Devotion: Are You Psalm 91 Equipped?

Are you Psalm 91 equipped?  Have you made your declaration today?  The Bible says that when you decree or declare a thing it shall be established, or it shall come to pass (Job 22:28).  When you decree or declare a thing, expect to see it, expect it to come to pass.  So, let us decree this thing, let us declare Psalm 91 in the mighty name of Jesus and watch it come to pass.  Hallelujah, Glory to God.

• I declare that I will dwell in the shelter of the Most High God.
  
  
• I declare that I will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
  
  
• I declare that God is my refuge and my fortress.
  
  
• I declare that you are my God, in whom I trust and with great confidence, in whom I will rely.
  
  
• I declare that God will rescue me from every trap and protect me from every disease.
  
  
• I declare that I am covered and protected by his outstretched arms.
  
  
• I declare that God’s faithful promises are my armor and my protection.
  
  
• I declare that I will not be afraid of the terrors of night, nor of the arrows that fly in the day.
  
  
• I declare that I will not dread any disease that stalks in the darkness, nor any disaster that strikes at midday.
  
  
• I declare that because God is my refuge and the Almighty God of my home, no evil can befall me, and no plague can come near my dwelling.
  
  
• I declare that God has ordered his angels to guard, to defend, and to protect me and my house.
  
  
• I declare that God’s armies of heaven will keep me from falling.  I will walk unharmed and kick anything that is evil from my path.
  
  
• I declare that because of God’s love for me that I will call upon him, he will set me above all my troubles, he will deliver me from all my fears, and he will honor me with his presence and power.
  
  
• I declare that he will reward me with long life, and he will show me his salvation.
  
  
• Hallelujah, I am Psalm 91 equipped, in Jesus’ mighty name.  Amen.
  

We thank Brother Creflo Dollar for this Psalm 91 Confession.  We pray that this inspirational message will abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We also pray that you will be the better for having read it.  If you are blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Sin Is Deadly

“For the wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23).

Most believers are very familiar with this passage of scripture, but few have given any deep thought to what this passage is actually telling us.  Just as you expect to receive “compensation or a wage” for working in any job, be it full-time or part-time, you should expect to receive “compensation or a wage” for working or living in sin, be it full-time or part-time.  While the “compensation or wage” for employment is usually some type of monetary benefit, the compensation or wage for sin is “death.”  Therefore, this passage is really saying to us that “the wages, the salary, the pay, the income, the take-home pay” of sin, no matter that amount of sin, is “death.”  Imagine that, working in sin, playing in sin, living in sin, or just existing in sin pays a benefit, which according to scripture is death.

Now, there are some so-called believers who still have pieces of their old sinful nature still living within them.  While they have been able to put to death many aspects of their old sinful natures, many choose to keep souvenirs, keepsakes, and mementos, in an attempt to cling to particular portions of their old sinful life.  And while there are varying amounts being kept, these tokens only serve as reminders of a life gone by, a life that was completely ruled by a sinful nature.  The problem with keeping these souvenirs, these tokens alive, it gives opportunity for temptation to do its thing.

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15).

For every man is tempted, but he is tempted by his own passions and by his own desires.  His own lust serves as the bait for the temptation.  Once the trap is baited, it is man’s lower nature, his fleshly desires that draws him away and entices him.  Then once the temptation goes from the confines of man’s mind and he acts upon it, he then gives birth to sin.  Once sin is born, it grows up, matures, and then brings with it “the wages,” which we now know is “death.”

Traditionally, sin has been defined as “a violation of divine law.”  When we think of sin, we usually think of it as “personal sin.”  Typically, “personal sin” is defined in one of two ways.  There is “the sin of commission,” where an individual does something that is prohibited.  Then there is “the sin of omission,” where an individual fails to do what is required of him or her.  The problem with engaging in sin is that sin will take you where you don't what to go, will keep you longer than you want to stay, and will cost you more than you want to pay.  Nevertheless, know this, you may have the ability to choose the sin, the one thing that you do not get to do and cannot do is to choose is the consequences of sin.  Though a sinful act does not end in death each and every time, death is one of the possible outcomes each and every time a sinful act is committed.  Sin is deadly, so keep in mind that “the wages, the salary, the pay, the income, the take-home pay” for working or living in sin, be it full-time or be it part-time, is “death.”

We pray that this inspirational message will give you a new perspective on what “the wages of sin” actually refers to.  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Cares

If it is true that God cares, then why doesn’t he do something to show us he cares?  If it is true that God cares, then why doesn’t he do something about all the wrong that is in the world?  If it is true that God cares, then why does he sit silently by and allow bad things to happen?  Is this what a caring God does?  The truth of the matter is that God really does care and has done all that he can do to take care of the problems that so many face.  When God first created man, he created man to have dominion over all of his creation (Genesis 1:26-28).

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?  and the son of man, that thou visitest (pay attention to or care for) him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:4-8).

If God does not care, then why is he so mindful of man?  If God does not care, then why does he bother with us puny humans?  God does care and that is why he pays so much attention to or care for us so.  God does care and that is why God continues to visit with us.  God created us a little lower than himself, “in his image and after his likeness” (Genesis 1:26), and placed a crown of glory and honor upon our head.  God created us to have dominion and charge over everything he created and he has placed all things under our feet.  Does any of this sound as if or like God doesn’t care?  So many struggle with poverty, sickness, and death because they lack the knowledge.  So many battle depression, fear, discouragement, low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, confusion, and doubt because they lack the knowledge.  So many are praying and waiting on some divine intervention to resolve their problems for them.  They do not know that we have already been given power or authority over all of these things.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18).  “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).  “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18).

Jesus came “to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) and part of what Jesus saved was the authority or dominion over God’s creation (Matthew 28:18) that the first man had lost (Luke 4:6), in the garden when he ate of the fruit (Genesis 3:6-7).  In getting back this authority or dominion, Jesus also gave mankind the ability to cast out devils and to lay hands on and heal the sick, along with several other things.  People do not know that we must take that power or authority and resolve our problems ourselves.  This is something that each one of us has to do for ourselves.  God has given us everything that we need to do this.  God is not going to do this for us; we have to do it.

This is what God was telling Paul, when Paul asked that the thorn in his flesh, which he said was “a messenger from Satan to hurt and bother me and prick my pride” (II Corinthians 12:7 TLB), be removed.  Paul had the favor or support of God.  If anyone was deserving of God’s protection or having a hedge around him that would have been Paul.  So, why did God not do as Paul had requested and remove the thorn that he had been given?  God responded to Paul’s prayer request saying, “My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).  Many see this as the actions of a God who doesn’t care, but this is so far from the truth and is not the case with Paul’s thorn in the flesh.  When Paul asked God three times for help, God basically told him that his grace, what he, God had already done, was sufficient.  Paul, like all of us had already been given the power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, so there was nothing else God could do for him and that why his grace, his favor was sufficient.  God has done all that he can do and made every provision for us to deal with any problem that we could face.  It is now up to us to do our part.  We pray that you can see that God really does care for us.

We pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We also pray that you will be the better for having read them both.  If you are blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW 

Devotion: Life Is Good

Life is good.  As a child of God, life is truly good.  We know that some will disagree, because they see the daily struggles of those who succumb to poverty, sickness, and death, the primary battle involves depression, fear, discouragement, low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, confusion, doubt, and many other things and say “With all that we see in the world, how can anyone say life is good?”  It all depends on the lens through which you see the world.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus tells us that we will have many trials, many tribulations, many afflictions, and many sorrows but we should cheer up and keep our courage up.  While trials, tribulations, afflictions, and sorrows do not sound like there is much for anyone to be cheerful about, Jesus still tells us that when these things come, and they will come, we need “to be of good cheer.”  Jesus says, “in him we can have peace,” if we “be of good cheer,” because he has overcome all of these things and won victory over all the world.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

For us who love God and have answered the call, according to God’s plan, we know that in all things that happen, God is working them together for our good.  Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10) and we know that when Jesus died on the cross, he gave those who have answered the call, the privilege to become children of God.  As children of God, we can share in the awesome blessing of Abraham and receive the promise of the Spirit through our faith.  Because we are now children of God, we have a right to the inheritance of the new covenant, a better covenant built with better promises (Hebrews 8:6-13)  and the right to a divine inheritance to the best in life, deserving all the Father has to offer (Romans 8:14-17), which includes the right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity.  Even though we all see many struggling with the trials, tribulations, afflictions, and sorrows of the world, that does not change the fact that God has made available to us, a better life, a good life.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).  “The thief cometh not, but (except) for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10).

We are warned to be sober and watchful because we have an adversary.  This adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion looking for those whom he can devour.  He is a thief and the thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy.  The devil comes to steal your peace of mind; your self-esteem; destroy your relationships with your spouse, children, parents, and others; and to basically take you out of this world.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3 ESV).  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 ESV).  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:7-9 ESV).

If we keep our mind stayed on God, trusting in him, in his word, and in his promises, he will keep us “in perfect peace,” which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand without help.  If we think about what is true and good and right, if we think about things that are pure and lovely, and if we dwell on the fine, good things in others, we will experience “God’s peace.”  When we think about all that we can praise God for and all that we can be glad about, then the “God of peace” will be with us.  The “God of peace” will keep our thoughts quiet and at rest.  And if our thoughts are quiet and at rest, then we can certainly “be of good cheer.”  And if we “be of good cheer,” then we see the world the way God wants us to see the world.  Life is good, when you see it the way God sees it.

May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We pray that you will be the better for having read them both.  If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW