Matthew 6:21 – “Where your treasure is, there also is your heart.”

I pray that each of us will enjoy God’s perfect peace, precise guidance, and the anointing to break every yoke and pull down and destroy all strongholds of the mind. I pray for God’s power to be manifested in and through each one!

As I read this passage, I was impressed by the Holy Spirit’s urgings of the importance of having an undivided heart and a singleness of purpose, which is God’s purpose.

In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there also is your heart.”  What holds our hearts?  What is our focus?  Is our desire first Him and the kingdom, or does Anything else hold our hearts?

Dual service is not truly possible.   God is first, or something else is.  If anything becomes a greater focus than God, the Kingdom, and our purpose, it can become an idol, and even if it is good, it becomes a weight that hinders us.

One of the most horrific thoughts is that after life on earth has ended, would be to discover that I had lived with a divided heart.  Not hearing the words “Well done” would be eternally devastating. Instead, we would hear the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:23.   He said to those who had been in the church, ministering, preaching, and prophesying, “I have never known you.”  That would be beyond horrific!  

Yes, I believe! Yes, I have received His pardon, experienced the new birth, and been born again.   Not to get into a theological debate, but those who thought they were okay were involved in labor for the kingdom but had divided hearts did not enter in. God does not want any to perish but for all to have eternal life, but our choice is a part of the equation. John 3:16 is for whosoever will, that indicates choice.

The cry of my heart is to have God as the ultimate focus of my heart, mind, soul, and strength.   We must not get sidetracked by what we want if it hinders us from what His call is.  He gives the desire of the heart when the heart is undivided.  Jesus said that His food and focus were to do the will of the Father.

Matthew 10:38-39 are keys to victory and purpose.  “AND whoever does not take up his (personal) cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.  39 He who is concerned (focused on) about his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.”  If we follow Matthew 6:33, we find that God FIRST creates a platform for life to the fullest.  

In Proverbs, there is an obscure directive – prepare your field, then build your house.  In capsule form (give your heart to the call and purpose of God, then focus on your desires). 

My heart cries for God’s purpose to be fulfilled in me without division or distraction.  What I want or perceive I need is secondary to God’s purpose.   I want the heart of Jesus. I want a heart that says, my food, sustenance, and joy is to do the will of God.  Having an undivided heart is what I am hearing.  God’s call is to Singleness of Purpose.!

Today is a day of victory for everyone who seeks God First. It is your day to rejoice and enjoy God’s goodness!

Numbers 20:9-13 – “So, Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, just as He had commanded him; ¹⁰ and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised high his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. ¹² But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” ¹³ Those were the waters of Meribah because the sons of Israel contended with Yahweh, and He proved Himself holy among them.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered this morning, the importance of explicit obedience gripped my heart.  Explicit obedience in everything, large and small, is vital.

In Numbers 20:11-12, we have an example of allowing past experience and personal passion to become an act of disobedience.  Moses did not maliciously disobey, but he did, which cost him greatly.  God is not petty but holy, and explicit obedience is necessary to achieve the fullness of God’s purpose.   We tend to excuse ourselves, “I’m only human.  Nobody is perfect.”  God won’t accept that.

God told Moses to take his staff (a symbol of authority) and SPEAK to the rock (a type of Christ).  Moses drew from the past and, out of anger, hit the rock twice with his staff.  God didn’t let it go.  Moses had disobeyed and did so in the sight of the people.  God wanted them to understand that there was nothing magic in the ritual they had seen before but that the power to achieve God’s purpose was in explicit obedience.  

Disobedience demonstrates a lack of faith, disrespect for God, and a lack of total dependence on God.  It has consequences.

In Matthew, Joseph had a plan, but when God gave directions, he followed them explicitly, preserving Jesus and living the hope of salvation. The Magi had orders from the reigning monarch, but God gave orders that countermanded the king’s order, and they obeyed explicitly. Jesus was spared, and the hope of salvation lived.

The Scriptures tell us that the little foxes spoil the vine.   One act of disobedience may not make us a rebel, but it makes another act of disobedience easier to commit.  The cumulative effect is destruction.

You can drop a single BB in a boat with no effect.  But, if you continue dropping BBs into the boat somewhere along the way, one BB will sink the boat.   Cumulative. However, one act of explicit obedience can open the door to the kingdom and propel us on the pathway to TOTAL VICTORY!

