Tag: jesus

Good Morning Sunshine! Are You Listening?

1 Samuel 3:10b ~ “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Have you ever thought
that you heard someone calling your name? You looked around and asked did anyone call you, only to hear them so no, I didn’t call you! Then you heard it again and again and you got the same response!

Did you ever stop and think that God might be calling you? I know that you have talked with Him and now He’s speaking directly to you, don’t you know your Father’s voice when you hear it? (The Word say, “He goes before His sheep, and they know His voice and they won’t follow anyone else” ~John 10:4 paraphrased)

Today’s scripture was during the time when the Word of the Lord was rare and there were no visions to see! You had to just trust the Lord. And Samuel kept hearing his name called and he thought it was Eli. But, when Samuel was told it was the Lord speaking to Him, he was told to say, “Speak, Lord for your servant is listening!” Are you listening for the clarion call, He’s going to call you by your name!

Do you remember the cell phone slogan, “Can you hear me now?” The idea was to convince you that their company had the strongest signal and that none of your calls would drop! Think about this spiritually, there is no one that can speak to you like the Lord, the bars of plentiful, the signal is extra strong, His speech is impeccable, there is no error, it’s clear and concise, the issue is not can you hear Him, the question is are you listening closely for His voice today, and what His request is going to be and what will be your response?

Is your signal strong or weak when it comes to hearing what God is speaking to you? Are you faithful or faithless? Do you have a direct line open to connect with God or is it busy? If God were to call you right now, would you be listening and then respond by saying, speak Lord, or will He be saying to you, “Can you hear me now?”

Listen carefully for the voice of God, so when He calls you, you will know that’s Him and you will answer your Father and be ready to do what He says, the first time!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Thank You for speaking directly to me, Father I can hear You in the wind, the rain and the trees, You are a part of everything that I hear! Thank You for Your directions on what I need to do today. Father, speak with me and talk with me all throughout my day. Father, I love having fellowship with You, that’s why I’m going to praise and worship from the rising of the sun to the setting of the same sun! Father, speak to me, for Your servant is listening, waiting and wanting to please You today, in the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! God Is Calling You To Rest! Take Heed!

Mark 6:30-32 NIV ~ “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. [31] Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” [32] So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”

In today’s fast paced world, rest has become a lost art, you are always so busy, and you spend less and less time resting. But now is the time for you to stop and rest! God has caused everything to come to a halt just for you to rest! He knew that you were not going to stop on your own. He needed to assist you in stopping to rest!

You see your day starts at the dawn of sunrise and you extend your energy throughout the day till late at night, until you can see the moonlight. Sometimes it is almost a new day before you collapse for a few minutes until it’s time to get up and do the same thing all over again with little or no rest! And you are wonder why you are so tired, you didn’t allow yourself one minute to come up for air and breathe, and now you feel guilty about wanting to stop, so you don’t stop, until God interrupts you!

God knows you, and instead of you slowing down, you will speed up and move even faster, and you believe that you only need a few hours of rest here and there! But I’ve come to tell you that you need to pull away to a desert place and spend some alone time with your Heavenly Father who misses you! Get yourself to a quiet place.  A place in the wilderness, free of distractions, and let’s be clear, it’s not a wasted place but an isolated place, where you can pray!

I have a question for you, where does rest fit in your plans with all the things that you have to do everyday family, work, ministry and the list goes on and on? When Jesus sent His disciples out, He didn’t stop or shield them from all of life’s changes, ministry, work, challenges, circumstances, issues and disappointments, however He told them, not asked if they wanted to rest, He commanded them, to pull away to a secluded place, away from everyone and everything where they could spend time with Him to be refueled and rejuvenated, they had to rest so that they could continue on with their journey and ministry that they were called to do! I can hear God saying the same thing to you right now, You Need to Rest!

I know that you have been through a lot lately, and you think you have it all together, but there is more to do and you have to rest so that God can continue to prepare you for the more that remains to be done! but God said this, Matthew 11:28 (“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”) And right now, it’s time for you to rest and not feel guilty for taking a minute to regroup and recharge!

I want you to know that your regular routine is being interrupted and you can’t do business as usual. It’s Rest Time! So, I want you to embrace this moment, arise into this new day that God has given you, take a moment and bask in His sun or dance in the rain, He made both of them for you to enjoy, read His Word outside and look at all of His splendor, watch a bird soar or listen to them sing, smell the flowers, walk barefoot in the grass, drink a cup of coffee or tea, sit quietly in His Presence and listen to what He’s saying to you, and listen to understand what He’s saying, and do not respond with what you want from Him! God created this world in six days and then He rested, so you need rest too! Genesis 2:2 ~ “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.”

