.” Why did Abimelech say this? Because he realized that he was being blessed by simply having Isaac live in his country. As soon as Isaac left, the blessing left. He came to make peace. He wanted the blessing back.

Isaac could have held a grudge. He could have repaid evil with evil and kicked Abimelech out of his tent, but he did not. Once again, Isaac operated in love. Isaac went so far as to throw a big feast for them. The next morning they established an oath together and later that same day Isaac’s servants struck water with the new well they were digging.

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. You should be an asset, not a liability, wherever you go.

2. You should bring the blessing of God to your workplace, family, community, and to everyone you come in contact with.

3. People should be the better for having associated with you.

4. God can fight your battles; your part is to believe and trust Him.

5. When your ways please the Lord He can make – even your enemies – to be at peace with you (Prov 16:7).

6. God can provide rivers in the desert (Is 43:19).

7. Your part is to remain faithful, believe in God, and walk in love.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I declare that I am an asset and not a liability. I am a blessing, not a burden, everywhere I go. I make every environment better, because of Your favor upon my life. When people come up against me I will not fight against them. I will not repay evil with evil. I walk in love and believe You to handle anyone or anything that comes up against me. You provide for me wherever I go, because I remain faithful, I believe You, and I walk in love every day and in every way. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Tradition can make the Word of God of None Effect (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing in the story of Isaac. Genesis 27 opens with Isaac becoming old and almost blind. He sensed that his time on the earth was drawing to a close and he wanted to pass on the blessing of God. As we have discussed in this series, the blessing was and is a serious thing. He was prepared to speak words over his son, believing that mere words, spoken in faith, would release a supernatural blessing on his son that would continue the favor and increase of God on the bloodline. Isaac was familiar with this, because his father Abraham blessed him before he died. What is interesting is that Isaac called in his first-born son Esau, and not Jacob. He told Esau, “I am old and might die at any time. So take your bow and arrows, then go out in the fields, and kill a wild animal. Cook some of that tasty food that I love so much and bring it to me. I want to eat it once more and give you my blessing before I die.”

I say it is interesting that he called Esau and not Jacob, because – although Esau was the eldest son – there were extenuating circumstances that should have broken the tradition of blessing the firstborn. If anyone should have been familiar with extenuating circumstances it should have been Isaac. He was a living example of breaking tradition. His father Abraham made a mistake, did not trust God, and wound up having a baby before receiving the promised child from God. This meant that his firstborn (Ishmael), under tradition, should have been the one that received the blessing. But Abraham understood God enough to know that he needed to bless Isaac and not Ishmael. Now, let’s look at the extenuating circumstances in this case. The Lord spoke to Rebekah while she was pregnant with the boys and told her that the older would serve the younger (Gen 25:23). Furthermore, Esau sold his birthright to Isaac for a bowl of stew (Gen 25:33). This meant that Isaac should have been calling for Jacob, not Esau.

Some believe that Isaac simply did not know about the Word God spoke to Rebekah or the selling of the birthright between the boys. I am not sure if he knew or not, but I was led this morning to bring up a point about tradition. Even if Isaac knew about both incidents he might have still been moved to bless the eldest son. Why? Because that was the tradition. Tradition is a powerful thing. In many cases tradition is good, but tradition must never outweigh a move of God. Jesus was talking to people who seemed to have changed their understanding of the commandment of God to honor their parents; changing God’s Word to meet their custom. It did not happen over night, but it happened over time, because of tradition. One person changed a little, the next a little more, and etc. Jesus was upset with their condition and said that they literally had made the Word of God of “none effect” through their tradition (Mark 7:13).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should honor time tested traditions, but only if they line up with the Word of God. It also means that you have to be willing to go against tradition if you sense (believe) God leading you another way. Who would rather please, God or man? Just because it was always done that way does not mean God is limited to working that way forever. Sense God, believe His Word, and do what He leads you to do, even if it is against your tradition!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I declare that I expand my capacity to believe You. I am your sheep and I hear Your voice. I am not limited to simply living out the routine of my forefathers. I am open to believe what You tell me to do and to carry it out, even if it breaks tradition! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Celebrating God for All Things! (top of page)

(Luke 2:11-13 CEV) This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born… you will find him dressed in baby clothes… Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God…

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” However, this morning’s message is not based upon the life of Isaac. I pause from his life this morning to share a message from my own. I met my wife, the former Isabella Toussaint, on a deployment to Bosnia. Midway through our year long deployment the Lord started revealing things to me about Isabella and I grew a godly and physical attraction towards and for her. I was led to talk to her about it, one thing led to another, and 18 months later we were married. We discussed having children, but we wanted the children to come in God’s timing. She was an enlisted noncommissioned officer and had dreams of becoming an officer. After praying and fasting, the Lord led us to submit an application packet for her to become an officer and a nurse. That is a testimony in and of itself; needless to say, she was selected. She went to one of the best nursing schools in nation, was the president of her nursing class, and graduated as an anointed and prepared nurse. She was promoted to an officer and we moved to Georgia. By this point we had been married for almost five years and we had been holding off on having children.