Obedience is better than sacrifice, and hearkening (hearing and obeying) is better than the fat of rams.   We live by every Word that God speaks.  Jesus said, ” If you love Me, do what I say. “

My prayer today is:

“Lord, help us to be explicitly obedient. Not in tormenting fear that You will get is for failure but because we love and trust you completely.”   

Our Father desires to give us the kingdom, but He cannot and will not bless disobedience.

Today, as we seek to obey explicitly, the revelation of our path will be illuminated.  His Word is a light and lamp.  Trust Him and see what happens.   The flesh will resist, but there is power, provision, protection, and promise in explicit obedience.

Have a great day, and enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit and the guidance He provides!

Numbers 11:23 – “The LORD’S hand is Full; now you shall see whether My Word shall come true to you or not.”

Today, something in the Book of Numbers caught my attention. It filled my consciousness as I read and prayed!

In Numbers 11, Israel continued to complain, voicing their dissatisfaction even after God performed miracle after miracle and provided for them time and again.   I have discovered that God’s people tend to complain if the going gets rough.   There is no Easy Button in life!   Sometimes, it’s hard.  Job told us that.   Jesus told us that.  The apostles told us that.   Yet, we want calm seas and smooth roads All the Time!

God promised meat for a month for the people- over 600,000 footmen, not counting the women, children, and elderly.  Moses could not comprehend how it would be possible and offered outlandish human suggestions.

The declaration of God in Numbers 11:23 is powerful.  What an encouragement, and what a paddling!   God did it!  They had the constant presence of God.  The miracles overcoming impossibilities.   Yet, the people continued to walk by sight, perception, and human ability.  

The spies God sent to detail the goodness of the land and provide a plan of possession did the same thing.   They saw the incredible fruitfulness of the land – it was all God had promised. But they saw opposition and wilted.  The goodness of the land did not convince them of God’s faithfulness and power.   They saw the Giants rather than God’s Enormity and Faithfulness!

The giants they saw blinded them.   Rather than take God at His Word and believe that His hands are full, they saw giants.   Their perception of the problem prevented them from pressing into the promise.  We are to walk by what?  By Faith, not by what?  Sight!    Yes, life has difficulty!     We can continue to see the Problem and talk ourselves out of the Promise by doing what we’ve always done.

God did not take it lightly and say, “They are only human.”  He stated, “Not one of you except Joshua and Caleb will get there.  They trusted you, disbelieved, and rebelled.”  We might want to rethink how we view life, problems, and promises and how we talk. If we focus on the problems and our past failures, we agree with the devil and empower him. If we see God’s Full Hand, we agree with God and walk by Faith. 

It is one or the other; there is no in-between.   The Promise is Victory now, and Heaven eternally! That door is open to us.  The question is, will we trust God’s Full Hand or the devil’s empty hand?  Can God Lie?  Does God Lie?  When has God Failed?  NEVER!

We need to believe His report, and victory is ours. Afterward, we may walk with a limp like Jacob, but you will be walking in overcoming Victory.   Choose Victory!

I pray that today will be a day of revelation and victory for you! 

Jeremiah 51:15 – “The LORD has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out heaven by his understanding.”

The theme of my heart today is God’s immensity, His deep love, and our responsibility before Him and to ourselves and others.   Sensing our responsibility to God is readily apparent to most.   Sensing or knowing our responsibility to ourselves is visible to many.   But others?  Well, that is a horse of another color. 

We sometimes allow stinkin’ thinkin’ to prevail.   We say or think, “Do you know what they did?   Do you know they are not living, right?  Do you know they keep making the same irreligious mistakes?”  So, what is my responsibility to others?

First, we need to see what Jeremiah declared: “God is the Creator with all power and wisdom.  He knows all.”

Jeremiah 51:36 –“Therefore thus says the LORD Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you; I will dry up the sea of Babylon, and make her springs dry.”

God pleads our case, and when retribution is proper, He exacts vengeance – We Do Not!  But we sometimes try to and pray against them rather than for them!  That is a vast difference. 

In Romans 12-15, we discover that Scripture consistently reveals that those who are strong spiritually are to care for the spiritually weak. That is taxing and requires more effort, compassion, and patience than most have learned or are willing to impart.

If, as Romans 12 declares, I belong to God totally and have a gift or gifts from Him, my purpose is peace and nurture of others.  In Romans 12:18, he says, “If possible. So far as depends on you, be at peace with everyone.”  

We protest, “But Lord…”  Then, Romans 13:10 reminds us that love does not do evil against others.  Love for God allows us to love ourselves rightly, which is translated into loving the unlovable and the loveable.   Is that Hard?  Yes, but we must remember that this is commanded and inspired by God.   It is not manufactured or pretended but an outflow of love in us.

Romans 14:1 instructs us to accept the one who is weak in faith and not judge them or look down on them. Remember, we, too, are weak in some areas.    We live for, in, and through Christ.    In that respect, we live for others and are our brother’s keeper.

Romans 15:1 – “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weakness of those without strength and not just to please ourselves.”  Remember, it is not about us!  Romans 15:7 tells us to accept one another Just AS Jesus accepted us. 

We accept people, but we do not endorse or justify evil.   We pray for, love, and provide godly examples rather than spewing forth condemnation and judgment.   We are not God.  We, too, have flaws. 

Romans 16:17- 20 is powerful and revelatory.   A professing Christian who causes division and dissension is to be noted, marked, and identified.  They cause others to stumble and war against the body’s unity.  We do not embrace or enable evil but love and pursue peace (God’s peace, not just an absence of conflict).

We must focus on our responsibility to God and ourselves, align that with God’s Word, and respond to others just as Jesus did. Then, Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”   Peace will come to our houses (our homes, businesses, and churches).

• First, we must embrace the correct view of God and our purpose.
• Second, we must embrace the correct view of who we are and how we live and think.
• Third, we must focus on others, strengthen the weak, encourage everyone, and demonstrate the Love of God to everyone.

I encourage you to ask the Father to help you prioritize rightly and relate biblically and godly.  Ask Him to transform you into manifestations and demonstrations of Jesus.   Then, we can declare, “Father, I give myself to You.” 

Today is the day of a new journey that produces God’s Peace and Power.  No weapon can stand, and no stronghold can remain.  We bow to You and set our hearts to be Who You said we are.

May today overflow with God’s goodness and presence and propel you to new heights in Jesus!

Joshua 18:3 – “How long will you be backward about going in and possessing the land (promise) which the LORD of your fathers Has Given you?”

Today, I am praying for an open heaven for each reader.  My thoughts today are focused on the problem of having the Promises made to us but not possessing them.  That would demand the question, “Why?”

The Bible instructs us to Wait on God!  That is a good and right word.  We are told that those who wait on Him are strengthened and gain endurance.   But, if waiting becomes hesitation and trepidation, it can result in paralyzation and stagnation.

Joshua’s question about going backward is interesting.  They were waiting overly long after the promise had been given!   The time to wait is before the promise, not afterward.  That is waiting for God to do what He has done and ignoring our responsibility, authority, and privilege.

The beautiful picture is that when they began to act upon the directive, Joshua 21:45 said, “There failed not one of the good things which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel; ALL CAME TO PASS.” 

In Mark’s Gospel, when the storm came, they feared for their lives, but Jesus calmed the storm.  They had forgotten or failed to focus on a key element; He told them to go to the other side!  That was the directive, but a problem arose, and they feared, focused on the problem, and waited for God to do it for them.  He asked why they were fearful and had no faith.   They had the promise but not the possession!  It was just a potential to them, but in God, it was a reality.

After feeding the 5,000, Jesus sent them to the sea, and a storm blew in.  He saw them struggling, and as He came on the water, “He wanted to pass by them. ” (Mark 6:48).

The key is that once we have received the promise, we must not hesitate or wait for God to do what He has done nor fail to do what He has commissioned us to do!   It is up to us to act upon His Word.  Succumbing to fear is to guarantee failure.   God will not do for us what He has empowered and directed us to do.  We must wait to hear, not wait for Him to do our part.  The time for waiting is to Hear, not for it to come to pass.

Has God promised you something?  He has also empowered and authorized you to possess that promise!  You have the authority, ability, and anointing, even if you don’t think you do.  GOD Can Not, Will Not, and Does Not Lie!

Decide today that you will possess the promises!  He will go with you, but you have to go.  Don’t wait as in paralyzing hesitation.   Wait to Hear, then act on what you have heard.  That is Faith!

Have a phenomenal day in Jesus!  Victory is for today!