Today, and throughout the rest of this month spend time nurturing your most important relationship, the one with your Heavenly Father, say yes to Him and His Ways and say no to everything else. Your mind, body and soul need to be refreshed, refueled, recharged, restored, rejuvenated, revived and renewed by His Holy Spirit. And the only way that you can continue growing, moving and serving is to be whole, healthy, and disciplined. So, you have to spend quality time alone with God, surrendering the life He gave you, back to Him, you have to do the submitting, He is not going to force Himself on you. Surrender to submit, this will bring Glory to your Father! Jesus told you to do it, it’s for your good and His Glory!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You for the true gift of embracing rest! Father, I pray that while I rest, You will create in me a clean heart, strengthen me and give me the capacity of endurance for my journey. Father, Thank You for You! Father, I choose You and all that You are doing in and for me during this time of rest. I pray that my mind and body receive strength and that Your peace encompasses all of me. Father, during my time of rest please remove everything from me that’s not like You, purge and purify me as You prepare me for my next level! May my faith and wisdom increase as I spend time in Your Presence. Father, help me to be strong, healthy and disciplined as I do what You have called me to do. And Father, when You command me to pull away and rest, that I will be obedient and that You will fill me with more love, joy, peace, and wisdom. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Your Father Is Turning The Wind In Your Favor! Can You Hear It?

Amos 4:13 (NIV) ~ “He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth — the Lord God Almighty is his name.”

God formed everything and everyone and yet so many times we have opinions about things that we don’t fully understand. Like, the wind! Can you see the wind? Do you know which way it’s going to blow today? No, you don’t, you just have to trust God and go with the flow and enjoy the breeze! Do you feel it? God has caused the winds of change to blow in your direction! As you enter into this new season, you will fill the winds of the Spirit moving over you and propelling you into your God ordained destiny!

John 3:8 ~ “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” When the wind blows, a shaking takes place, you feel the breeze even though you can’t see it, but you got a feeling that the Holy Spirit is up to something big, and you are in awe at what God is doing in your life! Yeah, I know that you are facing some different kinds of battles, and it may seem like our request to God has gone unheard and unheeded.  But God! Today, I want to encourage you, that it has not gone un-noticed, unheard or unheeded, the movement of God’s Spirit, is like the wind, though you may not see it, it’s always moving and there accomplishing its intended purpose.

The Wind of God is free, and it can blow and go anywhere it wants! For this reason, you need focus on God’s Will and not your want! In order to see the kingdom of God, you must be born again, it is not an optional religious experience, but it is an absolutely necessity if you want to be saved! So, if you have been born of God, then you should be a true believer! Just like the wind is moving and blowing, so is the Spirit of God moving on your behalf. God’s Spirit is discerned by its effects and not by what you observe, the Holy Spirit is active yet still it is unseen, but it’s working loudest when it’s silent!

You and I are finite people and we do not know, hear or see everything. But you serve the “Infinite One,” the One who knows, hears and sees everything at the same time, you serve a Gracious God!” God hears and is answering your prayers and sometimes He may say yes, no, or wait. If He says no, He has a better plan than the one you have and if He says wait, He’s perfecting something in the wind for you, just wait on Him.

There is something you should know, you can’t determine where the wind came from, and you can’t determine where it’s going! (Just like your life, you have no control, it’s all in God’s Plan, where you are going and how)! It always looks worse than it actually is and it’s during these moments that God is doing the most work for you. The Lord sees you and He and cares. The Spirit of God is always active on your behalf, but it’s like the mountains and the wind it goes beyond the comprehension of your temporal vision, you just have to stand still and feel it, feel the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing on you!

Have you been born again? Born of the Spirit, you do know that “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63! The Wind of God is blowing and there is a shaking and shifting in your atmosphere, it’s happening in your favor! Be ready to feel the Wind! God’s Spirit is speaking to you through the wind, and it is moving you in whatever direction He wants you to go! Stop fighting against the Wind (The Spirit of God)!

