Backed Into a Corner?

How often have you found yourself backed into a corner with no apparent way out? Maybe right now you are backed into a financial corner, a relationship corner, an addiction corner, a health corner—your corner can be any place or anything in your life that is creating feelings of fear, discouragement, depression, anxiety.

Often times, your corner becomes your world because it takes over and occupies every moment of your time. Satan uses “corners” to keep us occupied, to prevent us from moving forward in life, to hinder our joy and happiness.

Think with me for a moment. The Israelites had witnessed the hand of GOD miraculously deliver them from Egyptian bondage. They had been set free to leave Egypt and return to their homeland after 400 years of slavery. But then they find themselves backed into a corner.

They find themselves standing at the shore of the Red Sea and then discover the Egyptian military is bearing down on them intent to destroy them. Their corner overwhelmed them and they began to whine and cry to Moses for bringing them out of their bondage only to die on the shore of the sea.

Chances are, you have found yourself in a similar situation—a place where your corner creates an abundance of fear that begins to dominate your ability to even think straight—you begin questioning GOD—even blaming Him at times. Have you ever wondered why GOD continues putting up with us when we get this way?

Notice what happens when GOD shows up. The Scripture tells us: “Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet’” (Exodus 14:13-14 HCSB).

In the midst of their chaotic situation, in their whining and grumbling, GOD shows up and delivers them from the corner they’ve been backed into. The sea opened, they walked through on dry ground and then the sea returned to its place, and covered over and destroyed the Egyptian army. Today, whatever corner you find yourself backed into, you need to realize GOD knows your situation. He knows where you are and what you need. His word to you is “Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation!”

“The Lord will fight for you” and deliver you from your present situation. Trust in Him today. Stand strong against the enemy and his lies and be confident in the ability of your Heavenly Father to set you free. GOD will come through for you and release you from the power of whatever corner you are in today.

Scripture Reading: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 HCSB).

Prayer: Father, at times I find myself backed into corners that create fear and chaos in my life—sometimes these corners are my own creations. I ask you to give me the strength and the wisdom to reach out to You and to trust in Your ability to set me free in the midst of all of them. Help me to set aside my own understanding and to trust fully in Yours, knowing You are my Deliverer! Bless my paths with Your grace and mercy.…In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

Your Moment of Relief Has Arrived!

Life is a challenge! Each new day seems to deliver a fresh portion of new challenges, difficulties and problems to our lives. Some are more difficult than others. There are those times when you feel as though you are all alone—no one to help. You get to the place where you wonder if GOD even cares anymore as your troubles heap up and you feel as though you are being crushed under the weight of them.

David had been anointed king over Israel but he was far from feeling kingly. His enemies, including King Saul, were making his life challenging and difficult. He was being chased across the countryside by those wishing him dead. This went on for a great deal of time. He probably spent many nights crying out to GOD for relief and at times wondering if GOD even cared anymore. But, GOD did care. GOD had a reason for what He was allowing David to go through. GOD was using these difficult times to mold and shape him—to prepare him for the bigger and greater things He had in store.

Finally, the victory came for David. King Saul and those who desired David dead were now dead themselves. David’s moment of relief had arrived. From his relief, he composed a beautiful song we find recorded in 2 Samuel 22. It began like this: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies” (2 Samuel 22:2-4 HCSB).

Instead of blaming GOD for allowing him to pass through so much, he recognized GOD for who He was. He trusted in GOD’s leadership and timing. He knew GOD had a purpose and plan. He knew GOD had much more in store for him than he could imagine at the moment. He recognized GOD’s power and might and found his peace in that.

Today, you may feel like nobody cares. The weight of your problems may be so heavy, so extreme, you feel as though you are dying under the weight of it all. Your moment of relief is coming! GOD hears your cries for relief, for deliverance, for peace. Your problems will soon become victories as GOD begins to deliver you from them. Soon, you will shout with victory: My moment of relief has arrived! My GOD has delivered me and set me free. I am now better prepared to fulfill GOD’s plan and purpose in and for my life!

Trust in GOD. Do not struggle in your own strength but trust GOD. David found deliverance from his daily troubles by trusting GOD. Don’t allow discouragement to set in; rather set your eyes upon the victory that is coming. GOD delivered David; He will deliver you! Your moment of relief is on the horizon!

Scripture Reading: “The course of my life is in Your power; deliver me from the power of my enemies and from my persecutors. Show Your favor to Your servant; save me by Your faithful love” (Psalm 31:15-16 HCSB).

Prayer: Father GOD, my protector and my deliverer, I put my trust in You! I lay my problems and difficulties down before You and trust that in Your perfect time, my deliverance will come. But until that time, I pray that You will grant me Your strength to overcome and help me to not become discouraged but to keep my focus upon Your greatness always! In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

Contain Yourself!

I often wonder how many murderers sitting in prison today wish they had that one day to live over again. How many wish they could have a do over? As they look back on that day and consider how they could’ve contained themselves better so the crime would have never taken place. A major contributor to murder is uncontrolled anger.

You might say, well I’ve never killed anybody, I have control over my anger! But, how many times have you, in your anger, said things you wish you had never said? How many times have you done something to someone you wish you could take back? How many times have you wished you had contained yourself better and just walked away and taken a breath?

The first murder recorded in the Bible was a result of uncontrolled anger. We read: “So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast” (Genesis 4:5 NIV). The LORD quickly set out to correct the situation before it became volatile by providing a means of escape for Cain: “The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (vv. 6-7).

The LORD warned Cain that sin was crouching at his life’s door desiring to be loosed so it could rule over him. As I look back at my life, I see many times when I had an opportunity to take the right action but opted for what was wrong. As a result, I said or did something that brought regret later. You have probably done the same thing in your life at some point in time?

Paul warns us to take control over our anger. In Ephesians 4:26-27, he tells us: “Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity” (NIV). While he doesn’t condemn our bouts of anger, he does warn us to contain it; otherwise, it will control us. When we allow anger to take control over our lives, we give the devil an open opportunity to control us and from that sin will spring forth which will lead to great regret at a later point.

As Cain was sent out as a wanderer, how often did he wish he had contained himself better and followed the warning of the LORD? How many nights did he sit by the fire crying over the damage created by his choice to allow sin have dominion over him? Maybe you are reading this and reflecting upon something you have done that you wish you could take back—something said, something done? Maybe you need to seek forgiveness from someone today? Maybe you need to get things right?

I encourage you to find peace in your heart and life by taking care of the past wrongs you have committed. And, as you move forward in life, learn to contain yourself and take authority over your anger to prevent yourself from doing things you will regret later.

Broke and All Alone?

Have you ever found yourself wondering how GOD could want anything to do with you? You stumble and fall constantly in your attempt to walk a Christian walk? You feel as though you have let Him down over and again and you just start wondering if you are even worthy to be called His child any longer?

Jesus told a story recorded by Luke about a son who decided it was time to let his hair down; time to live it up. He wanted everything that he had coming from his future inheritance right then. He told his father he was tired of being around the old home place and was ready to spread his wings and move on. Maybe that is a reflection of you?

He lived it up for a while; had a lot of friends; was blowing money on everything for everybody; having a great time doing everything he had ever dreamed of in the past. But, one day, the money ran out, the friends disappeared and he found himself broke and all alone. He soon found himself in the pig-pen eating alongside the pigs. The frivolous living finally caught up with him and he felt he was done.

As he began to come to his senses, he remembered what he used to have back home. He remembered that even the servants were living much better than he was now. So, humbled by how miserable his life had become, he headed home. The Bible tells us: “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’ But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet’” (Luke 15:20-22 Message).

Maybe that is you or someone you know today? Life has become a pig-pen of destruction? You have ventured so far away from GOD you see no way of ever returning. But, GOD is waiting for you with open arms. He is waiting to run to you. He can’t wait to put the family ring back on your finger and tell you He forgives you and welcomes you back home excitedly.

It’s time for you to come home! The father exclaimed: “This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!” (Luke 15:32 Message). It’s time to come back to the real life found only in Jesus Christ!

Hungering for Truth!

A hungering for truth has settled in on our society these days. The media is spouting out what it wants people to hear and believe on every street corner. Lies and deceit have become commonplace as people shuffle to gain popularity and positions which will place them in authority.

A hungering for truth has settled in on the church as well. So many are going in seeking truth and hope and coming out dry and bare. Too many pastors have shirked their responsibility of proclaiming truth choosing rather to appease and satisfy with mini motivational messages.

I’m reminded of Luke’s account of Jesus meeting up with the disciples on the road to Emmaus the morning He was resurrected from the dead. He found them overwhelmed by the events that had transpired over the weekend. The crucifixion and burial of Jesus, then going to the tomb and finding He was not there.

Jesus showed up out of nowhere and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 CSB). Later that day, after discovering it was Jesus teaching them, “They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'” (Luke 24:32 CSB).

The disciples were hungering for the truth of the Word just as people sitting in pews across America are doing every Sunday. What is the difference? Jesus opened up the truths of the Word and fed their hungering hearts while a large number of pastors are simply sounding out soothing, motivational speeches which are lacking in any truth, help or hope.

To satisfy the hunger of the people, pastors, preachers and teachers need to readjust their sights and focus upon the Word. Lay down the books, pick up the Bible and feed its truths to the people in the pews who are hungering for truth.

While churches have a responsibility to feed us, we also have a responsibility to injest the Words of Truth through our own study as well. Even churches that are feeding you well are not feeding you enough. You eat physical food daily; you should be eating spiritual food every day as well. Get into the Word and pray the Spirit of Truth to illuminate the Words of Truth so your spiritual hunger may be totally satisfied.

Faith in the Only One!

So many believers have been deceived into thinking that GOD’s will for believers here on earth is to be prosperous as the world conceives prosperity. Proponents of this false idea claim that a child of the King should be prospering like a king’s kid, again as the world conceives of prosperity.

I am grieved when I see confessing believers posting pics of piles of money on Facebook claiming an abundance of wealth for themselves and anyone else that says, “AMEN!” to the post. Yet, when I consider Jesus as He was walking on this earth, He had nothing worldly to claim as His own. He never owned His own home or donkey or anything for that matter.

I know for a fact He would never have been duped into saying “AMEN” to a pile of money; rather, He spoke about the troubles wealth created for those trying to walk a Christian walk while shackled to wealth. So, why have so many been duped into believing GOD’s desire for them is to gain extreme wealth here on earth in light of Jesus’ response to it?

Jeremiah 29:11 is often abused in its true meaning, again for worldly prosperity. The verse reads: “For I know the plans I have for you-this is the Lord’s declaration-plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (HCSB). The true intent of the verse lies in understanding the context of the verse; the fact that GOD was speaking to the Jews as they were under Babylonian captivity. He was assuring them He would not forget them. He was assuring them He would deliver them and give them a future and a hope.

Today, GOD continues to speak words of life to His people. His words of hope and encouragement are resounding today in the midst of all the chaos and calamity of the world around us. From the believer being held prisoner in Siberia for sharing his faith to the believer in the Middle East loosing his head for his faith on to the believer in America standing firm in the faith, holding on and fulfilling GOD’s plan for His life, the words of hope and an eternal future are resounding.

It is that faith that keeps one going. Not a faith in the things this world is offering for the world’s wealth is passing away but a faith in the resurrected Christ and the salvation that comes through faith in Him alone. As John 3:36 says: “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him“ (HCSB). GOD’s words of a hope and future for those who hold on to the end is eternal security with Him.

Too Caught Up in Today to Make a Difference for Tomorrow?

I recently stumbled across the following quote from Pablo Picasso: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” In light of it, I began to consider eternity very seriously and the busyness so many get caught up in. In talking to fellow believers concerning their eternal responsibility to share Christ here and now, the normal response revolves around their lack of time right now because they are so busy.

I have discovered that many believers are too caught up in today to make a difference for tomorrow. The busyness of today has obstructed their vision of what tomorrow really holds. I will serve Christ tomorrow! I will do more for the Lord soon! I will share Jesus more as soon as I get the time.

Sad truth is, time is slipping away so quickly, most never get around to fulfilling their obligation as a follower of Jesus because tomorrow never comes. The tomorrow that does come is spoken of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10, where he sends out this stern warning to all believers: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad” (HCSB).

How many will be standing before Him empty-handed? Will you? You won’t be taking your great riches, your fine auto, your nice home, your big boat or anything else you wasted your life away earning and pleasuring yourself with. All the great times you had enjoying your life will be worthless as you stand before Him to answer for what you did that really mattered.

What does matter? What will matter? What will make a difference? The only thing that matters on that day are the individual people that you shared the message of salvation with. Did you feed the hungry? Did you help the needy? Were you Jesus to others when you were on the earth? That’s it! It doesn’t matter what anyone else did on that day; only what you did will matter.

Many live with the idea that once they have made it in this world, then they can better focus upon the commands of the Lord to be witnesses. Abraham Lincoln said: “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Have you gotten too caught up in today to make a difference tomorrow? We all have a responsibility that will require an accounting. Paul clarifies what it will be like on that day in this way: “each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 HCSB).

As you consider your future, consider the future that really matters, your eternal future! Don’t allow yourself to get so caught up in the urgency of your life here on this earth; rather, get caught up in the urgency of the mission of winning the lost while you still have time!

Struggling Through Life?

Do you find yourself struggling through every day of your life? Maybe feeling like you really didn’t sign-on for all the problems and difficulties you encounter daily? Perhaps thinking all this should’ve left me when I surrendered my life to Jesus as my personal LORD and Savior?

Perhaps you haven’t truly “surrendered” your life to Jesus? Perhaps you have never been taught what it means to be a true follower of Christ? Unfortunately, churches are full of individuals just like that; those who respond to an invitation call, pray a prayer of repentance and for forgiveness of sins and it ends there.

The fact is, your new life started there, but no one took you any further, no one showed you the next step. It’s not your fault, churches have been failing new converts in this way for a long time and for that I am very sorry. It grieves me to see the number of baby Christians running around churches today.

In Mark 8:34-36, Jesus summoned “the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life?” (HCSB).

Being a follower of Christ involves a maturing process. Too often, I see churches filled with baby Christians; those who have been saved for a very long time. However, due to a lack of proper training in the Word, their Christian maturity level remains childlike. Jesus summons new converts to become “followers” by denying self, taking up the cross and truly walking in His footsteps; becoming Christlike in all your ways.

Doing so seems like it would create more struggles for your life. But when you choose to follow the path of Christ, you learn to take your eyes off of this world, you set your sights on things with eternal value. You find the cares and problems of this world loose their blow as you begin to walk by faith and follow a path of righteous living; allowing Jesus to direct your steps along the way.

As you learn to walk by the Spirit you find yourself being led by the Spirit and discovering your life is producing the fruit of the Spirit rather than the works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-26). You will discover you are no longer struggling through life because Jesus has truly become LORD of your life.

As your life becomes more into tied into Him, you will find victory over the struggles and problems as you begin to proclaim: “Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world” (1 John 4:4) over your life.

Set My People Free to Worship Me!

As I was reading through Exodus recently, this verse popped out at me: “Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go?’“ (Exodus 5:1-2 NIV).

I began considering people I know and hear about who are struggling with personal problems and issues, addictions, serious medical conditions, complications of all sorts. I began to consider the relationship of these problems to this encounter Moses had with Pharoah. For 400 years, GOD’s people had been in bondage to the Egyptians. Every facet of their lives was dictated by Pharoah. They were told what to do and when to do it.

I began to realize the correlation between this captivity and the captivities Satan uses to keep so many in bondage today; to prevent the freedom to worship GOD in Spirit and truth. I see how these problems dictate every facet of an individual’s life.

Recently, I received a call for help from a mom and dad whose daughter has been trapped in drugs for over 20 years; the bondage, the pain, the struggles. I can relate to the pain as I have family members trapped in much the same way and I see their struggles and pain as well.

Maybe that is you today? Maybe you are a mom or dad who has watched Satan destroy your child with addiction problems? Maybe you have addiction issues yourself? Pharoah asked Moses, “Who is the LORD?” Over the next number of days, Pharoah got a taste of the LORD and His awesome power. He witnessed the power of the LORD that brought deliver to His people; that set them free.