Put it into Action

“And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.”(Philemon 1:6, NLT)

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The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. If we don’t put our faith into action, it’s not really faith; it’s just nice ideas. You see, when God truly does a work in our lives, it affects everything about us. It affects our words, our thoughts and our actions. How do you know someone is generous? By their generous actions. How do you know someone is kind? By their kind actions. How do you know someone is gentle? By their gentle actions. How do you know someone is a follower of Christ? By their Christ-like actions. Can people tell by your actions that you belong to God? We all have areas where we can come up higher, but as believers in Jesus, we can be confident that God is at work in us. He is faithful and will complete what He started. As we invite Him to search our hearts and minds, as we surrender every area of our heart to Him and put our faith into action, He will finish His perfect work in us!

Don't Lose Your Shout

In scripture, Joshua and the people of Israel took over the entire city of Jericho when they obeyed God. Just like He said, they marched around the city for six days and then shouted praises on the seventh day. At the moment they shouted, the thick walls of the city came tumbling down.

Now maybe you've heard this story before, and if you haven't, I encourage you to read Joshua chapter six. Maybe you've been feeling like the people of Israel walking in circles for days. Maybe you aren't exactly sure what's going to happen in your circumstances, so you are just doing everything you can to keep going. I'm sure some of the people doubted. I'm sure they were tempted to quit. But they didn't. They didn't speak against their hope; in fact, they didn't say anything until they lifted up a shout of praise.

I want to remind you today that praise precedes the victory. Just like Joshua and the battle at Jericho, when you lift up a shout of praise, the walls and barricades in your life will come tumbling down. Those walls at Jericho were not small. They were so thick and strong that people lived inside the walls of the city like apartments. Maybe you feel like you are up against some tall, thick walls today. Let me tell you, those walls are no match for Almighty God! When you lift up a shout of praise, that is your battle cry! When you worship Him, He inhabits your praises; and when God shows up, every enemy must flee!

No matter what your circumstances look like, don't ever lose your shout. Don't ever lose your testimony. Don't let the enemy distract you from your mission. Keep pressing forward. Keep believing. Keep hoping, keep praising and keep shouting because there is Victory for all who call upon the name of the Lord!

"And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, 'Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.'" (Joshua 6:16, ESV)

Get Excited about Your Future!

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”(Proverbs 4:18, ESV)

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No matter what is happening in your life today, as a believer in Jesus, you have a reason to be excited about your future! If things seem dark right now, know that the dawn will soon appear. The key is that you have to remember you are not here by accident. You have a purpose and destiny to fulfill, and He isn’t finished with you yet. Your best days are not behind you; your best days are out in front of you. One thing I know is that God is a God of increase. He has greater things in store for your future than you have experienced in your past. His dream for your future is so much bigger than your own. He wants to take you places that you’ve never dreamed and open up doors that you’ve never imagined. He wants to bring talent out of you that you didn’t even know you had. He wants to increase you and cause you to be a greater blessing to the people around you.

Follow the Leader

“...God is with us; He is our leader...”(2 Chronicles 13:12, TLB)

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Who or what are you following today? In other words, who or what has the most influence in your life? Do you make decisions based on what the news says or what someone in your family says? It’s not wrong to get other people’s advice, but what you allow to influence you becomes your leader. Choose to follow God’s commands and let Him be your leader. When God is your leader, nothing can stand in your way! God has promised again and again that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is a good leader, and you will never be alone when you're serving Him. Is there an area in your life that you need direction? Follow your Leader. Is there a decision you need to make today? Follow your Leader. As you submit yourself to Him, He will lead you down paths of righteousness and peace and into victory in every area of your life!

Believe, See, Receive

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
(Mark 11:24, NIV)




Has God spoken things to your heart that haven’t come to pass yet? Anytime you step out to believe God, the enemy will try to distract and discourage you in order to get you off course. But when you hold that promise in your heart, when you picture it in your mind and declare it with your words, you begin to feel more confident. You feel empowered and settled in your heart. You begin to have joy and peace because you know God is working behind the scenes on your behalf.

Today, grab hold of the promise of God and don’t let go! See it in your mind’s eye. Can you see yourself healed? Can you see yourself paying off that last debt? Can you see yourself at your ideal weight? Can you see yourself sharing the gospel with a family member or coworker? Ask the Lord to give you a vision for your future. Believe, see and receive every blessing that He has in store for you!

Draw on His Strength

“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might...” (Micah 3:8, ESV)

Today’s scripture tells us that Micah knew how to encourage himself in the Lord. He understood how to draw courage and purpose into his life. He realized the power in his words and spoke God’s truth to prepare him to accomplish all God had in store. When we declare God’s Word and come into agreement with Him, that is faith in action! Just like salvation comes when we believe and declare what we believe (Romans 10:9–10), all of God’s truth is established when we believe and declare it. (Job 22:28). That’s how we invite Him into our lives! Today, invite God into your life by the words you speak. Draw on His strength by declaring His Word. Declare that He is with you, and He has equipped you to overcome every obstacle you may face!

Consider Your God!

“...with God all things are possible.”
(Matthew 19:26, NIV)

I had a gentleman tell me one time that his business was very, very slow. It looked like he would go under. He owned a small manufacturing company with one main competitor in town, a national company that was bigger with more resources. With the economy down, it made it harder and harder for him to stay open. This man was flexible about what he should do next, but he really believed he was in the business God wanted him to be in. So, he kept praying, believing and hoping; and instead of considering his circumstances, he considered his God. And just when he thought he was going to have to close down, his main competitor had a change in leadership and direction and decided to pull out of this market. Now he’s breaking all kinds of records. Today I want to encourage you. If there’s something coming against you, consider your God. He has a way to meet every one of your needs. You may not be able to beat the competition in the natural, but God can simply remove the competition. He wants to give you His favor. He wants to give you the advantage for success. Trust Him and believe because with God, all things are possible!