We finally sensed it was the right time and we began attempting to have a child. Month after month passed and nothing seemingly happened, but we remained in faith. Isabella endured some physical challenges throughout process, but we remained in faith. We continued to believe God and refused to believe anything else. After what seemed like a very long time for us, Isabella became pregnant. We praised God and honored Him for what He had done. During this time the Lord spoke me and let me know that we were having a boy and that he would carry the ministry flame birthed in my life. Because of this, Isabella and I decided to name him Joshua. Like the Joshua that continued what Moses started with the nation of Israel. Furthermore, because of the challenges we faced along the way, I was reminded of the Biblical experience of Jacob and Rachel. Rachel wanted to name her son “Benoni,” which means, “Son of sorrow.” But Jacob named the boy, “Benjamin,” which means, “Son of my right hand.” So we selected Benjamin to be his middle name. This weekend my wife and I hosted a grand celebration in honor of the soon-to-be-born Joshua Benjamin Piña. We did not want to hold a traditional “Baby Shower.” This was about honoring God for blessing us with a child.

In a time where the word “pregnancy” is negatively associated with: illegitimacy, financial burdens, unwelcome responsibility, and etc.; I was led to share a message to remind you that the miracle of human reproduction is a gift from God. It is to be praised and celebrated. In our text, angels came down from heaven to celebrate Jesus’ arrival. I don’t claim my child to be Jesus, but I will also not neglect to equate his arrival with blessing, delight, joy and pleasure.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you don’t have to approach anything like the world does. As Christians, we are not limited to the status quo. We ought to dream big dreams and then have big celebrations when they become reality. That’s expanding your capacity to believe God!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I expand my capacity to believe. I do not allow the world to dictate what and how I celebrate. I dream big dreams and I have big celebrations to honor You from bringing them to pass in my life. I am only limited by my capacity to believe and from now on, I will expand that daily! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Your Yesterday does not Dictate Your Tomorrow (top of page)

(Gen 27:23 CEV) And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by picking where we left in the story of Isaac. By this time Isaac was old and almost blind. He called in his first-born son Esau, told him that he might die at any time, and asked him to go out to the fields, kill a wild animal, cook it, and to bring it to him. Isaac wanted to bless Esau before he died. Rebekah overheard the conversation and told Jacob what was going on. Rebekah then instructed Jacob to kill two of his best young goats. Her plan was to cook the goats, give the food to Jacob, and then have Jacob present the food to his father so Jacob could receive the blessing and not Esau. Jacob did not like the plan. He pointed out the fact that he was a smooth skinned man and that his brother was hairy. Jacob said, “If my father touches me and realizes I am trying to trick him, he will put a curse on me instead of giving me a blessing.” Rebekah insisted, “Just do what I say and bring me the meat.” Jacob did and his mother cooked the tasty food his father liked. That was only part of the challenge. To overcome the rest Rebekah dressed Jacob in Esau’s best clothes and she also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins; an attempt to make him hairy. This sounds like some out of the movies.

Jacob took the food in to his father and said, “Father, here I am.” “Which one of my sons are you?” his father asked. Without skipping a beat Jacob replied, “I am Esau, your first-born, and I have done what you told me. Please sit up and eat the meat I have brought. Then you can give me your blessing.” Wow! That was a straight lie. Isaac thought it strange that he had gotten back so quickly. When Isaac questioned Jacob (whom he believed to be Esau) about it, Jacob said, “The Lord your God was kind to me.” Lying is bad enough, but now he included God in his lies. Isaac asked Jacob to come closer so he could touch him and find out if he was really Esau. He sensed something was not right. His father touched him and said, “You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau’s.” And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau.

In this story we see Jacob to be a lying, conniving, deceitful person. He and his mother were co-conspirators in literally stealing a blessing. But guess what? Jacob went on to father the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. His name is listed in the lineage of Jesus (Mat 1:2). His name is also recorded in the “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11). He recovered from this. Through developing an intimate relationship with God he was able to change his character and his life.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that your yesterday does not have to dictate your tomorrow. Reading about a lying, conniving, and deceitful person that was able to turn his life around in God should spring forth hope in your life. No matter what you have done and no matter how bad you thought you were or are; God can still use you. If you believe that He can, He will. If you allow Him to, He can help transform you into a mighty instrument in His hands. The fact that you are still living is evidence that He still wants to use you. If you are willing, He is able!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I release myself to You afresh this morning. I repent for past mistakes and I declare that I look forward and not backward from now on. I ask You to forgive me and for You to help me forgive myself. I receive God and self forgiveness and I move forward to become the person You desire for me to be. I refuse to allow my yesterday to dictate my tomorrow. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

The Power of a Spoken Blessing (top of page)

(Gen 27:28,29 CEV) “God will bless you, my son, with dew from heaven and with fertile fields, rich with grain and grapes. Nations will be your servants and bow down to you. You will rule over your brothers, and they will kneel at your feet. Anyone who curses you will be cursed; anyone who blesses you will be blessed.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we discussed the elaborate deception orchestrated by Rebekah and Jacob. This would ultimately tear the family apart. Esau would turn on Jacob, Jacob would flee, and Rebekah would never see Jacob again; all this for a stolen blessing.

