Tag: bible

Romans 5:8-9 NKJV ~ “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

You can’t think about yesterday’s devotion without thinking about the Blood of Jesus and what He’s done for you! I did part of this devotional on August 4, 2024, called “Good Morning Sunshine! The Blood Shall Be A Sign To You! The Blood Still Works Today!” (Go back & read it)

The Blood, The Blood of Jesus Christ! Y’all, The Blood Still Works! 

You have been covered, washed and justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ. So, what’s coming may be great, but the Blood of Jesus Christ is always Greater! Because of the Power of the Blood of Jesus, your Praise should be different today, for your Praise is going to stop what was supposed to stop you, because you have learned how to Plead the Blood of Jesus Christ over every circumstance! 

The blood in your body is so significant and your Father was strategic and specific when and how He made you and your blood system. Webster Merriam Dictionary defines blood, as the fluid that circulates throughout your body, it’s in your heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins, it carries nourishment and oxygen, and it removes all waste products from evert part of your body. The second definition is, the blood is your lineage, the persons related through common descent. The Blood is your lifeline, for without the blood, there can be no life, physically or spiritually! No Blood, No you! Thanks be unto God that you are in Jesus Family!

There are four blood types: A, B, AB, and O, and there is a positive or negative factor that is associated with each of them. Every person has one or the other.  If you are A positive you cannot receive the blood from a B positive person or vice versa. These restrictions are in place to help with who can donate and who can receive blood, based on your blood type and the donor and that of the recipient. Then there is one rare blood type, it’s O, it is the universal blood type. Anyone with this blood type can donate their red blood cells to anyone, A, B, or AB! 

Yes, I know that O is a good one, but let me tell you about someone who is a universal Carrier and Type! That is Jesus Christ, He is the ultimate Carrier and His Blood covers all blood types! He can give His blood to anyone at any time, it’s all about who wants it, who’s in need of a blood transfusion, it doesn’t matter what your sin type is, His Blood is the remedy! The Blood Still Works! Now whenever the Father looks at you, He does not see you in your sin but He sees what you shall become all because you have been washed by Blood of Jesus Christ that He shed for you, His Blood redeemed and saved you from eternal death.

His Blood did these seven things for you and all mankind: 

1. It Redeemed ~ Jesus paid the cost to redeem you, He died on the cross, He paid your sin debt and bought all humanity back from the enemy.
2. He Forgave ~ the Blood of Jesus Christ provided forgiveness for all of your sins (sins of omission and commission).
3. Justified ~ It justified you and all mankind!
4. Protection ~ The Blood of Jesus Christ is your covering, it protects you from any and every thing. 
5. Healing ~ The blood of Jesus Christ provides healing to your body, soul and spirit.
6. Sanctification ~ The Blood of Jesus Christ sanctifies and cleanses you from all unrighteousness. 
7. Victory ~ The Blood of Jesus Christ gives you victory over death! You are living now to live again! 

Are you a believer today? If so, it is your responsibility to stand in the gap to pray for others, that they might come to know Jesus. (Somebody prayed for you and is probably still standing in the gap on your behalf) so you are to “Plead the Blood” of Jesus Christ over them before God’s throne. You are to cry out for God’s Mercy and Grace and to know it is because of His Blood that, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13), for when you pray this way, your prayers strike the mark without fail every time! You can apply for Blood of Jesus! Pray! And Confess the Word! It will only work when you accept the Blood sacrifice, then you will be accepted! 

Let’s Pray:

Thank You Father for Jesus Christ! Father I thank You that I am saved by Your darling Son Blood! Thank You God for allowing Jesus to shed His Blood for me on the Cross. Father help me to have a proper reverential fear for the Blood of Jesus Christ. Father, I come in the Name of Jesus Christ to plead His Blood on our lives and on all those that are a part of my family, those that You have made me a steward, a covering over. Father, I Plead the Blood of Jesus over the portals of our mind, our bodies, our emotions, and our will. I believe that I am are protected daily by the Blood of the Lamb which gives me access to the Holy of Holies. Father, I plead the Blood of Jesus over the children of this world and over my children, grandchildren and their children, and on all those whom You have given me in this life. Father, You have said that the life of the flesh is in the Blood, so I say Thank You for this Blood that has cleansed me from sin and sealed me in the New Covenant of which I am grateful to be partakers of. Father, I worship and love You for the way You laid down Your life for me at the cross, that I might be here today to pray for someone else and to Plead the Blood of Jesus Christ over them!  Father, I apply the Bloom of Jesus Christ to every area of my life where I need victory, In Jesus Christ Name. Amen! 

