Blessed!!!!!!

Proverbs 16:20 

Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. 

This is such a great scripture, God is so awesome to give us His Word isn't He? I mean think about it in the Old Testament people either heard from the prophets or if your really really lucky, you got to hear from God Himself. Right now we have the Bible everywhere. We have the book form, online and on our phone, it's literally everywhere and anywhere you want it. We are so blessed, much more than we know. 

I was out walking this morning and the song, We're Blessed came on from Fred Hammond. It has been a while since I heard this song and wow did I get blessed. I felt the presence of the Lord. I was like yes Lord! This brought me to this morning. I want to focus on the words blessed and trust. 

In Galatians 6:9 it says "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Let me be real for all the haters out there. This is talking about more than money and I am not putting all the focus on the money. This can be a multitude of things. In a few verses before Paul is talking about whatever one sows, that he will reap. Blessed is more than money! I believe it can include money but it's not limited to money. Many actors are wealthy when it comes to money but they are not blessed. What we are looking for is wholeness, nothing missing and nothing broken. 

God wants His people blessed. He wants us to be living witnesses here on earth in all things. I am not saying we get to escape trials, tests and all that because we don't, but God wants His people blessed. God didn't want to keep the children of Israel in the desert to be slaves under Pharaoh's rule, so He rose up a Moses to take them to the land flowing with milk and honey. There were so many others that were blessed. People we are to be witnesses here on earth. We got to get free of all these spirits and strongholds and people that are keeping us down, broke, sick, and in a constant position of need. 

Imagine this; Imagine someone walked in your church with a $25,000 need, how awesome would that be if you could give that person the $25,000 that they needed? Can't God get the glory out of that? Why is it that we lean on all the secular people, or the government for all the money? The devil is a liar! That money should be in the hands of the kingdom, not the devil! We need to be kingdom minded. We need to stop always looking for a hand out from the government and say God, how can I be that person who gives? If your church was building a new building and they needed $2,000,000 how powerful would it be to give the church $1,000,000? It's not about seeing how many cars, homes or whatever to buy for ourselves, but it's for the kingdom? When you are kingdom minded God will put you in a position to be blessed. God wants us to be rivers not reservoirs. A river flows, a reservoir is stagnant. 

 I want you to ask yourself a question this morning; am I a reservoir or a river? Can God trust me to flow or am I stagnant with my resources? Only you can answer this! If your a river you will flow, if your a reservoir you will be stagnant. 

This morning it is my prayer for all who reads this that God will bless you. I pray for bodies to be healed, that people will be free of all generational curses, all spirits that have plagued you and your family will be broken in Jesus name! I break that poverty and ghetto spirit over you, your house! I speak generational blessings and wholeness over you and your family. Be blessed and have a great day! 

Where are you going?

Proverbs 29:18 

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint (ESV) 

Have you ever been on a road to nowhere or have you ever been lost but refuse to stop and ask for directions? Usually this is a man thing, but it can happen to women as well. What about being lost on purpose? 

I think for many of us we have been there and done that, but this morning I want to zero in on vision. The Bible declares here that where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint. This scripture itself deals more with what leaders must do. If you are a leader, rather it's a Pastor of a church, a business owner or manager you can't lead without vision. If you don't have vision your just driving around and going through the motions without having a destination. 

I want to go deeper today, I want to talk about you for a moment, and just you. Where are you going? Do you have vision? Or even better, do you have prophetic vision? What is prophetic vision you say? Prophetic vision is something that God gives you. It's a look at your destiny. It's gives you the reason for you being born. It's vision, but God breathed vision. My goodness this is powerful! 

OK so, shortly I was born again I wanted to know why I was created. I prayed and asked God to reveal why I was born. So one day God gave me this vision. Now, real quick it's not like I have these all the time and I am not weird but this is Biblical. So, God gave me this vision. I was standing on this huge stage and I was preaching the Word of God. I looked out and there was a sea of humanity. As far as I looked I saw people. When I looked to the left and right I saw people. Now, can I be real? Once God showed this to me I freaked out! I was like you have got to be crazy. You have me confused with someone else. I can't even speak in front of 20 people much less that many. 

What was God doing besides freaking me out? He was giving me prophetic vision. After all, I asked Him right? Well, He showed me. So what happened after that? I calmed down, prayed, got my nose in the Bible and pressed hard like never before. What happened? Less than a year later I went to Bible college in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

If you are a Christian and you feel like your just wandering around, you need to ask God the hard questions. Listen, the children of Israel wandered around in the desert for 40 years, when it would have taken 11 days. Now, the children of Israel wandered around in the desert for 40 years because they wouldn't listen to God and because they didn't listen to the prophetic vision. One reason you may be wandering around is because your not listening to what God gave you. This isn't for every case but for many. You may be stubborn, prideful, hard hearted and hard headed. Thing is, that's your choice but you will never walk in God's destiny and purpose and that will leave you with no peace. 

Now, what do you do when God shows you the vision? You go towards it. Now understand that there is something called timing that you will have to contend with. There is a timing for everything. You may go towards the vision but you may not see the fullness of that thing until a later time. Don't get discouraged, we all go through this. Last thing I will say is that as your going towards the vision watch out for people. First you have to know the heart of people because not everyone is there to roll with you and the vision God gave you. Some people are there and are used by the enemy to make you stumble and stop you. Also, they may be putting their interests before yours. 

Some people want to see the best in you but still may not see what you see. These people are the ones that love you. They are looking out for you. Give them an ear, but just make sure you are also hearing God. The Lord will may call you to do things when it seems crazy, and folks, He will put you out there but He has your back. What if your married? Well you and your spouse must be on the same page. If your not on the same page you wait and pray until God will get them there. You can't fulfill the vision without your spouse. They are called to be there and help you. That's why it's so important to find someone who will have some of the same desires, same direction your going. 

So to more or less end this today I want to encourage you to pray that God will show you your Prophetic vision. Don't just wander around because you will do nothing but waste time. God may or may not show you right away, but keep serving, keep going until He shows you. Once He shows you ask for a plan to get there. God is looking out for you. He wants you to succeed, not fail. Pray for the ears to ear and that you will not go to the left or right of the plan. Lastly, don't quit no matter what. God will show you things and give you the vision that others don't see but it's OK, just go. Just do it!                                 

He Gone!

John 11:25&26 
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?

Today is Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For many people today they do Easter egg hunts for kids, grill out, depending on the weather, and for many in America, this is one of the two days they come to church. Many who do this have no real relationship with Christ. Now, to be honest, a relationship with Christ isn't just coming to church on Sunday but having a transformed life and being a disciple. A relationship with Christ isn't all about going to church but going to church should be important to us as believers.

In John 11:25 Jesus is talking here and we find ourselves in the middle of the story where Lazarus, Jesus' friend is dead and Jesus shows up to the grave site four days to late. There was no welcoming committee but instead, there were some angry and disappointed folk who thought all was lost with Lazarus but we can't ever count out our Jesus.

To make a long story short because I want to talk about Jesus, is He calls Lazarus from the grave, and Lazarus is resurrected. How awesome was that of a miracle? Can you imagine that? A dead man comes back to life again.... for all the doubters and haters who was angry and disappointed at Jesus for showing up late, must have been singing a quite different toon when Lazarus came from the grave. Notice Jesus never got in a hurry for that miracle...

So this scripture in context was talking about Jesus assuring the people that He was the source of life. Jesus is 100% man and 100% God. Death has no power over Christ. Death couldn't hold Jesus because He is the resurrection and the life! I want to let someone know who is reading this today, Jesus is life! You know I look into my own life and I can happily say that if I lost my life, than heaven is my home. I have no fear of death. If someone held a gun to my head and threatened my life, do you think that scares me? Do you think losing my life is something that I should fear? Absolutely not and it shouldn't to every believer in Christ.

I get you may have a spouse, children and other family, friends etc.. and it's not as if we live life carelessly so we can die but the Apostle Paul said it best when He said to die is gain. I don't mean to get my eye off of Christ and this scripture but so many people who are born again Christians fear death. If I die tomorrow I know my family will miss me but I will be with the Lord! I will be with my God! You want to scare me tell me I will roam this earth another 100 years... just saying!

Back to Jesus and Easter. This day we celebrate Jesus' resurrection. The grave couldn't hold Him. Death lost the battle because Jesus is the author of life! The cross was the place of death. The cross meant death to sin. Jesus paid the ultimate price when He died on the cross, but on the third day He was resurrected. If I can just encourage someone else today to say that you don't have to die with your sin but you can lay that sin down and embrace Christ and embrace life!

Jesus came to give us life! He paid the price of death that we might gain life with Him! Wow baby that is hot off the press so I will repeat. He paid the price of death that we might gain life with Him! Praise the Lord! What is stopping you today? What must you do to gain life with Christ? Surrender. Surrender your will, your ways and ask forgiveness for all your sins. Ask for life with Christ and when you do, the Holy Spirit will come and live on the inside of you and your life will never be the same again! Your life will change because you will have a life with Christ!

You all have a great day today! Remember to embrace life and life is Christ!

Be blessed!

When the enemy comes like a flood

Isaiah 59:19

When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. 

This picture is take in the 1900's in France, how horrible that must have been. You know, I can witness being part of floods nearly all my life, actually I think many of us can. As living in Missouri and Illinois most of my life, unfortunately you just deal with these types of horrible things.

I want to lift your attention to the scripture again and read it again. It says when the enemy comes in like a flood.... in other words it doesn't say he comes in as a flood but like a flood.... same thing in 1 Peter 5:8 where it says, "your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion." It's one thing to be a flood or to be a lion but let's get real here, the devil is an impersonator. He mocks everything God does. God has angels, the devil has demons. God has a kingdom, so does satan. Jesus is called the lion of the tribe of Judah, satan comes LIKE a roaring lion. When God turned Moses staff into a serpent Pharaoh's magicians turn their staffs into snakes and etc... you see the devil is not the originator of anything but sin, he was the 1st at that. All he knows is how to impersonate.

So this verse says when the enemy comes in LIKE a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against it. You know when the enemy attacks you all he wants is momentum to stop you. If he can just get you to quit or back off he's got you. This is why you simply, can't quit or back down. This is usually when he enemy attacks, it does seem like a flood because it's usually a cluster of things. Don't get me wrong, not every time is it a cluster of things, but when the attack comes, it's there to knock the wind out of you or to stop you from gaining traction.

What's great is that during these attacks we usually are looking around for God. Can I get a witness? There have been times during attack and I went, umm Lord where are you? Have you been here? Sometimes God won't respond, He has His reasons. It's not that He doesn't care about you but many times He wants to see your reaction. Look at the book of Job did God intervene? Did God stop satan's attack? Nope he let satan do nearly all he wanted to do. I bet satan was jumping up and down because the mighty God wouldn't defend poor old Job... but what did God do at the end of the test? He got double for his trouble.

God has a way of kind of doing things His way and not ours. This is why we can't put God in a box. God doesn't do the same things the same way all the time. Look at Jesus and His methods for healing. He did things differently. Why does He do this? So you won't get stuck in a routine trying to figure out God. The Lord speaks in a variety of ways, why? again because He s God and can't be put in a box.

When the Lord raises up a standard this can mean a variety of things and also He can do things a variety of ways. But just know that God hasn't forgotten about you. God is for you, He isn't against you. He loves you so much more than you know.

I hope this helped you out. It is my prayer here this morning that you simply keep going. Don't let the enemy knock you out of your destiny and purpose. He will lead and guide you... just keep going.

Be blessed!

The Harvest is plentiful, but where are the laborers?

Matt 9:37-38
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 

Matt 10:1 
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction. 


Good morning, so I preached part of this text last Wednesday night but the harvest wasn't my topic so to speak. This is one of my few favorite scriptures of the Bible because Jesus is talking about the harvest! As someone who spent some time in he middle of Illinois and surrounded by corn fields I got a revelation of harvest. Being in a small town of about 1700 people there were 2 times in which people disappeared, planting season and harvest season.

What I mean by disappeared is that any farmers were out planting in spring and getting the harvest in the fall. They worked very long hours in both seasons. God really showed me something while I lived there, and it is my hope that I can bring some light to what God is doing here today, in this time!

Jesus a few verses up was grieved because He was doing His thing, meaning He was healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching the kingdom like always, but as He looked around He saw sheep but no shepherds. Jesus saw a huge gap in what He was doing. It's one thing to preach, to heal, but what do you do with all these people after that?

This is where His disciples came into play. This was the process where Jesus has to mentor and disciple His guys to mimic what He Himself was doing. Let this be a revelation to us all. Our churches can't be a 1 trick pony, every church needs those who can help the Pastor, share the vision, and more. So what does Jesus do? He mentors and disciples and sends out His guys to do the same thing.

We, as the body of Christ are lacking in this area today. In fact, it's a huge problem. Our thing today is that we don't want to mimic what Christ and His disciples did, we want to hide our congregations and keep sinning. Can I just be real? The Lord is trying to send people out into His harvest field and the majority of the church is hiding out and hanging out. We were never meant to hide out and to hang around in the church... if you want to look at the model of the new testament it was all about getting discipled and being sent out. Church is great for a refill, but it's not  a home, it's a service station, a rest area. You don't see beds at rest areas or service stations because you are supposed to go to the bathroom, get a little food in your belly, get something to drink and sent back out to get on the highway.

The church is no more that that! The church is a rest area, a service station not a home! This is a huge problem! We have great preachers and teachers in the land. We got TD Jakes, Steven Furtick, Jensen Franklin and the list goes on... too any to speak here, but we got people parked out and people who are not growing in their faith but are literally parked.

Jesus is healing the sick and casting out demons and in Matthew 10 He sends His guys out to do the same exact thing. Let me get prophetic here for just a moment. There is a harvest that is ripe and ready for the taking, but it takes us, the body of Christ to get on the stick and go get it. We have all these false religions, new age garbage, white magic, witchcraft stuff going on.... and people are falling for this. Look in the New testament... look at the book of Acts, look in the gospels Jesus used men to do great things. Jesus said in John 14:12 that we could do even greater things than He did! It's His desire.

I said I would get prophetic and I am. There is a harvest and it's ready! This is both the season of Holy Spirit, power and than it's going to be the season of the harvest! I mean souls will come in by the truck loads. Thing is, will you be a part of it or will you be parked in your church? Will you choose to be like Isaiah and be sent or will you choose to be one of the parked? The choice is yours!

It is my prayer here today that the body of Christ wakes up. It's time we stop licking our wounds, stop being a victim and move on 100% with Gods plan. We have sat around long enough. Our butts are getting to numb from sitting. We have to stop sitting and start doing! The harvest is ripe! You are the laborer that God is waiting on.

Be blessed!

Who wants to remember their sins?

Isaiah 43:25

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. 

Can you guys think back for a moment in time when you were a really good sinner? I mean.... like you were a superstar sinner, do you remember that? For some it may be harder to remember than others. The fact is, we have all fallen short of the glory of God, but why do we want to remember those things and keep ourselves captive? 

If God has forgotten about your sins, your mistakes, your whoops, than why can't you forget? So many people need deliverance from their past. We are so bound up by the scars of our past that it hinders and locks up our future. I will never forget about hearing Joyce Meyer talk about how she was abused... and the day that God asked her how long she was going to be a victim. At first I was like whoa.. that's a little harsh but really is it? God was trying to prepare her future but He couldn't because she was locked up in her past. 

That was a traumatic thing and I am not trying to make light of something like that, but why let our past dictate our future? There are some of you reading this and you have done some stuff, but when you asked Jesus to come into your heart, make you clean, make you new... guess what? He does! This is the beauty of the cross. The cross symbolizes death. Death is the end... So when Jesus went to the cross and died for you, He nailed your sin to the cross... He nailed your SINS to the cross. He put death to what you did. 

Do you know who remembers your sin? Yes the devil himself. He assigned a demon to you, your family... to observe..... to watch... to study. He knows your weaknesses, your tendencies. You see the enemy can only mess with your mind. Your thoughts, your emotions... things like that. This is the power struggle. If you are born again the Holy Spirit lives in you, but your mind can't be born again, so this is where the enemy fights. So again, if God forgets your sin, and the enemy doesn't and your fighting your past, who are you fighting? Catch my drift? 

But today is a new day for you. If the Lord has forgotten about your sin, so should you. Don't allow the enemy to help you remember things. Move past your past and embrace your future amen? So how do I do this? Pray and confess this over yourself. 

Today is a new for me. Today I forget about my past and I will not allow the devil of anyone in my past to try and hinder me. The devil is under my feet! I refuse to live in my past because I am embracing my future, my destiny. God has a great plan for my life, and I will follow in all that He has for me. If God is for me, who can be against me? In Jesus name I pray? Amen... 

Well that's all for now. You have a great day and remember... your past can't determine your future! 

Be blessed!

Are you really listening?

Ezekiel 3:10
Moreover, he said to me "Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears."

A few weeks ago in our college and career night my wife and I was talking to everyone and I was like, let me ask you guys a question, do we really listen to the words that we sing or is it lip service? We were talking about the song Oceans. I want to recite the lyrics to you in a certain part of the song.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me, take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior.

Now we read that and say wow, what great words but do we really understand what in the world we are singing when we sing that song? Let me just say here that we are saying God take me to a place where I trust you more... take me to a place that is deeper. Have you really examined those words? Do you really want God to take you deeper? Do you really want Him to take you to a place where your trust is without borders? Before you get all spiritual do you realize just what your asking God to do?

Think before you sing.... think before you say those words and pray those kind of prayers because that is putting you on dangerous grounds. God will take you to the backside of the desert for years... God will take you to a place where you have to rely and trust in Him for literally everything... everything. God will say give more than you have ever given than when you will find yourself short and He will say trust me!

Can I be real with you tonight? This is where my wife and I are at right now. God has had us sow and sow and sow some big seed, like very uncomfortable seed on  different occasions but, it wasn't for the heck of it I do know that. I am calling in the harvest for such a time as this. I am praying and believing God for my own house. I am praying and seeking and believing God for a lot of things right now. I have sown, now I just water with my words... and wait for that harvest.

Let me get back to my point tonight... when you go to church on Sunday morning and sing those praise and worship songs, those hymns, or whatever you sing are you paying attention to those words or is it lip service? Many times we are singing songs in our car, in the church but we are clueless at to what we are singing. Tonight I want you to begin to notice those words on the screen. Tonight I want you to take some stock in those words because words are so very powerful.

I pray for everyone who ever reads this that the songs we sing... the words we read from our Bibles take root in us so that we can have some real meaning and power. Be blessed tonight and remember... pay attention to the words and the songs we sing. Listen to the words...

Ministry Profile

Ministry Profile

Rhema Bible Training College: 2000-2001 

Liberty University: 2002-2004 

Faith Christian Centre- 2002-2006

Atlanta, IL

Youth Pastor 

Faith Christian Centre- 2006-2009

Atlanta, IL 

Pastor 

Full Gospel Tabernacle- 2013-2014

Lincoln, IL

Youth Pastor

Christian Life Church- 2015- Present

Farmington, Mo 

Executive Pastor 

Are the giants bigger than the promise?

 

Numbers 13:27-33

And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides we saw descendants of Anak there. 

The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan." But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."

Then the men who had gone up with him had said "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are." So they brought to the people of Israel a ad report of the land they had spied out saying, "The land through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak) and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them." 

This is such a powerful story. Can I just ask the question; Where are all the Caleb's at? In Numbers 13:2 God told Moses "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel." Did it take God off guard that there were mighty armies and fortified cities? Did it take God off guard that there were giants in the land? Absolutely not. God wanted the spies to see it and He wanted to see if they would all come back with a bad report. Thank God for Joshua and Caleb, the only two out of the twleve that came back with a good report. 

Let me just tell you something, when God gives you a promise or a key to your destiny you can be almost positive that a test comes to see if you will walk in it or not. You mean to say that its possible to not walk in your God given destiny? Yes and you know what? So many are doing it today. Sometimes fear will stop you, sometimes worry, doubt, unbelief. The enemy is bound and determined to get you to doubt the promise and may fall right into the trap and the snare of the enemy. 

Well the devil can't have my destiny, I refuse. What about you? Where is your fight? Where is your tenacity? Where is your faith? Are the giants bigger than your promise? The Bible says that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. The devil is a liar! You got to fight for your destiny. You got to fight for your promise. You can't just lay down and allow the enemy to defeat you. You can't just accept defeat! 

Today I want to stir up your faith, I want to stir up the fight in you. Some of you have just been laying around defeated, allowing the enemy to come in and beat you up. Do you know what? Your a child of the most high God! If God be for you, who can be against you? I don't care about the giants that are in the land... I don't care about the enemy. I don't care about the haters. I don't care about the devil. They don't hold the keys to my destiny. Remember keys unlock and lock doors. God has given you the keys.... He didn't give the keys to the devil, He gave them to you. So stand up today with the keys in your hand. 

The promise is bigger than the giants. The destiny is bigger than the giants. Don't you cower down and put your head between your legs and say, "but Troy, did you see the giants?" My reply to that is "yea, so what?" Who cares abou your giants. Your God is bigger than your giants! 

So today I urge you to not give up. Today I urge you to keep fighting, no matter what! 

Begone fear, put on love!

1 John 4: 18 
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.


Why do we fear so much? I am not trying to tell you today that there are things in my life or situations that I don't fear at times. I wish I could sit here and say, I have no fear, but I do. Put me in a room wth a snake and you will watch me make a door in less than 3 seconds.

But let's not talk about snakes but let's talk about God. The Bible says that there is no fear in love, and perfect love casts out all fear. The Bible doesn't say some fear it says all fear. So what this is telling me is that when it comes to me fear, my love walk must be out of wack.

When you look up fear in he dictionary it says that its an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or somthing is dangerous, likely to cause a pain, or a threat. So, it's about the unknown, it's about emotions.

Let's get relational. I am married and have been married since November 7th of 2015. I trust my wife with my life. I trust her with everything. I am not boasting or anything but she has given me no reason to think otherwise. She is a great woman of God. What if I didn't trust her? Would there be a fear there and would I put up a wall based upon fear? Don't we put up walls in our own lives based upon fears?

We put up walls in our lives because it's a fear of the unknown, and more than likely it's because of our past. Many times our past experiences make us put up walls as a defense mechanism, but again, perfect love casts out fear. Talking about relationships really isn't my thing but let's shift gears again and keep it about God. The Lord wants us to get to a point in Him where we throw our fear out. Is this easy? Heck no but I think the longer we serve Him the easier it gets. But God doesn't let us off so easy does He? What does God do? He tells you like He told Peter to come and walk on the water. He tells you like He told Abram, leave your country, your family, everything thst is familiar to you and go to a place that I show you.

So why must we do what the Lord wants us to do? We do it because it's an act of obedience and as we know obedience is better than sacrifice. I want to encourage you today to put on love and not fear. Clothe yourself in love and not fear. When the Lord speaks, move. When the Lord says do this or do that, be like Nike and just do it.

God is for us, not against us. God is not about to lead you somewhere to a place you can't stand.. at least without Him. Sometimes when we get a little bit a pride He will lead us to a place where we are totally reliant on Him. But God is our Father. He loves us and we are all His favorites. He is no respector of persons. So be encouraged today that God has your back.

Be blessed!

Laying hands on the sick part 2

Acts 5:12-16
Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the Apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 

The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. 

I will preach this until I am blue in the face, or until I can no longer type or talk but God never intended for the book of Acts church to cease. God never wanted the healing, the deliverance, the salvation, the baptisms to cease either.

People of God what is stopping us from going out into our environment and praying? When did it have to stop? To my knowledge it wasn't supposed to. Now, can I be real with you guys? I don't go to every sick person and ask them to pray over them, but why not? What stops me? What stops you from doing this very thing? Now if my boys are sick, my wife, or people in our church if they come up and ask for prayer I will do that, along with my Pastor.... but what about the rest of the world.?

Fear many times stops us from praying for others in public places. Many times the spirit of fear stops us in our tracks. Many times you will get, well what if they don't get healed? you will look like a fool. Here is my thing with that.... I can't heal people. I am not God but I can take His word and apply it to those that I pray for. Here is something.... one time at this church in Illinois I said is there anyone who would like prayer for sickness? Does anyone need any prayer? This woman came up and I knew she had cancer... I said Lord, couldn't I get a back ache or a headache or something. The Lord rebuked me yes I said that because He will do that. The Lord said, do you heal or do I? Anyways, I prayed for that woman... and the anointing was on me so strong I could hardly take it, and I felt that healing virtue leave my body and went into her. Again, I am not a healer, Jesus is the healer. What happened? This woman died a few weeks ago, and you know what? It really messed with me.

I questioned what happened during that service. I was confused... I was torn. I know what I felt. I know the power of God was there, I felt that healing virtue go out of me and into her... to this day I don't know why that woman died. Maybe someday the Lord will reveal it, not sure. But I said that to say this; we can't allow fear to stop us from praying for the sick and laying hands on them.

Another thing is this: God's word is God's Word. The Bible says lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Well I did and a woman died but does that discredit the Word? Of coarse not because there have been times in my life and times that I have witnessed in other people's lives where hands were laid on them and they were healed.

Here is my prayer:

God, get us back to the book of Acts. Get us to a place where we are not relying on man to do everything for us but we are relying on God. Get us to a place where we live our faith on our sleeve, and not hide it until Sunday morning. Get us out of our comfort zones. Get us to a place where we serve others instead of being about ourselves all the time. Get us to a place where we pray more than we complain, back bite, grumble and argue. Get us to a place where we move in power once again instead of speaking with dead words that carry no weight in the Spirit.

Get us to a place where we care more about speaking the Word of God in truth instead of cowering down in fear at what man will think.

God wants transformation and the only way to achieve transformation is by going against the grain. You may not look like the church down the block or the other 1,000 churches for that matter but as long as heaven smiles down upon you who cares what other people think. Our agenda should be to transform lives. Our goal should be to transform our cities. Our goal should be to transform our nation. But the only way is through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts transformation happened and it flipped the world as they knew it. We have the same God, same Holy Spirit today that the book of Acts church had.

We are seeking a President to change our nation but it's not the President who changes a nation it's the church. Blame whoever you want to but the world is the way it is because of the church, not the devil. We allowed it. We didn't pray, we didn't fast, we didn't stand up no matter what. We didn't come out of the closet like everybody else. Our God is greater, our God is bigger, our God is more powerful... if we just knew that and believed that.

As I close this out I want to encourage you as always to step out. Step out of your comfort zone and watch what happens. Live your faith. Let people know who you are and whose you are. You are God made, in His image and according to His likeness.

Be blessed!

Casting your Anxiety on the Lord

1 Peter 5: 7
Casting all your anxieties (cares) on Him, because He cares for you


Does anyone have a problem doing this? I mean I am sure that none of you have issues doing this right?

I like to be real and honest. There have been, and are times when I struggle with this today. Here is my thing, I will just let you in on a big problem I have. My thing is, I like to figure things out for God and also I want to know all the info that He has before I make a move.

Case and point: So in October of 2014 the Lord told me to move from Lincoln, Illinois to Farmington, Missouri. The Lord told me that I was to go help this Pastor. Now, I was in a great church serving as a youth pastor. I loved the teens in our church and they loved me. God was growing that ministry and He says move? I was tore up from the floor up because this was difficult for me to do. What happens? In Jan of 2015 I move to Farmington, Mo. Without a job, a place to call home... I moved because the Lord said move.

Between the months of October to December, I tried to find out all the info, but God wouldn't give me details. I tried to have a job secured, nope.... I tried to have my home quarters set, nope. I am a person who tries to figure it all out first than go, but that's not how this faith thing works. Sometimes God frustrates me because I need to know haha, but He simply won't tell me things when I want Him to, can anyone relate?

So I said all that to say this, what about you? How are you at casting all your cares or anxieties on the Lord? I am learning yes I am still a work in progress but I am learning much more about casting my cares on Him and letting Him guide me. The Bible says cast. How interesting is that? Because many of us will cast our cares onto the Lord but then we reel them back in and own them again. This isn't what the Lord was talking about. he wants us and I say us because this includes me to leave them there at the foot of the cross or the alter.

What about sin? Ready for some toe stomping? How many times have we put our sin on the alter to pick it rght back up again? Am I trying to say that we must be perfect beings and we will never sin again? I am not saying that at all because none of us are perfect. We never will be perfect but the question is, did we lay it down at the alter? Sometimes we are embarrassed that we got caught, not repentant. There is a big difference in getting caught and repenting. Adam and Eve got caught, then they tried to hide from God.

So back to this casting thing, how many of us cast our cares or our sin to the Lord but pick them back up? The alter is the place of sacrifice, it's the place of death. Jesus had to go to the cross, or to the alter to be put to death. When Christ went to the cross, the place f death, it was for all sin. I want to encourage you today to lay the cares or the sin down at the alter and allow it to be burned up for good. The Lord doesn't want us to keep our cares or our sin. He died for it. So today cast your cares onto the Lord, and leave it there, refuse to pick it back up again. The Lord knows we are a work in progress but we must allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.

I am much better today at just doing what God said instead of trying to figure it all out first. The Longer I am born again the more I realize just do it an let Him be God. This was a great faith lesson for me though moving from Illinois to Missouri. By the way God created, yes I said created a full time position for me where there wasn' full time available, and God opened up a place for me to stay. It didn't happen until I got here, but that's our God. When we are obedient and faithful, we will eat the good of the land. I hope ths helps you in your journey with the Lord today.

Be Blessed!

Where is My Help?

Psalm 121: 1-3

I look up to the mountains does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber

Ok, so it's 2:30 AM and I cannot sleep, I ask the Lord why, and this is what I get. This must be for someone because I don't get up at 2:30 in the morning, I would normally be sleeping right now.

There are some of you, and you know who you are that are going through weariness, I get it. Here is the thing, be careful in this stage because when we get weary while being between 2 doors, the enemy will reek havoc on you and your emotions if you are not careful.

I want to encourage you this morning, and guess what? I am doing this without coffee. There have been times when I have been weary. Your just tired. Sometimes you just feel like you give, and give, and give and now your like Lord, hey, yes remember me? You know I been giving and giving but where is the receiving part? Does this sound familiar? Has God forgotten about you? Has God missed you or worse, have you missed God? The answer for is no.

There was one time when I was a kid that I was going to six flags. I remember the night before I set out all of my clothes, we packed some food and drinks and got everything ready for the next day. I mean, we want to be ready right? So we go to bed early because we got to get up early and head out because we want to beat some of the traffic and get a great parking spot. Anyways, that night, the night before and in bed.... and guess what? I can't hardly sleep. I toss, I turn and can't sleep why? Because of all the fun and excitement that I am going to have on the next day.

For many of you this is where your at. Your anxious, your excited and you have every right to be, God's got some pretty big plans and things in store for you.. but you know what? Your help comes from the Lord. God is going to sustain you. Your help comes from the Lord. There is a scripture that says cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you. Some cast it out like your fishing. You throw out that care on the alter but guess what? You reel that thing right back in, and the devil will be sure to help you reel it back in so you can own it. It's not yours... stop throwing that care out with the fishing reel. You got to let go. Is this easy? If it were easy everyone would do it. Leave the reel at the alter along with the care. You will thank yourself for that later.

There is another group of people out there and this is where you may be. You been struggling for years. You feel like you take 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. Sometimes you struggle getting 2 steps forward... You are caught and stuck and it's no fun. It's hard to paint that sweet little smile on your face on Sunday morning because when your struggling, it's not an easy thing to smile. Can we just be real for a sec? So what must you do? Can I continue being honest? There is no fairy dust that God can sprinkle and it's all gone. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning the Bible says. You know what, the Lord will sustain you. The Lord doesn't sleep. The Lord loves you. I can't explain why people go through things for years, but no matter what I go through, the Bible doesn't change. God still heals, sets free, delivers. Keep holding on until you get that breakthrough. Don't let that thing break you, keep going until you break through.

This is not easy, but with God are things ever easy? He will call you out of the boat to walk on water. He will tell you to leave everything that's familiar and call you to a place that's out of your comfort zone, and to a place where there are no connections. He will put you in a place where you are surrounded by giants. He will allow you to be imprisoned or to be in a fiery furnace and let's not forget the back side of the desert and more... but yet, I serve Him because I would have it no other way. This road isn't easy. This is the narrow road, but can I just tell you that it's worth it. The struggle is worth it, the fight is worth it, everything we go through in life, it's worth it.

I hope this has helped some of you. To God be the glory. Keep doing what your doing and don't stop until He tells you.

Be blessed!

God, perform your word through me

Jeremiah 1:11&12
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying "Jeremiah, what do you see?" and I said "I see an almond branch." Then the Lord said to me, "you have seen well ,for I am watching over my word to perform it."

Isaiah 6:8 
And I heard a voice of the Lord saying "whom shall I send, and whom will go for us?" Then I said "Here I am am, Send me."

I love these scriptures. Did you know that God desires to use you? Have you ever thought about that? I know what your saying, "I am not ready" or "I am to young" or even "I am over the hill." God has heard of all the excuses under the sun but for those who make themselves available God will use them.

Not only that but if you look into the Word you will see that God used David, Jeremiah and Samuel at a young age. God called Moses at an older age, and the disciples weren't Biblical scholars but 11 out of 12 turned out alright didn't they?

Do you know what the Lord is looking for? He is looking for willingness to go wherever He says to go and do whatever He says do. When you are willing and not stuck in your ways and your own will, you will do great things for the Kingdom.
The Bible says in Galatians that I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Do you know what that means? it means death. You say what? Yes it means death to your will and your way, because it's not about you, it's about Him but He invites you to play a major role in His plan. Sounds pretty cool huh?

God wants to send us out into the world to do great things but the question is, will you go? God gave us gifts and talents for His use. Through us, He wants to heal people, set people free and save people. God uses us to do those things. He saves people through us because how do they hear without a preacher? They get healed by people laying hands on the sick. They get set free by people who have a great anointing to do what? break yokes. A yoke is meant to limit you and keep you bound, but God places an anointing on people to speak and declare the Word of the Lord that can set people free. God gets all the glory for it all, but He uses us to do these things.

Back to he question, will you go if He calls you to go? The Bible says in Romans 8:28 for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. Man God has some great plans out there for His people, but will we allow Him to mold us and shape us to walk in that purpose.

You want some joy and peace in your life? Because it comes by fulfilling the call. The first area of joy and peace comes when you accept Christ as you Lord ad Saviour, but the next level of joy and peace comes by fulfilling the call of God.

You may be reading this like well I don't have a clue what I am called to do. Here are a few steps to guide you.

1) Get involved in your local church
If you are not going to church anywhere you are up the creek without a paddle and more than likely you already know this. You cannot have a productive ministry without being a part of a local church. What about Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn? They have Pastors and have people that help them be accountable. Everyone needs to be held accountable. With this start serving in your church. Start by cleaning, nursery, helping with work days etc... The ministry of helps is needed in the local church. I don't care how big a church is, less than 10% of the church is helping and volunteering with the ministry of helps.

2) Prayer and fasting
We have to keep the lines of communication going between us and the Lord. If the lines of communication are open, that will help you in hearing the Lord. Prayer and fasting will do this

3) Right timing
God may not reveal your purpose to you right away. Sometimes He does, sometimes He doesn't. All of this depends where we are at with Him. Remember, God is a know it all.. literally... He knows when and what to tell you. Can I tell you a secret? I can be an impatient brat who throws tantrums sometimes when God doesn't reveal things to me when I want... but the thing is He knows that and He doesn't want me to blow it so He reveals things to me just at certain times. He will give you steps. Take the right steps at the right time.

I hope this ministered to you and helped you. Remember, answer the call, because God wants to use you to perform His Word to a lost and dying world that is controlled by darkness. Be the light in the dark place like Christ.

Be Blessed!                                                                                            

You Can't Quit Now

YOU CANT QUIT NOW

I want to speak to many of you right now who are going through some things. I just want you to know that I am in this battle with you. I am not exempt from battles and trials but this is a part of it. When I invited Christ into my life I knew that it wasn't going to be a life of gumdrops and rainbows.

I knew the enemy would fight me harder than ever because he knows God has a plan for me. You guys are no different than me. As you turn your life over to Christ, the real battle begins. The devils goal ultimately is that you forfeit your God given destiny and just give up because it's to hard. He wants you to throw in the towel because it's simply to difficult.

I get that your tired, your weary and you just get to a point of saying, what's the use in fighting right? Sound familiar? Have you ever said this or are you at a point now in saying this very thing? Well if you have ever said this welcome to the party. We have all been there. Let me just say something about this season. This is going to be the most powerful, explosive season that the world has ever seen. There will never be another time like this ever again. You thought the day of Pentecost was powerful in the book of Acts? We are walking into a season where things will be simply explosive.

Ministries and chuches will explode. God has already started. This isn't going to be something that's going to happen in 3 to 5 years, it has already started. So, let me ask you something. If you were the devil what would you be doing right now? This may be difficult but can can you see things from his point of view. He is scrambling to put out all the fires that he can. This is why you simply can't quit now.

God has already started. The shift has already started to take place. We simply have to be stubborn an refuse to give up. I want to encourage you today to dig deep and fight back with everything that's within you. Don't allow the enemy to win. I went to a church years ago and the Pastor would always say, "the devil mght have won the battle, but we will win the war." Maybe you have lost some battles,  we all have, but you know what? You got to get back up on that horse and fight again.