The freedom of the Spirit of God is producing life in you as a born-again child and your will is moving to the moments that your new birth took place! The effects from the sound of the wind changed you and you were made alive by The Spirit of God! Your will was moved to receive Jesus and to believe in Jesus The Christ as your Lord and Savior! Father Thank You for revealing to us who You are! You are the Lord God Almighty!

Let’s Pray:
Father, I Thank You for making it possible for me to know You and experience this amazing life changing wind blowing in my life, pass the mountains, through the darkness and into your marvelous light! Thank You Father! Father, Abba Father, I want to feel Your Wind blowing on and in me today! Father, Thank You for Your breath of Rauch, cover me and every one that is connected to me, for we all need you! Father, help me to embrace the sound, shifting and blowing of Your Wind, Will, Way and Word today! Father, move me to any place You want me, for wherever You are, that’s where I want to be also. I live to be in Your Presence, morning, noon and night, I just want to be near You! I am surrender to Your Will and Way! Let the Power of Your Holy Spirit blow in my life like never before today. In Jesus Christ Mighty Name. Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Time To Rise And Shine!

Acts 26:16 AMP ~ “Get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you [to serve] as a minister and as a witness [to testify, with authority,] not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you.”

Are you ready? It’s a new day, and you have been given new mercy, Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23! It’s time to draw closer to God in a new way today. Now it’s time to arise and stand up! God set the purpose of your life for this day before you began doing the work He called you to do! God knew exactly what He made you for before you were formed! God did not come to see what you would you do for Him; He already knows what you are going to do!

Are you ready for His mission and your purpose? It’s to tell people about, “the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how He has the Power to transform them from darkness into light; and to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to place their faith in Him to receive forgiveness of their sins.”

God set this path in motion for you, and it requires you, you need to adjust you to the plans that God is revealing to you! Remember, God never speaks just because, it’s always for purpose! God has a purpose, and He wants to reveal more to you through His Word, He wants to show you what He is doing, He’s inviting you to join Him in the work He has prepared for you from the beginning! It’s time to seize the moment!

You do know that you are commissioned to share the Good News and to make disciples in The Name of Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:19-20! Are you prepared to meet with God today? Don’t seek to hear from God unless you are ready for Him to tell you exactly what He wants you to do, and you are ready to do exactly what He says to do!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to bring light into this world and defeating darkness! Let Your Spirit guide me to be a witness and share my hope in the gospel and to be prepared to give an account for my hope in Your eternal life and forgiveness of sins through the redeeming Blood of Jesus Christ! In the Mighty and Powerful Name of Jesus Christ! Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Just For A Little While! 

1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV ~ “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. [7] These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Sometimes things come to interrupt you at the most inopportune time, and it can be downright exhausting, but I have come to realize that no matter what life brings, Jesus is all you need! Say this out loud to yourself, For this “I have Jesus.” You can find refuge from life’s care in Jesus, He fully understands your soul’s deep longing. And just know, I totally understand how you feel right now, but when you feel like this, you need to quiet yourself down (count to ten backwards and take your deep breaths in between) and say, For this I have Jesus! And immediately your focus will would return, and you will be centered. You can do this as many times as you need it! 

God uses everything in your life the good, the bad, and the ugly and the not so to produce you! to Once you understand this, your life will begin to make sense. It’s like this, when you come to the end of yourself, you will understand your new self! Stop asking God why, He knows why, just say thank You Lord, You are preparing me for the long run! He is preparing you for eternity! As a believer in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, He is the One who is with you through the fire and the through water, the One who is going to bring you out to a fullness of joy! As you travel through these journeys and you are going through, remind yourself of who you are, you are a child of the Most High God and He got you! 

This that you are going through, remind yourself that it’s only for a little while. So no matter what you are enduring a great trial of affliction, remember, for this you have Jesus! You have found a refuge from life’s care in Jesus, you are hiding in His love divine; He fully understands your soul’s deep longing, And He whispers softly, “Thou art Mine.” For this you have Jesus! Remember God knew you would feel this way even before He formed you in your mother’s womb, Jeremiah 1:5! For this you have Jesus! For this you have Jesus! For this you have Jesus! Repeat this over and over again to yourself and when you look up again you will be  on the other side of the fire. I love you and I’m praying for you and your strength today! 

Today, do something now, and stop looking for perfect conditions, it’s not going to happen in perfect conditions! It’s when I began to do, that God began to show what He had been doing in the background! It’s when you come to the end of yourself that you come to the beginning of yourself! 

