​The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.   A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.  - Psalm 33:16-17 (NASB)
 
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. - Psalm 20:7 
 
The media is alive with messages informing us that vegetarians, or “vegans” is the pathway to great health; or that practicing yoga and/or participating in “mindfulness” meditation brings peace and increases strength.
 
Following pagan religious practices is not for those who profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Water and oil do not mix.  It is written:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?   And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.   Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
 
In today’s society, we are taught to believe in all types of foolishness, but the unchangeable truth is “Jesus is the way (without Him there is no going), the truth (all else are lies), and the life (without Him there is no living).” 
 
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Fa­ther, but by me.   – John 14:6
 
Christians everywhere: quit chasing after idol gods and their practices.  Seek Jesus and His ways.  Your time is drawing short.  God called you to be a light; you should be leading the way out of darkness.  He called you to be the salt of the earth; you should be the one who makes the difference – the one who brings flavor to any environment.
 
Some trust in yoga, and some trust in mindfulness meditation, and in their vegetarian diets, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”   – Joshua 24:15

​Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.               
- 2 Chronicles 20:17
 
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was troubled by the report that several nations were coming to do battle against Judah.  Therefore; he sought the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah.  God heard the cry of His people and answered them. 

​Being a child of God does not exempt you from trouble.  Actually, it pushes you to the front of the line-of-conflict. Because the “god” of this world hates Jesus and all who stands with Jesus.  Don’t be dismayed at those who are against you.  This know, “...because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”   - 1 John 4:4
 
God will not allow those who loves Him to be defeated.  The bible tells us that when we call upon God, He will answer us and deliver us; that He will be with us in trouble.  (See Psalm 91:14-15)
 
Therefore; believe His word.  Praise God before the battle.  Thank Him before the war begins.  Worship Him first.  You will never defeat your enemy until you have first bowed before God.
 
When God is for you, He is more than the whole word against you.  You need not bother yourself with trying to defeat your enemy; God will fight against your enemy for you.
 
The LORD sent message by the Prophet Jahaziel that they would not have to fight this battle, but to “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…” for the LORD was with them.  Upon receipt of the Word from the Lord, Jehoshaphat and all of Judah bowed before the Lord and worshipped Him.
 
On the next day, God gave them the victory.  Judah started out singing praises unto God; and instead of their enemy  coming up against Judah, they fought against each other and destroyed one another. Your praise will confuse the enemy.
 
“Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (v.21)

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  -Romans 8:37

The start of a new year; as well as the beginning of a new day, brings with it new challenges.  And, each new challenge opens the avenue for new opportunities.

Your challenge is a step towards progress.  Move forward with confidence, knowing that God has equipped you for this moment.   The steps of the righteous are ordered by the LORD.  (Psalm 37:23)

No trial encountered, can defeat you.  You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.  You are destined to win.  God’s thoughts toward you are to prosper you and to do you good all the days of your life.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Therefore, start each new day with purpose (have a plan) and hope (trust in God) and you will succeed.  Push through your problems into your destiny.
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See every problem as an open door on your pathway to success. 

​Light has no communion with darkness.  The two cannot dwell together.  One will eventually overtake the other.

​God has called us to peace and not chaos; health and not sickness; prosperity and not poverty.  Why then do we live as if God does not exist?  Why do we behalf as if God does not see us?

It is written:  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  Psalm 1:1-3

Walk in the counsel of God.   Meditate on His Word both day and night.  Unless you abide in Him and He abides in you, you can do nothing.   It's your relationship  with God that makes you fruitful.  Your basket will never go empty.   What you produce will  live and and not die.    God's thoughts towards you are good thoughts: thoughts to prosper you and to do you good all the days of your life.

​Move back the darkness.  Believe God's Word.  Stand on His Word.  Walk in God's Word.  

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  -Isaiah 55:11

​And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.      Jeremiah 18:​4

If God is our Shepherd, then we should follow Him.
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The good Shepherd makes His sheep to lie down in green pastures; which at times, appears to be anything but green.  Our finite understanding and position in time and space, limits our ability to comprehend this mystery of God.  Therefore, God calls us to rest where we are. 


​To us, it’s a broken home, but God says, trust Me.   “I will restore unto you the years the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied…” -Joel 2:25-26     “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore, in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.”   -Isaiah 61:7 
        Waiting on God positions us for the outpouring of His blessings.  Weeping endures only for a short time.  Morning is
        coming, and with the morning comes joy.

To us, things will never get any better, but it is written,   "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.  Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early...Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”   -Psalm 46:1-5, 10       
         God will perfect that which concerns you.   His thoughts toward you are good thoughts.  His plans are plans to prosper
         you and to do you good all the days of your life.  No good thing will God withhold from you.

​To us, all hope is gone, but God says,​  "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? "   -Matthew 6:25-26   
        Faith is knowing God can.  God's Word is our shield against the attacks of the enemy.  This battle is not yours, but the 
​        LORD’s.  Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD with you.  
 
In what appears to be a barren and forsaken territory is actually a place overflowing with milk and honey.   It’s a place of new birth and growth.  It’s a place on the Potter’s wheel.

Following Jesus is more than just the giving of  lip services.  Following Jesus is doing, and being in, the will of God. 

We must not only hunger and thirst after the savory nuggets that makes us feel good, but seek for the manna that strengthens us and grows us in the wisdom and knowledge of God.

God leads beside the still waters.  If your way is turbulent (stormy, confused, or violent), it is not God that is leading you into a storm.  The storm came because God is leading you. For this He says, "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.  These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”  (Isaiah 42:16)

God’s leading refreshes the weary soul.  Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28)    Refreshing comes from the presence of the LORD. 
 
God leads in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake.  The pathway to destruction is wide and without restraints, but the pathway to eternal life is narrow and constrained.   There are many travelers on the wide road, but only a few are seen on the road that leads to real happiness and everlasting life. 

This is because the narrow road leads through "the valley of the shadow of death."  Not because of Jesus, but because Jesus is with you.  Yet, amidst the chaos, God gives peace and favor. The perfect love of Jesus casts out all fear.  All around you can be turmoil, but in your space, He will cause you to eat with joy in the presence of your enemies.   

The sheep follows the Shepherd for guidance, not another sheep.
The LORD is my Shepherd.  I shall not want.  He meets all my needs. He restores me.  He leads me in the path of righteousness.  He makes a way for me in the midst of my enemies.  Grace and mercy is always with me.

Be a follower of Jesus, and not a follower of people.  

Acts 20:9-12 
The Apostle Paul preached a sermon in Troas that lasted a very long time.  A person in attendance fell asleep while listening, and fell from the window frame of the room where he sat.   He fell to his death three stores down.  Paul stopped his preaching; went down; embraced the young man, and the man revived.  Paul then went back to his preaching which continued until daybreak.

Ministry is hard, laborious work.  Everyone will not be so easily reached; even those that are with you.  While the Bread of Life might restore some immediately, there will be some in the midst who will just die.  But don't you give up.  Jesus is the resurrection.

Sometimes in ministry,  life can become very discouraging on the home front.  You see others being delivered, and you think, "What about my family?  When will they be delivered?" 
 
Your love one might be spiritually dead, but you keep on preaching; you keep on teaching; you keep on doing the things of God, and God will restore that lost one.

Hope thou in the LORD, for He shall yet fulfill His promises to you.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  God's mercies are new everyday.

Put God in remembrance.  Don't forget His many blessings.  Don't forget what He has already done.

​Be still, and know that God is God.  God will perfect that which concerns you.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  
Proverbs 4:23

What  I do today, develops first in my mind.   All that I am today, started first in my mind.   If I don't like where I am, I must then change what thoughts I'm entertaining; for as I think, so am I.
 
If there is to be any fellowship with Christ Jesus, and if there is to be any peace of mind, then I must think on what is good.  I must focus on the truth.  I must purify my thoughts.
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When the eye-gate of our soul is polluted with non-essential information: things that troubles our mind and thoughts which leads us away from what is good for us; then the purposed plan of God for our lives will never come to fruition.

God's thoughts toward us are good. They are thoughts of peace and prosperity, and not of evil; yet we will never experience these until self is abased and God is exalted.

Unless God builds the house, our labor is in vain. 
 

                              References: Proverbs 23:7, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 127:1,  and Philippians 4:8