Step Out And Find Out

"When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul." ~Luke 5:4

The only way we ever fulfill our destinies and succeed at being our true selves is to take many, many steps of faith.  Stepping out into the unknown and launching out into the deep water, as we read about in Luke 5:4, can be frightening.

Because of feelings of fear, many people never step out; therefore they never find out what they are capable of.

Each of us needs to obey God when He wants us to step out into something new or challenging.  We are living in the dispensation of grace and many doors of opportunity are open to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.  Make a decision that you will not miss any opportunity that God gives you.  Do what God asks you to do even if you must "do it afraid." Feel the fear and do it anyway!

Many people miss God's will for their lives because they play it safe.  I do not want to come to the end of my life and say, "I was safe, but I am sorry."

"Better safe than sorry" does not always work in God's economy.  If I tried to be safe all the time, I am sure I would not be where I am today.  I would never have sown the seeds of obedience that produced the harvest I now enjoy in my ministry and in many other areas of my life.  Nothing feels better than knowing you are in the will of God -and nothing feels worse than knowing you are not.

I am not suggesting we all start doing foolish things that are unwise, but I know for a fact that not everything God wants us to do makes sense to the natural mind.  You and I must learn to be led by discernment in the inner man (the spirit) and not by our own carnal minds or what other people suggest to us.  When we step out, we should do all we can to be sure that we respond in faith and obedience to God's leadership -and not act on some wild thought we have or on a lie of Satan to try to lure us into destruction.  I encourage you to be willing to go into deep waters for God.  Ask Him to make clear what He wants you to do and then obey.


~Joyce Meyer (The Everyday Life Bible)

Waiting on His Goodness

The wicked flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion.

~ Proverbs 28:1

One of the main reasons people do not pray and that they are reluctant to ask God for what they need and want is that they do not feel worthy. They do not feel good about themselves; they do not feel that they are spiritual enough, so they don’t believe God would listen to them anyway. We all make mistakes and when we do we should receive God’s forgiveness and mercy, which allows His blessings to flow even when we have made mistakes.

When we talk to God and make requests of Him, we must understand our position as sons and daughters of God who are made righteous through the blood of Jesus. Otherwise, we may not hear His voice clearly or perceive His answers accurately. You see, we so often think our righteousness is based on doing things “right”—saying the "right" words, behaving the "right" ways, or having the “right” attitude. The truth is that we cannot make ourselves righteous. We can make ourselves religious, but we cannot make ourselves righteous. True biblical righteousness is not based on what we do right, but it is based on what Jesus did for us. His righteousness becomes ours by faith, and once we believe that, then we progressively display more and more right behavior. But, we must always remember that God answers our prayers because He is good, not because we are. We can approach Him boldly in prayer and expect to hear from Him daily.

God’s word for you today: God will turn your mistakes into miracles if you trust Him and pray boldly.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer

How To Find God's Will For Your Life!

Many people are seeking to find their purpose in life.  What is God’s purpose for them?  Frequently, the desires of our hearts are also the will of God.  How can you find out what God’s will is for your life?  The answer to these questions is of supreme importance, not only for believers, but for God as well.  God wants you to know His will for your life.  A good place to start is in prayer, reading the Bible, and in seeking counsel from Christian friends.

If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ and have not placed saving faith in Him, then you are out of the will of God for He desires that all to come to repentance and faith and to be born-again.  If you are not a Christian, then you will never truly find out what God’s will is for you.  For non-believers, God’s will is for you to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – to repent and ask Him to forgive your sins.

Biblical Purpose for Your Life

The Bible is clear about what God desires from Christians.  God wants us to glorify His Son’s name, Jesus Christ.  He desires that we tell others about the good news of the Gospel.  Apart from these two obvious wills of God for us, what other Scriptures tell us what God wants us to focus on?

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  When Paul says “I urge you” the Greek indicative is to beg or plead with the brothers and sisters.  The word “urge” is more like a desperate plea for your own sakes and in fact the word urge is from the root word for “urgent.”  This means it is of critical importance.  Also, notice in verse two that it says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This renewing is the same Greek word that typifies the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-6).  This is where the Shekina Glory was revealed to Peter, James, and John.

So we know that God desires for us to not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind by the Holy Spirit.  In Romans 1:2 it says, “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  It says that only then, that is after the renewing of the mind and not being patterned after this world, that we can know “his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”  That’s it! This is His perfect will!  God’s will for our lives is that we not be conformed to the world but allow the Holy Spirit to transform our minds and then we can have“what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  How clearer can it be?  That is God’s will for our lives.  It is not for us to be rich, to never be sick, and to not suffer, but to conform to His will and His will is a “perfect will!”  Wouldn’t you expect to know where to find God’s will?  Naturally you can find it in the Bible, because God’s Word to us is the Bible.

So God’s will for our lives is to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, to not be conformed to the world, and maybe even to suffer.  Wait!  To suffer?  First Peter 3:17 says, “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”  Jesus had to suffer more than anyone else in human history and just before Calvary Jesus “fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39).  There it is. Jesus wanted to seek and do God the Father’s will over His own. And what was God’s will for Jesus?  The prophet Isaiah tells us what God’s will was for Jesus just before the brutal Calvary: “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand” (Is. 53:10).  Yes, this was God the Father’s will for Jesus.  His will for Jesus was to “crush him and cause him to suffer” and to make “his life a guilt offering” for those who would believe in Him.  It should not surprise us then that sometimes God’s will is for us to suffer and this suffering is for God’s glory!  I realize that for some who are reading this article about how to find God’s will for your life would not ever think about it being to suffer, but this is from the Bible and the Bible is God speaking to us from His Word (2 Pet. 1:20-21, 2 Tim. 3:16).

Seek Godly Counsel

Another way to find God’s will in your life is to seek the counsel of an adviser, a friend, a pastor, or teacher.  The Bible says that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 24:6b).  Proverbs 11:4b also says that “there is safety in having many advisers.”  The key word in these proverbs is many.  Asking your best friend may not help you find God’s will for your life.  It may be good advice but it may not be God’s will.

It’s not like God is trying to hide His will from us or that He will not help us find His will for our lives.  Just read Ephesians 1:11, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.”  Everything will work out for our best and things in our life will be according to “the purpose of his will.” Romans 8:28 confirms “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Trust God’s Sovereignty

As we read in Romans 8:28, Christians can rest in the fact that God is sovereign over everything that happens in this life.  He directs events, He puts people in our paths, and essentially He enables us to be in the right place at the right time.  Proverbs 21:1 is one of my favorite Scriptures for reassurance when I am praying for God’s will in my life, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.”  If God can direct the king’s heart to “wherever He wishes”, then surely He can direct you to the right employer, to the right woman or man, to the right ministry, or whatever His will is for you.  The key here is that your will must be aligned with His will or you will be frustrated.

We already know that God’s will is for us to not be conformed to this world, to be renewed in our minds by the Holy Spirit, and to seek godly counselors, but He also wants us to know that He is directing your life in His good and pleasing sovereignty for what is best for you (Rom 8:28).  He wants you to trust Him in this directing.  Proverbs 16:33 indicates that “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”  This clearly means that if we cast some dice, God not only knows where they will land, but what their sum total will be.  That “decision is from the LORD.”  The question is, will you trust Him with it?
Daniel 4:35 says “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.  No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”  If God does what He pleases with the nations of the world, and “no one can hold back His hand”, then surely you must know that He can help you find your will for your life which will also be His will for your life.  An important lesson here is that God’s will for your life should be what you are seeking as your will for your life.  You do not want to seek your will unless it is also God’s will. To seek a will for your life that is different from that of God’s will for your life will be a continual frustration.

Aligning Your Will With God’s

The true joy in your life will be finding God’s will for it.  Anything short of this will not be pleasing to God and will not please you in the end.  God’s will for your life is also revealed in these Scriptures.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 John 2:17 “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

God’s Will is Found in the Bible

God doesn’t want to frustrate us in seeking His will for our lives.  As it says in Deuteronomy 19:29,  “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.“  We can see that finding God’s will for our lives is found in the Bible.  His words to us are His Word in print – the Bible.  You will be amazed at how much of God’s will for your life will be plainly revealed to you by simply reading the Bible every day.  God is not trying to hide His will for your life.  That is not His way.  He wants you to know His will and the will of God are in the words of God – in Scripture.