What all went wrong? Esau broke the covenant he established with Jacob to sell him the birthright for a bowl of soup (Gen 25:34); all because he wanted the blessing after all. Rebekah went against her own husband, devised an elaborate scheme that included a duplicate meal, Esau’s clothes, and the skins of a goat; all to ensure Jacob got the blessing. Jacob lied twice to his father, to his face, just to get the blessing.

This all seems drastic. Deception, lies, distrust, and schemes, all to get the blessing. When everything was said and done, the blessing was nothing more than words spoken by a father over a son. Isaac spoke three sentences over Jacob. That’s it. There were no fireworks, no backfliips, no voice from heaven, no parting of the Red Sea, and no thunder or lightning. It all came down to a father speaking words of blessing over his son.

What’s the point? The point is that your tongue is a very powerful instrument. It can either call down blessings (success) from heaven or bring curses (failure) into your life. The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21). We must be very careful to speak life and not death. Many children have dreams, hopes, and aspirations of becoming judges, lawyers, doctors, business owners, successful athletes, ministers, and etc. Unfortunately, many of these dreams are destroyed in their own homes by the words of their own parents. Many abort their dreams because of words like: “You will never amount to anything,” or “You are stupid.” Not only can words affect our children, but our families, workplaces, marriages, finances, and every area of our lives can be affected by words. If there areas in your life that need changing, your tongue is the best tool to use to bring about that transformation. Solomon said, “Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim” (Proverbs 15:4 MSG).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that we must be very careful to speak life and not death over our children, families, careers, marriages, finances, churches, and etc. If Isaac’s family went through all they went through to receive a spoken blessing, we should take the words we speak and the words spoken over us more seriously.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I believe there is power of death and life in the tongue. I now speak a spoken blessing over my own life. I am in Christ. My relationship with Christ makes me Abraham’s seed. Being Abraham’s seed I am an heir to His promise. The same blessing spoken over Jacob, the blessing of Abraham, applies to me. I am blessed from heaven. Everything I sow brings forth and abundant harvest. I am created to dominate and not to be dominated. You bless those who bless me and curse those that curse me. I receive the blessing by faith and I walk it out in love. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

One Encounter with God can Change Your life Forever (top of page)

(Gen 28:16 CEV) Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The Lord is in this place, and I didn’t even know it.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we discussed how Jacob literally stole his father’s blessing from his brother. This tore the family apart. Esau wanted to kill him because of it. Jacob’s parents had no other option but to send him away. Before leaving, however, his father gave him some advice on where to go and what family to marry from. So Jacob left the town of Beersheba and started out for Haran. At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep. This would be a night that would change his life forever. In a dream he saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down on it. This account is commonly referred to as “Jacob’s Ladder.” In the dream the Lord was standing beside the ladder and said: “I am the Lord God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people. Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won’t leave you – I will do all I have promised.” This was another reiteration of the promise. The same thing God did for Abraham and for Isaac He was now doing for Jacob. God was letting him know that the blessing was now on him. He was the keeper of the flame.

Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The Lord is in this place, and I didn’t even know it.” Jacob was raised under the blessing of God and he never really acknowledged it for himself. He was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. It’s not like these were some distant historical figures. He heard first hand the accounts of what God did for his father and grandfather, but it never sunk in until he had an encounter with God for himself.

What an indictment on religion! Religion can get you in the proximity of ritual, but you are never going to be truly changed until you develop a relationship with God for yourself. Jacob was raised with the blessing of God on his family. Surely he was around when his father worshipped the Lord. He was there when his family was prospering in the middle of a famine. But the point is that he acknowledged, with his own lips, that he never really knew God. God was around him, but he never acknowledged God for himself. However, after this encounter with God, he would never be the same.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that as a believer you must acknowledge and believe the reality of God for yourself. God is not some distant, unconnected, and unrelated force that is locked up in the pages of a dusty Bible or in the catacombs of a religious organization. God is a loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father that wants a personal and intimate relationship with you. Seek His face. Believe you will encounter God in a true and personal way. One encounter with God can take you from a stoic and dispassionate world of religion to a living and personal relationship with your loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I want to know You intimately. I seek Your face and You reveal Yourself to me. I don’t want the testimony that Jacob had. I don’t want to be surrounded by You and not even know it. I declare that I encounter You today and that I develop a personal relationship with You as my loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Turning the corner from Lip Service to Action (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by making a full shift from Isaac to Jacob. Yesterday we discussed how Jacob had an encounter with God and came to the realization that God had His hand on Jacob’s family his entire life without him even knowing it. Jacob arose with a new-found reverence for God. He immediately took the stone he had used for his pillow and poured oil over it. No doubt he had seen his father use oil in his worship practices, but it was now Jacob’s time to make his relationship personal. He christened the place Bethel (The House of God). Jacob then vowed a vow saying, “If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I’m setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father’s house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I’ll return a tenth to you.” (see Gen 28:17-22).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that when you get serious about God you:

1. You go from talking to doing: Jacob heard about God all his life and surely he talked about God with his family, but it was not until he became serious about God that he turned the corner from lip service to action. Talking about God does not honor Him; we honor Him with our actions. Can people merely hear God in your conversation or can they also see God in your actions?