Blessings…

Love, Minister Jean

Exodus 33:13-17 NKJV ~ “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” [14] And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” [15] Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. [16] For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” [17] So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Today, stop chasing your feelings and know the facts of God’s Word! You are an emotional being, you are either in love or hating someone, you’re happy or sad, you’re mad, sad or joyful, it’s one thing or another!

As a Christian do you find it hard sometimes to combine your emotions into your spiritual life and you end up falling victim to dangerous tendencies when it comes to your emotions? These tendencies tend to occupy both ends of a spectrum, and they can lead you into a superficial kind of Christianity, where you let your emotions lead you, and you allow your feelings to dictate your circumstances and choices and that’s how you form your thoughts about God, based on you putting your feelings before your faith!

You are not just call to be men and women who can merely define repentance, but rather a man or woman who hates sin and love righteousness. Get the Word of God in your spirit so that you will know it when you need it, and yes it’s good to memorize scripture but just memorizing it isn’t enough, if it doesn’t produce a change in you, humbleness, a desire to be like Him and love, for God, then it’s superficial, it’s only on the outside and nothing has reached your insides. It’s not enough for you to have knowledge without deep affection it is just lifeless! Scripture calls you to feel what you believe, who not only knows truth but has experienced the truth.

There is an order to this, your feelings and emotions must be governed and guided by truth of God’s Word! If you follow your feelings over your faith, then you have missed the connection that God’s revelation is designed to make between your head and heart! It’s a matter of your heart! The key is not to pursue your feelings themselves but to pursue the Lord Jesus Christ by looking to Him, to know His Will and Ways, to obey His commands and to accept His promises, and you need Faith to is what gives birth to feeling to accept what He is doing and this is where your feelings art birth so that you can experience Him.

Sometimes you find yourself afraid when you face the unknown and fear will try to make you feel something that is not real, but it’s in these moments when God calls you to “fear not” for the relief from fear is not found in ignoring what lies ahead, but in looking to the God whose Sovereignty is certain and whose promises are sure. It is when you seek the Lord and ground your faith in Him that our fears and feelings are overcome by the Word of God (Psalm 34:4)! Lift up your head for your faith is tied to God’s character and promises to you!

God created you to experience emotions, He says that there is a time to weep and laugh, to mourn and dance, to hate and love, these emotions are found in His Word, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, but He does not want you to live out of them, experience them, but live by faith and trust His Word! God’s Word will transform your emotions so that your faith is stronger than your feelings and you are not leaning on your own understanding, but you acknowledge His Word in everything, Proverbs 3:5-6! Now you are operating from faith and not feelings!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father, teach me to trust You and Your Word more. Father, I know that the assurance of my salvation is first and foremost based on Your mercy and grace, so I’m fixing my eyes on You by faith, and I find in You, life, death, and resurrection all the hope necessary for me to stand before the You and to know You alone Father is my surety! Father, your Word and my Faith in You is what transforms me from one who use to operate from my feelings and being in despair over my sin, into a person who sing the praises of my Savior who has delivered me from my transgressions and to living a life of Faith. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean
Have A Great Weekend…

Luke 1:18-20,62-64 NIV ~ “Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” [19] The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. [20] And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” [62] Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. [63] He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” [64] Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.”

God silenced Zechariah until he could speak from a place that could actually testify to the Power of Jesus Christ from personal experience. He knew that on this day, Zechariah would walk into the temple out of duty. But He also knew he would walk out with something much more powerful; the faith that comes from an encounter with God. God is going to silence you until you learn to believe and behave like you know him!

It isn’t just about the people; it’s about the Person and Presence of God! It’s not only the law; it’s about His love. Today, lift up your eyes, to God. Don’t go to God any kind of way, make sure you desire to be with Him! The living God has given you a story and a voice to speak of Him; may your lips and your lives tell the story for the rest of your days.