Final Thoughts on Finding the Will of God
God’s will for your life is much more than an occupation (a teacher, a janitor, a painter, an accountant, or a carpenter) – it is for you to live a life pleasing to Him, allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind, suffer for good, trust in Him, live a holy life, and read His Word.  This is the will of God for you and for every Christian’s life.

*Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world.*Be transformed by the renewing of your mind by the Holy Spirit.*Suffer for doing good.*Seek a multitude of godly counselors.*Trust in God’s sovereignty.
*Abstain from sexual immorality.*Live a holy, sanctified life.*Being thankful to God for everything.*Read His Word, the Holy Bible.

Now the question is, will you make His will for your life, your will for your life?

~by Jack Wellman

2013 A Year of Great Grace!!!!

It is being confirmed to me over and over and over again, that this year 2013..... is a year of Great Grace! This is so exciting to me because I feel God is drawing his righteous ones closer to Him in great ways. Get ready to see His abundant grace [ His blessings which is unearned and His unmerited favor -God's full desire for you to succeed in every area of your life] working in your life and the lives of others around you.

I believe this year a lot of people will be saved! People are going to be blessed bigger than they ever imagined this year! Miracles will be seen this year! People will experience financial increase...which means no more debt! People are going to be healed in every way possible..in their bodies, in their minds, and in their households. Relationships will be restored! Businesses will be blessed! There is going to be an abundant outpouring of God's blessings (His Grace!) like NEVER SEEN BEFORE!

So I encourage you, to cling to and believe God that you will see your portion. Activate your faith and do not let anything shake it.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." ~Hebrews 11:1

Apply your faith until it moves from the spiritual realm (the unseen) into the physical realm (what we do see!) Ways to exercise this faith....line up your words from your mouth with the WORD of God! What does the Bible say about what you are having faith in! Find that scripture and say it out loud everyday! "I will receive healing because through the stripes of Jesus I AM HEALED!" "I will receive debt cancellation because I have every spiritual blessing and all my needs are met according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus!"  Let us open our mouths and claim our portion today!

Now let us not forget that for the righteousness of God...Grace will be given not only to cause increase, but also to give us the strength to walk fully into the area or calling God has for us this year! God is directing and placing people into His perfect will for our lives.  So do not doubt or fear! He will give the Grace (the supernatural strength) to do what He is calling us to do! He won't give a task that we are not all ready equipped to do! If he gives something, we all ready have what it takes to see it through by his grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. But most importantly, MORE expectation will be required of his righteous! We are living in the last days! God is equipping His people to be fishers of men. God is equipping ministries and businesses to be the net to draw more people to Him through YOU!!!! Praise God! Halleluia! I am so excited to see what God has in store for this year!

So do not be discouraged. Get excited about receiving from God. Moreover, get excited about moving forward towards fulfilling the purpose God has planned for your life this year! Get excited! Start rejoicing! 

This is the beginning of a Great Change in your life...God's GREAT GRACE is going to be shown abundantly in your life THIS YEAR!


~ Tracey-Acadia Thomas

Do The Right Thing!

Doing what is right occasionally or for a short while will not bring the breakthroughs we need in life.  Second Thessalonians 3:13 exhorts us to continue doing the right thing.  We must do it over and over and over, and when we feel ourselves becoming weary, we should go to God and wait on Him to give us fresh strength so we are enabled by His grace to press through to the completion of His will.

Doing what is right when we do not seem to be getting right results is difficult, but it must be done.  When a farmer plants seed in the ground, he must keep his patient vigil over it until it finally spouts and produces a harvest. It is a process that takes time and effort.  If the farmer gives up on his garden and stops caring for it, he will miss the joy of harvest.

One of Satan's favourite things to do to us is to try to get us to give up! However, God tells us to endure, persist, continue, and finish.  He teaches us to be long-suffering, patient, determined, and steadfast.

My experience has taught me that I often have to treat other people rightly for a long time before they begin to treat me the same way.  I have to do the right thing with a right attitude for a long time before I start getting right results.  Just as natural seed finally takes root and the beginning of a plant breaks through the ground, we also will see breakthrough if we continue to do the right thing, regardless of what others do.

People frequently give up too easily.  When their feelings quit on them, they quit too.  I have learned that I can feel wrong and still choose to do what is right. One sign of spiritual maturity is the ability to live beyond our feelings.  People who are spiritually mature live by decisions made based on God's Word, not on how they feel.  When we advance to this stage of growth we are well on our way to a wonderful harvest that will leave us amazed.

Let me encourage you today: Do not give up; keep on keeping on!

~Joyce Meyers (The Everyday Life Bible)

Experience the Glory Of God!!!!

"The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations, but is now revealed to His holy people, To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of glory." ~ Colossians 1:26-27

Colossians 1:26, 27 tells us that Christ "within and among" us is the Hope of glory. You and I can only realize and experience the glory of God in our lives because Christ is in us. He is our hope of seeing better things.

To experience the Glory of God we must also understand what it is. Glory is the manifestation of God's excellence and goodness.  We all want glory, but we can only hope to experience it because of God's presence in our lives as believers in Jesus Christ.  That is what the Apostle Paul talks about in Colossians 1:27.

Therefore as the children of God, we have a blood-bought right to experience the best God has planned for us.  Satan furiously fights the plan of God in each of our lives, and his primary weapon is deception.  When we are deceived, we believe something that is not true.  Even though it is not true, it seems true to us because that is what we believe.

Much of the time we feel defeated as we look at ourselves and our lack of ability.  What we need to do is remember that Christ in us is our "Hope [of realizing] the glory." He keeps us encouraged enough to press on toward better things.  We limit ourselves when we look to ourselves alone and fail to see Jesus.

In John 11:40 Jesus said to Martha, "Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?" The Lord has destined His church for glory.  Glory is manifested excellence and goodness.  He is coming  back for a glorious church (see Ephesians 5:27). We can be excellent people with excellent attitudes, excellent thoughts, and excellent words.  God's glory can be manifested in us and among us only if we believe it is possible.

However, Christ must live in us; otherwise there is no hope of our ever experiencing the glory of God.  We can look forward to realms of glory on a continual basis because of His grace and favour, which He gives to those who believe. God is looking for someone who will believe and receive.  Start expecting more of His glory in your life.  He is waiting to manifest His glory to you and through you!

So let us rejoice today and everyday in the Hope of glory, which is Christ in you.

~Joyce Meyers (The Everyday Life Bible)

Keep "Christ" In Christmas!

I wonder what life will be like years from now if Christians fail to defend the true meaning of Christmas.  Will we allow the world's system to dictate how we refer to Christmas by telling us to say "Happy Holidays," instead of "Merry Christmas"? Will we allow the world to take "Christ" out of the Christmas season?

In 2005, the American Family Association, the Catholic League, and other conservative Christian groups led a boycott against a popular retail store chain that changed its holiday greeting from "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays."  According to USA Today, the store decided to revert back to "Merry Christmas" only after they lost a significant amount of sales due to the boycott.  This is a prime example of how we can use our influence, and in this case specifically, our buying power, to impact this world in a positive way.  We cannot allow retail stores and shopping malls to reduce December 25 to merely another calendar event.  If stores refuse to acknowledge Christ, we can decide to refuse to shop at their stores.

Jesus Christ is the true reason for the season; however, it has always been Satan's plan to destroy everything His birth means to the world.  Matthew 2:13 says:

...The angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

It is every Believers obligation to ensure that Christ's birthday is the celebration God intended.  Satan's goal is to create distractions and try to keep us focused on money and gifts instead of the One who died for our sins.

Many Christians sit idly by and watch the world remove Christ from Christmas.  However, there are enough Believers to make a significant impact.  You can boldly declare that you won't compromise when it comes to celebrating the birth of the Lord, Jesus Christ! It is our responsibility to lovingly let the world know, "Yes! I'm a Christian.  I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!" Failing to take a stand for Christ can make us victims of a secular society that promotes human rather than religious values.

Jesus Christ has set us free! Think about it.  Without Christ, we wouldn't have the experience of being saved, healed, delivered, made righteous, or prosperous.  Psalm 40:2 says "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out to the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." I don't know about you, but I remember the horrible pit I used to be in.  The part I love about this Psalm is what it says in verse three, "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD." Thank God I no longer have to sing that tune of doom I used to sing before I met Jesus! The Lord lifted me up out of my pit, and now I have a new song.  Praise God!

This year, make a quality decision to be a bold Christian -one who isn't afraid to let the world know Jesus is worth the fight to celebrate His birth and His life.  He is worthy to be praised on Christmas and every day of the year!

~Creflo Dollar