So many people today are living with less than God’s best because they’ve allowed fear to creep in and take root in their lives. Fear is the greatest weapon the enemy uses to try to hold us back. Fear is not from God. Scripture tells us that fear brings torment. It’s designed to paralyze us and keep us from God’s blessings.

The good news is that God is greater than fear. His power in you is greater than any power that comes against you. But in order to walk in His power, you have to close the door on the enemy. See, the enemy can’t have access to your life unless you open a door and give him access. That’s why we have to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, and what we say. When we open ourselves to fear, we give the enemy opportunity.

If you’ve allowed fear to steal from you in any area of life, today you can be free — you can be finished with fear. Conquering the enemy starts by making the choice to close the door on fear, and instead, meditate on God’s promises. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and word of our testimony! Let His truth sink down into your heart. Declare it out of your mouth. Let Him set you free and lead you into victory as you close the door on fear!

“I will go before you and make the crooked places straight…” (Isaiah 45:2, NKJ)

Are you going through a season where you feel like every time you try to move forward, you hit a roadblock? Something happens that throws you off course. Be encouraged today because when you submit your life to the Lord, He promises to go before you. He is preparing a way for you. He is making your crooked places straight and your rough places smooth. You may be going through a difficult time right now, but it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning, and God has equipped you for this journey.

Today, if you feel like you’re in a dry season, don’t look at your circumstances. Look at the promise of God! If you’ll keep speaking words of faith, God promises that He’ll anoint your head with oil and your cup will run over. That means you’ll be refreshed and anointed to do what He’s called you to do. God is preparing your path and equipping you for the journey.

What do you need in order to keep moving forward? Start by checking your attitude. Don’t go around complaining or focused on the negative side of things. Put on an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. Thank Him for making your crooked places straight! Keep your eyes on Him and follow Him forward into the path of victory!

” Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV).

Scripture tells us that every person has been given a measure of faith. That faith can grow and increase; or it can be diminished. Notice today’s scripture doesn’t say, “Faith comes by having heard the Word of God one time.” It’s by hearing—present tense. Sure, God’s Word can transform us in an instant, but most of the time, we need to hear God’s truth over and over again in order for it to become active in our lives. The more we hear the Word, the more His truth chisels away at the doubt and unbelief that’s been built up over the years. His truth sets us free and causes our faith to grow!

Just as a seed needs water daily to grow, your spirit needs the Word of God daily. Your faith needs to be watered by His Word. It can be as simple as selecting a few scriptures to meditate on daily. Write them down and carry them in your purse or wallet. Read them out loud over and over. Let His truth sink down into your heart and move you forward into the freedom and victory He has prepared for you!

” Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.” (James 5:7, NLT).

God has put dreams and desires in every person’s heart. But most times, there’s a season of waiting involved. Maybe you’re waiting for a relationship to improve; waiting to get married; waiting for a promotion; or waiting to overcome an illness. Much of life is spent waiting. But there’s a right way to wait and there’s a wrong way to wait. Too often, when things don’t happen on our timetable, we get down and discouraged or anxious and fretful. That’s because we’re not waiting the right way.

Notice that the verse doesn’t say if you wait, it says as you wait. The fact is we’re all going to wait. It goes on to say that we should consider how the farmer waits—patiently and eagerly. We’re not supposed to sit around discouraged; we’re supposed to be hopeful, positive and full of expectancy!

Today, no matter what you are praying for, expect things to change in your favor. Today could be the day that God turns it all around. As you wait with patience and expectancy, you’ll open the door for God to move. He’ll fight your battles, and you’ll see that abundant harvest He’s promised in every area of your life.

What do you need from the Lord today? Do you need peace, provision, guidance? The Word of God promises that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk blamelessly before Him. Now you may be thinking, “ I’m not perfect. How can I have a blameless walk?” The Good News is, when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you automatically have a new walk. The past is erased in God’s eyes. And sure, you may make mistakes but I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When you repent of your sins and receive God’s forgiveness you are cleansed and your walk is blameless. You have to understand that God wants to pour His favor and honor on you. If you feel like there is anything in your life that you need to be cleansed from, go to the Father today and confess it to Him. Let Him make you new so that you can receive the good things He has in store for you! Let Him be pour His blessing on you so that you can walk in victory all the days of your life!

A woman named Pam knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue. While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we'll name him Timothy and we'll make him a preacher. Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam's youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father's ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam's son is Tim Tebow. The University of Florida's star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football's highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness. "I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds my future, and that settles it for me." - Tim Tebow

” Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11, NKJ).

God has grace in store for you every single day. Grace is His supernatural empowerment, His unmerited favor on your life. All throughout scripture, we see God giving daily grace, empowerment and provision to His people. For example, when the people of Israel were in the wilderness headed toward their Promised Land, God gave them manna each morning to eat. It would just appear on the ground. But He specifically instructed them to gather up only enough for one day’s supply. In fact, if they got more than that, it wouldn’t last. It would spoil. They were learning to trust God’s grace every single day.

In the same way, God doesn’t give us grace for a year at a time or even a month at a time. No, every twenty-four hours God has a fresh new supply of grace, favor, wisdom and forgiveness. How are you going to make it through the seasons of your life? One day at a time. Look for His grace today. Look for His provision today. Look for His hand of favor and blessing today because He promises to supply everything you need for today.

“The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18, NLT).

Are you facing a situation that seems dark today? As a believer, God promises that your path will shine brighter and brighter as you seek His truth and righteousness in every situation. What is righteousness? Righteousness is simply being in right standing with God. Being in right standing with God is about submitting your life to Him. It’s about obeying His commands and seeking His plan for your life on a daily basis. As you seek Him, the light of God’s Word will guide you in every decision you have to make.

No matter what you may be facing today, take time to ask the Lord to shine His light on you. Ask Him to confirm His plan for you. As you continue pursuing His truth and righteousness, as you continue to make His Word a priority in your life, you will experience more of His blessings. You’ll see those brighter days as you move forward in the good plan He has in store for you!

” Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29, NIV).

Sometimes the day-to-day pressures of life can cause unnecessary stress. In fact, many people lose sleep worrying about things or people in their lives. But God doesn’t want us to live stressed out and overwhelmed. He wants us to live a life of rest and peace.

When Jesus walked on this earth, He took time for Himself. He got away from the crowds. He spent time with the Father. That’s how He found rest. He was gentle and humble in heart. Do you ever notice that when you are stressed out or worrying about something, you’re less tolerant of others? You’re more likely to say something you don’t really mean. Today, God wants you to cast your cares on Him and live with a gentle and humble attitude. When you release your burdens and follow the example of Jesus, you will find rest for your soul. You will be rejuvenated and refreshed! You will find peace in your heart, and you will move forward in the abundant life God has for you!

1/8/12 Worship Service

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV)

So often, when people make mistakes, they get down on themselves and think, “If only…” “I should have…” “What if…?” It’s easy to feel like you’ve missed the best plan for your life. That’s when people get discouraged and stop pursuing their God-given dreams. But understand today, just because you’ve made a mistake or failed in some way, that doesn’t cancel God’s plan. God never disqualifies you. He never says, “Go sit on the sidelines. You’ve blown it too many times. You’ve got too many weaknesses.” No, God always gives you another chance!

Some of the great people in the Bible made very poor choices. The apostle Paul started off as a murderer, yet his destiny was bigger than his mistakes. He ended up becoming a great leader and writing over half of the New Testament.

What am I saying? Our mistakes, our failures, our poor choices don’t have to keep us from our God-given destiny. With God, it’s not about the way you start in life, it’s about the way you finish. Receive His grace today and embrace the bright future He has in store for you!