2. You become a worshipper: Jacob did something he had never done – he poured oil on a rock and dedicated it to God. Becoming a worshipper does not mean that you have to sing all the songs or dance around your church, but it does mean that you should have some form of expression to God of your love, respect, honor, and adoration for Him. How do you express your reverence for God? However you express it is your form of worship.

3. You acknowledge God in every area of your life: God is not just he God of the spectacular, but He is also the God of the practical. Jacob asked God to provide food, clothing, and protection. God is in the business of providing these practical matters, just as He is in the business of healing sickness and disease. The point is that you should not just call upon God when something is drastically wrong, He can help you in your daily life.

4. You honor God in the area of your finances: This is how I know Jacob was a transformed man. People can talk about God all day long, they can go to church several times a week, they can listen to gospel music ‘till its coming out of their ears, but they are not truly committed to God until they are committed in the area of their finances. This is a small thing for those of us who honor God from all our increase, but it is a huge obstacle for those that have never honored God financially. Jacob made it clear right up front that he would acknowledge the fact that everything he received came from God. He made a vow to express his acknowledgment by giving God back a tenth of everything God would give him. The Bible says, “Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand” (1 Chronicles 29:14 MSG). Do you honor God financially? If not, you may need to expand your capacity to believe.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am more than a human being, I am a human doing. Moreover, I am a Christian doing. I don’t merely provide You lip service. I honor You with my actions. I worship You and I acknowledge You in every area of my life. I know that You provide everything I need and I give back unto You from the things You give unto me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believe in yourself and in your God (top of page)

(Gen 30:29 MSG) Jacob replied, “You know well what my work has meant to you and how your livestock has flourished under my care.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by continuing with the story of Jacob. Jacob, with his new found commitment to God, set out to the land of his fathers, in search of a life. He met with Laban, his mother’s brother, and was immediately drawn to the beauty of Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter. Jacob made an agreement to work for Laban for seven years for the right to marry Rachel, but when the wedding night came, Laban tricked the trickster and gave him Leah (the older sister) instead. Jacob reaped what he had sown and had to work an additional seven years for Rachel. Nevertheless, he prospered. During this time Jacob also had to deal with the challenges that both his father and grandfather faced – having a barren wife. Rachel could not bear children and she wound up doing what Jacob’s grandmother (Sarah) had done – she asked Jacob to lay with her maidservant in an attempt to experience child labor by proxy. However, the Lord did bless and Rachel, like Sarah and Rebekah before her, won her bought with barrenness and had a child; his name was Joseph.

After Joseph was born, Jacob spoke to Laban saying, “Let me go back home. Give me my wives and children for whom I’ve served you. You know how hard I’ve worked for you.” But Laban said, “If you please, I have learned through divine inquiry that God has blessed me because of you.” He knew that the blessing on Jacob had overflowed to his entire household. He did not want to lose Jacob, because he knew he would be losing the source of his blessing. Laban said, “Name your wages. I’ll pay you.” Jacob, knowing his worth, replied, “You know well what my work has meant to you and how your livestock has flourished under my care. The little you had when I arrived has increased greatly; everything I did resulted in blessings for you. Isn’t it about time that I do something for my own family?“

Tomorrow we will see that plan that God gave Jacob in order to bless him, but for this morning’s message the point is that Jacob knew his value, he believed in himself, and he believed in his God. He knew that he was not blessed simply because he was living with Laban. As a matter of fact, he believed that Laban was blessed because of him. Jacob knew that the blessing of God was upon him and that he would be blessed wherever he went.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must believe in yourself as well as in your God and His blessing upon your life. Unfortunately, there are many people that believe in God, but still have a low self-esteem. Jacob did not. Jacob stood up to Laban and spoke with self-confidence, boldness, and assertion. He knew he was an asset and not a liability, a blessing and not a curse, a winner and not a loser, and he knew that God was the source of it all. So know your worth, believe in yourself, believe in your God, and speak with confidence, boldness, and assertion. A Christian should never have a low self-esteem. Enter this day with your head held high. You are a child of the Most-High God!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I know that I am an asset and not a liability. I am a winner and not a loser. I am the victor and not the victim. I am the conqueror and not he conquered. I am the head and not the tail. I make every organization I connect with better and stronger. Your blessing is on me and everything I touch becomes blessed. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Staying Focused and Remaining in Faith (top of page)

(Gen 30:3 AMP) And she said, See here, take my maid Bilhah and have intercourse with her; and [when the baby comes] she shall deliver it upon my knees, that I by her may also have children.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” I feel led to back up a few verses in the 30^th chapter of Genesis to bring out a reoccurring theme in the lineage of Abraham. Abraham’s story started with a promise from God to bless him with many descendants who would in turn bless the entire earth (Gen 12:2,3). In this series we saw how there was a space between the promise and the performance and how Abraham tried for 25 years to have a baby with Sarah. Sarah got frustrated in the process and tried to circumvent God’s promise by providing Abraham another woman (Hagar) for him to have a child with. However, the promise of God was still between Abraham and Sarah and they finally had a child and named him Isaac. Abraham transferred the blessing to Isaac.