Do you ever wonder why God would choose now, of all times, not to respond to you. It’s in the silent seasons that you hear God the clearer! When you commit to being quiet, silence helps you begin to notice all of the things inside that God has desired to come out– both positive and negative. Silence will help you recognize, and reckon with, what is disrupting your peace.

God deposited a gift seed on the inside of you, and because you didn’t believe what He said He silenced you, because you were looking at your natural life, your natural circumstances and God needed you to see and believe in the supernatural. God caused you to become silent until your gift could come to full maturity, so that it would survive and not die!

God has given you a place where you could conceive. It was in this area and at this moment that conception took place, because God has something for you to do. God deposited His gift on the inside of you, but it’s your responsibility to bring it forward, to bring it to pass, to push it out! It’s just like a woman having a baby m, the seed was planted, and it took 9 months for the baby to grow and develop before it could be born and the woman had to push to bring it forward!

It’s your delivery date! You received your word that will cause you to push out your gift, after you have learned how to be silent! It’s in your silent season that your baby is formed and developed. God had to keep you silent so that you would not miscarry or cause an early delivery! Thank God for closing your mouth! It was just delayed for proper growth, you weren’t denied, now it’s your due time and today is your delivery date! Embrace the silence and see God!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father, I’m rejoicing over what you have given me to birth! May I be faithful and committed to what You have entrusted into my care. Father I’m repenting for not believing You the first time that You told me what You were going to do! But today I’m rejoicing because You are the God of another chance and I’m grateful! Father, I repent for not believing what You said because of my current situation! Help me to take my eyes off of me and put them on You in every area of my life. Father take my eyes off of me and place them on You, so that what you put on the inside of me can come forth! In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean

Matthew 15:10-14 AMP ~ “After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said, “Listen and understand this: [11] It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” [12] Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard you say this?” [13] He answered, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be torn up by the roots. [14] Leave them alone; they are blind guides [leading blind followers]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

You were created in the image of Jesus Christ to be strong, yet gentle and powerful yet humble, you were created to be your own self, just like He created you and then formed you on the day He decided it was time for you to be born! You had no input in this decision, no opinion or comment! So, why no you feel like now, you can say whatever you think? For it’s not what you put in your mouth, it’s what comes out your mouth!

The Word of God intentionally tells you to be quick to hear and slow to speak, this is on purpose, (James 1:19), it’s to protect you from you, for as you don’t always know what to say or what to do, (Roman 7:19-20.) And when your flesh is roused up, your mouth can and will say some stuff that you can’t put back in it. You need to be mindful of your words. This is why it is so important for you to feed your spirit man with the Word of God, so that when you speak, wisdom comes forth, love is heard, and kindness is felt! It’s all in what you think. Think on the God and the good that He has done for you!

God designed you with all of His intricate details and to fulfill a divine purpose for His Kingdom.  (Psalm 139:14.) God created you with passion and fire on the inside of you, that’s what inspires you, to keep pushing, pressing and praying for a better day! However, there is one thing that can destroy all this positivity in your life, your thoughts, what you think and say about you can sabotage what God put on the inside of you! (Proverbs 18:21!)

Don’t base your identity on what anybody has to say about you, except Jesus Christ Himself, He knows the real you, the one that you try to hide from every chance you get. Let her/him out, it’s time to stop defiling yourself and walk in your newness, speak life! Today, I want you to get this in your spirit, your identity is secure in who God says you are. When He says that you are His beloved, believe it! God see’s you as the apple of His eye, Psalm 17:8!

God cherishes you, not because you did something or gave something, but just because He simply loves everything that He made and that includes you! Your identity is formed by what you say and believe about yourself, remember you are who and what you think! That’s right, you are what you think! That’s why the Word of God tells us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, and things that are praise worthy, these are the things that you are to think about, Phil. 4:8, and when you put this on the inside of you, then good things come up out of you!

You have to be mindful of what you say about yourself and what you allow others to say about you and you take it into your mind and think on it! Stop playing that worthless old song in your head, take it off of repeat and think about how your Maker sees you, you are one of a kind, an original and you are precious and more valuable than anything that God made, you were created for a unique purpose that no one else can fulfill but you! (1 Peter 2:9)

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Thank You for designing me the way You did, I am fearfully and wonderfully made by You for You, Psalm 139:14! Father, keep my mind stayed on You and that I’m filling myself up with Your Word, that I might not defile myself! Father, I’m praying for the strength to consciously think on Your Word at all times and to choose my thoughts so I can breathe life into the purpose You have designed me to do. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean

Amos 2:10-16 ERV ~ “I was the one who brought you from the land of Egypt. For 40 years I led you through the desert. I helped you take the Amorites’ land. [11] I made some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. People of Israel, it is true.” This is what the LORD said. [12] “But you made the Nazirites drink wine. You told the prophets not to prophesy. [13] You have become more than I can bear. I am bent low like a wagon loaded with grain. [14] No one will escape, not even the fastest runner. Strong men will not be strong enough. Soldiers will not be able to save themselves. [15] People with bows and arrows will not survive. Fast runners will not escape. People on horses will not escape alive. [16] At that time even very brave soldiers will run away. They will not take the time to put their clothes on.” This is what the LORD said.”

The streets and society are filled with wickedness, and some may think that the injustice is winning. (But it’s not!) Jesus told you in His Word to pray for the kingdom to come! Pray that God’s Will that is happening in Heaven in the present will be carried out on earth in the present! You are to pray that the righteousness of heaven will fill your streets and society.  So, this is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, we pray that your name will always be kept holy. [10] We pray that your kingdom will come- that what you want will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven. This is your command” (Matthew 6:9-10). Amos decreed justice for the wicked nations that surrounded Israel and Judah.  He declared judgement.  And you will declare that the Kingdom comes in power!

Since Israel wanted to act like those who don’t know God, they would be treated like those who don’t know God. If anyone should have known better than to do the kind of things listed above, it was those who had received God’s Holy Word. Have you received and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Then now you know the Word and you are accountable for every letter and Word in it! The message here in Amos 2 is not just about history but it should resonate with you and remind you of the consequences of denying God’s authority and guidance. For a moment you need to reflect on yesterday’s devotion, Joel 2:13, it’s time to rend your heart! The Israelites encouraged the prophets to be silence and caused the Nazarite’s to engage in willful rebellion. A Nazarite was an Israelite that made a voluntary vow to dedicate themselves to God. There were things that they were not to do, and drinking was one of them, and yet they did it anyway! As they were led astray and did what was wrong! (Who are you leading down the wrong path, and you know it’s wrong?) The weight of sin is too heavy of a load for you to bear, that is why God said to cast all of your burdens on Him, Matthew 11:30!

This heavy weight they bore was just a foreshadowed of the inevitable suffering they were going to endure because of their disobedience. This is about your personal accountability and responsibilities to adhere to God’s guidance in your life. In this scripture, you can see that God’s patience has limits, and when you consistently ignore God, you will face repercussions. For the very essence of God’s justice is emphasized and you need to be fully aware of this one thing, that unrepentant sin cannot and will not go unaddressed! God demands repentance and righteousness from His elect. When you are chosen by God, you become one of the elect, the chosen. And God did not excuse Israel from living lives of justice and righteousness. The same thing applies to you, you are called to live Holy and Righteous lives (Romans 6:19, 22!) As God has taken the initiative in creating the elect nation, He will also take the initiative in disciplining them and you too! Yes, you might think that you are smart and all, you may even have a skill or two like them, but there is no one with enough of anything that can compare to God!

The Israelite army were in route for a battle and in verse 14, Soldiers are described in terms of their military specialization. A swift soldier refers to one who could run fast and could escape defeat, a strong soldier is one who could prevail in battle. And then in verse 15, you have four military specializations themselves, there is the mighty (the heavy infantry in the main line of battle), the archer, the swift of foot (light infantry), and the cavalry, but even they were not courageous enough to stand up against God, their weapons were nothing compared to God! As you can see there is nothing that you have or can do, that will ever come close to being compared with the Power of God! There are no human skills that can overcome God’s punishing wrath! You need to repent while you still have the time, while you still have breath in your body, and you are in your right mind.  There is no better time than right now to Rend your heart and Repent, that you may be Reconciled back to God, through His Grace and Mercy!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You! Father, I come repenting right now of my sins while the blood is running warm in my veins. Father, I come to You for You are all I have, and You are enough! Father today clothed me and establish me in Your Holiness and Righteousness. Father I need to be awakening that I may hear and see You with greater clarity and depth! Father I’m praying for my streets and my society that Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, in the Name of Jesus! Father, help me to work and to work well with the people in society, may I be a bright light, lit by You that will draw others out of darkness and into Your Marvelous Light. Father, groom me to be a person of honor and to respect to all people. Father, I need to be transformed by Your Transformational Power.  Father, Thank You for bringing me from where I once was were and moving to where I am supposed to be. Father I know that You have orchestrated my history and those that I will encounter on my journey called life. Father, help me and keep me from being consumed or caught up in any sins of wickedness. Father, I pray that all who read and pray this prayer will take heed of the Word of God, for we are not only hearers of the Word, but we are doers! Father, I repent right now that I may not be crushed by the effects of me not repenting and being weighed down by sin. Thank You for the opportunity to repent. Father may Your kingdom come with force, conviction, and clarity that my repentance will run so deep and wide that everything and everyone around me will be transformed and looking just like Your kingdom.  Father, You are my hope, have mercy on me in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean

Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV ~ “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, [21] to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

God is not bound by your human limitations and can do far more than you can ever imagine! Don’t put limits on God, for He is the God of exceedingly abundance!

Have you ever wanted someone to do something for you, but you were afraid that they wouldn’t or couldn’t do it, so you just settled for the little that was being given? You did not believe that you could have more, so you settled. Do you know that sometimes you treat God just like this? You are afraid to ask for what you really want. What are you want God to do for you today? First do you believe that you can have what you are asking for? “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart, but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Mark 11:23!

Today, be encouraged in your heart and expand faith by believing that God’s power and ability are limitless in you and for you. God is saying to you, “stop putting restrictions on what I God can do for you and in your life.” He has the ability to accomplish that impossible thing, because He is the God of all possibilities, He has all Power in His Hands! “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27!

Don’t be afraid to ask your Heavenly Father for what you want. Step out in Faith and believe that your God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think, according to His Power that is at work on the inside of you! I know that there are things that you need, but today don’t focus on that, focus on the “One” who is able, the “One” who has the Power to do, the “One” whose Power is on the inside of you, the “One” who is the main Power source, and remain connected to Him! Draw nigh unto Him and see how He draws you into Him and gives you peace and your desires!

There is some untapped potential in you, that God wants to bring to out of you! God wants you and others to see His Mighty Power at work within you! Your part with is to allow God, to accomplish what He wants to do in you, through you and for you! The word accomplish means; something actually gets done. This isn’t a maybe it will happen, this is a for sure real deal. And on top of this, He wants to do infinitely more, are you wondering how He can do even more? This is where His Mighty Power shows up and off in you, it’s where the Super meets the natural and becomes Supernatural and it’s where His Extra meets the ordinary becomes Extraordinary!

There are no restrictions today on what God is going to make happen for you, when you believe! It’s going to happen for you in the Supernatural and the Extraordinary! This is the place where you don’t even have the ability to ask or even think through what He can accomplish through you when you yield to His Power. Just know that you are in route for a divine encounter with God!

Today, I want you to know, to remember and to remind yourself often and every day of who God is to you, so that you never forget that the God that you serve is able to do far more than anything you can ask for or imagine! You want to see a change in your life regardless of how it looks to your natural eye, then asked God for that Big thing and see what happens! Move throughout this day knowing that you are empowered and connected to the right source, because you are connected to Jesus Christ!

Let’s Pray
Father, Thank You! I choose to be empowered by You today! I trust You and I believe that You are going to perform a miracle in my life today. I know that You are able to do exceedingly far more than I know to ask for today because You love me. I’m in great expectations of what is getting ready to happen in me when Your Supernatural and Extraordinary shows up in me, oh what a the testimony I will to share with someone else, because of what You have done in me today, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean

Matthew 20:16 NKJV ~ “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

In today’s culture, people are defined by their social and financial status! If you have a lot, you are first and if you have little then you are last! But what did Jesus mean about this in the Bible? Jesus said that the lonely, the poor and the sick will be the first to in Heaven. Do you think it is because they lack the distractions that the successful person has, such as money and a tad bit of too much pride to go with it? People are taught to focus on worldly success to such an extent that if our majors do not equal financial success, they are dismissed. Just because you have more than somebody else does not mean that you are going to Heaven first! You need to check yourself!

Matthew 20:16, “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

Matthew 19:30, “But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

Mark 10:31, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Luke 13:30 NKJV, “And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

As you can see in three of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, they are telling you to be mindful of always wanting to be first! Sometimes you just need to learn how to tarry, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but a the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry! Habakkuk 2:3! and wait on the Lord! “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:14 NIV!

As the Gospels have stated at some point or another you have just been focused on being first! Even after hearing what God says, you are still contemplating wanting to be first and not last! No one wants to be last! You want to be first at the store, first in line, or even first to church, (or do you want to be the last to come, so that you can be the first to leave?) but why? Ecclesiastes 9:11 NKJV – “The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong” Ecclesiastes 9:11a), What was your motive? What is your heart’s desire? Does it really serve you a purpose to be first? What did you accomplish? Only you can answer these questions for you. Just a little nugget to help you, perception is how you see yourself and perspective is how you view everyone else because of how you see you! Are we trying to be first for your own gain or image?

God said the last will first, and the first last, in Matthew 20:16, but He said something very important after that, He said, “for many are called, but few are chosen.” Which one are you? Did you call yourself to it or did God handpick you and choose you for it? If you picked you, I would step down until He chooses you! When you are trying to be first, is it for others to see you? To see what you are doing, (and as you say, it’s for God, but you are enjoying that spotlight aren’t you?) If you are doing it for God, He will reward you and others will see it without you making a sound! I just want you to know that God your thoughts, your motives your reasons and He knows and sees your every move. You might fool people, but you will never ever be able to fool God!

Most people believe being first means being fast, but the race that you are running doesn’t call for you to be first or fast, you are just called to run your race and run it for God. Hebrews 12:1. As a matter of fact the prize you want isn’t the one that man made, you want the one God made, for it will not rust or tarnish, it’s an eternal prize, with benefits from your Father! 1 Corinthians 9:25! Those who are humble and followers of Jesus will make great sacrifices for the gospel and sometimes you have to be willing to go last! God’s ways are equal and equally gracious, and you should be humble and thankful for that kind of grace!

Yes, are on borrowed time but God wants you to take your time and understand that being last is okay. This race calls for you to be steadfast in your faith and in His Word. It’s time for you to focus on what God called you to do and not on how fast you will get it done or if you will finish first because there is always something that God needs you to do. God wants you to enjoy your moments, smell the flowers along the way, check out a sunrise and a sunset, take in and give a smile, this will encourage your heart along the way!

Have you ever been to a track meet, you’ll see the person in last place never stops running, never changes lanes, and never slows down. Instead, they pace themselves, keep their heads up, and keep running until they reach the finish line. You see when you learn how to pace yourself in your race this happens to you and for you, Romans 5:3-5 NIV, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Don’t worry about what someone else is doing in their lane, stay in yours and focus. It may take you two years to complete your assignment and take someone 2 months to complete their assignment, it doesn’t matter when everything is done for the Kingdom of God and His Glory! It will all be just fine. You just keep running and going until God says it’s over and pace yourself for the course that He has set in front of you. Set your pace and find your lane and stay in it!

Think about this the next time that you are trying to hurry up and be first, let me tell you what these scriptures actually mean, those who are considered to be first in this life will receive condemnation in the afterlife, while those who are considered to be last will receive a great reward in heaven! Which one do you really want?

Let’s Pray:
Father, thank You! Thank You for building up my character in You! Thank You for the vigor and stamina to run my race and to run it with You in mind. Father Thank You! Father, I praise Your Holy Name, Thank You for saving me when I was lost. Thank You! Thank You for setting my path and pace in place to see You. Teach me how to run with endurance and resilience to move past everything that would try to hinder or derail me. Father, You are backbone of my success and I’m grateful to You for everything! Father, I’m blessing Your Name on my good days and on my challenging days, for I know that this too is a part of my race! Thank You for my waiting period, teaching me how to tarry and wait on You as I watch and walk carefully. Father help me to be patient and to not want to always be first! Help me to be conscious and consistent and let others go before me today! Father grow me in every area of my life. Thank You for pouring out Your love on me in this race call life, I’m pacing myself today and I’m okay with not being first, just as long as I know that I have a home with You, for I was chosen by You! Father, I choose to run my race with Heaven on my mind, my eternal prize! In the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean