In the Time of the Lattereign

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in the infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong:” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-12) .

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Psalm 121:1-8).

Although we are living in troubled times we have a steadfast Savior: Jesus Christ. There is no situation that he can’t handle and we can depend on him to shield us from harm. The Lord promises to never leave us nor forsake us and I continue to hold him to that promise as each and every day becomes a greater challenge.

I can rest assured that the Lord will keep me because he knew everything about me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. I am blessed. I am blessed. I am blessed. There is nothing that I need that the Lord can’t supply. He is my provider and my high priest. He is the next breath that I take, the joy in my soul, my light, and my song of praise. If there is any peace in my soul, it’s there to testify of Jesus Christ.

Before I found the Lord, it seemed that every time I climbed out of the pit, that circumstances pushed me back down into the pit. I couldn’t breathe; I always cried out to God. It didn’t seem like He heard my cry, but I reasoned why should He listen to a child who walked away from serving him? The truth was that the Lord did hear my cry, and when I became sincere about finding him, I got honest with God and realized that I needed the Lord in my life desperately, so I prayed that he would restore to me the joy of my salvation and he did.

If we’ll allow God to work in our lives, we can have the life that we’ve always wanted but never quite reached. It’s a life without fear. It’s a life based on trust and commitment. If you’re tired of wandering through life aimlessly, unsure of what direction to take; try Jesus. He is no respecter of persons. He came to seek and to save those who are lost. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor, the Lord promises that if we will lift him up that he would draw ALL men unto himself. The Lord wants us to prosper, to be in good health, and he has plans for each of us.

We have a great task ahead of us. There are so many people that may never be reached in Greenville if we don’t go to them. People are hungry for the gospel, but if we never reach out beyond the church doors to share it with them, or teach Bible studies, they’ll never know how to find the answers that they seek in Jesus.

In this week’s Lattereign we are called on to remember a simpler time in our lives. (Click on the link and it will open in a new window.)  Remembering When it was that Simple.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

(Focus for today: It will take more than a half-hearted commitment to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives.)

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again and with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred- fold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).

Commitment is important in every area of our lives. It is a form of worship. It will cause us to give thanks and rejoice in the midst of our trials, and it assures us that God is able to provide the strength and the power to endure. We are his children and he delights in us, and when our faith begins to weaken, we may find ourselves complaining. For example, I may sometimes feel that I used to not struggle so hard in my daily life before I turned my life over to Jesus Christ, when in fact, because I have allowed Jesus to direct my steps, my life has a greater purpose. It’s through his Word, that we find that His grace is sufficient. We can be confident because the Lord promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He is our shield and buckler; if we look upon the hills for help, we’ll find him waiting to deliver us.

When I need to hear from God on situations that arise in my life, I know that I can trust the Lord to speak to me, in my spirit, or through the preaching of the Word. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.” I am thankful for our pastor who preaches the truth and lives it on a daily basis. Being consistently true to our beliefs demonstrates strong leadership, and when we can build a strong relationship with Jesus Christ by consistently communicating with him through prayer and our daily walk, we are wise.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:2-5).

God has given us a new heart and a new spirit to accomplish his purpose. Let’s keep moving forward in his will in the months to come.

In this week’s Lattereign, I am assured that It is well with my soul  (Click on the link to open it in a new window).

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah” (Psalm 24:1-6).

¹I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

²I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

³In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

⁴All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

⁵Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.

⁶Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

⁸The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. Psalm 138

 I may not live up to your expectations, but I know that if I keep trusting God that everything that I do, although flawed, will be perfected through Christ. We spend our whole life trying to reach some predetermined goal, but when will it be enough? When will we learn to accept what the Lord has given to us? He can take our imperfections, our ill-fitting roles, and make them perfect. He shapes them, through his word, as we learn to trust in his will for our lives.

More and more every day, I realize that I’m not multi-tasked. I’m easily overwhelmed with responsibilities, which leaves me even more determined to make my work perfect. Now, I know that I’ll never be able to reach perfection; but, if  I’ll do my best and lay my feeble attempts to do something for the Lord on the altar; God can take my offering and make it comply with his standards of perfection.

Where I fall short in ability, the Lord will lead me through to success. When he breathes new life into my plans, I can know that nothing is impossible with God, if I’ll learn to trust him.

Perfection isn’t possible in the flesh, but as we learn to allow Jesus to direct our steps, he promises to perfect the things that concern us. It’s time to wait on the Lord until—Give God all of the praise, today.

In the week’s Lattereign we focus on schools. While this year will be very different than any other year that we have had to face, one thing remains constant. Our teachers, parents, and students need prayer. (Click on the link that follows. It will open up in a new window.)  Thoughts on School Prayer

We have had months to process this circumstance that we are in and it’s time to decide if we are going to allow our faith, or fear to rule us into submission. I do understand that we were not called to live in fear. It is time to pray like never before. Be safe, be wise, but at the same time let’s use common sense. The Lord didn’t give me the power to judge or rebuke you for the decisions that you make that are best for you; and at the same time, he doesn’t give you the right to judge or rebuke me for my decisions. These distractions are designed to keep us from finding ways to reach out and share the gospel, and it is high time that the church stands up against the spirit of the world.

¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (Romans 13:11-13).

The church is the light of the world, yet many of us are hid for a season because of fear. This should not be, but unfortunately, it is. It’s time for us to remember what drew us to this truth in the first place. We were lost and without God. We had no purpose or desire to be blessed, instead we cried out for all the worldly pleasures of sin to fulfill the void that was in our lives. Nothing could ever satisfy us because there is no substitute for Jesus Christ and salvation.

If you are wanting more from your life and you are unsure about what you really need, isn’t it time to try Jesus? Get into the Bible and read it for yourself. He will set you free from your past and give you a future. It isn’t too late to change directions. The path we are on will lead us to eternal life. If you are tired of following the path that will lead to destruction, will you join us?

In this week’s Lattereign, we are admonished to just get up and do the work we were called to do. (Click on the link below, it should open in a new window.)

It’s Time to Get up and Do it Again

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Proverbs 30:4-5).

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:3-6).

We must keep our lives in perfect balance. Our home, our family, our spiritual walk, our vocation; everything must be in balance for it to be effective. Too many times we do not have our priorities aligned with God’s plans for our lives, and life gets off center. Maybe it isn’t any change that is too dramatic, but we do notice that something is not exactly lined up. It’s time to take a good long look at what we feel are the most important responsibilities in our lives, and get our steps ordered with the Lord’s vision for us. We must acknowledge God in the center of our lives. “He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of the saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path” (Proverbs 2:8-9).

Maybe we are already walking with the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, but nothing seems to work out the way that we think it should. Do we get frustrated? Sure we do, but we have to reach way down deep in our souls and realize that the Lord has everything under control and that he is working all things out for our good. Now, we could settle for less than God’s best and maybe everything in life would go well for us, but I ask myself, would I be missing out on the greatest miracles of my life by not being patient and trusting God? When your life is centered around the Lord’s plans for you, he will prosper you.

How many times have I taken matters into my own hands and watched my world crumble around my feet? After walking with God all of these years, I am learning to trust him more, and fret less. It’s stressful living in uncertainty day after day. If I had my choice I would have everything in my life outlined according to well organized plans—they would probably fail, because except the Lord build a house, they labour in vain who builds it. I want the Lord to put my life into perfect balance with his plans for me. He can open doors, the right doors for me; I can wait for the right doors to open as long as I learn to trust in him to know what is best for me. He wants me to prosper and to be in good health. I desire wisdom above all other gifts. He gives me peace that passes all understanding.

I have watched his plans unfold for me in the past few months and although I still search for his will, I know that I can have confidence in the Lord to lead me through effectual doors.  I just want to say thank you, Lord; your will, not mine be done.

In this week’s Lattereign we are called to prayer. It is the only way to break the chains that would try to bind us. (Click on the link, and it will open in a new window.) Come unto me take the time to pray

As we were traveling back from prayer meeting last night, our situations didn’t miraculously change, nor did the heavens part to reveal the answer to our prayers; but we did see a double rainbow in the sky. It reminded me that God has everything under control and although we may be uncertain about our next steps to take in our journey, the Lord is not at all phased by the turmoil in our lives. You see he knows the beginning from the ending. He has already ordered our steps in his will and we must be obedient and trust him to work out all things for our good.

He has never seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging for bread. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying: I am truly blessed more than I could ever deserve, and I don’t take it for granted, although I admit that sometimes I do get comfortable with my lifestyle and the abundance that the Lord has blessed me with. I may even forget to thank him for the blessings that he has bestowed on me, because I have grown so accustomed to his goodness.

It wasn’t always this way. I remember being in fervent prayer for even the small things that may be considered just your basic needs to others. For me, I knew that without prayer I would never have survived the early years of my life. Now, I wonder if being so abundantly blessed, has caused me take everything I have for granted? Will it always be there? If God chose to remove things from my life would I be able to accept his will?

We need the Lord in every aspect of our lives, especially during this season. I pray that I will always filter every voice that I hear through the Word of God. People have their own opinions about how things in this life should play out, but my life is in the Lord’s hands and because he is my guide, listening to his voice is the only one that can keep me on the path to life and hope. The bible tells us in Psalms 118:24-9,

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. ²⁶Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. ²⁷God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. ²⁸Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. ²⁹O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

His promises are sure. He never fails and he reminds us every day that we can talk with him and he will listen to our petitions. What are you waiting for? The time to trust God is, now.

In this week’s Lattereign we look at the time, and my question is, What time is it for you?(Click on the link to the newsletter. It will open in a new window.)

Look up. These two words can keep you from running into problems. In our day it seems that everyone is hopelessly distracted by social media or the latest news cycle. Everyone has their own opinion, and many times, it is just that: their opinion. The problem with opinions: they are not always cold hard facts, but embellished so that they can easily be misinterpreted.

As a Christian, we must learn to filter all the voices that we hear competing for our attention, through the word of God. For me, the bible is the only true account of facts. If the Lord doesn’t lead me to a scripture that resolves my confusion, immediately, then, I have learned to wait for the answer through prayer. The bible is our guide to move forward through the seasons of our life, and when we fail to read it, we find ourselves frustrated and fearful of the uncertain future.

Today, in 2 Timothy 1:7, I find this, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I don’t have to be uncertain and fearful.

When we lose our focus; we lose our balance. Proverbs chapter 4 shows us how to apply God’s word to our lives. It ends with, Proverbs 4: 24-27:

“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. ²⁵Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. ²⁶Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. ²⁷Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

We can let the word of God speak to us, for such a time as this. It is the authority, but too often we wait until dire circumstances before we see what the bible has to say about it. If you are one to ask for directions or instructions only after you have exhausted all of your own resources, then you know what I’m talking about.

For example, if you are taking a trip, you need to be sure you are traveling in the right direction or you’ll never get there. There are no real substitute ingredients in some recipes, although there may be some happy mistakes made, like the time my mom decided to make a homemade pecan pie, but the end result was pecan brittle. Although she was never able to repeat that delicious mistake, we did not complain.

We can find a peace that passes all understanding when we trust in the Lord. Everything will be alright. I have confidence in Jesus Christ and he continues to order my steps.

In this week’s Lattereign we are reminded that no matter how confusing life gets for us we must learn to  Stay Focused on Your Purpose. (Click on the link to open the newsletter in a new window.)

If you are feeling uncertain today about decisions you need to make; or, maybe you feel that your strength is already gone, be encouraged by these words:

Living in a free country is a privilege that cost so many people their lives, yet too often we take our freedoms for granted. Just because we have always been able to go and do as we please, doesn’t mean that it will always be that way for us. In a nation that has not learned to trust in God, I am burdened for our country and our very way of life: however,  I serve notice on the enemy, today, I will not bow to any other gods but the one true and living God, Jesus Christ. He is the only one worthy of my praise, because he willingly gave his life to purchase my salvation.

We do have a choice. We have freedom of worship, and no matter how restrictive it may get, no one will be able to separate us from the love of God. It is time for the church to take a stand for what is right. We are free to make a choice, today, and as the scripture has said, I will choose to serve the Lord.

“ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

It is true that our land needs to be healed, and the first step to getting that to happen is to humble ourselves and pray. The Lord is waiting for us to realize that he is in control and willing to turn this scenario around on our behalf, but we must be willing to trust him, and seek his face for it to happen.

I am thankful that I can call on the name of the Lord. In this week’s Lattereign we are reminded that it is not only our choice, but our duty to be separate from the world.  Separate by Choice

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; Marvelous things without number.

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

( Job 5:8-11)

As we celebrate the fourth of July we are reminded of the blessings that we have to live in a free country. My prayer today is that we will not surrender our freedom, instead that we will put our faith in Jesus Christ who always causes us to triumph.

It may seem that life is spiraling out of control, but we can be assured that Jesus Christ knows what we need, and he has ordered our steps. We must trust him.

“Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Have we forgotten the God that we serve? There is nothing impossible with God. No situation is out of his control. When the storms come, we must learn to trust him. Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed with the pain and frustration of delayed answers from God, that we forget that he has already answered our prayer. It takes faith and perseverance to continue to pray until the answer is delivered. I’m here to serve notice on the enemy that would try to shake my faith in prayer: God is still in control and he will have the victory. I will not stop praying and believing, because I know that he answers prayers in the time frame that is best for me. He will work out all things for my good. Do I understand it? No, Do I have doubts? Sometimes, if I entertain the rebuke of the devil, but I have a peace that passes all understanding and I choose to stand, and wait for the Lord to rain righteousness down on me as the noonday sun.

When I face the storm, I find him in my prayers. Sometimes, I don’t even know how to pray I am so consumed with the problem, but if I’ll remember all of the times that he has shown his power in my life. The many miracles that he has performed on my behalf, the comfort that I found in seeking him, I can feel his peace that passes all understanding. I can wait on him and praise him with my whole heart and not worry. He is a great big God with everlasting resources, that are waiting to be delivered to the people who desire to worship him.

I know that sounds so right on paper, but living a life of surrender takes faith. The good news is that you don’t need much faith; and more importantly, when you are weak in the struggle to believe God, he is strong and he will help us to see it through, so don’t be discouraged; keep moving towards the light of his presence, and he will bring it to pass.

In the still of my night, I find him embracing me. I shall not fear the darkness. Although every sign tells me that it’s hopeless, I still hold on to hope that he is sovereign and he has already answered my prayer even before I speak the problem in prayer. When I feel so impatient waiting for your promise, and I long for simplicity—life before schedules and deadlines—remind me that you are with me through the storm.  Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Life is too short to spend lamenting over what might have been, by looking back; so for today, I want to say thanks for always being faithful. I am free because of you.

We do have the privilege to celebrate our freedom. In this week’s Lattereign, we look at how to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Click on the link that follows to access the newsletter. It will open in a new window. I Will Lift up mine eyes unto the hills