14
Mar '25
Promises of God
14
Mar '25
What He Promises Will Happen.
It was one of the most unlikely events in the Bible …
God promised Abraham that he and his wife, Sarah, would have a baby – but they were way too old. Sarah had gone through menopause years earlier. There was no way it was going to happen naturally.
But the Bible says: Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about one-hundred years old – and Sarah’s womb was also dead. (Romans 4:19)
He didn’t deny that fact. He just didn’t dwell on it. He didn’t go around talking about how impossible it was and how it was never going to happen. He knew that if God made a promise, it was going to happen.
If you’re going to keep your hopes up, you have to be like Abraham and don’t dwell on what looks dead. Don’t dwell on what seems impossible.
Let me ask you … Are you spending more time thinking about the problem or the promise? Are you talking more about how big the challenge is or how big your God is?
If Sarah had gone in for a checkup, the doctor would have said, “Sorry, Ma’am. But you’re too old to have a baby – that’s what all those hot flashes were all about. You’ve waited too long; it’s not possible.”
No doctor would have given her a chance of getting pregnant. But don’t let anybody talk you out of what God has promised. Don’t let the experts convince you that it’s not going to happen.
Remember experts built the Titanic, and it sank. Amateurs built the ark, and it floated.
Sometimes the experts can be wrong. From a human point of view, what they’re saying may be true. But you have the most powerful force in the universe moving in your direction.
Don’t get talked out of it. What He promises will happen.
• He has the final say over your health. Maybe a doctor told you that your condition is permanent. Yes, make the best of it, of course. Yes, Get the best treatment you can. But don’t forget that God has final say. It may not have happened yet, but maybe healing is just around the corner.
• God has the final say over your children. He knows how to get the attention of a child who’s off course.
• God has the final say over your circumstances. Maybe you’ve been discouraged. Things seem to be at a standstill. But things could be very different a month from now. A lot can happen in one month – trust God.
It would be one thing if God had a say – that would be encouraging – but God doesn’t just have a say, He has the final say!
It would be one thing if God had a say – that would be encouraging – but God doesn’t just have a say, He has the final say!
The opposition you face – the people who are against you – have a say. God has the final say. The more they try to pull you back, the further God is going to shoot you forward!
Get this! When Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 – 25 years after God gave them the promise – God had the last word. Sarah gave birth to a son. God overrode the laws of nature, that laws of fertility, and the laws of reproduction.
He overrode what the experts said. He overrode Sarah’s moments of doubt. And He overrode Abraham’s mistakes.
And if Abraham was here today, he would tell you what I’m telling you: Don’t let your circumstances talk you out of what God put in your heart. It may look dead; it may look like it’s too late; and all the experts may say it’s impossible. But Abraham would say, “I can tell you firsthand, God has the final say!”
28
Feb '25
Water from the Rock
28
Feb '25
The Water Out of a Rock Principle
Background: After God delivered the 2 million Israelites from slavery in Egypt and parted the Red Sea, the people were in the desert headed toward the Promised Land. There were no grocery stores out there, no fast food, no DoorDash … and there was no water.
They began to complain. “Moses, why did you bring us out here to die of thirst?”
But let me tell you something: God didn’t go to all that trouble to bring them out of slavery, to free them from Pharaoh, to part the Red Sea, to defeat the Egyptian Army – only to let them die in the desert! God will allow situations where it looks impossible so He can show us His supernatural provision.
Don’t be surprised if you face times when all the facts say, “There’s no way. Your resources are limited. You fished all night and caught nothing.”
God didn’t bring you this far to leave you.
God told Moses to take his staff and strike a rock. When he did, water started pouring out of that rock. Supernatural provision. Streams in the desert. God can make things happen that defy the odds, things that you couldn’t plan for. You just have to trust Him. Everything in your mind will tell you, I’ll never have abundance. I’ll always be thirsty. I’ll always struggle, have debt, and never enough. Logically speaking, that may be true. But God will defy logic. He knows how to bring water out of a rock.
The Bible says: Water will gush forth in the barren places and He will make streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:6)
31
Jan '25
You Are Precious to God
31
Jan '25
January 31, 2025
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” (Daniel 10:18-19)
Somebody today, maybe you’re weak, but you’re going to feel your spiritual strength returning. Maybe you lost some faith, but it’s coming back. Maybe you’ve been overwhelmed with anxiety, but God is saying to you today: “Don’t be afraid!”
And he reminds him a second time: “For you are very precious to God.” Someone reading this, you heard it the first time; you need to hear it a second time. You are precious God. Not just precious. Very precious.
Let me be the spokesman for God, directly to you, personally to you. You are very precious to God. He cares about you. He loves you. He is with you. And He has heard your prayer.
Silently, in your mind right now, say, “I am precious to God.” Say it. “I am precious to God.” Now put your own name in there. Put it all in CAPS. Give it an exclamation point!
You …
your name …
You are very precious to God.
your name …
You are very precious to God.
03
Jan '25
Know Who You Are
03
Jan '25
January 3, 2025
The devil is going to say, “Your name is Loser – because that’s what you are. Your name is Victim – because that’s who you are. Your name is Quitter – because that’s what you always do. You’re weak. You’re worthless. And people would never love you if they knew who you really are. Even God doesn’t love you – at least, not as much as He loves other people.”
The devil tries to tell you what you’re not …
You’re not good enough.
You’re not strong enough.
You’re not special enough.
You’re not strong enough.
You’re not special enough.
You’re not worthy enough.
You’re not thin enough.
You’re not pretty enough.
You’re not thin enough.
You’re not pretty enough.
But here’s the key …
When the devil to tell you what you’re not,
remind yourself of who God says you are.
remind yourself of who God says you are.
God says, “I’ll tell you who you are …
You are loved.
You are beautiful.
You are blessed.
You are beautiful.
You are blessed.
You are cherished.
You are chosen.
You are capable.
You are chosen.
You are capable.
You are strong.
You are worthy.
You are enough.
You are worthy.
You are enough.
God says, “I’ll tell you who you are …
You are the apple of My eye.
You are the child of My heart.
You are the focus of My attention.
You are the child of My heart.
You are the focus of My attention.
When the devil tries to change your name, say, “No, my name isn’t Loser! My name isn’t Victim! My name isn’t Quitter! My name is Child of the One True God. I am a child of the Living God. There is royal blood flowing through my veins. I belong to Jesus, High King of Heaven.”
When the devil tries to change your identity, say, “No! I am a Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, love-giving, difference-making ambassador for Almighty God! That’s who I am!”
29
Nov '24
The Magi
29
Nov '24
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. At about that time, some Wisemen from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
Okay, let’s back up and see if we can understand this a little better. Centuries earlier, Israel had been conquered by the powerful Babylonian Empire. The Babylonians then began a program of relocating the best and brightest of the Israelites to Babylon.
Among those living in captivity in Babylon was a brilliant young man named Daniel. Remember the story of Daniel in the lion’s den? Same Daniel. Remember the song, Danny Boy? O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling … Not the same Daniel. Trust my research on this.
While living in Babylon, Daniel quickly rose to power and prominence, eventually becoming the Prime Minister of the entire Babylonian Empire. Even more significant, while in Babylon, Daniel had a series of prophetic visions about the coming of a great king – a Messiah – who would rock the world. Today we possess those actual prophecies in writing – from Daniel himself – because they are recorded in the Book of Daniel in the Bible.
Here’s what’s fascinating. We tend to overlook the fact that the Babylonians also had knowledge of all those prophesies. You see, Babylonian scholars kept vast libraries and very detailed records. And it was the job of these scholars – these Wisemen – to study these records and advise the Babylonian King.
So, year after year, they are waiting and watching for this one-of-a-kind King to be born. And imagine their astonishment when one night they look up into the night sky and see a strange and wonderful sight – a configuration of stars and a strange alignment of the planets Jupiter and Saturn.
To their way of thinking, this was an unmistakable message that, at last, the long-predicted king of the Jews – the Messiah, the future Ruler of the World – has arrived! So, they organize a caravan and set off on a 1,500-mile journey that would take them 2 years to complete.
The Wisemen had to travel hundreds of miles to find Jesus. But you don’t have to. Jesus is right here. He is here now. He is here for you. He is closer than the air you breathe. You don’t have to find Jesus – He found you.
Will you worship Him today? Will you honor Him? Will you tell Him, “Jesus, You are my King, a King like no other.”
18
Oct '24
God is Able
18
Oct '24
Someone in a wheelchair once said to me, “The only difference between you and me is … you can see my disability.” He said, “Everybody has a disability … some are just more visible than others.”
Today I’m going to challenge you to take your eyes off your disability … and put your eyes on God’s ability!
The title of today’s talk is … “God is Able!”
I heard about a young man named Trenton. Trenton is 23 years old, and he has cerebral palsy. And every Sunday, he is a greeter at his church. Everybody says his energy and his joy are contagious.
One Sunday his pastor preached a sermon about God commanding Gideon to “Go in the strength you have.”
All of a sudden, a thought hit Trenton like a lightning bolt. He said, “I have a disability. That’s how people define me: I’m disabled. But God said, ‘Go in the strength you have,’ and I realized something. If you take the word disable and put “Go” in front of it, it spells God is able.”
Trenton said, “Even though I may be limited from a human perspective, God is able to do great things through my life.”
That’s a powerful thought – and I want you to grab hold of it! Trenton may have a physical limitation, but he has developed incredible spiritual strength.
How about you? We all have our own disability – some are just more visible than others.
Do you focus on your disability? … Or do you focus on God’s ability?
I’m the guy who showed up in your life to tell you this: God is able to do great things through your life!
Maybe … just maybe … God is going to use you in a way that no one saw coming!
Let’s Pray.
Father, there’s someone listening to this talk today who really needs You. They’re facing a real tough problem. And they have a need which is very pressing. I don’t know who it is… I don’t know what it is … but, God, You do.
And, God, they’ve tried. They did their best. But they haven’t been able to fix that problem. But, God, You can. God, You are able.
And maybe they can’t see any way out. But, God, You often do things in an unlikely way.
In a way no one saw coming.
In a moment no one expected.
Using someone no one thought could do it.
In a moment no one expected.
Using someone no one thought could do it.
We pray this in the powerful Name of Jesus! Amen!
20
Sep '24
Accept Yourself by Faith
20
Sep '24
September 20, 2024
I remember when I committed my life to Christ as a teenager. It was an easy decision. I mean, salvation is the best deal ever. Jesus paid for my sins. He gave me resurrection power. He loves me like a best friend. He even prays for me when I don’t have the words to say. Who wouldn’t want that?
So, accepting Jessus was an easy decision. What’s been a lot harder for me is accepting Jeff. Accepting Jesus took a moment; accepting Jeff is taking a lifetime.
You have to understand: Jeff is far from perfect. Jeff gets cranky. Jeff is not very easy-going. I try really hard to be like Jesus, but at the end of the day, I’m just Jeff. But then it hit me …
You can’t just accept Jesus by faith.
You have to accept yourself by faith.
You have to accept yourself by faith.
Okay, sure, you’re a work in progress; I’m a work in progress. But you are beautiful, valuable, and important right now too. By faith, accept yourself! By faith, believe that God knew what He was doing when He made you!
Remember David, who fought Goliath?
David wrote: “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know full well … And you are God’s best work! You’re His idea – He thought you up! And … How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:14, 17)
David made some massive mistakes, but he knew how valuable his life was to God. He never forgot how much he was worth.
16
Aug '24
He’s Already There
16
Aug '24
You know, it’s easy to go through life … worried that things aren’t going to work out … worried about how you’re going to get past that problem … worried about how you’re not going to meet the right person. We look at all the reasons why things are not going to work out.
But let me tell you something very important: When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up everything you would need to fulfill that plan – every good break, every person, every solution. He’s not trying to figure out how to do it. He’s not making it up as He goes along. It’s already set up.
He’s already set up that connection. He’s already set up that promotion. He’s already set up that healing.
That problem that you don’t think will turn around – It’s not a surprise to Him. He’s already set up the answer. He had the solution before you had the problem.
So, the next time you’re worried about how something is going to work out, remember this …
It’s already set up.
The solution to your problem is already in your future, waiting for you.
Jesus showed us how this works. Look at Luke 22. The Passover is approaching, and Jesus is about to be crucified. He tells Peter and John to go ahead of Him into Jerusalem and make arrangements for their Passover Meal. This Passover Meal would later become known to us as the Last Supper.
They ask Him where they should go. He tells them something odd: “As soon as you enter the city, you’re going to see a man – a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow Him. He will lead you to a certain house. When you get there, ask the owner of the house where the guest room is, where we can have our Passover Meal.”
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Jesus said, “The owner will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up.” (Luke 22:12)
Jesus didn’t say, “Hurry up! Buy the food. Polish the silver. Bring out Grandma’s good china.”
He said, “It’s already set up.”
Guess what? What God has planned for you – He’s not thinking about doing it. It’s not one day maybe going to happen. It’s already set up. And the good news is, God knows how to get you there.
Notice how detailed Jesus was. He said, “As soon as you enter the city, you will see a man – not just any man, a man carrying a pitcher of water. He will lead you to a house – not just any house, one that is all prepared. He will take you upstairs – and you’ll find the table already set for dinner.”
It was like a movie script. All these details had to come together at exactly the right moment. If the man had been late, the disciples would have missed him. If he hadn’t been carrying a pitcher of water, they wouldn’t have known who to follow. If he led them to the wrong house, nothing would have been prepared. It was the right person at the right place, the right house, and the right timing. Everything fell perfectly into place.
Here’s what I’m saying: God is not only strategically directing your steps, He’s orchestrating everything around you. He has the people you need already lined up. He has the connections already arranged. He has the blessings waiting for you, down the road, at the perfect moment in your future.
05
Jul '24
God is Not Angry with Me!
05
Jul '24
If you are “in Christ,” you can live …
A life without condemnation.
Verse 1 of Romans, Chapter 8 – “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Circle that tiny, little word “no.” In the original text, that’s a Greek word, and it’s the strongest possible word for “no” you can use in the entire language. It means “absolutely, positively NO!” There is absolutely, positively NO condemnation for those who are in Christ.
Fact: God is not angry with me.
Fact: God is not angry with me.
When you blow it, God does not reject you. When you sin, God does not hold a grudge against you. Why? Because your sins have already been paid for. That’s what Jesus did on the cross. So, if Jesus paid for your sins, you don’t need to pay for them. That would be double jeopardy.
Jesus said it Himself in John 3:17 – “I didn’t come into the world to condemn the world, I came to save it.”
So, if God is not beating you up over your past mistakes, then you’ve got to stop beating yourself up!
I read about a church where they march through the streets with whips, weeping and wailing, and whipping their backs bloody to show the world what sorry sinners they are.
I thought, I know a lot of churches like that! You go to church and they beat on you, week after week. A lot of people don’t feel like they’ve been preached to unless they get a good verbal spanking. “Pastor, that message was so good! It made me feel so bad!” That’s masochism to feel like you haven’t been to worship unless you feel like you’ve been run over by a bulldozer.
Write it across your heart: God is not angry with me!
14
Jun '24
The Favor of God
14
Jun '24
June 14, 2024
The Bible tells us about somebody who really had troubles. Think about the Bible story of Job. He went through one of the most trying times any person could ever endure. In less than a year, he lost his family, he lost his business, he lost his home, and he lost his health. He had boils over his entire body and lived in constant pain. But in the midst of that dark hour, Job said, “God, I know that you have granted me favor.”
Now, here’s the amazing part! There are 42 chapters in the Book of Job. Job made this statement of faith in Chapter 10. Things didn’t turn around for him until Chapter 42! But, at the very beginning, when his troubles seemed the most hopeless, Job looked up and declared, “God, I know You have granted me favor!”
That’s real faith. Job was saying, “God, I don’t care what the situation looks like. I don’t care how badly I feel. You are a good God. And Your favor is going to turn this situation around.”
Is it any wonder that in the end God restored to Job twice as much as he had lost?
Friend, if you learn to stay in an attitude of faith, then nothing is going to be able to hold you down. You may be in a situation today that looks impossible. But don’t rule out the favor of God. One touch of God’s favor can turn everything around in your life!