“And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.4.4-5.HCSB

Cain killed Abel not because Abel wronged him or fought with him but, it was because Cain couldn’t stand the FAVOUR OF GOD on Abel’s life.
Sometimes you may wonder why people #talk behind your back, why they hate you, why they do the things they do to you. It’s not that you have a problem, it’s because they can’t stand the favor of God on your life.
That’s why you don’t need to stress yourself over people who are determined to frustrate or misunderstand you. You have to understand that not everyone will #like you but everyone shall witness that you are favoured by the Lord.
Stand firm in God and what you believe in and no one will shake you…(Be a witness)

Philippians 4:13 says, I can do ALL things through Christ, who gives me strength.

What God has ahead of us is greater than what we have behind us.

Changing to the “Can Do” mindset will lead us to a place of peace, love, joy, gratitude, awe, and growth. When our thoughts change, our words change, our actions change, and we can become who God created us to be.
So, go back to school, start your own business, ask for that promotion, get married. God has your back! (Be a Witness)

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.50.20.NLT

How many circumstances in your life have been puzzling and crippling? You want the pain to end, but it keeps hanging over your head like a dark cloud. The text today indicates that although this may be your temporary station, there is another train coming. It is in the waiting crucible that God is rearranging things for our good. How many BUT GOD moments have you come to realize in your life?

But God gave me a platform to share my faith when I was battling cancer…

But God allowed my divorce to draw me closer in my dependence on Him…

But God used my time in jail to help troubled youth avoid that path in life…

But God provided for my family during the pandemic…

But God allowed me to be single to encourage other singles…

But God used my layoff to create a deeper dependence on Him….…

If we could see from God’s perspective, I believe it would change the focus of our waiting period. My late wife used to tell
My son, patience is waiting with a happy heart! Let’s pray we find the “happy” in our waiting and we will have another But God moment! (Be a witness)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Have you ever prayed for something to happen, and it seemed that God wasn’t listening or not answering your prayers? Then start wondering whether God wants that for you and maybe you need to change your prayer to “Not my will but thine be done”?
If so, you are not alone. I have been praying for something for close to 4 years now, a few times I believed the prayer was being answered and then, exit, stage left…. I’m talking about a real disappearing act! But today, I came into knowledge that God had answered my prayer in a profound way. And He answered it far beyond what I asked. The words in this text, exceedingly, abundantly and above all are exciting when you examine and experience them one at a time. But when you lump them all together in the same experience, that becomes a miracle! Let me encourage you, keep praying, don’t give up, God will do what He promised and it will be more than you bargained for! Your miracle is on the way!(Be a Witness)

“Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.1.3-5.NLT

Have you ever contemplated the miracle in this verse? God called light out of darkness and boom! There was light! As of late I have gotten a revelation that when God performed this miraculous feat, we as His children would rest assured that He can do this thing in our lives. Have you ever been in what seemed to be prolonged darkness? I have! It seemed eternal, but suddenly without announcement, boom! Light showed up and it was good! I don’t know who needs this today but encourage somebody, even yourself, that Our God wants to do this for you. Whatever your dark space is, ask God to turn on His Miraculous light switch and stand still and wait for the Boom! I am a witness that He can do it! ( Be a witness)

2 Corinthians 5:21 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ~ Righteousness is not something you have earned or done, but a gift given by God (Romans 5:17).
Because of God’s grace, you can partake of the inheritance of the saints of God. You have a right given to you by God to share in all that God has.
You were qualified to receive every blessing of God by being made right with God. You don’t have to do anything else so you can qualify. It’s a gift! You just have to believe it!
You are qualified to be completely forgiven. You are qualified to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
You are qualified to receive healing.
You are qualified to get prayers answered. You are qualified to prosper.
You are qualified to live with God in Heaven. (Be a witness)

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.19.NLT

As we encounter the different seasons in our life, we will always find ourselves in need. Whether the need is great or small, we all have needs. The question we are met with is who or what do we allow to meet that need?  

The world tells us that if we’re sad, angry, financially struggling, depressed, afraid, frustrated, hopeless, tired, stressed, or any variation that we can run to overeating, overspending, alcohol, substances, sex, stealing, revenge, and the list goes on. The world offers those alternatives, presenting them as easy, quick fixes. But what they don’t tell you is that those alternatives create cycles. You find yourself needing them daily and the behavior can lead to addiction and overall disappointment. 

Though many would admit the alternatives are easier to obtain, they aren’t the solutions we need to move forward living the life God has called us to live. We need God. His solutions, His ways, and His power. 

There’s no need that God can’t supply. God is everything we need, whenever we need it.

Hebrews 10:23 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
~If we always perfectly understood everything that was happening, there would be no temptation to doubt.
We are still growing and learning so we don’t yet understand everything. But just because we don’t understand what is happening is no reason to doubt God, His Word, and His goodness. Even in the dark, I will must trust God, for He is good and never fails. (Be a witness)

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Your view of God determines your praise, and your praise mirrors your view of God.

If you believe that He is your loving, patient, and forgiving heavenly Father, your praise will reflect those qualities of God.

If you believe that God cares about you every moment and in every circumstance and that no situation is beyond His notice and His care, then you are likely to praise God all the time! “Praise the Lord” will be something you say in one form or another countless times throughout the day.

If you are deeply grateful that God has saved you from the consequences of your sin, you will be filled with so much praise that you cannot express it all in just a few moments. Your praise will overflow because your gratitude is so great.

If you see God as fully willing to move heaven and earth on your behalf, your praise will be enthusiastic and heartfelt! Those who see God as being on their side, working always for their eternal benefit, are those who praise God with the most intensity and the greatest amount of faith.

God’s greatness can leave us speechless and in awe. His greatness can easily make the language of praise more difficult, but it also makes praise necessary. Praise brings us to a fuller recognition of God—not so that we might cower before Him, but so that we might bow before Him in humble worship. We worship God not so much to do something for Him, although He does desire our praise, but we worship Him to affirm His lordship over our lives.

The word worship comes from the word worth-ship, which means expressing to God His worth to us. How much do you value who God is? How much do you value what God has done for you? How much do you rely daily on what God promises to do for you? How much worth do you place on your relationship with Him?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are infinitely good. You are compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. Renew my mind to remember who You are and show me who I am as Your child. I want to see You rightly, that I may praise You rightly. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

The world hassles us every day; I don’t have to tell you that. Our fears, anxieties, and hurts are very real. But if we focus only on these earthly problems, then very soon the spiritual realm becomes foggy and unreal. We lose sight of God and slide into pessimism and even depression. Life loses its joy and excitement. If we limit our thinking to this world alone, it will grind us down into the dust from which we were created.

No matter how difficult or unjust our circumstances become, we can exercise our free will and choose to praise God rather than ignore Him. Praise has a strong emotional dimension—as we see in the Psalms—but it is not driven by emotions. Praise is driven by our will. That is why we must never say, “I prefer to wait and praise God when I really feel like it.” We are to praise God in all situations, in both victory and defeat, when we are in need and when we are experiencing plenty.

In fact, the times when you do not feel like praising God are precisely the moments when it is most essential to do so. The next time you are discouraged, start praising God. When you feel defeated or unable to break loose from bad habits, start praising God. When your most treasured relationships seem to be falling apart, start praising God.

Why do I say this? Because praise is about what God desires us to do—it is not about the power of your circumstances. When you get your eyes off your immediate problem and put your focus on God, you redirect yourself toward what God will do for you, not what man has done to you. At that point, God can work in your life to produce real growth.

The truth for the believer is that this tangible, physical world is not the “real” world. The real world is our ultimate home—the heavenly, spiritual realm where God’s presence permeates the atmosphere. When we start to view our present life in light of this ultimate reality, things begin to change. Faith and hope take root and flourish; joy and peace grow in our hearts.