Let’s Pray:

Father, Thank You! Father, thank You for Your Word and Wisdom. Father teach me to come to You and believe You and expect You to move in my life and tell me what You desire of me. Father, I want exactly what You want, today and every day. Father, fill me with Your Wisdom and with all the Wisdom I get give me understanding that I will know what to do and when to do it! Father, I want to be in Your Will, for I know that there is no safety outside of Your Will. Father, show me what You want me to do, and I will serve You faithfully for the rest of my life. In the Majestic Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Sowing One!

Matthew 6:1-4 NJK ~ “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. [2] Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. [3] But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Who are you when no one is watching you? Do you have a story to tell others of what you have done for God and others? It’s been said that the best test of who you are is what you do when no one is watching you, it’s during these moments that your true character comes through.

I’m learning that much of what God calls us to do in our day-to-day lives isn’t always flashy and post-worthy, sometimes it’s simply an ordinary act of compassion, no attention or spotlight. Just you and Jesus! Keep your mouth closed, you don’t need to broadcast what you did. The right One saw what you did and why! You will get your just reward!

You can show quiet acts of kindness by simply smiling and helping someone out, these deeds are seen right in God’s eyesight, make sure that you are not doing this for others to see to you. Don’t be an attention seeker, because seeking self-glorification is always a sign of present danger. God tells you if you belong to God, you shouldn’t make a show out of what you do. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven!

As you blossom in your walk with God, keep God in your heart and mind, pleasing Him and being rewarded by Him is the best thing you could ever receive! You may never gather a large audience to see what you are doing, but your service to Jesus is priceless, just keep serving Jesus by serving others, even when He is your only audience, He is the only One that matters, and He will reward you openly for others to see!

Prayer:
Father, help me to love and serve others with a pure heart. The only motive and agenda for my life is to glorify You.  I am your earthly representative here on earth, use me! You are the Most-High God and my desire is to please You in everything that I do. It’s for You and You only, that’s the only thing that will last! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Yep, Jesus Said It! 

Matthew 16:24 ~ “Jesus said… “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Yesterday’s devotion was inspired by my friend Rev. Yolanda, “Do It Because God Said So!” And as I was sharing that with her, she gave me this and its today’s devotional. Thanks Rev. Yolanda! 

When you were younger, did you ever play this game, “Simon Says?” You could only move when the person in charge gave you their approval, and said so, if you just move without them saying Simon Says, you were kicked out of the game! I know I used to be upset when I got put out of the game, I would be trying to reason with them that I didn’t move, when all along I did, I just didn’t want to be out! How many times have you did something wrong, and you didn’t won’t to admit it, you wanted to just keep going. It’s time to stop doing what you say to do and do what Jesus said to do! You don’t have to listen and do what Simon Says, you have Jesus, now do what He says to do! You won’t be kicked out; you serve a God who redeems! And if you have forgotten, you have been redeemed and purchased with the Blood of Jesus Christ! (I know this extra manna is for someone.) Now let me get back to the devotional!)

But to God be the Glory, He is not like man! One wrong move and man is done with you and sometimes it’s forever! But not our God! Because of love, He has given you another chance to obey today! To do it because He said so! Thank You God for Your Grace! Thank You God for not putting us out or giving up on us when we moved too soon or too slow! It’s right here that you should be jumping up and down thanking God, because He didn’t put you out! He didn’t give up on you, even when you gave up on you, He stayed right there with you! He gave you another chance and another chance and another chance when is still giving you a chance to stay in the race! He is more than the God of a second chance, He’s the God of many chances! 

Let’s just look at the three things that Jesus tells us to do in today’s scripture. And no this isn’t what Simon Says,” but rather, “Then what Jesus said” to do: 

1) Turn Around (“let him deny himself.”) You have to deny yourself, it’s not optional! Examine yourself! Repent! And Turn! You have to see things the way God sees them! You have to turn and walk away from the darkness into the marvelous light! You cannot use your own human knowledge and wisdom to accomplish this step, but instead you must be willing to die to yourself and go willingly in faith like a child! 

2) Bend Over and Stand Up (“take up his cross.”) Every day you are to pick up your cross, you have to set down your burdens, and the other things that you tend to think about, that you think define you, lay it down! Taking up your cross does not equal the burden of being you, your identity. You are indeed unique, but each day you should take on something new from Jesus Christ that makes you look like Him and act more like Him! 

