"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."Matthew 1:23

When Daniel was in the midst of the lion's den ... God was with him. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in the midst of the fiery furnace ... God was with them. It would have been perfectly easy for God to immediately transport these saints out of their difficulties, but no, He chose instead to be with them in the midst of their trials. God chose to reveal His power through the trials instead of exercising His power to remove them. Trials and difficulties are simply a part of life and quite honestly, the longer I walk with the Lord the bigger these trials become. But how do we react when our faith is challenged by these adversities? James 1:2 says to count it all joy! What could possibly be joyful about difficult situations? Painful, yes...but joy?? Yet, somehow, I do find joy in knowing, and even sensing that God is with men the midst of my problems -- in the midst of my trials. He did promise never to leave or forsake me; and as I look over my life, I find it to be absolutely true...no matter what crazy situation I'm in, God is with me. Brothers & Sisters, we all have this decision: either to complain because of the trials we're enduring...or to prayerfully lift our souls before him (Psalm 25:1) ...and rejoice in the midst of our troubles -- knowing, believing, and even feeling, that God is with us, now ... always ... all the way! IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL....

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:13-14

I came across this story, about a man who was slowly losing his memory. After a lengthy examination, the doctor said that a risky operation on his brain might reverse his condition and restore his memory. However, the surgery would be so delicate that a nerve could be severed, causing total blindness. The surgeon asked, "So, which would you rather have, your sight or your memory?" The man pondered the question for a while and replied, "My sight, because I would rather see where I am going than remember where I have been." Our enemy is always trying to dig up the past and keep us all bound up in our failures. But be encouraged! Today is a new day! Today and every day we have a choice to make! Like Paul, we must choose to press forward and put aside our past. We must purpose to keep our eyes on the Lord, not on our successes or failures, but upon on what can we do for Him today! Brothers & Sisters, be free from the shackles of the past! Keep your eyes on the prize! WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:8

The beginning of a new year presents an ideal opportunity to ponder our lives, reflecting on the past and thinking about the future. As we make plans for the coming year, we can consider changes we’d like to make. During this time, it is critical that we seek God and understand His perspective. Looking back on the past, we should realize that He was with us every step of the way. He was there, even in the darkest nights, when we did not appear to have any hope. Even when we felt lost and alone, needing direction. And He was with us during our difficult circumstances and uncertain moments. As we look ahead, we do not know what will happen in the year to come. We are sure to go through a wide variety of experiences, whether successes or failures. We’ll encounter things we expect and surprises…victories and trials…crossroads and changes. But the Bible reminds us that God will be with us through every situation we face in the new year. We can trust in Him. One important way to stay confident and victorious is to focus on Him. This requires a commitment to draw closer to Him, continually filling our minds and hearts with His Word. It means declaring His promises and following the leading of His Spirit each day. Remember: Your Lord is both the beginning and the ending. He was with us in the past, and He will be with us in the future. He already is in the ending to every situation. He isn’t worried or anxious, and we shouldn’t be either! In your life, use the beginning of this year as an opportunity to focus your attention on Him. Commit the future to Him. Commit every trial you face and every problem to Him. Renew your trust in Him. He is the beginning and the end. This is His promise for you! THE BEGINNING 2014

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6

An artist went searching the streets of Harare City for a model to pose for a portrait he wanted to call -- 'The Prodigal'. One day was passing Africa Unity Square park and saw an impoverished beggar lying on a bench and thought: 'He's perfect! That man would represent the prodigal son beautifully in my painting.' He asked the beggar if he would be willing to sit for his painting and he would gladly pay him for his time. Naturally, the beggar agreed. On the day and time appointed, a man knocked on the door of the artist's small Brooklyn studio. Excitedly, he answered his door only to find a clean-shaven young man dressed in a suit and tie standing before him. Disappointed, he said, "You must have the wrong door sir, the law office is down the hall". "But you made an appointment with me," the man replied, "No," said the artist, "I don't believe I've ever seen you before. I made an appointment to meet with a beggar here at this hour." "Well," said the man, "I am the beggar." "You?" said the artist, "You're the beggar?" "Yes, he replied. After you left me last week, I found some money and thought I would get a new suit of clothes before you painted me." "Oh," replied the artist, "Well, you're just not right for the job." The beggar wanted to show himself a masterpiece before the artist -- but the artist wasn't looking for that. He wanted to create the masterpiece himself! Likewise, when we come to God, we must not come in our own garments of self-righteousness. We must come before him transparent, with no inhibitions, or worries, or pride. God has already seen our weaknesses and faults. We're not hiding anything from Him anyway. Brothers & Sisters, the Master Artist has an appointment with us today. Let's not come disguised as someone else. Let's come as we are so that He can make a priceless masterpiece. COME AS YOU ARE!

"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." Hebrews 4:9-11

There is a Sabbath for the people of God and we must be diligent to enter into it. We do not labor to be justified, for our justification is only in Jesus and in Him all the work for our salvation has already been accomplished. But it does take some labor to enter in. We must spend time preparing ourselves in worship and prayer and meditation on His word! But praise God! He has given us the ability to enter into His Sabbath rest, peace, joy and all the fullness of His blessings every day of the week if we will only prepare ourselves to receive it! Brother & Sister, let's prepare to enter into His perfect peace today. Sabbath Shalom! ENTER INTO HIS REST!

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."John 15:1-5

How do we produce much fruit? What is the Lord saying? In the modern world, the work ethic is, achieve and produce by working longer and harder! The focus is on getting results through human effort -- we've become product oriented and the bottom line is......the bottom line! But God's way runs contrary to this approach -- His way is much more oriented toward process and relationship rather than performance and production. He IS interested in results which He calls "fruit"; but not by pushing or egging us on to work harder or longer. The Lord's way is to work with and through us so that every result or product comes out of our abiding in Him, since without Him WE CAN DO NOTHING. This is opposed to of the culture we live in today, and to human nature in general. Think about it -- we're constantly bombarded with self-help books promoting self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-control -- our society is all about SELF! But God's way of success produces the results which He values; results which are not produced by self-effort, but which grow out of an intimate relationship with Him, in which we seek to constantly abide. Brothers & Sisters, the only way we can become abundantly fruitful is to understand the Lord's fruit-bearing process. As we lay down self-effort, our natural human independence, and seek communion with Him, abiding in the Vine, then His power, His will, and His desires will be realized in our lives, which then, will bear fruit that remains throughout eternity! ABIDE!

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."Phillipians 3:13-15

New Year's Eve celebrations have come and gone. Now the reality is settling in -- it's 2014!! Some of us are wondering where in the world the time went... the Lord knows I am. A famous preacher, Henry Ward Beecher once said: "We have passed through one more year. One more long stage in the journey of life, with its ascents and descents and dust and mud and rocks and thorns and burdens that wear the shoulders, is done. The old year is dead. Roll it away. Let it go. God, in His providence, has brought us out of it. It is gone; . . . its evil is gone; its good remains. The evil has perished, and the good survives." I say amen to that -- how 'bout you? Brothers & Sisters, let's be sure to confess the sins of 2013 today. Roll them away. Let them go. Rest assured in the fact they are forgiven so we can confidently look towards the future. Today is the beginning of a fresh new year. Let's press forward to do exciting and new things for the Lord! REALITY CHECK!