Isaac had the blessing, but he still faced some challenges. Isaac tried for 20 years to have a baby with his wife Rebekah. They finally had twins and named them Esau and Jacob. Isaac transferred the blessing to Jacob. Once again, Jacob had the blessing, but he would also face some challenges. He and his favorite wife (Rachel) tried and tried to have kids for many years. In Genesis 30 Rachel got to breaking point. She told her husband Jacob, “I’ll die if you don’t give me some children!” But Jacob became upset with Rachel and answered, “Don’t blame me! I’m not God.” What do we see here? We see a family that is in possession of the promise of God to reproduce, facing the challenges of doing just that. Rachel got to the point where she did what Sarah did and gave her husband her servant to lay with. Rachel even took it a step further. She wanted her servant Bilhah to lay with her husband, get pregnant, and then have the baby on her own knees, as if she were having the baby herself; as if she could take credit for it. Rachel would finally two boys (Joseph and Benjamin), but she was challenged nonetheless.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that being a Christian does not exonerate you from facing challenges. No one was more “blessed” (other than Jesus) than Abraham. He was the father of faith. He received the blessing directly from God and he passed that blessing down. The blessing of Abraham had to do with bringing forth children and we can see that that was a challenge for his family. They had the blessing, they had the promise, they were doing what they needed to do (physically), but it was still a challenge. If it was a challenge for them, we can also expect to face challenges in our lives.

No matter the promise you are standing on – healing, peace, protection, provision, increase, promotion; for your kids, family, marriage, etc. – the battle will be in your mind. Each time frustration set in it was because the person took their mind off of the promise and focused on the problem. Keep your mind focused (Is 26:3), keep your heart set, and keep on believing that God will do what He said in He will do! There may be a space between the promise and the performance, but it will come to pass!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I stay focused and I remain in faith. I looked passed my problem and I focus on Your promises. I know my walk with You will include some challenges, but I believe, by faith, that I overcome every challenge set before me and I come out victorious. No matter how long it takes, I still believe I will receive. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

One Idea from God can turn Your Financial Outlook Around (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God” by investigating one of the most intriguing steps of faith in the Bible. As mentioned in Monday’s message, Jacob knew his worth. He knew that the blessing of Abraham was on him, but for many years he had submitted to working for his father-in-law. Meanwhile, his father-in-law cheated him over the years; changing his wages ten times (31:7). Jacob did not make it an issue, he kept believing in God, and he sensed it was time for a change. When he told Laban that he wanted to leave Laban obviously did not want the blessing to leave his house (and business). Jacob had make Laban very rich. Laban offered Jacob money to stay, but Jacob had a better idea; a faith-based idea that would change his financial situation drastically. Jacob had a dream about spotted and speckled animals and he was visited by the angel of the Lord (31:10-13). After this dream and visitation Jacob told Laban, “I don’t want you to pay me anything. Just do one thing, and I’ll take care of your sheep and goats. Let me go through your flocks and herds and take the sheep and goats that are either spotted or speckled and the black lambs. That’s all you need to give me.” This accomplished a couple of things: (1) it put Jacob’s money in lambs and (2) the color of the lambs meant they could be easily identified and separated. Laban accepted quickly because there were few lambs that fit this strange category (spotted, speckled, and black). Laban thought that Jacob had made a business error, but unbeknownst to him, Jacob was operating by faith.

His money now in lambs, Jacob devised a plan. He cut branches from poplar, almond, and evergreen trees. He then peeled off part of the bark and made the branches look spotted and speckled. Then he put the branches where the animals would see them while they were drinking from the water trough. Why? Because they mated in that area. Jacob believed that if the sheep and goats were looking at the spotted and speckled branches while they mated, that their offspring would come out spotted and speckled. Talk about expanding your capacity to believe! Also, since he already had spotted and specked animals, he put those animals in front of the other animals that were mating – for the same reason. Furthermore, he was wise enough not to do this for all animals, but only for the strong ones. When the weak ones were mating, he never showed them the spotted and speckled branches or animals. Guess what? It worked. After time Jacob had all the strong and healthy animals and Laban got what was left. So Jacob become rich, he acquired huge flocks, and lots of servants (see Genesis 30:32-43).

So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

1. God wants His children to be blessed and that includes financial stability.

2. God can provide us wisdom in business and in every area of life.

3. God’s ideas will not always make sense, but they will require faith.

4. One Word (or idea) from God can turn any situation around.

5. We must always remember to honor God in every area of our lives – to include our finances. Jacob was blessed, but Jacob had already made a vow (Gen 28:22) to honor God with a tenth of everything that he received.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I thank You for Your wisdom operating in every area of my life. You are my source. I rely on You and You alone. I honor You in every area of my life, including my finances. I sow seeds of faith and I believe I reap harvests of increase. Your wisdom in my life is the difference-maker for me and my family. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

When God becomes Personal to You (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Genesis 31 opens with Jacob overhearing Laban’s sons complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.” They were alright with Jacob while their father was taking advantage of him, but when Jacob started prospering, they changed. Jacob noticed that Laban had also changed. One day the Lord spoke to Jacob and said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will bless you.” This season was over. It was time to move on. Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah and he told them, “Your father isn’t as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side. You know that I have worked hard for your father and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me. When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, the animals started having speckled sheep. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, the animals came out spotted. That’s how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.” Jacob then went on to explain the way the Lord spoke to him a dream about the spotted and speckled animals. What is interesting is the way that the Lord introduced himself to Jacob in the dream.

When Jacob had his first dream, the one referred to as “Jacob’s Ladder,” the Lord identified Himself to Jacob as “The Lord of Abraham and Isaac” (Gen 28:13); in other words, the Lord of his forefathers. The experience changed Jacob’s life. He marked it by pouring oil on the rock where his head was laid when he had the dream and he called that place “Bethel;” which means, “The House of God.” Now, fast forward many years and we get to our current dream. In this dream the Lord does not identify Himself as the God of his forefathers, but rather as a more personal God. God said, “I am the God you worshiped at Bethel, when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me” (Gen 31:13). It was the reality and the power of this dream that enabled Jacob to boldly execute the plan of the spotted and speckled animals. It was a financially risky scheme, but Jacob carried it out with fearless confidence because he knew the plan came from his personal God. God was no longer a God that his forefathers worshipped, but rather now his own. God was no longer the God of Abraham and Isaac, but He was now the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! God was personal, God was powerful, and God was real. No wonder he was not concerned about what Laban would do to him. Jacob knew that his personal God was on his side and no one could defeat him!

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must know God for yourself. It means that once God becomes personal to you, you can carry out His will with fearless confidence. It means that a personal relationship with God overrides fear of man. And it means that a personal relationship with God can change you from the inside out – Jacob was no longer a conniving, deceitful, trickster; he was now an honest, hard-working, and powerful man of God. Is God personal to you? If so, in what ways has your personal relationship changed your life?

Confession for this day: Lord God. You are personal to me. I do not look at You as merely the God of my forefathers. You are my God and I am Your child. I have my own relationship with You. You know me by name. You know the experiences we have had together. You can identify me by the experiences we have had. Our relationship enables me to walk with a fearless confidence. I am not afraid of what any man can do to me. I accept Your will and I carry our Your plans with boldness, confidence, and peace. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Jesus, and ________ (insert your name). In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Do Whatever God tells you to Do (top of page)

(Gen 31:16 CEV) Now do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday we saw how God had become personal to Jacob. He took the message he received from his personal God and expressed it to his wives. He explained how their father had tricked him over the years and how God had blessed him by transferring the wealth of their father to him (with the spotted and speckled animals). Now, this could have been a sticky situation. Jacob was dealing with two women and talking to them about their own father. But when you are being led by God He seems to make even the most crooked paths straight. His two wives agreed with him, supported him, and said, “Do whatever God tells you to do…” I wanted to go further in the story this morning, but I can’t get past those seven words, “Do whatever God tells you to do.” I can identify with this passage because my wife tells me those same seven words all the time. She trusts me to hear from God to lead my family, just as Jacob’s wives trusted him.

This also brings up a point that I discuss with people all the time. People ask me, “How can I hear from God?” “How do I know that it is His voice?” Well, this could be a series in and of itself, but for this morning I will share a few scriptures that you can stand on to believe God to hear from Him. Jesus, in referring to Himself as a shepherd and us as sheep said, “When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away” (John 10:4,5). He went on to say, “My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). If the Bible did not say that we could hear His voice I would not teach it, but it does. Furthermore, we have learned so far that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob heard from God in divine encounters. They had visitations from God, whereas we have a habitation with God. This is a big advantage. God visited them, but He lives in every Born-Again believer. Every person that has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10) and expressed faith in Him has received the promise Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13) and is born from above (John 3:3).

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “If you love me, you will do as I command. Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you” (John 14:15,16). Jesus also said, “The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you” (John 16:13,14).

So what does this mean to you today? (1) God speaks to His children/sheep and He expects you to know His voice, (2) God lives in you in the form of the Holy Spirit, (3) part of the role of the Holy Spirit is to speak to you, (4) you can develop the confidence of God and your own family as you learn to hear from Him and do what He says, (5) if you don’t believe you can hear from God, you never will. Believe and receive.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am Your sheep and I know Your voice. Whether it comes by a clear audible voice, a still small voice, or simply an internal knowing, I declare that I believe I can hear from You and I expect I will. I hear from You and I do whatever You tell me to do! My hearing and doing changes my life forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Fear will lead to you make Poor Decisions (top of page)

(Gen 31:31 CEV) Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force.

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Last week we saw how Jacob’s wives were supporting him to do whatever he was led to do. Jacob, not really being motivated by God, took everything he owned and left for the home of his father Isaac (Canaan). After being with Laban for 20 years Jacob decided to leave like a thief in the night. His poor decision making poured over to his family, because Rachel decided to steal some of her father’s household idols (gods) on her way out. So Jacob, without so much as leaving a note, left with his entire family and possessions. He led his household over the Euphrates River and they headed for the hill country of Gilead.

After Laban realized that Jacob was gone he gathered some of his relatives and set after him. It took them seven days, but they caught up to Jacob in Gilead. God knew that Laban was furious and was apt to harm to Jacob so He appeared to Laban in a dream the night before he caught up to Jacob and said, “Don’t say a word to Jacob. Don’t make a threat or a promise.” Laban went to meet Jacob in Gilead and said: “Look what you’ve done! You’ve tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper. Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps. You didn’t even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters good-by. That was really foolish. I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises. I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?” Jacob did not know anything about the idols, but he did reveal the motivating force behind his actions (fear). Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force.”

This series is about expanding your capacity to believe. The more you are able to believe God, the more you will be able to release your faith for. I have defined faith as, “an expression of confidence in God and His Word.” Fear is faith’s reciprocal force. Fear is faith perverted. Fear is, “an expression of confidence in satan and his word.” If Jacob truly believed God he would have operated in faith and handled the situation completely different. If he had expressed confidence in God (faith) he could have easily approached Laban and told him what his intentions were. He had worked for Laban for 20 years; Laban was his father-in-law, the father of his wives, and grandfather of his children. This was no way to end their relationship.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that it is not the will of God for you to operate in fear. Fear will lead you to make poor decisions. Fear keeps you from standing on the promises of God. Fear is an expression of your confidence in satan and not in God. Expanding your capacity to believe God means that you are more apt to express your confidence in God (faith) and not in any negative thought the enemy may bring your way. Believe God, stand in faith, and make good decisions.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am motivated by faith and not fear. I filter every thought in my head through the filter of Your Word. If it is a thought that lines up with Your Word, I receive it, stand on it, and express my confidence in it; thereby operating in faith. If it is a thought that does not line up with Your Word, I choose to ignore it and not to allow it to shape my decisions. I believe You, I stand in faith, and I make good decisions! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believing God for His Benefits (top of page)

(Gen 31:24 CEV) But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don’t say a word to Jacob. Don’t make a threat or a promise.”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Yesterday I mentioned how Laban set after Jacob with some of his relatives after he realized he was gone, how it took them several days to catch up to Jacob, and how Laban was furious. Laban was at the point where he was ready to physically hurt Jacob for attempting to leave with his daughters and grandchildren without saying a word. It is dangerous when a grown man is at his boiling point. You never really know what might happen. Knowing this, God intervened. He spoke to Laban before he caught up to Jacob and said, “Don’t say a word to Jacob. Don’t make a threat or a promise.” I don’t think this meant that he could not speak to Jacob, because he did, but I believe this was a warning to Laban not to do Jacob any harm. Laban took heed to the warning and when he finally caught up to Jacob he said, “… You didn’t even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters good-by. That was really foolish. I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.” So we can see that Laban was prepared to do Jacob harm, but he held back because of the intervention of God.

I was led to go back to this portion of the passage this morning to bring out three key benefits to walking with God:

1. Grace: Grace has been defined many ways. One definition is that grace is God giving you what you do not deserve. In this case Jacob experienced grace. Although God told him to leave, Jacob did not leave the right way. He operated in fear (31:31), not faith, and caused turmoil because of it. But God intervened anyway. Thank God for His grace.

2. Mercy: Mercy also has several definitions. One definition for mercy is God not giving you what you do deserve. Not only did God give Jacob what he did not deserve (grace), but he also withheld some things that he possibly did deserve (mercy). I am sure you can testify of both grace and mercy operating in your life.

3. Favor: The definition I use for favor is God raising up people who use their power, ability, and influence to help me in ways I cannot help myself. We also see favor in operation in this story. God intervened in Laban’s life so that Laban would favor Jacob by not causing him physical harm. Just like God can supernaturally order events to bless us with either grace or mercy, God can also intervene through the lives of people and cause us to be favored in any situation. It can be with your boss, family members, children, a complete stranger, etc.; God can touch the heart of someone to use their power, ability, and influence to help you.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you should believe God to bridge the gap from Jacob to your own life. Jacob was not perfect, but God still blessed him, because he had the blessing of Abraham on his life. Likewise, if you are Born-Again, you have the blessing of Abraham and Jesus on your life. You can expect grace, mercy, and favor to be in operation in your life. These are some of the benefits of walking with God. Believe them and receive them.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a twice born believer. I am in Christ and am therefore Abraham’s seed. I thank You in advance for Your grace to bless me when I don’t even deserve it, Your mercy to keep me from receiving what I do deserve, and Your favor in operation in the lives of others who use their power, ability, and influence to help me; even when they don’t know why they are helping me. I believe and I receive. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Don’t expect Favor without Labor (top of page)

(Gen 31:42 CEV) “…But God saw my hard work…”

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Laban caught up to Jacob, confronted him about the missing idols, and asked if he could search for them. Rachel hid them, Laban searched, and he did not find them. Jacob, not knowing that anyone had done anything wrong, became very angry and took the opportunity to vent. Jacob told Laban of how he had worked faithfully for 20 years; seven years for each wife and six years for the animals. Jacob reminded Laban of how he charged him (full price) for every animal that was killed by a wild animal, no matter if it happened day or night; how he sweated through the hot days and endured the cold of the desert nights; and how he never said anything during the 10 times he changed his wages along the years. Jacob went on to say, “If the fearsome God worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.”

Jacob came to Laban with nothing but the clothes on his back, a brother on his tail, and a God on his side. All he had was the blessing of Abraham, passed down to him by his father, and his commitment to honor God with a tenth of everything he received. He left Laban’s house as a rich man, with a big family, lots of animals, and lots of servants. This is all that “feel good” preachers would like to share. I believe in success, victory, and prosperity in God, but I am not foolish enough to think that it comes overnight and without lots of effort. Jacob worked hard for 20 years. He was faithful to God and faithful to Laban, even when Laban was not treating him right. He knew that God would work it out eventually and He did. God honored Jacob’s hard work and faithfulness and he blessed him to be the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.

You can look throughout both the Old and New Testaments and you will find that God never used lazy people for anything great. He used lots of ordinary people to do extraordinary things, but these were faithful and hard working people. Don’t think that we are the first people to keep a busy schedule. They were all busy and all had to put in their fair share of work and effort and then expected God to do the rest. I have been relatively successful in the military – on pace to get promoted to CW4 in less than 18 years of service – but it has not come because I sat at home and prayed for promotion. Yes, I pray, but I also know it takes work. I do my part and I then ask God to favor me with His. His favor, coupled with my effort, have made me one of the most respected persons in my field. Praise God! But it did and still does require my effort. It is the same in the ministry. I have been a Christian for just under 11 years. God has used me to do great things in this short time span, but it has not come without countless hours of prayer and study. Ministry requires lots of work. We do our part and we then expect God to do His (favor).

So what does this mean to you today? It means that being a Christian does not exonerate you from hard work. You can’t believe your way to success without coupling work with your belief. Believe God, dream big dreams, but be willing to put in the work it will require to bring them to pass!

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer. I have great expectations. I have big dreams in life. But I am not foolish enough to believe that they will manifest themselves without effort. I do my part and I expect You to favor the rest. Favor can do more in a minute than labor can do in a lifetime, but I also know that You require labor before You release favor. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!

Believe God is a God of His Word (top of page)

This morning we continue our series on “Expanding Your Capacity to Believe God.” Genesis 31 ends with Jacob and Laban making peace. With that confrontation behind him, Jacob now prepared for a possibly explosive confrontation. 20 years earlier Jacob left his home on the run from his brother Esau; the brother he stole the blessing from. I am Jacob would have rather avoided Esau, but God instructed Jacob to go back home, so he believed God had a plan.

Jacob sent messengers ahead to Edom to meet with Esau. Jacob told them to greet him and to ask for kindness. His message shows his disposition. He was being overly cautious. Jacob was not sure if Esau was still upset. The last time he saw Esau his brother wanted to kill him. I am sure he was hoping his messengers returned with good news. No doubt he wanted them to say, “Jacob, your brother said, ‘Praise God, I love my brother and I can’t wait to see him.’ “ But when the messengers returned, they told Jacob, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is heading this way with 400 men.” Whoa! That did not look too promising. Jacob was afraid. He did not know what to do. He divided his camp into two groups and he then did what we should all do when we don’t know what to do; he prayed. His prayer, “You, Lord, are the God who was worshiped by my grandfather Abraham and by my father Isaac. You told me to return home to my family, and you promised to be with me and make me successful. I don’t deserve all the good things you have done for me, your servant. When I first crossed the Jordan, I had only my walking stick, but now I have two large groups of people and animals. Please rescue me from my brother. I am afraid he will come and attack not only me, but my wives and children as well. But you have promised that I would be a success and that someday it will be as hard to count my descendants as it is to count the stars in the sky.” (see Genesis 32:1-12).

So what does this mean to you today? Let’s glean some golden nuggets from this prayer:

1. Ensure that you are not in sin, or disobedience, when attempting to pray. Jacob reminded God that he was doing exactly what he told him to do. He was in God’s will.

2. Enter into prayer in thanksgiving. Jacob expressed praise to God for having been so good to him. We should be ever mindful to thank God for His goodness and His mercy. It is a good practice to start our prayer out this way.

3. Be specific. When teaching my kids to pray over our dinner meals they would often pray for lots of things and then forget to pray for the food. Don’t get so ‘fancy’ in your prayer that you forget to pray for what you were supposed to be praying for. Jacob was clear; he wanted a rescue from his brother.

4. Remind God of His promises in prayer. You must believe that God is a God of His Word. God is not obligated to perform your word, but He is obligated to perform His Word (His promises). Twice, in that short prayer, Jacob reminded God of His promises. Even when he was unsure of what was going to happen; he found solace in knowing that God had promised him something and that God would not go back on His Word. We would do well in learning this lesson and reminding God of His promises in prayer.

Confession for this day: Lord God. I am a believer. I believe You and I believe Your promises. I know You through Your Word. Your Word expresses to me Your character, attributes, and nature. Your Word teaches me what to expect and what not to expect. Your Word expresses to me what You have promised and what You desire for