3) Now Go Forward (“and follow Me”). Following Jesus Christ is called your sacrificial living! The goal is for you to be moving towards the Kingdom! Towards Eternity, your ever after! When you are moving forward towards the Kingdom, it can only happen when you learn how to put others in front of you! I know this might sound foreign to you, but God said it in the beginning, and it’s written in the Bible, the Ten Commandments, (Exodus 20:2-17) and you do know that they still matter today! You make sacrifices all the time to climb ladders in your careers, for relationships and for any other personal goal that you want to achieve. So why not sacrifice without the ladder and simply do so because Jesus said so! 

God is the only One who will not put you out when you move too soon or too slow. He will never ever give up on you (Deuteronomy 31:8) and while you have breath in your lungs, the time is now to do just that, choose Him! This way when you think you can’t do anything else, you won’t be sitting somewhere talking about what you wish you woulda, shoulda, or coulda done twenty or thirty years ago! Are you breathing this morning? If so, you have time to say yes to Jesus and do what He says to do today! Today is the only day that matters, don’t dwell on yesterday, and don’t worry about tomorrow it’s not here yet, (Matthew 6:34) because and you might miss what He has for you today, right now! 

Are those three things hard to do? No, they are not! The thing is that you can’t do all of them at the same time. You have to take one step at a time. You just have to start right where you are. Surrender your will to the Will of your Father and ask the Holy Spirit to lead the way. And then you just follow Him and when you get over day one, you start over on day two and if you move too quick or too slow it’s okay, God is not going to kick you out, this is where His Grace and Mercy kicks in to help guide you back into your proper alignment! 

Make it your goal to today, to Turn Around, Bend Over, Stand Up, and Go Forward and see where listening to what “Jesus Said” takes you! 

Let’s Pray: 

Father, Thank You! Father I repent for holding onto things in my life that you need me to let go of. Father, I confess right now that I have been holding onto my own thoughts and ideas on the way I think You should work. Father, I want to see the changed in me, today I am purposing in my heart deny my will and follow Your Will. Father, thank You for Your correction, for You chastise those that You love, and I know that You love me! Father, create in me a clean heart and renew Your right Spirit in me. Father, I commit to make the changes that You say in my heart and mind so that it will pave the way to victory in every area of my life. Father, I have faith in You and as I walk through every door that You open, I will be grateful and obedient! Father, I will sow in my time and resources as You instruct me to do. Father, please remove wrong thinking from me when You reveal my thoughts to me, for I am listening to You through Your Word and Revelation. Father, I know that Your plans for me are exceedingly, abundantly above what I can even imagine or plan for, I know that You want good for me and that You have a bright future full of hope, joy, peace and love. Father, today I am praising You and Thanking You that Your will for me is to prosper and be blessed in every way possible! Father I have put all of my trust in You and relinquish my will for Your Will! It’s what You say! In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Do It Because Jesus Said So!

Luke 5:4-5 NIV ~ “When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Luke 5:5 NKJV ~ “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

Have you ever been on the other side of these words as a child? Because I said so.” You asked your mom or dad a question and they said those four words, because I said so! And then you responded, “But why?” and they replied, “Because I said so.” End of discussion! I would be so mad when I heard this. I wanted to know why, why did I have to do it or why did they say no! Either way, I wanted an answer other than because I said so! This meant that I was supposed to simply obey you without an explanation of why! It’s your flesh warring against your spirit! Deny your flesh and let the Spirit of God lead you!

Now, I want to take you back to our scripture and I want you to focus on the words in verse 5, in the NIV and NKJ. The NIV says: But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Because Jesus said so, Simon did it! The NKJ, it says: nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net. Simon simply did it because Jesus said so! You see no matter how you look at it, he did it because Jesus said so! Can you say that you do the same thing?

If you are a follower of Jesus, He expects you to obey whatever He tells you to do, even if it appears foolish to you or to other people! You simply do it because Jesus said so, even if it doesn’t make sense, even if you don’t understand it, you get a nevertheless in your spirit and you do it because Jesus said so! You will be glad that you obeyed!

Did you notice his reaction as you read the scripture? He didn’t argue with Jesus. He didn’t say, excuse me, I’m a fisherman and I know when, where and how to fish. He didn’t question Jesus about Him telling him how to do his job? He didn’t think twice about what Jesus told him to do. When Jesus told him to launch out, he didn’t go seeking for advice, he didn’t get a team together, he didn’t even complain about being tired, he didn’t even try to procrastinate and put it off until tomorrow! He just responded to Jesus with a yes and he simply obeyed!

I don’t know what God has told you to do, but I will tell you this, you need to obey. Isaiah 55:11 NKJV, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Jesus knows better than you and His Word will come to past! Because when you are disobedient, you are only hurting and delaying your own blessings of what God said would happen!

I want you to become a “because God Said So” person so that you can experience all of the blessings that He has stored up for you. They are out in the deep, you are too close to the shore! When God gives you an instruction to do something, stop trying to be analytical and figure it out, His instructions do not have to make sense to you. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)! You just need to follow and obey all of the instructions that He gives you, this is not a pick and choose moment! It’s all of none, 99-1/2 won’t do, it’s 100 or none at all. It’s your choice, obey or disobey!

The Bible has told you that you are in His capable Hand’s. He made you and planned out and purposed your life. So, who are you to talk back to God? “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” (Romans 9:20-21, NIV)! He who made you knows more about you than you know about yourself!

You need to accept the purpose He designed you for! Today, your goal is not to question God but simply to trust and obey Him even if you don’t understand why and even if it’s hard to do. Say this out loud to yourself, “I will accept the way that I am made and the plans that He has set before me, because He said so!” When God says so, you just need to do it, trusting Him in faith. You can trust God because He always knows what’s best for you, He had your interest in mind, when He created that blessing for you, even if you can’t see it right away, it’s there!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father help me to show my love for You by being obedient to what you tell me to do. Help me to do it without question, just simply obeying You, because You said so! “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13.  Father, I long to work out my salvation with fear and trembling in You because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Father, I want to make wise decisions that honor and please You above all else. Father, I need Your Grace and Spirit to empower me to obey, so I rest in You and trust You are working in my regenerated heart. Please give me a hunger for Your Word so that my mind can be renewed to be able to say no to the world and the flesh and yes to You. Thank You for finishing the work You have begun in me. Father You said that I am to obey Your Word and follow Your Ways. Father help me to say yes to You simply because You said so at all times. In the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Will Understand It Better, By And By!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 AMP ~ “Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. [17] For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! [18] So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.”

I can count the times over the past four years that I have duplicated a devotional before; but this one right here, is one that I believe we all need, might not be today, but tomorrow is coming! And you will understand it better by and by!

Yesterday morning in Prayer my friend Prophetess Kenita, said you will understand it better by and by! I immediately thought about my grandmother and what she used to tell me when I felt like I was going through a thing, she’d say, “You will understand it better by and by!” Now, I had no idea what she meant then, but my God, oh how I understand it now! So today, I want you to be encouraged, do not let what troubles or trials that are present in your life now drain you of the eternal hope that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! “Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee.” Job‬ ‭22‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬! It’s in the By and By time that you need to be and done got acquainted with Jesus! (Yes, I know I used incorrect grammar, it was on purpose!)

The troubles that you are walking through should not cause you to lose your faith or hope in your eternal God, but you should recognize that there is purpose in your pain! It was necessary!  Those trials of life are designed to remind you of Jesus Christ suffering, (and you are to take up your cross daily, Luke 9:23); it keeps you humble and away from pride, (because pride comes before fall, Proverbs 16:18) and it shows you how short this life can be, here today, gone today (James 4:12) and it keeps you silent, (James 1:19) it teaches you when to speak and when to listen and it gives God the freedom to show off His Power through your life and weakness (Isaiah 40:29)!

We all know that there is something going on, on every hand, and you might not quite understand it yet, and that’s okay, because everything is designed by God to lead you to the Promise Land, His Eternal Glory, and He is with you, He promised to never leave or forsake you, Deuteronomy 31:8! See your troubles as opportunities for God to be seen in you! Your faith must go beyond the pain that you visibly see, to remind you of the invisible that you don’t see, and to know that God is working on everything for your good, Romans 8:28! Draw your strength from the Word of God, knowing that He knows all things and He’s in control of everything! Get acquainted with your Father and His Word, it’s your oxygen that you need to keep breathing and living!

There is a song written by Charles Albert Tindley, in 1851, “We’ll Understand It Better By and By!”