I hope this encouraged you today. Keep fighting! Don't quit!

Be Blessed

Be Strong in Him

EPH 6:10 
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 

How many of us are going through something? Put your hand down I already know. How do I know? Because almost all of us are battling with something in some shape or form. If you are a follower of Christ, you are dealing with something.

Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily no it just means that the enemy fears you so he is paying a lot of attention to you. It's all good don't be upset or scared that the enemy is messing with you and doesn't like you. If it makes you feel better he doesn't like Jesus either.

So, your going through something and your struggling a little bit or maybe even a lot, it happens. I hate to admit it but there are times that I struggle also.  Sometimes I am impatient, sometimes I like to argue with God, don't lift your brows you know you fight and argue with God too. We all do it every now and then. So what do you do when your struggling to catch your footing?

Well here is a good start, get into the word. You may be saying where at? If you don't know much about God's Word aka the Bible than Google may be your best friend, isn't it anyway? Pinpoint the struggle and Google the problem and use the Bible to your advantage. Maybe it's a healing thing look up scripture about healing to help encourage you and keep you going. Maybe it's a sexual sin the Word is filled with verses. No matter the struggle God's word is your guide to get you through.

Next thing you have to keep up with is prayer. Oh yes prayer. Prayer is communication between you and God. You may say God already knows and yes I am sure He does but prayer is good for us. We got to get all that stuff that is locked up on the inside of us out. We have to pray. There is something about us speaking and interceeding that can help bring about change. The Bible says we have not because we ask not. Does it matter if God knows or not? Nope. Here is something that prayer does, it keeps relationship alive between us and God. Isn't it something when Adam and Eve sinned they tried to hide themselves from the Lord? How you going to hide from God?

Once we get into the word to get encouraged and once we pray which means keeping our relationship on a good level than this makes the 3rd thing so much easier.

Our verse says be strong in the Lord... and in the power or strength of His might. This verse is talking about leaning and trusting in God and His strength, His might. God will see you through but you got to believe that He can do this thing. God is all powerful, and guess what? If you are a Christian that's your Father. He's got you through thick and through thin.

I don't know what your dealing with and facing but I do know this, if God be for you, who can be against you? When Job went through his mess he still trusted God even though his wife and so called friends said not to. His wife even said, curse God and die.... wow how would you like her for a wife? Juse saying. But anyways I want to encourage you today to trust in God, His strengh, His power, His might. We all go through seasons.. but it's just that, a season.

Be blessed!

Get out of the boat and walk

GET OUT OF THE BOAT PETER!

So last night I went to our church and prayed about some things. Last night during prayer I actually got on periscope and watched someone who was talking about let it go! It just really spoke to me and then this morning I was thinking about Peter getting out of the boat to meet Jesus.

In Matthew 14: 22-33 tells the story of Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus. What a sight that must have been to see a man walk on water. It's one thing to see Jesus, the Son of God walk on water but for Peter to walk on water, that's a miracle.

So this boat was in the middle of the sea... and the disciples see Jesus walking on water towards them. They weren't sure if it was the Lord or not so Peter says, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water (V28). So Jesus simply says, come. What was Peter thinking while being in the middle of the sea, and deciding to step out of the boat, and onto the water?

I think that is like many of us today, we are so afraid to take that 1st step. God may say to do this or to do that and we are like... ummmm I don't know about all of this. Did Peter say, hey Jesus, I tell you what, you come to the boat so I can see you better? No, that's not at all what happened. This story is much different. What is it about this 1st step that makes us fear so much? It's the fear of the unknown. I get it! I understand it! It's the game where you choose the $100 instead of what's behind door #1. You can see the money, you can see everything, it's tangible. When it comes to the door your vision is blocked. That's where so many of us are. We always choose the money or the tangible thing because with our natural eyes we can touch it.

God many times will lead you to the door but so many of us are afraid because we can't see all that God sees. So many of us are stuck and don't launch out because of fear of the unknown.

So what else is great about this story? Well, Peter had to keep his eyes on Jesus and not on the water. It doesn't quite make sense that Peter walked on water but it happened. If you read a lot of stories in the Bible it will leave you saying what? how did that happen? Well, it's a God thing. God says my ways are not your ways and your thoughts are not my thoughts. If we could only learn to see with His eyes we would always choose whats behind the door... that is, unless He leads us to the money or the tangible thing. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus He walked on water. He did something that wasn't in his ability to do. When was the last time you walked on water? But isn't that our Jesus? He will always call you to do something that you can't do it, that way, He gets the glory and He keeps you humble.

This story does have some suspense because once Peter took his eyes off of Jesus because the winds blew and Peter looked down at what he was doing he started to sink. Do you want to know how quickly your ship or your life will sink? Just take your eyes off Christ when the winds blow and you will see. With God all things are possible, without God... good luck! With God, He will lead you into doing things you didn't think was quite possible but without God you get to stay in your nice comfy spot like always. You will end up being the person who doesn't quite fulfill all that God had for you.

Near the end of this story Jesus doesn't let Peter sink and drown but He, being Jesus saves Peter. How many times has the Lord saved you and I? To many times to count. Always remember the Lord will guide you not drive you.

It is my hope and prayer that all of us examine where we are in life and ask the Lord, do I need to get out of the boat? Am I being to comfortable? Only you and the Lord can deal with that question but just don't allow fear to stop you from fulfilling God's call on your life. The time is short. God is moving here on the earth, so what are you waiting for?