“By and by, when the morning comes, All the saints of God are gathered home, We will tell the story how we’ve overcome, And we’ll understand it better by and by; Trials dark on every hand, And we may not understand, All the ways that God would lead us, To that blessed promised land, But he’ll guide us with his eyes; And we’ll follow ’til we die,  And we’ll understand it better by and by; Temptation, hidden snares, Often take us unawares, And our hearts are made to bleed, For a thoughtless word or deed, And we wonder why the test, When we try to do our best, But we will understand it better by and by; Chorus: By and by, when the morning comes), Oh, yeah, when the morning comes, All the saints of God are gathered home , (All the saints of God are gathered home), We gonna tell the story how we’ll overcome, And we’ll understand it better by and by…”

I know that you want God to answer you right now, but He will not move on your timeline, you have to wait, and no one knows how long, but God does, and sometimes you just have to wait until the break of dawn comes in the morning! Oh, but there is a better way! Approach the issue with a light touch by viewing it through God’s Revealing Light! And put some space between you and your concerns so that you can see God’s view, His perspective! Because sometimes your sight can be off, and when this happens you can misinterpret the whole thing, so don’t lose sight of God! Everything that is above you is beneath God! So, in the words of my friend, blink twice and look again! And you will understand it better by and by, just hold on to God’s unchanging hands!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Abba Father, Thank You for the morning! Father, keep my eyes on You and not what surrounds me, which so easily besets me because of what I see. Help me to see everything through Your eyes and to know that You are with me through every trial, tragedy, and temptation and to know that everything that I walk through on this side is for purpose. Father, help me to always remember that I live by faith and not by sight.  Father, help me to rise above life’s visible issues to the invisible that is made known to me through Your Word, 2 Corinthians 4:18! Father, help me to persevere through my personal hardships that I may gain an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine, Welcome To A New Monday!

2 Corinthians 4:13-14 ~ “It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, [14] because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.”

Numbers 6:25-26 ~  “The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: [26] The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

It’s a brand-new day, the Monday after Resurrection Sunday, it’s a Monday that you have never seen before, sure you have seen other Monday’s before, but not this one, April 1, 2024, and you will never see this same day again! Now what are you going to do on this brand-new day? You do know that thing that bothered you yesterday, is gone, it didn’t follow you into today, for His Mercy and Peace is New every day, and for proof of your new day, He is going to shine His countenance upon you because He got up and now you can get up! Because He Rose, you can rise up into this new and beautiful day!

It’s a new morning, Easter is now past, I’m sure that you experienced a great Easter Sunday. So, what does the Resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to your day-to-day life? So many people will move on from Easter and see Monday as another ordinary day, unaware of the significance of all that you heard the previous day. Do you want to know why I say this, it’s because of what you do. You will pick up on Monday, where you left off on Thursday, you continue to fight sin in your own strength, and you think the meaning of life lies somewhere outside God’s provision in Christ and battle a nagging fear of death. The resurrection fades into the noise of your life making no discernible impact. Let’s not make the same mistake again this Monday.

Praise God, for today for Jesus Power, Sovereignty and Authority over death has taken place, Thank You! Thank Him for saving your soul. He gave you the greatest gift ever given (II Corinthians 9:15), the gift of salvation and an everlasting relationship with your Almighty God. Today, your new grace and new mercy will help you accomplish what you need to accomplish, and today will be your best day ever! For God says don’t worry about tomorrow for it will take care of itself, (Matthew 6:34), just concentrate on today and have faith in Him! He got you!

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ gives you hope! It’s what oxygen is for your lungs, and hope is the meaning of for your life. As the human organism is dependent on oxygen, so is your life dependent on its supply for hope! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten you again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. There is Hope! Your hope is not in your own ability, or in your goodness, or in your physical strength, but your hope is instilled into you by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Because of what Jesus did on yesterday, you should have hope for a better today and tomorrow. I want you to know this one thing, Jesus’ face is shining upon you, and He will be gracious to you, He will lift up His countenance upon you and give thee peace.”

Let’s Pray:
Father, thank You! Father, this morning I will put all my trust and confidence in You. Father my hope is in You, you are my Resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! May I never despair, as I remember Your triumph and love and gift of hope! Father, I pray that You will accomplish Your purpose in me today. Father, thank You for Your Grace and Mercy today. Thank You for never giving up on me and being consistent and constant. Father, please continue the good work that You have begun in me for Your Glory, for I know that Your Word and love will last long after this day because it’s never ending or changing, Your love is forever! In the Name of Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean